Variax questions )

Hi all I was at band practice the other and we started writing a song. The chord progression was perfect for an acoustic - but my 12 string was at home. So i got thinking, maybe i should look into a Variax. This also ties in with wanting another guitar. I like my strat-a-like G250, but id love a tele, and also a Les Paul. I dont want to buy all of them for the cost mainly. So why not a Variax? Anyone own one who wants to give me some feedback on it? I dont care about the sounds sounding *exactly* like the actual guitars. Im more interested in how it works in practice.

1) If you use batteries, how long do they last? Is it a pain using the power adaptor?

2) Can you use the acoustic sounds through a normal amp? I know the A/B box sends them to a PA but i dont own one!

3) Whats the weird port for by the side of the output jack?

4) Is there 25 positions on the guitar select knob or do you select say the 'tele' knob and then the pickup selector switch changes between the 2 tele models?

Finally, any words on its downflaws? Ive found a company selling them for £650 which is bit of a bargain to me!

I have had one since early February, and I love it. As with all other gear, give it a go, and see if it's for you. But I'll give my opinions as to your points....

1. You can use 6 AA batteries. They apparantly last 10-11 hours of continuous use. Or you can use a 9 volt pp3 type, which will last about 1-2 hours. I find the adapter is fine. It is part of the footswitch. It will be a pain if you have wireless stuff for gigs, but I've gigged it no problems.

2. You can, but they sound pants IMO. They sound great through a PA or an acoustic amp. I think that two of the acoustics are really good, one is OK and the 12 string acoustics are ropey. But I don't think you'll find many real electro acoustics that sound there best through an electric amp so we can't hold that against it

3. The 'Mystery port' (TM). Several theories abound, including rumors of future upgrades, simultaneous patch change with other line 6 gear etc. But no-one official seems willing to confirm what it will ever do. If anything.

4. Depends on the model. There is a 12 position rotary switch. Two of these positions are custom banks. The 10 factory banks work in conjunction with a 5 position strat style switch. When you select the strat model, the 5 position switch does exactly what a strat switch does. In the tele bank, there are 3 different teles represented in the 5 available slots. This means no one tele is fully modelled; two positions of two guitars, one of another (does this make sense?). The acoustic bank has 5 different guitars on the 5 positions. Etc. Download the manual from the website for more details.

HTH. Any other questions, give me a shout.

Had a good thrash on one in Sound Control last weekend - the biggest turn up for me was the really poor harmonic response - you know, you're playing a nice distorted rhythm sound and go to dig in with thumb, finger and plec - it seemed to me that where a pickup would have given nice squealy harmonics it was all a bit limp.

That was my only major gripe.

then I made the mistake of having a go on a PRS Santana SE. Want one.

I find that a little surprising... the magnetic field of standard pickups *should* inhibit harmonic response. Certainly basses fitted with lightwave (?) pickups are reputed to be more harmonically responsive than those with magnetic pickups. Perhaps it was something else about the guitar or a problem with the modelling?

IIRC the Variax demo guy did pinch harmonics. I don't think the Variax models pickup position like the VG system, so the harmonics shouldn't be muted by a pickup being theoretically at a harmonic node, but the demo guy wasn't too convincing on that point (like he didn't really understand the question).