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Location: SE Michigan | Has anyone out there played with the Line 6 Variax guitar or any other modeling guitar?
It sounds like a pretty cool concept to have one guitar that can sound like a D-28 or a Stratocaster or whatever. I assume you can just plug this thing into a PA or an acoustic amp and still get all the different guitar models.
Anyone tried one? |
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Posts: 365
Location: NC | I have seen this guitar for some months now and would love to play something that would imitate the Sitar, or other out there instrument.
I have seen these at Music123 and I think the cost of this guitar is roughly $1200 if I remember. |
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Location: NJ | I think there's a review of it in the current issue of AcousticGuitar. I also believe Master Templeman did a bit of a review here about it awhile ago . . .
. . both reviews were "lukewarm" (at best) from what I can remember . . . |
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Location: Converse, Texas | I played one of these in a GC in Columbus, Ohio. Interesting guitar. It did make the sounds as described, but it sounded like electronic reproduction vs actually playing a sitar. Know what I mean? |
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Location: NC | You think it uses a microchip or some sort of processor to reconfigure the sound digitally or electronically to imitate the sound of the desired instrument?
I think there are guitars now that plug into PC's aren't there that use a digital signal?
I don't know for sure but I would say for the money I will stick to convention. I would however love to play the damn thing to just see it, or actually here it for myself! :) |
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Location: south east Michigan | Brian...our local GC had one a few months ago. I played around with it through the Bose System they have in the acoustic room. I posted a thread about it at the time. I guess it would be better than having an external effects box. But do you really need to quickly switch from mandolin to 12-string to banjo?
I felt that although it offered many options, it did not do them very well. Well...except for the banjo....maybe.
It seems like more of a magic trick than a useful tool. I imagine it would help out those one man band guys with the cymbals on his head. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | It's a tool, an undigitized instrument is of course, better, but you don't have to lug around a bunch of axes. The people I know who've tried it, love it for recording. I'm a bit of a luddite, but this digital stuff is really big. |
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Location: SE Michigan | Brad, the reason I was looking at these is because I would like to do some different things. Wouldnt it be great to have a Telecaster for some of the lead parts? But then I would also need a decent electric guitar amp, cant just plug a Tele into a PA or acoustic amp. How about a twelve string once in a while or a resonator for some of the blues and swamp rock stuff?
I would need five or six guitars and at least a couple of amps and a Dodge Maxi Van to haul it all around in. If someone has a high-tech solution that can get me 90% of the way there (to match what all those guitars can do), it's worth a look. |
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Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | Hey Brad, do you remember last fall we saw a guy at Huber Breese that was playing one of those Godin Multiac things? Remember he was one of the guitar instructors, he looked like Keith Richards will look in 20 years. I remember he had that Godin sounding like a piano at one point. Not sure if he was using an external synth or not. |
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Location: south east Michigan | I don't think he had a seperate box. |
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Location: Scotland | What would you rather have, an Adamas or a model of an Adamas? It's interesting technology, and while I'm a fan of amp modelling in a studio situation, digital guitar modelling, especially acoustic guitar modelling has a way to go before I'll be convinced. Regardless of the tonal considerations, they have yet to figure out a way to model the difference in feel between a strat & a Les Paul, never mind the difference between a solid body and an acoustic.
Overall it's a cool concept, I own & use a Variax 500 regularly in the studio, but right now they are doing nothing more than field-testing while we foot the bill. I need to use around 5 or 6 of those quaint ol' "real" instruments on any gig, so I figure I'll have to continue to lug them around for at least another decade or so until the models catch up. Having said that the instant open-tuning facility and "virtual capo" are incredible and if there was just one sound on the Variax acoustic I considered good enough (and right now there isn't) I'd use one live for those functions alone.
Interesting that both the Ovation "plugged-in" sound and the Adamas acoustic sound, two of the most distinctive & infulential acoustic guitar tones ever, are both notable by their absence on the Variax acoustic.
one more point; Apart from software considerations, the Line 6 guitars, especially the acoustic, feel and play like sub-$150 guitars |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | once more
I have to agree with Paul T, electronic reproduction is just that, a copy, an imitation, does Anna Nicole's cooing sound anything like the high school sweetheart that you were in love with? The boxes that promise that they can replace Eric Clapton's sound leave a lot to be desired, which Mr. Clapton didn't, he just played great music on a regular guitar, no modeling needed here please. The modeling, no matter how much it is hyped, leaves evidence of it's lack of feeling.
Bailey |
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Posts: 256
Location: chicago | I have played it at gc before and it seems like it would be best suited for recording,the sound i liked the most on the acoustic version was the gypsy setting which replicated the selmer gtr sound. |
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Location: Toronto | I've had the Variax 700 for sometime now and just love it. Having it run through a POD gives me the opportuntity to really play anything I have a mind to. Now this may not be so exciting for those who want to be themselves and create their own sound. For those of us who like to flatter people by imitation - this is the perfect tool (IMHO).
