Variax is a line of modeling guitars marketed and developed by Line 6. It claims to be the first guitar able to emulate the tones of other notable electric and acoustic guitars. It also has a banjo and a sitar tone. The Variax is currently available as an electric guitar, but modeling acoustic guitars and modeling electric bass guitars have been available in the past.
Contents |
| JTV59 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Line 6 |
| Period | 2010 - Present |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Solid |
| Neck joint | Set |
| Scale | 24-9/16" |
| Woods | |
| Body | Mahogany with carved maple top and flame maple veneer |
| Neck | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Rosewood |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Stoptail (fixed) |
| Pickup(s) | James Tyler Alnico Humbuckers |
| Colors available | |
| Black, Cherry Sunburst, Tobacco Sunburst | |
In 2010, Line 6 released three new models of Variax electric guitars (replacing the old models), with updated technology and bodies designed by luthier James Tyler[1].
Each model comes in a US-made or Korean-made version. The Tyler Variax guitars all come with standard pickups as well as the electronic modeling capabilities, whereas the earlier Variaxes had no physical pickups.
Models in all Variaxes are based on the following guitars[2]:
* 1960 Fender Telecaster Custom * 1968 Fender Telecaster * 1968 Fender Telecaster Thinline * 1959 Fender Stratocaster * 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard * 1952 Gibson Les Paul "Goldtop" * 1961 Gibson Les Paul Custom (3 PU) * 1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior * 1976 Gibson Firebird V * 1955 Gibson Les Paul Special * 1959 Gretsch 6120 * 1956 Gretsch Silver Jet * 1968 Rickenbacker 360 * 1966 Rickenbacker 360-12 * 1961 Gibson ES-335 * 1967 Epiphone Casino * 1957 Gibson ES-175 * 1953 Gibson Super 400 * 1959 Martin D-28 * 1970 Martin D 12-28 * 1967 Martin O-18 * 1966 Guild F212 * 1995 Gibson J-200 * 1935 Dobro Alumilite * Danelectro 3021 * Coral/Dano Electric Sitar * Gibson Mastertone Banjo * 1928 National Style 2 "Tricone"
| Variax Electric Guitar (300/500/600/700) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Line 6 |
| Period | appr. 2003 — 2010 |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Solid |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on neck |
| Woods | |
| Body | Agathis (300), Basswood (600), Mahogany and Ash (700) |
| Neck | Maple |
| Fretboard | Rosewood (300, 500 & 700), Maple (600), all with 22 frets |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Fixed (300, 500, 700), Tremolo (600, 700) |
| Pickup(s) | Bridge saddle-mounted piezo |
The earlier solid body Variax electric guitars made by Line 6 were available in four models:
The bridge of a Variax electric guitar has an individual piezoelectric pickup for each string. Each of these 6 signals is converted individually to a digital signal in the guitar's electronics. This allows for separate processing of the signals from each string. This allows two technologies that would otherwise be impossible: the modeling of effects caused by one string on the others, and virtually altering the pitch of each individual string, allowing guitarists to switch between different tunings using a pedal or a switch on the guitar.
Customizers may remove the electronics and hardware of a Variax and fit them into a different instrument. These "transplants" can look like almost any popular guitar but still emulate 26 vintage instruments.
There were three models of Variax acoustic modeling guitars; the 300 Nylon String and the 300 Steel String which allow varying the body size and mic placement in the electronic model, and the more expensive cedar (later spruce)-topped 700 (available only with steel strings) that had alternate tunings "built-in" and was able to emulate over a dozen rare and desirable acoustic instruments, including a real Indian sitar, rather than the Coral electric sitar modeled in the electric Variaxes. It was discontinued in 2010.
Line 6 had offered the same technology for electric bass guitars with the 4-string Variax 700 bass and the model 705 5-string bass, but discontinued them in 2007.
Each Variax guitar comes with a VDI (Variax Digital Interface) connection that allows them to be connected via an Ethernet cable to compatible hardware like the Line 6 POD amp modelers or through the Workbench interface via USB to a computer. Workbench is also the name of the software that allows users to customise the settings of the electronic models, such as changing the body type, changing and moving the pickups and adjusting how the volume and tone knobs function. It also allows the user to create customized tunings of any kind. These models can be saved back to the guitar.