Every Stock Guitar Model on the Line 6 Variax Standard and more
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- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- In this video I quickly demonstrate every guitar model that comes pre-loaded into the Line 6 Variax Standard. I also go over a few a tips on getting the most out of the Variax's acoustic guitar tones with the Line 6 Helix. There's also a brief section where I play my custom model based on the Brian May Red Special guitar that I made with the Variax Workbench software.
This is part of my 3 video series on the Variax.
To hear what the magnetic pickups sound like go here: • Line 6 JTV 69 vs. Vari...
To see how the Variax interacts with the Line 6 Helix, check this out: • Tips and Tricks for Us...
That REALLY sounds like a red special!
Great video! I'm considering getting one of these as I like to play in different tunings so as one size fits all work bench, this looks ideal for what I'm after. Thanks for the demos (and some seriously nice playing too!)
Hats off to you bro, Top demo. I was interested to see what this guitar could do but it's not for me. Thanks for taking the time to make this and share.
Worth watching this video just for building an acoustic preset. Thanks, Richie. 👍
Great demo Ritchie - so glad you finally did these! I use this exact same guitar with a Pod HD500 for home recording and it is the by far the most flexible, convenient, and really fantastic sounding overall rig I have used. I can get extremely useful tones - including pretty damn convincing acoustic tones (with a nice Strat neck profile!). I still have a D28 but mostly to play unpluged with. The myriad of possibilities with this guitar and a Pod HD500 or Helix is virtually unlimited.
Nice playing in all the different tunings, smooth!
So I moved to Florida and joined a country rock band! Thank God for my Variax. Drop D, Double Drop D, G Tuning, E Tuning, C6 Tuning, Gretsch, Tele, Strat, Les Paul. LP Junior. All in an instant!! You get out of it what you put into it!!! I even modded a Les Paul setting for a Peter Green out of phase sound!
Just did a bunch of show with my Variax Standard and POD HD 500X. I was able to play it as a baritone guitar for "Chain of Fools" and switch between a Rick 12 string (Chime, position 2) for the intro of The Temptations "My Everything" and an ES335 6 string for the rest of a Motown Medley. Playing Elvis' "Don't Be Cruel" in Eb was no problem and dropping a popular ballad with lots of changes down to Gb was no problem. My chart was in G and I didn't want to re-write it or transpose it in my head!! LOL! Plus, for most of the show I used the magnetic pickups which sounded just as good as my real Strat! I did re-fret it to medium jumbo and we did a few neck adjustments to get it where I wanted it! It now works and sounds great!!
Great job man! Your channel is the best channel in all UA-cam about all things Variax and Helix. I really, really apreciate it, please don't stop with the amazing reviews and tips. Greetings from Brasil!! ( Yes, I posted it here too rsrs)
I love everything about your guitar technique & video production style. If only all makers had your highly informed sense of immediacy. ☆☆☆☆☆
My Variax equipped Shuriken 2.0 arrived yesterday & your thoughful primer is helpful!
That EQ tricky of boosting first to find the right freq is great. That will help alot when your new to all the frequencies (what sound is where?) type of thing.
Wow love the acoustic stuff
The electric models sound surprisingly good.
Love your videos Richie! Thanks so much!
Cool video Richie!
I can't work, I can't eat, I can't do anything just watch your videos and wait until my Standard arrives and couples with my new Helix LT. So much ideas for me. Thank you so much Richie
excellent demo !
Great video and useful to us Standard owners.
You’re amazing. I never got myskilllevel that high and at 66 with arthritis it’s difficult. So I dream through you lol
YOU SOUND GOOD BRO!
I honestly didn't know these guitars existed until now (May 2019) I just have to get me one of these to replace all of the very mediocre copies in my home studio (9 guitars in all)
I was wondering if the R-Billy sound would have that classic bigsby style tremolo sound, glad it does. Thanks for this demo.
Great guitar, I got to get one.
Great Vid, I'm on the edge on getting into Variax again, so... which one do you prefer, the JTV-69s or the Variax Standard?
What is the Variax Standard neck like? (GC doesn't carry Variaxes at all near where I live). I had a JTV-59 when they were released but never liked the neck.
Hi Richie, thanks for this great and informative video.
I have a quick question - does the string tension feel weird/wrong/offputting, when you're playing in the different tunings?
Thanks again - Rob
that brian may sound is really good
I'm so glad I'm getting helix....maybe now a variax too, I play in all kinds of tunings
Hey buddy love your channel,helix is out of my budget but I'm thinking of the hd 500 is it pretty close to the helix.thanks for any help sir.
More cow bell.
