Strat Vs Variax Grudge match

[Dr_simon]

OK, lets have some fun !

Which clip was recorded using a Fender California '89 Strat and which one was done with a Line6 Variax emulating a Strat ?

Both were recorded using the Neck PU (setting) through a Line 6 Pod XT live (patch 1b (the AC30)). Both were 24 bit @44.1 into Logic 7.11 and bounced to an MP3

For MP3 clips please click here

I'll post the answer in a week. Please remember this is not either of these axes at there best but recorded as an A/B comparison (same EQ etc), so please, no posts saying "they both sound like shit yarde yardy yar" because 1) they don't and 2) I don't care !!

[faderbug]

i think b is the strat, it sounds more musical, clip a has a certain harshness that makes me suspect it's the variax.
think u should've played through a tube amp though :-)

[Ed Dixon]

Interesting comparison. A sounds brighter and somewhat louder. B sounds more muted and lower in volume.

If they had the same tone level, the Variax would normally be the one that is much lower in background noise. Now that's hard, but A sounds like it might have more noise.

Ed

[Dr_simon]

I originally stuck em through a vt737sp however trying to find a setting that worked with both was difficult.

Just FYI I used exactly the same levels / settings with each.

[philboyd studge]

Seems to me like B is the strat. . Dang, I need a strat option on my Variax acoustic.

[jeffree]

Doc, I really like these A-B comparisons, which say a lot more than words. Thanks for your effort.

J.

[IronFlippy]

B sounds more like a strat. Although I've never played a Variax, I have played strats for many years (well, not TOO many, I'm still young).

[Dr_simon]

Originally Posted by jeffree

Doc, I really like these A-B comparisons, which say a lot more than words. Thanks for your effort.

J.

Any time mate, what a cool post !

[travelin travis]

I voted for B (edit: forgot to say strat). I'd like to hear them thru an amp rather than a pod though. POD's don't let the character of a guitar come thru worth a shit. I can plug my strat into a POD and get a death metal sound with a single coil pickup if that says anything to ya.

[andydeedpoll]

A sounds like its trying too hard, so i'm saying the strat is B.

Andy

[G-String]

That's not really a fair match. Although they both sound pretty good, anything running through A pod sounds like the pod. (for the most part). You should compare the Strat and A Twin or Deluxe amp, or whatever tube amp you have in your arsenal, to the same variax-Strat, pod combination. That would be interesting for this group to compare and vote on. It's hard to tell the difference when both instruments have been colored by Digital.

[travelin travis]

Originally Posted by G-String

That's not really a fair match. Although they both sound pretty good, anything running through A pod sounds like the pod. (for the most part). You should compare the Strat and A Twin or Deluxe amp, or whatever tube amp you have in your arsenal, to the same variax-Strat, pod combination. That would be interesting for this group to compare and vote on. It's hard to tell the difference when both instruments have been colored by Digital.

Exactly.

I'm not just talkin shit either. I've spent a prenty good chunk of time with a pod xt. Guitars lose ALOT of character thru a POD. Running them thru a decent amp would be the only REAL comparison.

[Dr_simon]

Maybe I'll stick 'em both through my TSL next time... the Les Paul battle is coming !!

[Dr_simon]

OK the LP vs Variax all tube A/B is posted !

http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/sho...d.php?t=193494

[Rickson Gracie]

so when do we get the answer?

[Dr_simon]

How about I post the answers to both tomorrow evening ?

I was going to let the poll go a week however I thing everyone will have forgotten about it by then !

[BrentDomann]

I'm going to go with B being the Strat. A really has that chime to it, but (and agreement with andydeedpoll) there's almost too much. A also seems to have a bit of a piezo-like sound to it, which is fishy to me.

[ermghoti]

A sounds fizzy, I vote B for Strat.

[Dr_simon]

I tried to be as unbiased as I could and I have no invested interest in the outcome of this poll

[jeffree]

So the Variax kicks some butt here, eh? Very impressive results, even if we factor in the less than ideal conditions.

J.