Line 6 Variax 700 Tremolo

The Line 6 Variax 700 is a modeling electric guitar. It does not have traditional single coil or humbucker pick-ups near the bridge or neck of the guitar, rather it has piezo pick-ups built into the bridge of the guitar. The signals from the piezo pick-up are sent to a DSP chip to transform the signal into the sound of a bunch of different modeled guitars. This computer chip needs power to work, so you have to install batteries or send power to the guitar from the instrument cable. A standard instrument cable can be used if you use batteries, and the guitar basically functions like a normal electric guitar. A special TRS instrument cable is necessary if you want to power the guitar from the included power supply over a ¼” cable. It is also possible to use a special variax cable with a POD XT, X3, and HD. Not only does this cable allow you to power the guitar without batteries, it also allows you to program the effects pedal to automatically switch between guitar models for each ‘preset.’ Finally, the variax cable allows you to send a digital signal from the guitar rather than an analog signal. To illustrate this utility, consider a recording situation where you want to directly record this guitar through a POD onto a computer. With a ¼” cable, the guitar with convert the analog signal from the piezo pick-up into a digital signal for processing. Then it would have to convert the digital signal back to analog for the ¼” cable going to the POD. The POD converts the analog signal to digital for processing, then converts the digital signal to analog to be sent to an audio interface. The audio interface converts the analog signal to digital to record on the computer. With the Variax Cable, the guitar converts the analog signal from the piezo pick-up to digital. By using the Variax Cable, there is no need to have analog and digital conversion between the guitar and POD. You could even use a SPDIF cable from the POD to the audio interface to never convert to analog throughout the entire recording chain. This would give you the purest signal path for recording. Even analog to digital conversion causes the quality of the signal to be slightly diminished.
I know there will be some people that don’t like digital, and don’t like modeling. From my perspective, it is all about getting the best sound for the cheapest cost. I would agree that a $3000 Les Paul sounds much than the Les Paul model on the Variax. However, I can’t afford the expensive guitar anyway. Therefore, I have to choose between a $700 Variax and a $700 Epiphone. I own both of these guitars, and I can say that the LP model on the Variax sounds better than the Epiphone of the same price. To me, this is the value of digital modeling. Not to mention you also get 25 other guitar sounds included. I was skeptical before I tried one out. But now I would never record without it. I just need to save up for the James Tyler Series.

I have bought right out and c is very nice, it sounds plain distortion in the sound palette with all instruments! and simultaneous acoustic as happiness. (Especially with headphones or direct). You can do anything. My style is metal and it s fate hands down ... Harmonics come easy, plus tain is excellent, finish and handle super nice ... C is the guitar to do everything that I use the most ... Used with the cable and line 6 xt live guitar sound to save presets in the ... You can change tunings with pod hd digitally or Variax Workbench and configure al extreme guitar (body, microphones, microphone placement on the body ...) c is perfect! And c is the most stunning sound! Believe me move from one acoustic distortion al ... a simple knob C is great! I'll keep this one! Have telecaster, strat, Gibson Les Paul gold top, Gibson Junior, Gibson Special of rickenbacker, the resonators, sitar sound, acoustics and twelve-string guitar and a parameterizable all ... line6 gear announces reaching a total of € 150,000 in the original models for ... And after comparing a strat with my Variax (along with another player), the sound is stunning resemblance! C is really the guitar to do everything! After you should see the videos on the net to realize. Personal day I attended a demo line 6 and I was on my ass! I have bought now! N this is not even a purchase! C is an investment! (You know what I mean ...) c is fun with! The beast works with piezo pickups not: totally free for scratch space that feels weird to start! The rest is inside and saw the fairly substantial weight of the animal, there must be what it takes! Honestly if you have the opportunity to try see! It is great fun to play!

