Variax - what do you honestly think?

[Ed Dixon]

I use Koch, Marshall, Mesa Boogie and the POD xt, BOSS GT-8. I think i know what heavy distortion is .

I'm not suggesting you don't know what it is, but just that some views of the heavy part varies.

I also use tube gear as well and have a Marshall preamp as part of the same signal chain.

There is also the qeustion of what actually comes through the mix, along with all the other instruments. I just hear less difference than perhaps you do. As you said, views here do differ and there is no right and wrong.

Also when I think of night and day, I think of things like electric vs acoustic or banjo vs 12 string, or flute vs sax.

I don't think of basic Strat and LP sounds to be in that level of difference when recorded with no effects. The're different guitar sounds, but both solid body electric with a treble emphesis. Jazz guitar sounds tend to be much different as they are bass heavy and a more hollow body sound.

Ed

 

[ibanezrocks]

Having both a LP and a Strat, and multiple heavy overdrive sounds, that has not been my experience. However there are lots of different heavy overdrive units, and perhaps some allow more guitar tone differences to come through.

Ed

To clarify what I meant, through a POD you couldn't easily tell the difference with a lot of distortion. through a tube amp with heavy distortion you easily could tell the difference. Most solid state stuff just doesnt let the tone of the guitar through.

 

[greenascanbe]

I tried the 500 model at the store this afternoon and the knobs kept falling off when I would switch guitars or volume. Yeah I know it's the floor model but sheesh....

I told the salesmen I was more interested in an American Strat and he showed me the 700 and said it was 27 different strats for the same price. I just said I'd rather have one strat that worked than 27 that didn't.

 

[tonyoci]

green, that's a very unbalanced comment. You even say it yourself, it's a floor model , one that gets a particularly large amount of use (at least in the 2 stores near me). Put a $1000 strat in a high traffic area and let anyone use it and you'll see them same result.

As many have said, it all depends on your needs, as a home musician who rarely leaves the bedroom it's a wonderful tool.

Tony

 

[ibanezrocks]

green, that's a very unbalanced comment. You even say it yourself, it's a floor model , one that gets a particularly large amount of use (at least in the 2 stores near me). Put a $1000 strat in a high traffic area and let anyone use it and you'll see them same result.

As many have said, it all depends on your needs, as a home musician who rarely leaves the bedroom it's a wonderful tool.

Tony

No offense, but you even admitted earlier that you're a newb and that you couldn't tell the difference between the sound of a strat, lp, and tele. Perhaps Greenascanbe likes the sound of a real strat better.

 

[tonyoci]

True enough ibanez but that clearly was not the point of his post. I don't want to convince him to buy one but I don't think it's fair to dismiss it as a piece of junk because the knobs fell off the store display model.

 

[Nutdotnet]

No offense, but you even admitted earlier that you're a newb and that you couldn't tell the difference between the sound of a strat, lp, and tele. Perhaps Greenascanbe likes the sound of a real strat better.

No offense...but it isn't like "Ibanez" guitars are the cream of the crop...

 

[ibanezrocks]

True enough ibanez but that clearly was not the point of his post. I don't want to convince him to buy one but I don't think it's fair to dismiss it as a piece of junk because the knobs fell off the store display model.

I'm saying maybe you misunderstood him and the "27 that don't work" comment was more about them not sounding right than a knob not working.

 

[ibanezrocks]

No offense...but it isn't like "Ibanez" guitars are the cream of the crop...

You're an idiot, that has nothing to do with what we're talking about. Something thats being imitated is going to be better than whats imitating it most of the time. The variax has its advantages, and it has its disadvantages, however, you're not discussing either, and you're not contributing to the thread.

p.s. if you took time to read my signature you'd know what kind of guitar I have.

 

[boomtap]

my 300 has played 3-4 times a week for about 3 months now, and it is in perfect condition. I know that is not a long time, but it shows no sign of being cheaply made. I am real careful though, because I know it has some electronics that are prone to damage eaiser. I probably treat it the same way I would treat a $3000 les paul just to be safe.

It isn't the end all for guitars, but if I only could have one guitar I think my 300 would be it.

 

[ermghoti]

On a unrelated note, the idea is interesting (guitar modler) but the Variax is, and I speak without fear of contradiction, uglier than the center section of a walrus' ass. I also hear complaints about the neck's playability.

There are very good playing Chinese and Korean guitars for around $100. Could an evil genius buy the intro level Variax (300?) and a good-playing import, and get your chocolate in my peanut butter? Obviously, it would void a wide swath of warantees, and leave a box full o' useless parts, but how feasible is the job?

 

[Ed Dixon]

I won't argue about the ugly status, it is.

However the neck on my 500 is quite good. I did work on the setup and action and the result plays about as well as my PRS Custom 24 which did cost about 5 times as much.

ed

 

[nkjanssen]

It isn't the end all for guitars, but if I only could have one guitar I think my 300 would be it.

If I could only have one guitar, I'd probably take a Gibson 335.

 

[guhlenn]

I guess it;s just form what point your looking, as a guitar exclusive, i hear huge differeces between strats and les pauls. I cannot see how a cross between an acoustic and electric neck (mentioned in a review here) can approximate a PRS. No way in hell. That said, ofcourse if you play piano and sax as much as guitar the switch between variax and PRS is nihil.

Have fun!

 

[Ed Dixon]

I cannot see how a cross between an acoustic and electric neck (mentioned in a review here) can approximate a PRS. No way in hell.

All I can say is that it does. I own both, and play both. Both have necks with about the same radius, the same thickness, the same nut width, the same fretboard wood type. The PRS is much nicer looking with the birds inlays, but that does not affect sound or playability.

If I had money to burn, which I don't, I'd have Jeff Miller add Variax guts to the PRS. That would yield a combo with even wider sounds and good looks.

Ed

 

[noisedude]

So what I really want to know is .......... how is the Variax 300? I'm thinking about getting a couple into the shop but our budget is tight. If they're good I'll take one for myself and put one or two on the shop floor ... but it has to be something I can sell, or I will be in a sticky situation.

Thoughts?

 

[Garry Sharp]

So what I really want to know is .......... how is the Variax 300? I'm thinking about getting a couple into the shop but our budget is tight. If they're good I'll take one for myself and put one or two on the shop floor ... but it has to be something I can sell, or I will be in a sticky situation.

Thoughts?

60 day funding from the distributor? Sale or return? Just get one and buy it yourself at trade if it doesn't sell?

Host a Variax evening in the shop - get the distributor to bring a few, and a player to demo it, discounted prices on the night, get some flyers out......

 

[noisedude]

Good thinking! I'm quite new to this but I'm fairly sure we have to get more than one in at a time ... but we do lots of their amps so they might be nice. My boss wants me running this place by the time I finish uni in a year so I need one or two successes that I actually drove - plus the chance to take one myself at trade is very appealing (although I haven't looked the price up yet).

 

[boomtap]

I would start with the 300, but in order for you to be able to sell it propely, you need to hook it up properly. If you run it through a xt live, and then into some studio monitors, you will be able to show off all that the guitar does. If you just run it through what ever amp you have, you might not have as much success. This guitar is digital, so like a keyboard you need to play on its technical prowess. People love to hear the diffrent sounds like the sitar, and banjo. I would focus on all the things that seperate this guitar from any other. Also if you have guitar students coming in to buy one it might be a good idea to hook one up to the guitar port software and show them the online lessons, and tab and sounds. If they are like me they will buy the XT live and the guitar at the same time.

 

[noisedude]

Hmmm the XT Live is actually more expensive than the damn guitar though! I'll keep thinking!!