With a twist of a knob and a push of a button - you got some SRV happening, another push and you got some Mark Knofler, another push - and you're sounding just like Chuck Berry.
I think the strat/les paul/and jazz box immitations are great. The feel of the guitar is definitely week - but with a good setup and some decent strings - you can play for hours.
I find the thing lacking the most is the difficulty with muting the strings. With some practice though - you can manage. And overall - as a recording tool - I find the electric models pretty good, and even think the 12string models sound okay as a backing track. You can also do a pretty good rendition of Norwegian Wood on the Sitar model (the Banjo really bites though)...
If you really want to learn more about the Variax 700 and/or the Variax 700 Accoustic check out the line6 bb - it's not bad (www.line6.com).
Dano |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Read this thread this morning and stopped at the local GC at lunch and played around with a 700 for about 1/2 hour. Might have been the room or the amp but it did not rock my world. Sounded ok and played ok but nothing really steller.
Stephen |
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Location: Toronto | Stephen - if you didn't play it through a pod or a vetta - then you're missing about 2/3 of the experience...
If you did, and it didn't - then don't :D
Dano |
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Location: Texas | I've got a Variax 500 purchased in early '04 when GC had them for $499.
I play an Ovation S771 most every Sunday in church. I have been trying to use the V500 six string acoustic models live, but they have left me dissapointed in the sound. At home, when the V500 is connected to a guitar amp, and when I am playing using any six-string acoustic model, I can easily hear high frequency distortion coming through along with the modeled guitar sound.
I believe the distortion is caused by fret buzz which energizes the pickups and produces the distortion.
At this point, before my warranty runs out, I am going to ask Line 6 to fix it.
That said, I have a POD XT Live on order. What I intend to do "live" is to play acoustic, then switch to slightly overdriven electric in the same song (as many of the worship songs do). With the Varax electric and XT Live this can be done with a push of footswitch. The XT Live can tell the Variax to switch guitar models, which will be really useful, provided I can make the V500 six string acoustics sound credible to me.
-Gary K |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Dano,
NO, I played it through a little crate acoustic amp...don't even know the model number.
So far as the Pod goes....I have an XT at home and like it. Then I bought the Atomic Reactor 112 Tube Amplifier and absolutely LOVE IT!
If you are not familiar with the Atomic, then you are really missing out. It is a tube amp that has a slot for the PodXT to fit in. The Pod controls everything...without the Atomic won't work. So you essentially have a 1-12" tube amp entirely powered by the Pod with a tube preamp.
I got mine from American Musical Supply but you can probably do a search with Google and read all about them...absolutely FABULOUS :p :p |
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Location: Toronto | Hey Stephen - I've been reading and hearing about the atomics - it's great to hear your feedback. It looked like it would be a great rig to move around with - since it has a slot for the bean!
I've been running through a PA and seem to be able to get the tones I really enjoy. And with a bit of EQ - I can even tolerate some of the acoustic models on the 700! |
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Location: Toronto | Hey Gary K,
I believe the distortion is caused by fret buzz which energizes the pickups and produces the distortion.
I'd check the for distortion coming from another source in your chain. There are no pickups on the Variax so I'm not sure how fret buzz would be able to create the distortion affect. If there was a short or other wiring issue, I think it would manifest as either a 60hz hum, click periodic cut?
Dano |
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Posts: 2487
| For me it's the whole show effect that is missing with these guitars. If you see my point?
I find it impressive, as do many, to see a musician play an acoustic guitar from a stand while wearing an electric or in my case a Bass. I am spending a lot of time to work out songs that require different instruments (Tiple, Mandolin, Violin) and yes it can get expensive but if it is your passion then what's the harm in spending a little money?
I always wanted to try one of those old Guitorgans. You know the ones that looked like a hollow body gibson but had the push buttons that made it sound like an old hammond. Now that sounds like fun to me!
I don't know perhaps I have Old Fart disease?
I am personally more interested in hearing about that Boss sound system than the Guitar.
Randy |
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Posts: 338
Location: Toronto | Randy - I see your point and agree whole-heartedly...
I find it a fascinating 'toy', and something that lets me stretch a little bit more creatively, both in my recordings and playing technique. While many actually use the variax for gigging - I would never take it out of the studio - thats just where it belongs for me!!
But man - it has provided hours of fun!!
Dano |
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Posts: 77
Location: Texas | Originally posted by MrDano:
Hey Gary K,
There are no pickups on the Variax so I'm not sure how fret buzz would be able to create the distortion affect.
Dano
Hi MrDano,
My theory is that the fret buzz is somehow energizing the piezos resulting in the high frequency distortion.
I have called Line6 and they are taking steps to provide me with a fix.
-Gary K |
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Line 6 Variax guitar