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Anyone here ever play or own a Variax (specifically from 2014 or later)? Very curious about them and would love to hear some informed opinions if possible.
TIA!
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eddie1261
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I know 4 people with them. 3 have the original Line 6. 1 has a later one with JTV in the model name, standing for James Tyler Variax. The first 3 love WHAT they do (guitar modeling) far more than how it does it. They have a lot of issues with the motherboard. Strings suddenly stop responding. Moisture (humidity) affects them badly. They may have addressed that since, but one of those guys has had that motherboard replaced 3 times. That 4th guy with the JTV has never had a problem, so perhaps that is the key. Buy a later one with the JTV in the model number.
That same guy changed guitar from song to song, kind of defeating why you buy a modeling guitar, but whatever. The early ones I tried did not have good hand feel to them. The James Tyler felt like a Strat. Either way expect to pay $1200 at least. But, for that $1200 you get very realistic modeling, and you can program it to switch to dropped D, open G, open E, or anything guitar sound you like (acoustic, 12 string, Les Paul, Strat, Telecaster...) by turning a knob. If that motherboard issue is fixed for good, they are a nice investment.
Last edited by eddie1261; 01/09/18 12:52 PM.
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Thanks for the i I know 4 people with them. 3 have the original Line 6. 1 has a later one with JTV in the model name, standing for James Tyler Variax. The first 3 love WHAT they do (guitar modeling) far more than how it does it. They have a lot of issues with the motherboard. Strings suddenly stop responding. Moisture (humidity) affects them badly. They may have addressed that since, but one of those guys has had that motherboard replaced 3 times. That 4th guy with the JTV has never had a problem, so perhaps that is the key. Buy a later one with the JTV in the model number.
That same guy changed guitar from song to song, kind of defeating why you buy a modeling guitar, but whatever. The early ones I tried did not have good hand feel to them. The Jay Turner felt like a Strat. Either way expect to pay $1200 at least. But, for that $1200 you get very realistic modeling, and you can program it to switch to dropped D, open G, open E, or anything guitar sound you like (acoustic, 12 string, Les Paul, Strat, Telecaster...) by turning a knob. If that motherboard issue is fixed for good, they are a nice investment. Thanks for the input! FWIW, regarding them being a good investment, I don't know that they will ever appreciate in value given that they are heavily tech-centric and with its technology not having advanced since 2014 (other than Workbench software updates) the next gen will be light years ahead.
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I own the acoustic version. It is very cool for writing and adding weird stuff like Sitar, or having a half decent resonator. The 12 string has it uses. I have managed to create a signal chain of effects and acoustic amps in Sonar to the point I could use it as a background guitar or for some Pat Metheny type stuff on the rare occasion. The problem is, it does not have the wooden warmth or sustain of a real acoustic, and comes across as metallic if it is up front, so you can't use it on singer songwriter stuff as the main instrument. I don't know about the electric. The acoustic is fun as heck to play, and very useful for coloring as long as you don't use it up front in my opinion. Oh, it is my opinion that you also have to use a limiter on it to approximate a real acoustic, so gear up to buy one of those as well. Here is a youtube that accurately reflects the sound I get when I play it (acoustic version.) This is exactly the sound you will get with the acoustic. If you can imagine putting this in one of your recordings go for it. If not, don't get it, because this is the sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iCb3ux9S1kAlso, the motherboard on my first one did do go out in two weeks and I had to get another one. But now I have had it 3 years with no motherboard problems. For playing out live...Benefits...I don't know. I keep it simple. I just grab a Taylor with no effects and a mic and just sit on a stool in front of the people and do it old school with no gimmicks. It seems to do the trick. That Taylor fretboard does what I tell it to.
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David, which acoustic do you have? The +++ Acoustic 700 +++ models many acoustic instruments as well as variable microphone positions. There was also the +++ Variax 300 acoustic +++ which was available in both steel and nylon string versions. I have a +++ 2007 Variax 300 electric +++. So far the instrument has been trouble free. I use it strictly for recording and with the AC power supply. Sound wise I've found that if you adjust the volume knob to about 70% the sound is much more natural and clean. Raise the volume level any higher and I start hearing harsh and brittle overtones. Many of the first generation guitars had quality control and build issues as Line 6 used at least three Chinese circuit board manufacturers before finding a Taiwan board maker and switching from guitar builders located in China, Korea and Indonesia before settling on the Indonesian builder. By then the guitars had a bad reputation and were difficult to sell. Line 6 surveyed first generation owners for two or three years prior to releasing the JTV series. The surveys helped identify quality issues as well as what changes customers wanted. The redesigned bridges and tuners are examples of quality changes while the three body styles and real pick-ups demonstrate customer desired features. It was not anticipated or expected that Line 6 would partner with a boutique guitar maker. The USA made JTV custom series guitars are literally hand made, boutique guitars and are priced accordingly, more than $3,500. The about $1,200 priced JTVs are manufactured in Korea. Line 6 was purchased by Yamaha a few years ago and the JTV Standard was quickly added to the product list. The JTV Standard is a redesign of the JTV 69, Stratocaster clone. The JTV Standard is assembled by the Yamaha guitar factory in Japan and sells for about $900. The only way to adjust tunings in the first generation electric Variax guitars was to purchase the $99.00 US Workbench kit (that includes a custom CAT5 cable, USB to CAT5 conversion box and USB 2.0 type A to type B cable and software CD diskette) and use it to fill one of the existing model slots. It's not a problem fro me but did have a negative affect on some people.