Since 2006, she allowed me to try several typical sound (Les Paul, Tele, Stat ...) without seeking the original at any cost (do not dream).
The possibility of having open tuning, 12 string is downright practical.
The design is not great (no micro-coil) in the studio but this is unimportant.
By combining a Variax Line 6 pedals was a possibility of control of the guitar (change settings off guitar volume depending on the effect of the pedal without touching the guitar)
The price at the time was significant about € 1300.
However the new generation of Variax (JTV) has improved the modeling and design has a real guitar (I especially like the JTV 59 tobacco sunburst "Les Paul like") (same price range)

Modeling guitar.
Mute, unlike last Variax (with James Tyler).

The violin is the best range, personally it's perfect for me, that's exactly what I like: nice handle, and access to acute rather good (22 boxes). Basically, I would say between a guitar metal / rock (for the fineness of the handle and the ease of play), and a jazz guitar (for the nice touch and the positioning of the strings).

The use of different sounds is easy, although sometimes to go from one sound to another you must manipulate two buttons ... Not always apparent in full song! Fortunately, Line 6 thought of that, creating two banks of five guitars each of which can be arranged at will (to the sounds we usually need a whole). It's clever, and convenient, although I would have preferred that these two banks is arranged next door (where it is opposed to the knob, move from one to another in the same piece is a little tricky, but 5 guitar sounds good on a bank that is already reasonable!). Add that you can create your own instrument, using boxes and microphones emulated each guitar, change the position and inclination of the microphones, the tuning, the output volume of each sound, etc. through the workbench software (sold separately seems to me it), and you have a panel of very broad opportunity.
The vibrato is good and does not désacorde guitar (unless you went there as a nag every 30 seconds!). Against it is true that mobile position, it is not fixed on the bridge, what's annoying. I have not yet tried the fixed position (you must re-adjust the easel, so I would wait to change the strings)

A switch is provided which not only allows you to power your electric guitar (otherwise there is the possibility of batteries, it is sometimes more convenient, though tedious) Special thanks to Jack, but also and especially power amplifier change along the way. Let me explain, the Variax Acoustic guitar emulates some (including folk, a banjo, a danectro, a dobro ...), which requires an acoustic amp if you want their sound is as "acoustic" as possible. Personally, I use my amp for acoustic jazz and some clean sounds, it brings warmth, typed on one side, that I like.

Emulations are they successful?
Yes and no.
Let me explain, because not all emulations are not really successful, the 12-string guitar or sitar Danelectro sound a little artificial when played solo or themes. However for 12-string, the game "scraped" (to accompany what) is made pretty decent level. Is that the "note-for-note" that some gene.
After, I do not know the guitar sound of all emulated, difficult to judge all, but what is the most famous (strat, les paul standard ...) it's pretty obvious that this is aps the same quality. It is in "a sound that is reminiscent of ... (eg a Strat)" in "the sound of ... (the strat)." As for the strat precisely, the sound lacks a bit of presence and slamming. But we recognize the style of the guitar, its texture, its sustain, beep sound. This is especially the dynamics loses some quality.
However, I also said yes, because for € 1200 new, the Variax offers more possibilities than any emulated guitars, which often are already more expensive in themselves. Moreover, even if they are not perfectly reproduced sounds are still very good, clear, typed, with a general dynamic rather correct that respects the different styles of each instrument (try playing jazz with his banjo you will see that it makes no sense, style banjo is there, and your game must adapt depending)

The Variax is not for everyone, purists grimaceront because of imperfections and dynamic presence of certain sounds, but for those like me who seek absolute versatility, this is a great guitar.
It can also be used to test different models of guitar, and allow, why not, SA is the ultimate guitar
Moreover, it must be said that the sounds are still very good, even if they are not always (rarely) totally respectful of the original sounds. In short, do not believe we will give the impression of playing the same guitars that are emulated even if it meets their style-but the overall quality of sounds, their variety, and versatility make any well except for a guitar.
My biggest regret is the lack of sound of a nylon string acoustic ...