Variax compatibility with Helix?

[eggpl@nt]

These Variax 300 guitars were listed locally. I apologize if this is a LMGTFY moment, but I’m trying to figure out how compatible these are with Helix Rack? I found mixed comments online, and it’s hard to tell what comments apply to these Variax guitars vs newer ones.

Any idea if these are worth grabbing for shiggles?

@Digital Igloo ?

 

[Sascha Franck]

From all I know, they can't be controlled through the Helix and can't control the Helix, either. I might be totally wrong but I seem to remember this to be one of the reasons for me to not get a used one that I could've snagged for cheap.

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

There are some things that work. Here is an old post on the Line6 Forums.

Using a 300 Variax with a Helix

I recently bought a Helix and have been happy with it. I wanted to revisit having a 300 Variax which I had previously owned and see what it would sound like with the Helix. I'm really having no luck with it because other then hooking it up to the Helix. I really don't see anything about what I sh...

line6.com

 

[DrewJD82]

I need to start keeping an eye out for these, if I find one cheap enough I’d definitely scoop one up for the studio.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I need to start keeping an eye out for these, if I find one cheap enough I’d definitely scoop one up for the studio.

Just don't expect miracles, especially not when using alt tunings, as there's quite some (IMO already annoying) latency. Which has been another of the reasons for me to never get one.

 

[la szum]

They blow.

#notsorry.

I had a 300 maybe 15 years ago, and then a 500. I was going to pull the guts
and put it in a different guitar that played and felt better. But the "models"
just are full of the cheesiest-ass cheeseness, in my experience.

Guy I play weekly with has 2 of the Tyler Variax guitars and never uses them.
Between the piezo-pluckiness, some top-end digital artifacts, and crappy
playing guitars, I am not sure what there is to get psyched about. Maybe that
"in theory" they would be awesome.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yeah, when I learned the "new" Variaxes were made (or at least licensed) by Tyler, I was all excited. So after getting a Helix Floor, I thought it'd only be a matter of time until I'd also get one of these, especially as I wanted a new HSS strat anyway. So I checked a 69 out in a shop (the cheaper korean one). It was just horrible from a strat player's POV. No body shaping at all, very rough forearm shaping, the neck felt very "unfinished" for whatever reasons, as if it didn't receive a final shaping or whatever.
I also tried the Yamaha Standard models, had kinda high hopes as well, especially knowing their Pacificas (which often are most excellent VFM guitars). Well, sorry but no, just no. Wobbly vibrato, sharp edges, everything you expect from a cheap guitar.

Fwiw, given the feel and general handling of the guitars, I even had more positive memories about their 300/500 series. But those have been bad enough for me to never really consider them.

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

Matters what you are playing, the banjo sound can be done away with with super high gain. I am not saying it's perfect but it matters what you are playing. Stevic from 12 Foot Ninja can make them sound good.

 

[Sleezy E]

JTV59 fanboi checking in....

I owned 2, sold one to my uncle and the other is my #1.

I can't speak to the pacificas or jtv69's but both the 59's I have (had) are solid players. YMMV

 

[dbagchee]

I had a 300 - it felt like a cheap $150-200 guitar. My JTV89 is much better - more like a $500-600 guitar. Yes the piezos have some tradeoffs, especially for the chugga chugga - but for other types of playing it's fun. I like it the most for the tuning options and acoustic models. Including magnetic pickups was smart since you can play it like a regular guitar when you don't need the other stuff.

 

[DrewJD82]

I want the thing more for non-guitar sounds than anything, but if the latency is up there then it just gives me more reasons to buy an actual banjo/sitar/whatever.

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

I want the thing more for non-guitar sounds than anything, but if the latency is up there then it just gives me more reasons to buy an actual banjo/sitar/whatever.

I am sure there is some latency, but I doubt that it’s any more than a drop pedal. I don’t notice it. My biggest issue is if you’re playing in a quiet situation and can hear the strings over whatever tuning or model it can mess with me. I have a white Shuriken. Sold the jtv89. I wish there was a way to put an evertune on one and let the Variax handle all the tuning.

 

[DrewJD82]

I am sure there is some latency, but I doubt that it’s any more than a drop pedal. I don’t notice it. My biggest issue is if you’re playing in a quiet situation and can hear the strings over whatever tuning or model it can mess with me. I have a white Shuriken. Sold the jtv89. I wish there was a way to put an evertune on one and let the Variax handle all the tuning.

That’d be pretty sick!

 

[Sleezy E]

I want the thing more for non-guitar sounds than anything, but if the latency is up there then it just gives me more reasons to buy an actual banjo/sitar/whatever.

It's extremely minor on the 2nd gens, your brain kinda compensates after twiddling for a minute. I notice latency way more in plugins than I do the variax

I only really notice it when I go back to a regular guitar or switch to the mags after playing it for a while. They feel a little more "immediate", but only Vai knows for sure, lol

I know this is about the first gens mostly, but with the helix the alt tuning with presets/snapshots is the bees knees.

Back when I was jamming regularly I had presets that would switch to drop D for me as well as one that dropped the whole guitar to C for our cover of QOTSA Know one Knows and another preset that was the strange ass tuning Cornell used on Soundgarden's Pretty Noose and Burden in my hand. For that one I also had snapshots that brought in the acoustic model for the intro and others for the chorus and such. It's nifty.

 

[Axe]

I have a Variax 700 acoustic and a JTV-89F.. I've used both thru my AxeFx generally thru a Roland and both performed very well . So, while not having tried either thru my Helix rack unit I suspect they would do quite nicely. I should probably try that one day

 

[metropolis_4]

I would suggest staying away from the 300 and 600. Both used a different housing for the electronics than the 500 and 700 and were plagued by issues.

The 500 and 700 were far more reliable

 

[Sascha Franck]

I am sure there is some latency, but I doubt that it’s any more than a drop pedal.

I think the older models came with a more noticeable latency.

 

[Eagle]

They sound like shit with delay.
They are unsupported for parts and they WILL need them.
They are very poor quality guitars in themselves.
Don’t go there.

 

[DrewJD82]

It's extremely minor on the 2nd gens, your brain kinda compensates after twiddling for a minute. I notice latency way more in plugins than I do the variax

I only really notice it when I go back to a regular guitar or switch to the mags after playing it for a while. They feel a little more "immediate", but only Vai knows for sure, lol

I know this is about the first gens mostly, but with the helix the alt tuning with presets/snapshots is the bees knees.

Back when I was jamming regularly I had presets that would switch to drop D for me as well as one that dropped the whole guitar to C for our cover of QOTSA Know one Knows and another preset that was the strange ass tuning Cornell used on Soundgarden's Pretty Noose and Burden in my hand. For that one I also had snapshots that brought in the acoustic model for the intro and others for the chorus and such. It's nifty.

That sounds more than manageable. I’d only be using it for overdubs in the studio so I’m not sure if I’d really be affected by the latency much if it were that minimal. Thanks!

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

That sounds more than manageable. I’d only be using it for overdubs in the studio so I’m not sure if I’d really be affected by the latency much if it were that minimal. Thanks!

Get one now if you really want one. They have been discontinued. I’d say stay with the last versions for the best performance. Standard, JTv’s and Shrikens all had the same electronics. The Helix controls them well but for what you say you want to do you could do without it. My favorite thing about Variax with the Helix is it gets powered by the Helix so no batteries required. But I have a few batteries and chargers and you could swap quick enough if you needed to and get many hours per charge. Oh and the Variax software also communicates through the helix as well.