Birthday Present?

Jipps0525

Power User
Hey All,

I turn 30 in a few days which is obviously a big deal! Im very tempted to buy myself a new variax as backup to my other variax. I come here looking for some words of wisdom and some solid funny quotes to convince me
To purchase the guitar. Hope this isnt too corny! Cheers !!
 
I kid with one of my best friends all the time about his Variax. He has 2 of them, and I have heard
them for a decade or more. They are super versatile tools---especially in a cover band scenario.

Do what makes you happy. Even if you will regret it later!!! :)
 
I kid with one of my best friends all the time about his Variax. He has 2 of them, and I have heard
them for a decade or more. They are super versatile tools---especially in a cover band scenario.

Do what makes you happy. Even if you will regret it later!!! :)
Haha i have the shuriken variax and it started as a love hate relationship. But now its all love. The guitar itself is cool and the electronics are awesome. Modeled guitar sounds arent as good as a normal pickup but its not that far off. Plus with the fractal i can change sooo much. But i appreciate the jokes!!
 
As I understand it, the Variax is closely linked with Line 6's processors, right? You have to use a Helix or POD to use the functionality?

I don't ask this as some kind of backhanded criticism. They have an ecosystem, moreso than any other competition in the space, and that's cool. I know Leo (Frog Leap Studios) and Rabea went all Variax when they did their tour just before COVID happened. But personally the idea that my guitar forces me to buy a particular floor processor, I don't know. I'm a bit uncomfortable with it.
 
As I understand it, the Variax is closely linked with Line 6's processors, right? You have to use a Helix or POD to use the functionality?

I don't ask this as some kind of backhanded criticism. They have an ecosystem, moreso than any other competition in the space, and that's cool. I know Leo (Frog Leap Studios) and Rabea went all Variax when they did their tour just before COVID happened. But personally the idea that my guitar forces me to buy a particular floor processor, I don't know. I'm a bit uncomfortable with it.
No, i have full functionality with the variax through any sort of amp or modeler. There are just a few more things you can do/customize when used in tangent with the helix. Keep in mind im not looking for convincing to buy the variax since i already know i want another one lol. Just looking for some encouragement to spend the cash and spoil myself lmao
 
No, i have full functionality with the variax through any sort of amp or modeler. There are just a few more things you can do/customize when used in tangent with the helix. Keep in mind im not looking for convincing to buy the variax since i already know i want another one lol. Just looking for some encouragement to spend the cash and spoil myself lmao
Well shit. Guess a Shuriken is going on the shopping list.
 
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Haha i have the shuriken variax and it started as a love hate relationship. But now its all love. The guitar itself is cool and the electronics are awesome. Modeled guitar sounds arent as good as a normal pickup but its not that far off. Plus with the fractal i can change sooo much. But i appreciate the jokes!!

Given how things can be I appreciate that you appreciate the jokes. :)


Hope you find something that inspires you! Maybe a guitar with an headstock would be cool. ;)
 
As I understand it, the Variax is closely linked with Line 6's processors, right? You have to use a Helix or POD to use the functionality?

I don't ask this as some kind of backhanded criticism. They have an ecosystem, moreso than any other competition in the space, and that's cool. I know Leo (Frog Leap Studios) and Rabea went all Variax when they did their tour just before COVID happened. But personally the idea that my guitar forces me to buy a particular floor processor, I don't know. I'm a bit uncomfortable with it.

The friend I mentioned above uses a Variax with a special cable to connect to his Helix. Some kind
of switching thing happens where footswitches on the Helix can change the guitar tuning, or the
guitar that is modeled on the Variax. He loves it, and is super versatile.

