Variax test drive

Wandered into Sound Control and found that they had a Variax up for demo, so I couldn't resist a go.

Build quality looks OK. The neck is a two piece whith a scarf joint just behind the nut in the usual place they do this on Far East guitars. The maple used in the neck is fairly plain and aneamic looking. The fingerbord is a fairly hefty slab of rosewood and well fretted and finished. The neck as a whole is fairly chunky.

The appearance of the guitar has come in for some criticism, but when seen in the flesh, it actually looks OK. Looking at the back, it looks like a nice sunburst guitar with comfort contours in all the right places. It's when you turn it over and look at the front it looks rather plain and empty, and I think that's it's problem. The shape and sunburst colour looks really nice but it could use a little more ornamentation on the front to detract from its spartan look.

But how did it sound? Weeeeeeeelllll, interesting, I have to say. All the sounds are '-ish'. The Tele setting was probably the one I reckoned was fairly close. The Strat sounds were a little weak - not enough 'quack' in the '2 and 4' positions and lacking in the 'zing', but they were still useable approximations. The Big Jazzers were fun as was the banjo. The acoustics were a bit disappointing but it was through a Fender DeVille amp, so maybe they'd sound better through an acoustic amp or PA. The Les Paul, I couldn't get to grips with at all. Clean it sounded ok but on overdrive it just seemed to lose the plot and was rather generic in tone. More Epiphone than Gibson perhaps?

All in all, it was an interesting experience but, it has to be said, the 'feel' vs the sound was a bit odd. Trying to play Strat style tunes (snippets from Sultans of Swing, etc) felt very strange and rather clumsy on a neck with an entirely different feel and scale(?) to the Strat. In fact the scale felt a bit strange. I'd assumed it would be Gibson, but it felt a little longer, although the neck radius seemed Gibson like. Does anyone know what it is?

Would I buy one? Nah. I'm afraid it's too much a Jack of All Trades, Master of None, for me. It certainly does a bundle of sounds but, I'd probably end up only using a couple.

Thanks, TN N for an interesting and objective view on the beast in question.

I'm pleased to read that your closing comments echoed my own misconceptions - although I haven't tried one - in that the feel vs the sound brings the concept down. This is probably something that one would get used to, though, in time. In fact, there may be a lot to be said in *support* of a consistent feel - perhaps it avoids the need to 'get used' to different radii / weight / scale. That said, I think I'd like to see some cosmetic and playability variation in the Variax, so that you can buy one with a gibson neck/scale or a fender, etc. That would increase its appeal. Of course that brings back the concept of retrofitting the modellet to ones favourite guitar as an aftermarket item.....

That said, I'll wander down to my local sound control for a butchers.....

Interesting read for me aswell as a fairly new Electric player

Over the past few months I have bought a couple of lekkers and an amp and other stuff which came to about £700-800

All this, well, what seems to be hype now, over these Variaxs' (is that plural ? Variaxi ?) got me flaping and thinking I could have got this 'Ultimate Guitar' which the world seems to wants, if I waited a bit

I can sleep now

- Milkboy

One person who plays it in a shop and doesn't much like it now means that the Variax excitement is pure hype?

It has 50 different sounds in there (that's if you forget about the volume and tone pot). There are some in there that I think are fantastic. Some sound OK. A small handful are horrible. To my ears. YMMV.

If you don't mind the lack of a trem, it is a very versatile guitar. You really need to try it for yourself and decide if the sounds are the kind of thing you like. I fully respect T N Nurse's opinion, though the acoustics do sound complete pants through an electric amp. As a real acoustic would. Just because he doesn't like it does not mean it is crap. Just because I do like it does not make it fantastic.

Have a listen to the samples on this month's guitarist CD. You can clearly hear differences between the real and Variax samples. Being honest, can you say which one is better or worse in all three cases? For my part, I prefered the sound of the real tele to the Variax. The strat and LP sounded different, but I couldn't say which I prefered. All the tones were pleasing to my ears. And Line 6 would probably say that the strat they modelled is a '59, whereas the real one that Guitarist used wasn't, hence the difference. Believe this or not as you see fit.