I got one JT model. Didn't like the headstock though so I had a custom job done on it so it now has a Tele headstock. Really well done too. A little bit of the decal missing though but it looks just great.
Great vid! I do think it is high time line 6 updated the firmware. A nylon string would be great.
That would be cool!
Fantastic playing ! I have an "old" Variax 600... do you think the guitar models are improved significantly since then ?
I've got the same model and would love to get any info on this. My main gripe is the acoustic 12-string; the sound goes sideways every now and then and I'd love to know if they've fixed this.
Thanks for the video. I have the jtv69 and helix. I've struggled to get a good acoustic tone. Do you have any patch downloads?
Also, did you tweet your varied strung levels at all? Mine seemed to be hot on the middle strings.
I think I boosted my high E a tiny bit. I'll look into posting the acoustic patch.
Happy New Year Richie. Wondering what amp model you used for this video? Thanks....
Richie you’re still my favorite . Probably never meet you , I’m closer to your pops age ! I was in high school when don’t fear the reaper came out lol
subbed! great video! could you upload the Brian May helix preset and your custom variax model to customtone? this sound rocks!!!
Hi Richie,
Is there a way of getting your Brian May sound on a customtone sort of thing for variax? Is that a thing? And If not, would you be able to share it with me please?
Thanks
Dan
Great video ! maybe you would make a video teaching some of those awesome licks ?
Hello from Portugal which model of variax do you recomend to have more sounds the ssh the lespaul or that strato....
Man!!! It's not the guitar is your playing!!!🙏😥 Awsome!!!
Hi Richie,
I have just bought the HX Stomp and a Variax Standard. I wonder if you can point me to a preset similar to the one you used to demonstrate the Variax in the video?
Best regards,
Lars (from Norway)
Hi Richie are you running that line 6 pedal board in to an amp or monitors? Sounds very nice
Great playing and I am really considering getting one. Have a Taylor, Strat, and an Epi Dot. Fingers are a little weak due to neck issues so playing acoustic is a little humiliating. Prefer acoustic mostly so maybe it’s time to embrace this option. Thanks 😊
Hey mate I am trying to update the firmware on my jtv 89f but it seems to throw an error each time. I am using the helix as a usb interface to connect it through. Also plugged in the 1/4 inch jack as well. couldnt get the problem to go away. can you possibly share any videos on how to update the variax
Nice vid thanx
i learned a lot
Hi! Good video. Did you change sounds of guitars with workbench or are original? All the best!
Stock!
Great examples of all the stock models. I wondered if it is possible to get a Peter Green type sound---i.e. Les Paul middle position with pickups out of phase. My favourite tone!
yes you can with the software... here's me using the standard and doing a PG out of phase type thing ua-cam.com/video/QG5hXG4ewAc/v-deo.html
Hey Rich, this is great! I have a Line 6 Spider V Amp but when I run the Helix through I only hear the preset sounds of the Spider V. Is there a way of getting around that? Or should I just get a non-preset regular amp?
Thanks.
Angel Martinez use an frfr speaker for helix
Is that a little Hofner Club 50 or 60 hanging up at the top left?
There's like a million dollars worth of guitars in there! Gots to gets me one of these!
Or about 3 grand if you get them from China....
Got this sss fantastic
I have owned a Jtv-59 tyler variax , The Les Paul type since 2012 and while I like some of the features I never find a few of those models convincing enough although just for the tunings, and the ability to access alternate tunings on the fly it makes it worthwhile for me. I do like the 12 strings both the Rickenbacker and the acoustic guild and the sitar and banjo for novelty I wish someone would just make a pick shifting tuning pedal you could do use with a regular guitar and just stick with one model and I'm talking about accessing open tunings as well as up and down tunings anyway thank you!
Thanks for doing this video. I've had the helix LT for a few months and now after watching you I'm going to go for the Standard variax. I'll just be using it just for the modeling and think it will work out great in church worship. One question: I didn't catch anything based on a Tele, is there a Tele model?
The T-Model that Richie started the demo on Chris, is based on a 1960 Fender Tele Custom. If you download the James Tyler Variax Pilots Guide from Line 6 site it gives a rundown on all the models
jocky21uk thanks, I missed or forgot that.
Anyway of getting your Brian may Settings?
Hey @Richie Castellano - can you put a link up to the video you talk about where you create a 'Red Special' in the Variax Workbench software? I can't find it in your cjhannel... Thanks.
Funny, the Spank bridge simulator sounds more like a Tele than the T bridge simulator.
Ha ha - for a fraction of a second playing Steve Howe with the 175 emulation.
