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merciful-evans

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I bought a Variax Standard. This is essentially a Yamaha Pacifica with a Line 6 circuit in place.

I tried some in December and found the Fender sound I have been chasing. The ‘Fender sound’ quest has occupied over a year.

 

A friend suggested a Variax Standard and I tried one in December. I wondered if these were ‘a bit cheap’, so I tried a James Tyler model too. The James Tyler was a Korean build. The Standard is Indonesian. I dismissed the JT immediately because the design didn’t appeal.

 

At that time the battery was not installed so I couldn’t try out the virtual guitars. My friend Mike suggested the Variax because he was impressed with the virtual Fender sounds. Amazingly the regular SSS mag pickups were perfect! There was the sound I had been chasing, but in a Yamaha Pacifica :o

 

Yesterday, trying out the virtual guitars was fine but I was hearing poor fidelity from the Marshall amp in the demo room. That’s when I tried out the Mexican Strat, just to make sure it wasn’t the Variax. It wasn’t the Variax.

 

I got a reasonable deal, but part ex’d my Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor & Epi Casino Coupe. Yes, as one guitar comes in, another has to go. It’s a rule now.

 

I got this mainly for recording. I don’t especially like the looks of it. Neck is a little on the narrow side, but the fingerboard is flat enough. Nothing I cant cope with.

 

I expected to buy the white one I had tried in December, but they had a black one there to. I eyed up the necks of both. There was too much relief on the white one, whereas the black one was perfect. So I took the black one to the demo room. Everything checked out but I needed the bridge saddles lowering and asked the guy to do it.

 

That’s when I tried out the other Fenders. When I returned to the shop guy he hadn’t touched the bridge but adjusted the truss rod instead. He had actually put a back bow into it! After an age, he got it close enough for me to be sure there were no raised frets etc. I stood over him this time. He must have loved that.

 

When I asked for a price match, he said that Dawsons (who had this £100 cheaper) were out of black ones so would only offer 80% of the price match. I could have said “I’ll take the white one then” because I actually prefer that colour anyway, but I couldn’t put either of us through another session of trying to get another guitar checked out/adjusted properly.

 

So I have the black one. At home it took minutes to get the relief spot on and fine adjust the bridge saddles. It now plays just fine.

 

Downsides? A few rough edges here and there. The frets are not polished, but I’ll do that by playing the hell out of it.

 

I downloaded the software and connected up to my Fishman acoustic amp and a laptop. The virtual sounds are excellent, and should give me a perfectly clean signals for recording.

 

I’ve just started to use the software. Pickups can be rotated up to 180 degrees or positioned right at the bridge or as far forward as the 17th fret. Tone pots output can be changed. Pickup up wiring can be polarity reversed. Filtertron pickups can be mounted on a ES-335 or P90s onto a Ric 370.

 

One very useful tool is that string volumes can be independently adjusted. I sometimes need this when the wound strings are too quiet in a solo.

 

I don’t like that the volume differentials are faithful (meaning when changing from a Tele to a LP, the output volume is massively different) , so I will look for a way of evening these out.

 

Digital tuning seems a bit weird, but should be handy in the studio. So far, having a lot of fun.

 

OK, pix:

vfkuig.jpg

 

 

 

2mdgtwh.jpg

 

 

I was impressed with the fine tooling of the bridge. Ground saddles & chromed string guides

23vb6va.jpg

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I expect disapproval for this choice...

Really, m-e? Why?

 

eusa_think.gif

 

Forgive me for being thick but did I understand correctly; that without changing the actual tuning the guitar can be put in alternate tunings 'simply' by rotating that ("bridge/tone") knob? That IS a pretty neat trick.

 

I have to say that through my crappy little PC speakers the guitar always sounded much more Strat-like than anything else - let alone a Les Paul - but perhaps it's far more convincing in reality.

 

Pip.

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There is a Variax-er on our circuit who delivers some great sounds in less than perfect conditions....

 

From where I am standing the advantage seems to be in dispensing with a pedalboard of FX

 

The 'virtual' tuning thing could suit many players

 

V

 

:-({|=

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Really, m-e? Why?

 

eusa_think.gif

 

 

I just have the impression that folk are more purist here, and that aint digital. :)

 

 

 

Forgive me for being thick but did I understand correctly; that without changing the actual tuning the guitar can be put in alternate tunings 'simply' by rotating that ("bridge/tone") knob? That IS a pretty neat trick.

 

 

Pip.

 

Yes. That tech has been around for quite a while now. Its vastly improved these days. Its on a dedicated knob on the guitar. See pic

 

 

35aq1is.jpg

 

Tunings can be customised and stored in the guitar.

 

(see the ragged plastic film under the regular knobs. Its the pickguard protective stuff. Cant figure out how to get those knobs off - no grubscrews)

 

I have to play louder at home than usual because I have to be louder than the acoustic sound coming from the guitar.

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I just have the impression that folk are more purist here, and that aint digital. :)

 

...(digital tuning) tech has been around for quite a while now. Its vastly improved these days. Its on a dedicated knob on the guitar...Tunings can be customised and stored in the guitar.

 

...Cant figure out how to get those knobs off - no grubscrews...

Thanks for the answers, m-e.

