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It would want to be something modular so that you could replace/upgrade it if the electronics die or if there is a new generation that is a lot better.
I guess Line 6 has partly down that route with the magnetic pickups on the Tyler designed Variaxes. The problem is that the electronics seem to be integral to the guitar - you could could get stuck with obselete electronics. Given that they are getting a bit long in the tooth now. I'd be inclined to wait for the next generation.
It's odd how as guitarists, we don't bat an eyelid at a keyboard player using a digital keyboard to get (say) a Hammond B3 sound but have major reservations about 'going digital' ourselves.
I suspect the technology might be more accepted if it were available in the form of a floor board driven by a wirelessly connected piezo bridge or hex pick-up. In other words, the guitar itself is not cluttered by extra controls.
The attraction for me would be access to sounds that I would use so rarely, that owning a 'real' instrument couldn't be justified, eg: a resonator, electric and acoustic twelve strings, etc.
The lack of 'name' players using Variaxes is probably another reason why they've not gained traction in the market.
This might be the way forward. If the pickup is reasonably standard then you would be able to upgrade as necessary. It should also reduce the need for big onboard battery packs which would be a big advantage.
I never figured out why Line 6 removed the external phantom power option from the latest generation. I'd rather have that than batteries.
I saw Yes the other week in Glasgow .. I know ... I am a Dinosaur.
Steve Howe was using a Variax 700 for acoustic parts in various songs (he changes guitars a lot during some of their "tracks"). He used it to cover both 6 and 12 strings. Full concert volume, through the PA, it was totally convincing, I really was quite taken aback. He also used it in place of his Coral sitar guitar, again totally convincing.
Having said that one of the guitarists with Stevie Nicks used one ( last year was it?) on tour. Not the long hair, out front doing big solos guitarist but the bloke towards the back of the stage doing the more utilitarian playing. I have also seen them in use in folk rock bands where the ability to switch sounds is used.
TBH the difference between a model of a strat bridge pick up and a model of a tele bridge pick up put through three pedals and an overdriven Marshall and in the middle of the band mix is so small and irrelevant to anyone but the guitarist you can't help but think it isn't worth the trouble and maybe Line 6 are just too clever for their own good, not quite living in the real world ( I think some of their other products are a bit like this).I know not everyone plays like this but, y'know, quite a lot do.
I think there are maybe two ways they could go with the technology:
- make it so it enhances higher end guitars. For example if you watch the clips in the Pink's Guitarist Discussion he is using a piezo to get acousticish sounds out of a Les Paul - could this technology do a better job of that; maybe build in some other stuff like virtual ( noise free) coil splits? So it is largely hidden and used to enhance existing guitars with fewer but useful options. You could see this starting with the link up with Yamaha.
- make it properly cheap. Digital products invariably have a cheaper equivalent at some point. If you can buy a tablet for £100 why not a Chinese guitar with Variax technology for £200? The lifespan of a tablet is, what, 3 years? At which point they look a bit knackered and the user wants something with better technology creating an almost endless demand. A cheap Variax could be the equivalent of this.Not that I want more manufactured stuff that is shipped around the world and then gets thrown away when it is still perfectly useable but I can see how money is made out of this.
Right, more coffee needed...
~O)
I have a Tyler variax 69 (strat shape) and its an awesome guitar. The Tele sound didn’t bite enough for my liking but it was a simple process to use Workbench to get what I wanted.
I eagerly await what come out of the Yam/line6 merger
I'm one of those people for whom digital modelling usually means messing about a lot, then using just my two favourite sounds and feeling I have under used the possibilities in front of me or, indeed, that some of the possibilities in front of me vary by such a small amount I don't really understand why they are there.
The HD firmwar update took the modelling platform on from the orginal generation. You can't load it on any of the pre JTV ranges as I understand, along with any HD models. No worries for me, but it does seem to indicate that Line 6 are going to focus on the JTV and HD firmware for the foreseable future.
Only one way to know and that's to try of course.
I also didn't understand this, either . Line 6 are quite happy to quote all the amps/fx they've modeled , but why not famous players guitars? That could be a huge draw. Plus, the thing that bugged me was it didn't quite palm mute correctly with distortion. I only owned the first version ( briefly) so I'm sure they sorted by the latter models. I loved the acoustic and sitar sounds. They were great. Banjo sound in a rock song solo? Awesome.