Axe FX II, POD HD 500X, Variax

Sixstring

Sixstring

Legend!
Is anyone using all 3 together with the POD in the loop of the Axe? What are your thoughts, is it worth it for the flexibility or is it redundant for the most part. I have been thinking about it and thought I would ask the community to see if anyone is running in this fashion and thinks it worth the investment.

The thought of running the Pod to change the models in the Variax as well as a midi board and having it for a backup sounds like a good idea but I would like to hear from those that are actually using it in this way. I know some are using the Variax for the tricks, tunings and models which I pretty much have made up my mind to grab one for this. Then I thought about adding the POD as well for full control of the Variax and incorporating it into the Axe FX's loop.

Most of the presets I have built don't use more then 4-5 effects at once and I'm not using any scenes though I do require the use of 2 expression pedals. The GCP I have been using since day 1 with the Axe could be replaced with the POD without me having to give up a lot of control.

Any thoughts?
 
I have considered setting up my Hd500 as a MIDI/Variax controller and running my Variax straight into the axe. But, for whatever reason, programming the POD frustrates me too much and I give up before I get it done. That said, it would work. No idea how nicely the POD would play together with the loop, I've been pretty underwhelmed with what I've been able to get from it.
 
I've done exactly what you mention, but it's not a perfect system, mostly because of the palm muting issues in the variax, which made it loose a lot of the flexibility.
I removed the guts of a variax guitar and put them in short of a pedal enclousure, which I could control manually or just program from the pod. I installed a graphtech reso max bridge in a guitar and used an 8 counductor cable so I could send the standard pickups sounds to the front of the axe and the piezo signals to trigger the sounds from the variax.
The hd500 serves as a very decent midi controller once you get around it, and I used the looper and the sounds from it to create sounds/atmospheres/you name it between tracks. It's actually something that I don't discard doing again should I need it in a live situation, but now I don't play live anymore, so seems redundant to me.
 
I've been thinking about doing this as well because I have all three but haven't gotten around to playing with it yet. I'm not sure it's going to be worth the trouble or not. Let me know if you have any luck.
 
I do not have a variax, but the pod really is not that bad as a controller if you don't need more then 64 presets. It does take some time to program but with the editer it is not hard, just takes time. It is perfect as a back up if you are using it as a midi controller because you can build pod patches that simulate the axe patches(name, effects, controls) were even the foot switches are the same, so if the axe goes down just plug in the pod and keep rocking(the tone though will not match unless you like dull dark tones)I can get the pod to pretty well match my ultra in the tone department but compaired to my xl it sounds like you put a wet blanket over the speakers. 1 cool thing using the pod as a controller if you run a cable into it you have the pod tuner on at the same time as the axe tuner(if you program it that way). The pod looper works better then the axe looper IMO if you use a looper much. in the fx loop you can record the axe and play it back with the pod. I have also used the pod as a satellite midi controller with an fcb 1010 so you can make changes on either side of the stage. the axe doesn't have any trouble with this but the pedals do not communicate like the mfc so you do have to remember were you are at! ok well now let me take my forum beatings for using line 6 and behringer stuff.
 
Thanks for the input so far guys! I can see and figured there would be some pitfalls but this is why I have the questions.

I don't have a grip of presets so huge access to high numbers are not a high priority. Using the POD's modeling or looper was not a high priority either, I just wanted the flexibility for the acoustic tones and changing models on the variax... rezos, banjo etc. I would use the Axe for the distorted tones and set up presets for use with the Variax and put that in the Axe loop at the front of the signal chain. I don't do a ton of Palm muting either but I do use it, it's not that big of an issue. I thought I read that the latest version of Variax firmware fixed the majority of that problem.
 
The newest Variax firmware does improve the palm mute behavior, but it will never sound exactly the same since you're sensing the string from the short side. If you were to get a hex pickup and install it in front of the bridge I imagine it would bring the palm mutes more in line with a normal pickup. Of course to do that you'd need to rewire the the Variax system to the new pickup. I'm not nearly adventurous enough for that.

If you don't primarily play ultra heavy high speed palm mute riffs I wouldn't worry about it much, very few people will notice the difference.

I prefer the FCB1010, but strictly as a MIDI controller, the POD will work well enough if you don't need an enormous amount of flexibility in each patch. And as a backup unit it will... well, different tastes and all, but it could save your bacon if a major catastrophe occurred.

All in all, no reason not to give it a go.
 
Something else to I have been contemplating on because of my budget I will only be able to add the Variax at this time. I have been wanting to add a FR trem to my Carvin Cali carve top for a while so I bought a FR Pro last year but haven't yet installed it. Then it hit me the JVT line added a Floyd Rose to the 89. which got me thinking, I could sell off the FR Pro to help fund the 89F and have one guitar with all the tricks and keep the Carvin stock.

I would have to get used to the neck profile and frets which are quite a bit different then the Carvin. This is the part that somewhat worries me as I'm not really into a flat radiusd thin neck with jumbo fret wire like the one on the 89F. I hear good things about the trem and mixed reviews about the mag pickups that come stock. I suppose if I like it enough I could change out the neck and pickups but now were talking quite a bit of money on top of the initial cost of the Variax which I will more than likely buy new. I realize it will be up to me to make the final decision but wondering if there is something I have not thought of or left out of the equation.
 
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