Variax tele - best option??

digitalscream

Sporky said:

Out of interest, do any of the people decrying the Variax's reliability actually have one?

Nope, but my objection isn't that they're unreliable - it's the same objection I have to active pickups, apart from the fact that they sound crap

I actually really like the idea of Variax tech, but I don't think I'd ever trust one enough to gig it (except if there was absolutely no other choice), even with the XPS unit. Studio-wise, though, I'd love one

ChrisMusic

Hi @Sporky, yes a friend of mine has one, and he has had that happen live.  Not sure if he had any issues with the XPS.  I bought a recent one and it is great, no problems apart from some build issues.  I got it with a similar idea of building it into my "ideal guitar" sometime, whatever that is, and whenever that is.

So I am reading this discussion with more than a little interest.

hywelg

@Sporky, battery powered anything for gigging is asking for trouble IMO. I would never do it. But thats just me, I hate looking like a twat on stage and I have enough trouble keeping my playing together without tech stuff to worry about.

Sporky

hywelg said:

@Sporky, battery powered anything for gigging is asking for trouble IMO. I would never do it. But thats just me, I hate looking like a twat on stage and I have enough trouble keeping my playing together without tech stuff to worry about.

So, as I already said, use the XPS instead! Line6 themselves say that the Variax should be used with the PSU and that the battery is for convenience rather than regular use.

hywelg

Battery, power supply, matters not to me, I wouldn't have a guitar that required it to operate.

All pedals true bypass, power to board on locking Neutrik Powercon connectors, locking jack sockets for pedal board to amp connection, input lead threaded through amp handle, guitar lead through strap (you'd be surprised how many don't do that!), strap locks etc etc. Its all to reduce the number of possibilites of f**k up at gig time. Its amazing how when under pressure the simplest of faults becomes a major brain spasm. Well for me anyway, not that experienced at gigging.

Sporky

hywelg said:

Battery, power supply, matters not to me, I wouldn't have a guitar that required it to operate.

That surely leaves you only able to play acoustic gigs then.

fatherjack

I've gigged a Variax 300 and 500, never had a problem.  I either used the power supply or made sure I had a fresh set of batteries in for the gig.

steamabacus

Sporky said:

hywelg said:

Battery, power supply, matters not to me, I wouldn't have a guitar that required it to operate.

That surely leaves you only able to play acoustic gigs then.

By candlelight   

hywelg

Sporky said:

That surely leaves you only able to play acoustic gigs then.

Errr no.... I can operate with no power supply to my board in an emergency.

fatherjack

hywelg said:

Sporky said:

That surely leaves you only able to play acoustic gigs then.

Errr no.... I can operate with no power supply to my board in an emergency.

I suspect @Sporky was also referring to the power to your amp, mic, PA, etc...

Sporky

fatherjack said:

hywelg said:

Sporky said:

That surely leaves you only able to play acoustic gigs then.

Errr no.... I can operate with no power supply to my board in an emergency.

I suspect @Sporky was also referring to the power to your amp, mic, PA, etc...

Izzackly.

Without power, all electric guitars are pretty quiet.

I am sure that there must have been glitches with Variaxes, but I am equally sure that valves and fuses have blown in amps. Strings break. Paranoia only gets you so far...

hywelg

Sporky said:

 Paranoia only gets you so far...

So I'm paranoid now am I ????. No sorry, I have had the problem of a dead battery causing a problem so, now no batteries, I have had the problem of the powersupply getting kicked (by a punter) and all my pedals going off, so now Neutrik Powercon with PS under the board velcro'd in place. I have also seen guitarists lose their guitars mid solo because they stood on their lead which was wrapped aound the strap and pulled it off the button, and I have seen guitarists stand on their lead and unplug themselves. Thats why i use strap locks. Always got a second guitar ready on a stand incase I break a string.

I also stopped using George L's for similar reasons, I had to rip apart by board before our first set becuase I'd got a loud hum, turned out to be a dodgy end, so I now use Lava.

Its not paranoia, its common sense. Limit the possibilites for a f**k up. Enjoy the gig.......

Sporky said:

Without power, all electric guitars are pretty quiet.

Indeed, the PA won't work either so no gig......

You can only realistically prepare for those contingencies that you have control over. I aint taking a battery powered PA.....

Sporky

hywelg said:

Sporky said:

 Paranoia only gets you so far...

So I'm paranoid now am I ????

Nah, I'd say well prepared - it wasn't a serious comment, hence the smiley.

But I think that we've gotten a long way from the original question.

holnrew

Blank front FTW.