# James Tyler Variax?



## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)

Just came across this today has any one heard anything on these? they look great (I'm really liing the JTV-59). I guess there will be to lines a US made and a Korean version. The adding of magnetic pickups is great as well as the Alt tuning wheel.

James Tyler Variax
Flickr: Line 6 Variax's Photostream


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## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)




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## Guest (Aug 19, 2010)

I've already got my fist full of cash ready for when the offshore double cut lands. The original Variax was 90% of the there. It fell apart when you did palm mutes. People I trust who've played the Tyler say they fixed that. Perfect. I'm in. This plus my AxeFx is insane versatility. Would love to get a USA-made one eventually but Tylers are $4k so way out of my league right now.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

I like that black one - looks great. But 4K? Is there an import version available for, like, a fifth the price or something?


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2010)

Maxer said:


> I like that black one - looks great. But 4K? Is there an import version available for, like, a fifth the price or something?


Yes, there'll be import versions of both styles and they'll be in the USD$1000 range. Built in a factory that James Tyler picked and then final setup will be done by a Tyler employee in the USA.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

Not bad. Pretty attractive, even. One guitar to replace many. An excellent studio or stage tool.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The key consideration in the Variax - at least for me - was always the fact that a big chunk of how a given guitar sounded lay in how it made you play. So, a big box jazz guitar sits on your chest differently than a Strat. A Tele bridge plate assembly makes you seat your hand by the bridge pickup differently than a whammy-equipped Strat, slide on a Les Paul feels different than slide on a dobro, and so on. Not that the Variax wasn't a well-made guitar, or comfortably to play. It just didn't feel like the guitars it was modelling.

This version is simply a different feel, and may well feel more compatible with some of the models that it has, although it seems odd to have a 3-pickup gutar that needs to "emulate" Strats of various kinds. Conceivably, the models included may extend beyond the original menu. Having played a real vintage Rockenbacker 12-string, though, anything that can nail that sound AND accommodate an actual human adult hand is okay in my books.

Finally, I like the relocation of one of the voice-selection knobs to the upper bout by the neck. MUCH more readable and "dashboard-like" than the original.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2010)

mhammer said:


> The key consideration in the Variax - at least for me - was always the fact that a big chunk of how a given guitar sounded lay in how it made you play. So, a big box jazz guitar sits on your chest differently than a Strat. A Tele bridge plate assembly makes you seat your hand by the bridge pickup differently than a whammy-equipped Strat, slide on a Les Paul feels different than slide on a dobro, and so on. Not that the Variax wasn't a well-made guitar, or comfortably to play. It just didn't feel like the guitars it was modelling.


That's an excellent observation. To some extent it's like that with modelling gear. It's hard to play like there's 2 full stacks of Marshalls behind you when their isn't. And you have to really put your head in a different space to make this work.



> This version is simply a different feel, and may well feel more compatible with some of the models that it has, although it seems odd to have a 3-pickup gutar that needs to "emulate" Strats of various kinds.


An updated DSP and an algorithm that combines the output from the mags with the piezos is what I've read as the big improvements over the old Variax. Plus: it'll run in "traditional guitar" mode if you like (or if you run out of battery power).



> Finally, I like the relocation of one of the voice-selection knobs to the upper bout by the neck. MUCH more readable and "dashboard-like" than the original.


There are some videos floating around of how they handled the difference between a 5-way blade and a 3-way selector that are pretty cool. Lots of thought has gone in to it. In particular the 3-way was set up to "be like a guitar with a 3-way switch" so it hurts your head a little less to use it if a 3-way type guitar is what you like to play.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Remember the Bond Electraglide? It had an LED readout of settings above the bridge with rocker toggles situated below the bridge. One of its bigger innovations was a non-fret neck that used angled "stairsteps" instead. Ingenious in so many ways, but just never caught on.

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/94/l_409ccf4fd5b9497bbdda50f946483d2c.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/86/l_75e487c4fc8043858de6f578ef8a7b01.jpg


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2010)

Ohhh. Wow. I've never seen that Bond guitar before. Very cool. The neck and the electronics package. Any pictures of what it showed on the display?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

mhammer said:


> The key consideration in the Variax - at least for me - was always the fact that a big chunk of how a given guitar sounded lay in how it made you play. So, a big box jazz guitar sits on your chest differently than a Strat. A Tele bridge plate assembly makes you seat your hand by the bridge pickup differently than a whammy-equipped Strat, slide on a Les Paul feels different than slide on a dobro, and so on. Not that the Variax wasn't a well-made guitar, or comfortably to play. It just didn't feel like the guitars it was modelling.


This sums up what I thought when I first heard of the Variax.
I like the idea of having multiple sounds in one, but the way a guitar feeels to me is so important--and I definitely play a little bit differently--at least a little bit--on each of my guitars.

I do more vibrato & bends on my Mustang, more hammerons & pulloffs on my Les Paul, more chords on my 12 string, and my Artcore has a different groove to it, etc.


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## Ramblez (Jul 14, 2009)

Are there any good clips anywhere (youtube?) so I can check out the variax?


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2010)

[youtube]In0KSi008Gk[/youtube]


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## Lance Romance (Jun 4, 2009)

I bought one of the first Variax 500s. Great tech, not without its problems, but it was a really crappy guitar. I'm a luthier and spent hours trying to make it feel like a real guitar, but you can't polish a turd.
Flash forward to MIAC Show '10: I spent about an hour with Rich Renken from Tyler and Line 6 and learned a lot. Firstly, these play like real guitars with real pickups. The Korean ones are built at World, like the PRS SE line I've always liked. The US models are SUPERB. They now have about four times the DSP power, so the models really sound great. The tunings work great also. As my acid test, I dialed-up an acoustic 12-string model and tuned it B-B like a baritone. Very cool! Tons of other features too, so I ordered a JTV-59, the LP-ish one (strat headstock was just too fugly). What was really cool was playing strat parts on a shortscale guitar. It integrates with any of the POD stuff that has the Variax Digital Interface cable, but I ordered one of the new HD500 units that integrate it seamlessly and allow dual-chain processing.
Not selling my Boogie and analog pedalboard anytime, but this is a new shot at The Dark Side, and really deserves the attention for exactly what it is. Different tools for different jobs.-Eric


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## mnoel (Aug 29, 2011)

*Korean Variax quality*

I have been researching these guitars recently and am very interested in them but was wondering exactly how the quality is on the Korean made models compared to the US models. I mean there is a significant difference in price which usually tells you alot. I just can't justify the extra 2500 bucks unless the Korean models are not sturdy at all. I am also having a hell of a time finding them for sale anywhere. If you all have information or tips regarding these issues I would greatly appreciate the feedback. Thanx.


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## stratman89 (Oct 13, 2008)

I have had one on order since last Dec........................still waiting!

[video=youtube_share;OePZWwgvtTk]http://youtu.be/OePZWwgvtTk[/video]
[video=youtube_share;mlhSh5dsOf0]http://youtu.be/mlhSh5dsOf0[/video]


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