I actually owned a Variax before he did, but could not get on with the latency and the piezo ping
that really is prominent with any kind of chugging/palm muting. His ears are not as sensitive as
mine, though. ;)

I kid. He's a great dude and we get along fine and have played together in bands for almost 2
full decades now. That's a lot of time for 2 guitarists to get along, and then introduce differences
in approach and modelers being used, it is almost a miracle we still talk. :)
 
The thing about the Variax that I think is coolest is the ability to switch the pickup selector with the Helix. That’s the kind of thing the Vigier Nautilus II was designed for (but that was taken off the market quickly for retweaking, last I heard). I don’t really care about Line 6 stuff, but that concept of footswitch pickup selecting is something I can’t believe hasn’t been offered by more companies over the history of electric guitar.
 
AS @la szum said, the Variax is a great tool. I do not like the guitar, but being in a cover band where I need all the tunings, all the kinds of electric and acoustic guitars all at once without having to bring 3 or 4 guitars to the gig is a dream. I own the JTV-59 (the Les Paul). It's not a TERRIBLE guitar, but it's nothing to write home about. It's a perfectly solid guitar and everything you'd expect in the sub $1200 price range. It doesn't feel like a premium guitar, but it gets the job done.

I would never go for the Shuriken since it only have a bridge mag pup. I use my Variax with the electronics turned off regularly. I think the actual guitar sounds a little better than the LP model. Well, not really, but here's the deal: Palm mutes sound like trash on these guitars when you're using a model. There's a chirp/plink that you can't dial out since, in the end, you're using piezo pups when you've got the modeling engaged. It's still usable in a full-band context, but jamming alone or for recording, you're gonna notice it.

So yeah; the TLDR is that they're decent guitars IF YOU NEED it. It's my least favorite guitar and I miss using my favorite guitars for gigs, but it's just too damn versatile as a tool to give up loL!
 
AS @la szum said, the Variax is a great tool. I do not like the guitar, but being in a cover band where I need all the tunings, all the kinds of electric and acoustic guitars all at once without having to bring 3 or 4 guitars to the gig is a dream. I own the JTV-59 (the Les Paul). It's not a TERRIBLE guitar, but it's nothing to write home about. It's a perfectly solid guitar and everything you'd expect in the sub $1200 price range. It doesn't feel like a premium guitar, but it gets the job done.

I would never go for the Shuriken since it only have a bridge mag pup. I use my Variax with the electronics turned off regularly. I think the actual guitar sounds a little better than the LP model. Well, not really, but here's the deal: Palm mutes sound like trash on these guitars when you're using a model. There's a chirp/plink that you can't dial out since, in the end, you're using piezo pups when you've got the modeling engaged. It's still usable in a full-band context, but jamming alone or for recording, you're gonna notice it.

So yeah; the TLDR is that they're decent guitars IF YOU NEED it. It's my least favorite guitar and I miss using my favorite guitars for gigs, but it's just too damn versatile as a tool to give up loL!
If you haven’t yet, try the chad huskey mega bundle. I use his presets and get barely any plink
 
The thing about the Variax that I think is coolest is the ability to switch the pickup selector with the Helix. That’s the kind of thing the Vigier Nautilus II was designed for (but that was taken off the market quickly for retweaking, last I heard). I don’t really care about Line 6 stuff, but that concept of footswitch pickup selecting is something I can’t believe hasn’t been offered by more companies over the history of electric guitar.
Because guitarists are stuck in the 50s (collectively) and dont take kindly to new things en masse (which is how it’s be affordably mass produced). It also means being coordinated (see: players who hate more than a tuner on the floor).

Basically, it wont sell right now. Maybe in 20 years when the 2000s kids are older.
 
Because guitarists are stuck in the 50s (collectively) and dont take kindly to new things en masse (which is how it’s be affordably mass produced). It also means being coordinated (see: players who hate more than a tuner on the floor).

Basically, it wont sell right now. Maybe in 20 years when the 2000s kids are older.
Pretty much what ive gathered and its the same for all products like these. It always just sells to a niche group of people. And then once it doesnt sell, the company doesnt want to invest in the product or community (understandably so). The peavey atg-200 (antares) was a super cool idea as well
 
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