I'd heard mention of Variax guitars a few years ago but didn't quite know what on Earth folks were talking about. Now I do.

 

As far as the 'purist' moniker goes; I'd probably come under that heading - if not an out-and-out 'Luddite' - myself as regards my own kit goes (inasmuch as I just have 'Guitar/Cable/Amp' signal chain) but I'd hope we could all appreciate how useful this new fangled technology is for those who both need it and know how to use it. It's a bit like the G-Force thing; I don't need it because I'm an amateur who amuses myself with the guitar. For a proper gigging and/or recording musician, however, I can see great benefits of having the dreadful contraption......lol!

Digital has its place. In fact one of the very few amps I've played in the last five years which have impressed me was an old Line 6 Flextone MkIII.

 

The knobs; would they come off using the old wind-shoelace-under-the-skirt-and-pull technique?

 

Pip.

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Congratz!

 

Lots of sounds for the price of a MIM Fender, best bang for the buck ever!

For me it's too much stuff, but I like the tuning thing, and it does Sitar, wich I really dig.

Loved the acoustic sounds in this video:

 

 

But DUDE........

 

VINTAGE WHITE!!!msp_flapper.gif

 

Anyway have fun with it, looks like a solid guitar.

 

Enjoy!

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I have to say, there are lots of great guitars out there that don't have 'fender' or Gibson' on the head. I keep looking for a Lag Jet Masterbuilt

My link

I've got the Hamers that I wanted and want a jazz guitar now.

 

I had not heard of Lag, but man, they look good! Just found this one on Gumtree

 

Lag Masterbuilt

 

I spent nearly 2 years searching for a Jazz Archtop. I got a cheapie in the end. This one

 

But you probably know that lots of jazz is played all sorts of things now. Teles sound wonderful. The guy that suggested the Variax to me turned me onto Tim Lerch who uses a Tele.

 

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I bought a Variax Standard. This is essentially a Yamaha Pacifica with a Line 6 circuit in place.

I tried some in December and found the Fender sound I have been chasing. The ‘Fender sound’ quest has occupied over a year.

 

A friend suggested a Variax Standard and I tried one in December. I wondered if these were ‘a bit cheap’, so I tried a James Tyler model too. The James Tyler was a Korean build. The Standard is Indonesian. I dismissed the JT immediately because the design didn’t appeal.

 

At that time the battery was not installed so I couldn’t try out the virtual guitars. My friend Mike suggested the Variax because he was impressed with the virtual Fender sounds. Amazingly the regular SSS mag pickups were perfect! There was the sound I had been chasing, but in a Yamaha Pacifica :o

 

Yesterday, trying out the virtual guitars was fine but I was hearing poor fidelity from the Marshall amp in the demo room. That’s when I tried out the Mexican Strat, just to make sure it wasn’t the Variax. It wasn’t the Variax.

 

I got a reasonable deal, but part ex’d my Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor & Epi Casino Coupe. Yes, as one guitar comes in, another has to go. It’s a rule now.

 

I got this mainly for recording. I don’t especially like the looks of it. Neck is a little on the narrow side, but the fingerboard is flat enough. Nothing I cant cope with.

 

I expected to buy the white one I had tried in December, but they had a black one there to. I eyed up the necks of both. There was too much relief on the white one, whereas the black one was perfect. So I took the black one to the demo room. Everything checked out but I needed the bridge saddles lowering and asked the guy to do it.

 

That’s when I tried out the other Fenders. When I returned to the shop guy he hadn’t touched the bridge but adjusted the truss rod instead. He had actually put a back bow into it! After an age, he got it close enough for me to be sure there were no raised frets etc. I stood over him this time. He must have loved that.

 

When I asked for a price match, he said that Dawsons (who had this £100 cheaper) were out of black ones so would only offer 80% of the price match. I could have said “I’ll take the white one then” because I actually prefer that colour anyway, but I couldn’t put either of us through another session of trying to get another guitar checked out/adjusted properly.

 

So I have the black one. At home it took minutes to get the relief spot on and fine adjust the bridge saddles. It now plays just fine.

 

Downsides? A few rough edges here and there. The frets are not polished, but I’ll do that by playing the hell out of it.

 

I downloaded the software and connected up to my Fishman acoustic amp and a laptop. The virtual sounds are excellent, and should give me a perfectly clean signals for recording.

 

I’ve just started to use the software. Pickups can be rotated up to 180 degrees or positioned right at the bridge or as far forward as the 17th fret. Tone pots output can be changed. Pickup up wiring can be polarity reversed. Filtertron pickups can be mounted on a ES-335 or P90s onto a Ric 370.

 

One very useful tool is that string volumes can be independently adjusted. I sometimes need this when the wound strings are too quiet in a solo.

 

I don’t like that the volume differentials are faithful (meaning when changing from a Tele to a LP, the output volume is massively different) , so I will look for a way of evening these out.

 

Digital tuning seems a bit weird, but should be handy in the studio. So far, having a lot of fun.

 

OK, pix:

vfkuig.jpg

 

 

 

2mdgtwh.jpg

 

Pretty cool.

 

I was impressed with the fine tooling of the bridge. Ground saddles & chromed string guides

23vb6va.jpg

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