In attempt to match some of the tones you have here, how did you have the Litigator set up for drive, same question on the o/d? Thanks
I honestly don't remember. I think I kept it close to default.
Fair enough! Thanks
Man great music and tone! Sharing or selling patches?
Some of my patches are here: line6.com/customtone/profile/RichieCastellano
Thanks!
Hi Richie! I want to buy a variax you could make a video using the tremolo of the 2 models to see if both handle the tuning when used? And in your opinion which model is better? Congratulations from Brazi!l
The JTV has a much smoother Tremolo and better tuning stability in my opinion. I just prefer the neck on the Standard.
If you had to choose between one of two what would it be?
The JTV is a better guitar. If you can deal with a fatter neck, then that's the move. I'm digging my Standard more, because I have smaller hands. I've done some mods to it and I really like it now, but it doesn't change that JTV is still a better instrument in my opinion.
I prefer the Standard, but I've modded it.
Richie Castellano what mods have you implemented?
One thing did you ever get a chance to try out the dt series amps? I bought 2 Dt 500s and I’ve played more amps in my life but line 6 hit a home run here. It was part of the original dream rig with the pod hd series and the jt variax . I’m using a hd prox right now till I can afford a helix but the dt series amps the more I play them the more fascinated. Make sure if you get a used one you get only electro harmonix tubes and bios then . Line 6 says other brand power tunes can damage them .. the dt 25 is supposed to be popular I wanted the dt 50 for the headroom and it either 50 watts or 25 watts the dt 25 is either 25 or 10. Of you dver try one out hope yo do a video !
I love the Standard. I think the idea of putting the Variax into a Yamaha strat style guitar. Too bad about the battery box, if it could be moved which I can’t find a good spot yet, but for someone like you, buy a VDI Cable and leave the battery off. I suppose I could install an 1/8” Jack and a different box so one could ayyach the Variax battery to something on their back, then if you gotta have a battery Velcro’s it on your back and plug it into the 1/8” Jack placed near the rest of the jacks with a short shielded wire routed through your guitar strap. Then you can have the belly cut which I instantly missed
The helix has the L6 system where you can daisy chain up to 4 dt amps
Well done! When you we're doing the first acoustic setup and were tuning in I forgot you were playing with the Variax, thought it was a real acoustic. I'm thinking to go for a Variax, not sure which one yet. Since some time I got a Helix rack so that would be a good fit. I still have many vintages on my mind but the Variax can cover all of those soundwise. Nothing beats the real thing, but maybe I'll chose practicality and economics over the real thing this time.
How much would it cost if you bought each of the guitars that are modeled in this guitar?
"so, I can hear what I'm talking about"
that says it all.
It'd be nice if Line6 offered a luthier's kit with templates etc. to be able to Variax-ise a Strat, Tele, LP.
You can buy variax pickups on their own, and there are a few tutorials on installing them.
@@benthies9531 uh... there's more to it than installing a different set of pickups.
Cab’t help buy appreciate the concept though. Attach this system to a Brian Moore iGuitar.
Thorough overview and demo! Line6 should be paying you for doing these videos. Love that Brian may custom model you made. Is there any way you can share that "file" or would I need to create it in workbench using your instructions? Pretty sure it's the latter but thought I'd ask. Thanks for all your insights!
Hmm, I just tried to upload it to the custom tone site and it wouldn't let me. I'm guessing it doesn't support Variax files. You can still recreate the sound using my tutorial: ua-cam.com/video/EIxJFyLo48E/v-deo.html
Well thanks for trying and for the link and for sharing your info on your awesome custom Variax model of Brian may!
Richie, at Vguitarforums.com we have an area to post Variax files. www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=138.0
Definitely serving to whet my appetite. Tempted greatly to get a Brian May Special, but knowing that at least one professional musician has used Variax to simulate it is definitely motivating.
I just got a Variax Standard to replace my original Variax 600. The modelling sounds have more fidelity but I find the 2 x 12 string acoustics seem to have a background harmonic element that sounds like there's a harmonium playing alongside the strumming. I can hear it on your 2 demo snippets (like at around 19.09).
What do you think? A Workbench edit facility to alter that would be nice!
This Guitar sound like crunch on every single channel
Sold.
How many hours do you pratice a day?
All them sounds. I just want a descent guitar. I have a ESP LTD EC-100 I bought for 70.00 It didn't have a nut. I bought a set of 30.00 pickups for it. Put on a nut. And installed a kill switch. lol. Its a rocker now!
I can just minimize the window and listen to you noodle all day long. Don't even need the video part! :-)
hahaha, whole lotta pentatonic scale going on here!
