Variax impressions

[jgcable]

Re: Variax impressions

On my VG-8 can't I dial up a stock clean Les Paul or Strat or any other clean guitar in the VG-8 menu and pump it through my Carvin Quad X and power amp. I can use the VG-8 for the basic clean guitar signal and my guitar amp for the distortion. Isn't that what you are talking about with your Variax? Can't I even add VG-8 effects to my basic clean guitar patch and route the whole signal through my Carvin or Marshall or Mesa? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Variax impressions

Originally posted by jgcable:
On my VG-8 can't I dial up a stock clean Les Paul or Strat or any other clean guitar in the VG-8 menu and pump it through my Carvin Quad X and power amp. I can use the VG-8 for the basic clean guitar signal and my guitar amp for the distortion. Isn't that what you are talking about with your Variax? Can't I even add VG-8 effects to my basic clean guitar patch and route the whole signal through my Carvin or Marshall or Mesa? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry, I should have been more clear in my post. I realize you can turn off the amp and effects sims in the VG-8 but I never found that it worked very well at all like that. My experience was that those sims sounded pretty bad all by themselves when run straight into a traditional guitar amp.

Don't get me wrong, I really, really, really like my VG-8 gear. I wouldn't even say I like the Variax better. These are two different instruments. And as with anything like this, each has advantages and disadvantages. In a lot of ways, the Roland gear brings much more to the table. The Line 6 gear is about emulating other gear. They do this extremely well. The Roland gear does emulation plus a lot of innovative stuff by letting you create sounds and instruments that don't exist.

[jgcable]

Re: Variax impressions

Thanks for the info and the comparison. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Variax impressions

Originally posted by gemini8026:
So is the Variax capable of any MIDI output?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not as is. However, I know of a bunch of folks that have put a Roland GK-2A pickup on one (just like you would on any other guitar).

[hippietim]

Re: Variax impressions

Regarding the VG-8 comparisons. I have a lot of experience with them. I have both a VG-8EX and a VG-88. I even wrote software to help folks upgrad a stock VG-8 to a VG-8EX.

Originally posted by jgcable:
The VG-8 with the S-1 upgrade and some expansion cards is everything that a Variax should be.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not really. While a VG-8 has tons of flexibility with pickups and guitar models and such, you can't run that great guitar model into whatever outboard gear and amplifier you want. Simply put, you can't take the Les Paul model and run it through your favorite stomp boxes and amp. This is the VG-8's biggest flaw IMO, you can't decouple the amps from the guitars. The VG-88 allows you to use the amps with any guitar which is nice

Originally posted by jgcable:
Regarding your cumbersome statement, it is actually a very simple setup. Only one cable from guitar to the VG-8 which is basically a large foot controller that plugs straight into your amp. You can also route the signal to the board or anywhere else.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This isn't what I was referring to. How quickly can you switch from a Les Paul to a Telecaster? With the VG-8 you can edit a patch which is no good because that means bending down and wondering through menus. Or you can switch patches but that means you first have to find the patch. Of course that will also change your amp and effects rig. The Variax allows me to turn a knob and flip the pickup selector - something guitarists are really adept at.

Originally posted by Accept2:
With the VG8, I can switch back out to Seymour Duncan pickups and a nice 24 fret shred neck, and whether I am in VG8 or regular mode, the Floyd is always there.......

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">...and this is why I'm keeping my VG-8 gear.

I'm thinking of putting a GK-2 on my Variax - then I can do darn near anything I want (except dive bomb).

[Trypp Powell]

Re: Variax impressions

I've always wondered how well the alternate tuning functions on a VG-88 work. If it actually works like Roland claims, it seems like a good way of handling some odd tunings.

[jgcable]

Re: Variax impressions

It works flawlessly. I can step on a pedal and get drop D or any other alternate tuning. The only thing that I haven't been able to figure out so far is how to do an alternate tuning on the 12 string patches for the studio version of The Rain Song. The VG-8 actually has multiple Zep patches from different albums, both live and studio. It even has 5 string Keith Richards open tunings where the low E string is muted. Very very cool.

[jgcable]

Re: Variax impressions

My favorite is the Nashnut patch. Its like a mandolin, 6 string and 12 string combination.
E+A 6 string
D+G mandolin (or capo'd 6 string)
B+E 12 string

The combination is very full and sounds like 3 different players when you are strumming chords.

[Trypp Powell]

Re: Variax impressions

Thanks for the info. I'm in the process of moving out gear I don't use and searching for some stuff I will use. Since I am about to start working in a cover band, the a VG-88 and GK-2 equipped guitar was tempting for covering different tunings and harmony leads.

[hippietim]

Re: Variax impressions

Agreed, the alternate tuning stuff on the VG-8 kicks butt. The ability to do diatonic harmonies is awesome - you can even change intervals for each string independently.

[Infernal Death]

Re: Variax impressions

I really don't understand the meaning of making a modeling guitar.
It's different with amps since the No.1 important thing with an amp is simply the sound. So all those POD's and V-Amps are really ok. I wouldn't buy one simply because i rather want 1 "real deal" than 30 "ok deals" but then again i am playing metal so versatility isn't exactly high on my list.
But for me a guitar isn't only sound, it's also feel and playability. Besides the sound a strat is so much different to a Les Paul. The neck shape, the frets, the weight of the guitar, really everything. So they probably never will make any modeling besides the sound and for me that only would be half of the "whole cake".
Well it's really ok if any users of those guitars are satisified and in the end that's what counts but that doesn't change the fact that i think it's useless to try to model guitars.

just my 2 cents.

Flo

[hippietim]

Re: Variax impressions

You'll get used to the idea of guitar modeling. It's just a matter of time. Piano and organ players were initially horrified at the prospect of playing a synth. Doesn't look right, doesn't sound right, and it doesn't feel right. But weighed agains the prospects of lugging a @$%$$#@#$ B3 around in addition to an acoustic piano or a Fender Rhodes, all of a sudden that synth is looking pretty good.

For me the Variax is amusing. I'm enjoying it.

Another reason I consider a modeling guitar is that I don't actually like the way some of the "real" guitars play or feel but I like the way they sound. Rickenbacker's are a good example - those scrawny necks are wretched, they are poorly balanced, and the bodies are an awkward shape. However, I like the way they sound - the Variax gets close enogh to amuse me (and that is the goal after all).

[ September 13, 2003, 04:26 AM: Message edited by: hippietim ]