Varaix

[fretplay]

Has any member had experience of Variax guitars.

 

They seem to be guitar with built in effects to me. Highly rated by most of the You Tube offerings well some of them!

[milod]

I've only seen/touched one some half dozen years ago. Given that I like doing a lot of different types of music, the idea of a "one guitar fits all" seemed attractive. I remember not feeling terribly impressed by the guitar build or feel of the neck, but a lot of that is subjective.

 

After the nasty whirlwind about the rollout of Gibson's better thought-out and extended version, I've concluded that it's one of those things that will have a niche market of those who want a lotta flexibility on one guitar that is technically advanced but not what others may consider "too non-traditional."

 

That latter is simply a marketing thing. I think Variax was in a good position to market its stuff in kinda a "mid-range price point;" Gibson may not have picked the best way to market its technologically and certainly superior "build" multiple-position guitar.

 

I think I'm not entirely alone in figuring that I'd accept either as a gift; the Gibson as the "if you're offering one or the other" preference.

 

I think the "what would you buy if you had $10,000 and hadda buy guitars" thread kinda nailed it: Most of "us" were mentioning guitars based on pre 1960 designs.

 

Figure this: If I had access to the Gibbie custom shop with price no concern, I'd likely end up with a hidden mechanism ES175 robot with a master volume figured on the pick guard so it could be used with a pinkie - and a piezo bridge with, again, hidden controls probably at the edge of the pick guard so it would take a reeeally close look at the guitar to see the difference. In short, a very traditional "look" with some Gibson goodies and technology nobody has to know about.

 

But then as a kid, I always thought a family-looking four-door sedan with more or less a road race car engine and suspension would be a neat deal too ... a sleeper nobody knew could cruise comfortably at 140 mph or so and keep up on a mountain or road course... <grin>

 

That's my idea of a great guitar. Your mileage may vary.

 

m

[fretplay]

Rather like you Mlord I have a stable of guitars which I use for different things. I wouldn't buy two J45s for instance, each guitar I own has something to say and a place in the family as it were.

 

I also record using Cubase which has just about everything the player/recording engineer could want on your screen. Recently I have been recording other people.

This is much more difficult that recording yourself as other 'factors' get involved. One of me new recordees has bought a Varaix, it sounds like it can do everything but I have to say I do enjoy using different guitars and effects to get the sound/style I have in mind.

 

Now if I heard from a member who bought a Varaix and then sold all his effects and guitars I would be worried!