Yup. And it sounds great! Works for SRV, Angus, Page, and Hendrix. Works for you too! Thanks for responding. Catch you at a BOC show again soon hopefully!
your sound so good!! The models for me don't sound too good!! I use the guitar just regular.. when I click on the models just get digital and some sort of noise gate on them.. Can you help me get a better sound.. Thank you...
I find I have to create different presets for the modeled sounds to get the most out of them.
Richie Castellano thank you!!!
The variax standard has all single pickups. The guitar you have has a humbucker at the bridge. What's up with that? I have noticed that you are sitting there with a different guitar for the intro to your video, then the variax standard throughout the video. Care to elaborate?
Dave Chicora I changed the magnetic pickups. I don’t remember why I’m holding the JTV in the intro. My standard might have been on the road when I filmed the intro. Either way, none of this affects the sound of the Variax tones.
@@RichieCastellano I was wondering. haha. I've been watching your vids. I have a variax standard on the way. All your vids sound awesome with it.
Bass version?
I have a variax acoustic 700, I was thinking about selling, you think is worth keeping just for the acoustic sounds with tha helix?
I would keep it. That's a cool guitar!
The spank bank lol
I've had one of the original ones for several years. It's a good guitar, but I think they missed a few tricks. It could have had a bass, nylon, distortion, chorus setting etc, instead of a lot of the modelled guitars - many of which sound more or less similar. It's an incredible achievement though.
Can it be used with a POD GO like it can be used with a Helix?
no
@@riffwrath6236 picked up a X3 Live. Works with that.
@@jjzuc In Castellano's Variax content uploads, wheather using the line6 HD500X or Helix, the signal path uses: either a Line6 L2t powered speaker or a Line6 Power Cab connected thru the Line6 Link and finally a room mic.
The "Speaker" has a lot to do with the overall sound.
I use the HD500X and the L2t and the DT50 with a Variax.
The X3 live does not have a Line6 Link feature.
@@riffwrath6236 yes but It does take the Variax cable and powers it. I am putting it through a mixer then a JBL EON 610. I'll get back to you in a week as soon as I'm done programming! 🤯
@@riffwrath6236 I ended up getting POD HD500X and a Variax Standard. I originally got a JTV-59 which played great but alas, I am a Strat guy and found a nice Standard which also sounds great on its own. Using it through a PA with my duo and it sounds great and the ability of the POD to control the Variax is a nice plus. Especially after the 2 weeks of learning and programming!
When you play with alternative tuning, isn't it annoying to hear strings in real tuning? In Eb tuning, half-step apart. At least when I play, I hear strings a bit also when playing with headphones.
If your volume is low enough, sure. On stage, I never hear it.
I play only at home, and on low volumes. And quite much open tunings, so maybe Variax might not be my cup of tea. Thanks for answering!
Use head phones and crank it up!.maybe earplugs might help in your case
Terrible "acoustic" sounds. And - all that tweaking did not help.
what about a demo of the guitar plugged into an amp with flat eq and no reverb
...using external devices is masking the pro's and cons of this instrument
save the other device(s) for another vid.......ie what does the git sound like 'out of the box'
regards
I get what you're saying, but I respectfully disagree. A sterile test environment doesn't give people an idea of what the guitar would sound like in real situations. Most guitars sound pretty bland going through a flat system and I feel like that wouldn't do it justice, but I appreciate the suggestion.
i record mostly acoustic guitar with internal or external mics..this can be a pain sometimes
i was wondering what the acoustic presets ( esp ) sounded like with no effects . thanks anyway
POLYAL0899 The acoustics sound really great, like a mic'ed up acoustic, but the modelling accounts for a lot of the sound so if you do use it through a Helix you don't need any blocks in your chain. Maybe a volume boost and eq but that's it. The 12 string models are cool too but there are some minor warble artefacts you may hear if you are just playing with no accompaniment. Within a band context you won't know the difference. You will also notice some string buzz more on the acoustic models so thick strings and slightly higher action make the acoustic models even better. Just having all those options from a songwriting perspective is a massive toolkit all in one axe. I must say that the bridge on my jtv 69 is a bit creaky. I would look at the jtv 59 with fixed bridge as well if you are shopping for a variax. Good playin' to ya!!
thanks for the review.. this seems like something that might be of use to me
will check it out..thanks again♪♪
I personally think the raw essence of this model is more than adequately demonstrated in this video.
