Variaxe - They Do Work!!!

M

mikeh

New member
Yeah - I know we don't need another Variaxe thread - but, I just bought one Friday I got a 300 series (the low end model) for $425 - I figured I've done much dumber things with my money (in my youth I drank/smoked/snorted more than that on any given night :D ).

So tonight I laid a few tracks - original strings, no set-up, took the axe out of the box, tuned it up and hit record (a "new country" tune).

While the guitar does not have the same feel as a $1,000 guitar, all in all the feel and the constuction was not bad (maybe on level with a Mexi Strat or a "good Squire".

Acoustic guitar (Martin D28)
Very believable acoustic sound - better than I've been able to get from any of the low cost $300-$500 acoustics I have.

Tele (1968 Tele)
Bright sound that was very credible as a Tele (almost as good a sound as my Tele - but I love the feel of my Tele)

Les Paul (1958 Standard)
I've never owned a LP (so I can't really judge) - but I got a decent "humbucker sound" - certainly much different than the Tele sound.

Banjo (Gibson "Mastertone")
While the banjo sound seemed a little too dull - for a basic "color" mixed relatively low, it added a decent "banjo flavor" (probalby could not carry a true banjo featured song)

Resonator (1935 "Dobro")
Like the banjo, this sound is not bright and cutting enough - but for a "color" it worked.

All this from one instrument -I never had to change an axe and best of all, I sat right in front of the computer screen with out any buzz. I'm pretty sure that some better strings and a little time with a proper set-up and this will be a very functional axe.

Like most on this site - I work on my own, playing all the various instruments and candidly, nothing sucks the muse out of me more than constantly changing guitars, setting up mics for acoustic instruments (I have a few acoustics guitars, an acoustic banjo and an acoustic resonator).

All the tracks I listed above were completed in about 1 hour. If I would have been changing guitars, mic'ing etc - I would have spent 4 hours.

I was about to spend $300 for an accoustic/electric resonator - and I thought for $125 more I could get the Variaxe - And I'm very glad I finally committed (I've been thinking about buying a variaxe for about 2 years).

While I'll never get rid of many of my guitars (I really like my Tele and my SG) - I have a feeling they will be spending much more time in cases!!!!

I know there are many who simply will never accept a Variaxe - but for recording (when you simply don't have the time to spend hours trying to get sounds) this is a very good tool!!!!
 
ok, but with both the banjo and the resonator models you admit that they don't sound asgood as the real thing. (not bright, not cutting, dull).
now if you would layer several of these sub-par sounds what would the result be?
 
Sounds like you've got the Variax pegged for what they can do best...save a lot of time. I have a Variax 700 acoustic and with it I can get tracks down in a fraction of the time it would take to record conventionally. It's not often the end product but it allows me to work up songs quicker.

More and more though I'm taking it out on jobs as a backup and even a few times as a principal guitar.

Since I have most of the instruments is emmulates, I find the key to getting the Variax to sound good is to play to the instrument. I don't play a 12 string, nylon, or J-200 in anywhere near the same fashion, and I try to carry that over to the Variax.......plus proper use of compression and mic placement controls.

The banjo patch is a dissappointment, at best it'll sound like a crappy Deering 6 string banjo, but like you said, in a mix as a color it has some use.
 
faderbug
Your point about the accumulated effect of several layers of average sounds is a valid point. In my case, the effect is really not much different than using the low/mid range acoustic guitars, banjo and resonator I already own.

I choose not to spend a lot of money on an expensive banjo, an expensive resonator, etc. for basic colors on recordings that are about 90% for general demo purposes. If I have something that needs to be submitted as a mastered product for placement then I normally bring in players who have quality gear and much better chops than I.

I have a couple of decent guitars (an American Strat, a Gibson SG) and a few mid range (parts Tele, Epi Dot, etc). At this point the Variaxe sounds as decent as most of my other instruments - and certainly it records, soooo much faster.

As indicated, the value of the Variaxe (at least for me) is the ability to lay tracks quickly - thus allowing the creative juices to flow. Like most of us, there is a fine line betwwen the "artist" who wants to lay tracks vs. the "producer" who is anal about the final sound. In this case, the artist wins out.

philboyd
I know from other posts that you have access to some quality axes (if I recall you even have a pretty nice banjo). I did not expect the Variaxe to provide great sounds across the board and If a given sound is critical to a mix, I would bring in people with the chops and the gear to make it happen.

Since guitar is not my main axe (I'm a good drummer and decent keyboard player) I have never accumulated a collection of quality guitars (although if I had all the money I spent on various $200-$500 guitars, I could problay have a couple of really nice guitars :D ).

In a recording environment - the Variaxe is great for demo work and some sounds could make the cut to a final mix. I would think in a gig situation (in particular doing cover material) the Variaxe could be a great tool - if it could actually hold up to road abuse!!!

It's too early to tell if I will lose respect for the Variaxe, but at this early stage - I think I got my moneys worth!
 
faderbug said:
ok, but with both the banjo and the resonator models you admit that they don't sound asgood as the real thing. (not bright, not cutting, dull).
now if you would layer several of these sub-par sounds what would the result be?
Click to expand...

A banjo tone would be difficult on a guitar since the high G is such a prominent part of the sound-the high drone. If you simply strummed the D to E strings it might cop a tenor banjo sound a bit better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top