One problem with the Variax is that people listen with there eyes as well as ears. It doesn't look like (x) therefore it can't possibly sound like it.

If you do try one out, I would advise caution in the use of the XLR output. This is meant for the acoustic models, and it is really hot. It overdrives most things a tad easily. I need to use a pad switch on my PA if I use this output. Just a thought in case anyone says the acoustics sound distorted

I was surpised at that. It doesn't look chunky but anyone more used to a Pacifica would feel the difference. I think it needs a two amp setup. I don't know why they put the two 'Custom' positions at both the far ends of the selector knob, I suppose you can select easier by 'feel', but you won't be making the other selections that way.

I didn't get to play one long enough to form an opinion on the Fender and Gibson electric sounds, but I quite liked the demoed 12 strings, resonators, Coral sitar, and Super 400 sounds, whereas I don't get starry eyed about the real things, which can be bulky, heavy and difficult to play, so I prefer if the sound is 'close enough' in a handy package. It's still a bit pricey for me ATM, but it's on my future purchases list. At the demo, April was given as the month when they would be available without pre-ordering.

I was impressed it can run on batteries (PP3 or AAs and 12hrs was mentioned). If each string is getting the equivalent processing power of 4 Pod XTs, that's extremely impressive power consumption. It doesn't sound like they're going to do other than a mechanical whammy version, but I don't know where they'd fit the springs.

I'm not sure about that. It models - for example - a Telecaster, a Dobro, a Martin 12st and a National Style 1.

Now I've got a Telecaster, a Dobro, a Martin 12st and a National Style 1, and they all have very different string gauges and very different setups (to suite the varied playing styles demanded of such different instruments).

I *really* can't imagine a compromise string gauge/action that would even begin to work.

Which makes me want to mention the VG88 again: *editable* (and user-definable) guitar models, open-tuning/capo stuff, retrofittable on your own guitar, built-in effects, built-in amp modelling, cheaper than a Variax.

Me too.

Cheaper? Where?

For me, the Variax idea is of no interest. I have my own sound and style. I can't understand the idea of wanting to copy anyone elses sound. As far as the 'paying' audience goes... they would never know if the Variax is exact or not... and they don't really care if you do your own version of a chart song. As long as you can sing and they can sing and dance along with it is all that's important.

Copying is a purely 'guitarist' thing, of little interest to anyone else. And of course... sounding exactly like someone else in *never* going to land you that recording deal.

For me, originality is King... sheep are for Sunday lunch! Or is it a turkey?

Completely agree, Stewart., although, if the aplication demands it the variax offers a level of quick-change flexibility in achieving varied sounds. OK if you want that.

Its a case of different strokes for different folks(or rocks, or blues, or jazz's), isnt it?

I'm more interested in it's potential. Now knowing it's DSP power and size and consumption, and owning a GR-33 and played with a VG-88, I can see that package could be a battery powered onboard unit for any suitable guitar, although 'selling' such a retrofit package is a different task.

I agree and disagree. I basically think that the Variax is a good alternative to a crappy fender or gibson. You don´t get a really great Les Paul or Strat for that money unless you are lucky. Sure a new US strat is good, but I don´t think it is 'better' automatically just because fender made it. They don´t all sound like that classic fender sound some people can get. I compare it with synths. I love analogue synths and have a room full and there are countless new macines which claim to replicate 'real' analogues, but of course, the don´t. However they are very valid on their own as unique instruments. Becuase the Variax doesn´t play/sound exactly like a strat, it really becomes it´s own instrument again. I haven´t got one, but would love to muck around with one for longer than a shop demo. Playing the variax on the 12 string rickenbacker setting through a 50w marshall or even a sessionette could be an amazing find for someone sonically.

I say forget it´s modelling and pretend it´s just any old guitar.