Video starts at 2:03
I never hear anyone doing any decent strumming songs on the acoustic models of this guitar, why is that ?
ua-cam.com/video/j8E1Yw7ixtM/v-deo.html
the caveat is : instead of writing music tunes etc ...the user spends the rest of his life wondering which is
the best sound to use.....rock on simplicity♪♪
For what it’s worth, I spend more time writing now than I ever have. Guys spend way more time building custom pedal boards than I do on programming.
Nice video. I just wish you hadn't used extra effects….
I’m surrounded by so called purists who hate Variax hate Roland drums. Stupid I think, I’m so glad to see a great pro show he uses and likes the Variax
I've been sold on the helix after many videos on UA-cam but I'm not sure about the variax guitar.
I don't like the price of the uh cough, cough, cheap one.
I've almost all of them, several too - the 300, 500, 600, 700 (still own two 600 and one 300); the JTV-69, the Standard (three of them) and just bought a JTV-59 (yesterday). Also, the Acoustic700 (hated it). Here's what I think: the acoustics (what I use 99.9% of the time) sound amazing recorded. Live, not like a real acoustic MOSTLY because you need to learn how to play it - it's an electric that you can't play like an electric nor like an acoustic - there's some adjustments to make on HOW you play it. I use a lot (I mean, A LOT - at least 25 different ones) of alternate tuning, so for me, it's the ONLY guitar. I do like the acoustic sounds of the older, discontinued variaxes (that's why I have three still - they are prone to malfunction, mostly because the LR Baggs piezos are poorly designed - but change it to the Graphtech (or get an 89F, with the graphtech floyd rose already in it) and you're set. Also, the acoustic sound is about taste, and timbre - if you spend enough time with the fx processor you have - I use a VL3 extreme, that has 5 body rez settings on top of the acoustic amp - you should get to your sound. With the helix, you can save the guitar settings on the preset, so you change from a distorted Les Paul with bridge pickup to a 12 string acoustic and back just pressing one button on the helix - don't need to fiddle with buttons on the variax - it's amazing! I just don't own one because I'm not a soloist, so it would be overkill. Here's a silly video I did going straight in, with a 300 I bought on ebay for 150 dollars:
ua-cam.com/video/aOnNcuOJWA8/v-deo.html
Your video would have been HONEST had you just run the Variax into an amp without the Helix. BTW, I own a JTV69 and a Helix. I am a huge fan of the Helix. The JTV69 neck and action not so much. Line 6 is lousy on tips for setup and specs are somewhat hidden on a general FAQ page. Type in "JTV69 specs" and you get nothing......unless they have updated their site because of my whining.
Can anyone ever do a demo without Distortion!!
Why?
He plays both clean and saturated every time!
Thanks for the overview. I have to say those sounds, while tweaked, are not completely convincing. Some things, I guess, just can't be modeled.
Something sounds terrible. Unfortunately, I don't know if it's that the guitar models sound awful, or if it's your mic placement or gain level. Your playing is great. It's not that. Something is distorting or clipping terribly.
The Les Paul sound is not the SAME sound of a original Gibson!!!
As a working guitarist, the variax would be a wonderful tool, but those electric models sound pretty awful to me. The acoustics would be useful.
Thanks for the video, the amount of messing around you had to do with the effects to make it sound passable kinda defeats the objective for me. For the time it took you to dial in a usable acoustic tone, it'd been easier just to pick up an acoustic guitar.
Uh, what?
James Pearce, some people may like how an acoustic guitar sounds through an electric guitar channel,but others prefer the sound of it through a PA. That’s what Richie was doing, programming the essence of a D I setup.
The biggest drawback to these modelers is that to have realistic sound, you must play through a PA or acoustic amplifier with a flat response curve. A normal amp messes with the frequencies of the guitar and affects the modelling sound. Sorry but playing through the PA doesnt have the dynamics of a hot amp.
I have 5 different Variax guitars latest is JTV69S. The neck supplied is horrible with top E string falling off side of fretboard. Replaced with Allparts Strat neck, now playable.I found the guitar sounds on you video pretty unrealistic. The Acoustic sounds are interesting. The worst sounds are those Spank "Strat" settings just so digital and with little Fender sound. I only use my JTV for doing aqcoustic direcxt tuning like Joni Mitchel with my Helix LT. If you want good real sounds go buy a conventional guitar. Line 6 should have recalled all those loust badly made necks from JTV69 models just very very poor low quality junk.
My advice only use these Variax guitars if you have to cover a lot of bases and cannot bring multiple guitars to gigs or session. Otherwise avoid them
omg! what the hell!! play clean first. spoiled an otherwise well organized, informative and perfect demo.
Line six has been bought by Yahama they have stop making these in few years you wont be able to get parts .