Variax or Les Paul... Is it a question?

[Alexrkstr]

I just bought a Variax 300...

I am not very peased by it... The piezo pickups sounds through the mix and it kinda feels too light... but it is versatile.

I own a Strat already... Would you return the V300 and get a Gibson LP Studio?

Would this cover most of the "range of tones" used in Rock/Pop/Brit Rock?

What do you think?

Note that I record using a PODxt to record.

 

[Light]

Get the real thing. It is always better to have something that sounds really good but limited. I mean, the whole idea is to develop your OWN sound, right? Well, find the guitar that does it for you, and play it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Yeah, I'd return anything that I'm not pleased with- especially a guitar!!

This is a textbook case of having to choose between quality or quantity. I've had a Les Paul Custom for about 17 years and I will NEVER sell it unless I can no longer play it. A friend of mine has an LP Studio and he loves it.

I played one of the variaxes- can't remember which. While I appreciated the ease of switching sounds... it felt like a toy compared to the LP. I guess I'm spoiled.

Chris

 

[IronFlippy]

I think you knew the answer to this question before you posted...

 

[Zaphod B]

I checked out some of the Variax sound models on Line 6's web site. Frankly I thought the Gibson humbucker models were the worst of the bunch - muddy sounding, with no character. I did think the Tele sounds were quite good, though.

 

[Supercreep]

Keep it. If you record, you'll be glad you did - if only for the electric 12 strings. Suck it up and buy the LP, but hold on to the Variax. It's useful in the studio.

 

[noisedude]

Over here, an LP Studio costs 2.5 times the price of a Variax 300. That's not an easy decision to make!

FWIW - I'd go with whichever feels nicer to play. You're going to get plenty of usable sounds from the Variax, and obviously an LP will sound like an LP. Which neck do you prefer? I struggle to play a lot of Les Pauls.

 

[Mark7]

For the price of an LP Studio in the UK you could get a Gordon Smith and a Burns Club series Marquee. Both of which are far more versatile than a Paul or a Strat.

 

[my2cents]

i'd trade it in for a les paul (or more likely, credit towards a les paul). the point about using it in the studio to simulate a 12 string is a pretty good argument, but how often are you going to need a 12 string for your recordings? you could get a daisy or danelectro 12 string pretty cheap.

 

[Mark7]

Okay, the LP Studio is £689 at the shop I looked at. It's the standard LPs that cost an arm and a leg

 

[nkjanssen]

the point about using it in the studio to simulate a 12 string is a pretty good argument, but how often are you going to need a 12 string for your recordings? you could get a daisy or danelectro 12 string pretty cheap.

...not to mention that the Variax 12-string sound sucks ass.

 

[Ronan]

I have only used the "acoustic" vari-ax and to me it sounded like an Ovation recored direct with some bad mid 80's FX thrown on it to mask the sound. I could think I no situation where I would ever want to use it in a session. I am guessing the "electric" version is on par with that. I have never quite understood the idea of wanting lots of choices of mediocre of a limited number of great options. I would choose the les paul 10 times out of 10. Also I think its a good idea to do it sooner than later. I think a used variax will sell for about $100 in a couple years. Look how fast the prices of Pods fall. A good Les Paul will hold its value for decades.

 

[Supercreep]

I am guessing the "electric" version is on par with that. I have never quite understood the idea of wanting lots of choices of mediocre of a limited number of great options.

Stop guessing and let your ears guide you.

For 299 bucks a Variax 300 is an incredibly useful instrument for someone who dosen't want to spend 1200 bucks on a Rick 360-12 for 18 seconds in a prechorus. It's close enough.

 

[Supercreep]

...not to mention that the Variax 12-string sound sucks ass.

Actually it sounds pretty good. It's not fooling anybody who owns a Ric, but it sounds better than the dani. The teles are good. The strat is good. The archtop is good. If you can't find a useable sound..........

Note that I'm recommending you keep both guitars. It just can't hurt.

 

[boomtap]

If you don't like the 300 I would kick it. I love mine though, it would take a really nice guitar to get me to swtich from it. I have a American Strat and some Washburns and an Ibanez as well, and for home and live use the 300 is it. If I were making a big budget recording I would then play the real things for sure, but I am not so the 300 is my pride and joy for now. I might even buy a 700.

 

[lovegoodsoul73]

I played a Variax live for one song.
It felt like a toy, honestly. After the gig, I sat down and fooled with it some more. If you *really* needed so many different sounds, it might be useful nut honestly...

A Strat and an LP...pretty much everything you'll ever need.

 

[greenascanbe]

The 12 sting and sitar stuff sounded interesting

But why hire Christian Slater to do his impression of Jack Nichelson, when you can get Jack himself.

 

[wx3]

I've got a les paul studio and its a great little guitar. Easy to play, great sound, and its built like a tank. Best of all I picked it up on ebay in brand new shape for $900 canadian shipped. So thats about $750 in U.S. dollars

Also, if you ever plan on playing live, a les paul looks a heck of a lot nicer then a variax...

 

[ibanezrocks]

I've got a les paul studio and its a great little guitar. Easy to play, great sound, and its built like a tank. Best of all I picked it up on ebay in brand new shape for $900 canadian shipped. So thats about $750 in U.S. dollars

Also, if you ever plan on playing live, a les paul looks a heck of a lot nicer then a variax...

I hate to tell you this, but $900 canadian for a used les paul studio isn't that good of a deal. They're only $1100 new...

 

[iwanarock]

First and foremost if your not very pleased by the Variax you should take it back whether you buy a Gibson LP Studio or not. But I also have to wonder why you bought it in the first place, I have never bought a guitar I didn't play first.

I have a Gibson Les Paul Custom, Fender Strat, Ovation 6-String Acc/Elec, Fender 12-string Acc/elec, Midi guitar to name a few. I also have a Variax 500, do i like it better then my Strat or Les Paul, or Ovation, well no I probably don't. But I will tell you it is a great tool and does things that none of my other guitars can do. I can go from an electric to acoustic and back with just a flip of a switch. It allows me to have a sitar, banjo sound if needed. The other powerful thing it does with the addition of the workbench software, I can play a song in Drop D or Open G tuning or any other alternate tuning by again just flipping a switch. I can flip a switch and make the guitar think it has a capo at 1st,2nd ... 11th fret. None of my other guitars can do this as easily and quickly. Variax again just opens up more tools in my arsenal, has some very cool tones, and is probably one of the best guitar technology inventions I have ever seen. i think for the $500 I paid for it is worth every penny. With that said I wouldn't give up my Les Paul or Strat for it, but I also wouldn't give it back if i could have my $500 back either.