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eddie1261
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Jim, you seem to know the history. Was it always 50 presets?
The guy I know that has the JTV has created about 4 oddball tunings so he apparently can edit. I love the idea of playing in open E and then with the push of a knob and a twist of a dial be in open G. Apparently, from what you said, they fixed the motherboard problem. I know that all 3 of the guys with the major problems DID have early models and they crapped out on them during summertime outdoor gigs when humidity was high. We don't have the humidity that Notes has in Florida but Ohio has it's moments.
I asked him about doing a song of mine that needs baritone guitar and he had the preset for it, but I ended up just tuning a guitar down 3 half steps to loosen the strings and made it sound like a baritone.
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Jim,
Mine is an acoustic 700 and I have fiddled with all of the knobs.
Not complaining, because it is cool, but no matter what you do or where you set the controls (in my experience) you will always lack that warmth, sustain and resonance of a real acoustic, so I can't see using it up front, because all of my playing is based on really subtle string attacks, holds, bends, harmonics, and moving my hands in different directions from the sound hole.
So again, I think it is wonderful in its place but will always have limitations, because, well it is not a guitar. It is a guitar synth.
Make sense?
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Jim,
Mine is an acoustic 700 and I have fiddled with all of the knobs.
Not complaining, because it is cool, but no matter what you do or where you set the controls (in my experience) you will always lack that warmth, sustain and resonance of a real acoustic, so I can't see using it up front, because all of my playing is based on really subtle string attacks, holds, bends, harmonics, and moving my hands in different directions from the sound hole.
So again, I think it is wonderful in its place but will always have limitations, because, well it is not a guitar. It is a guitar synth.
Make sense?
Spot on. I listened to dozens of clips on YT, and while the jazz models, strats, teles, and even the dobro and 12 stings sound convincing, the acoustic models (to my ears) have this shiny brittle sheen that just makes it sound like they were just EQd to death, and not at all like acoustics. The reason I think (again, to my ears) that the Dobro and 12 strings--which are essentially acoustic instruments work, is because the former has such a naturally bright and almost electric sound, and the latter, due to the octaves has so much extraneous harmonics/overtones. I'm dying to see when (if) they release a 3rd gen model whether the acoustics will be more realistic (and a nylon string model or two would be awesome!)
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After lusting after one for years, I found an early model at a nice price on Craigslist. The seller didn't have any issues with it, he simply never played it. I used it a couple of times, but mostly it spent the couple of years gathering dust, as it was much simpler for me just to use an acoustic. Fortunately, I ran into a multi-instrumentalist friend who gigs around town, and I suggested that the Variax might be perfect for him. He came over, demonstrated his awesome guitar skills, agreed with me, and he walked out with his new purchase. Of course, I warned him (before selling it) that although I'd never had any problems with it, there were quite a number of people who had, and not to blame me if it failed in the middle of a gig.  I've talked with him a number of times since then, and he says he couldn't be more pleased with it and the convenience of not having to lug around a bunch of guitars.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Jim, you seem to know the history. Was it always 50 presets? Eddie, no. The first generation firmware has the same model set as the current generation JTV 59 & JTV 69. However the firmware had duplicate memory slots with half the memory slots available to the model knob and pick-up switch and the others locked into firmware. That way, if you locked-up the motherboard so much that it could not be accessed through the Variax port you can reset the motherboard and the permanent motherboard memory slots will overwrite the accessible memory slots. I've never had to reset my motherboard so I don't remember the step-by-step but can look it up if I had to. I have not played with a new generation Variax but my understanding is the alternate tunings are set across the board so you can switch between models but retain the tuning set by the alternate tunings knob. Generation 1 shipped with two alt tunings that occupy two of the five custom model settings. Using Workbench you can drop up to five frets and up eight but they didn't sound very good. Realistically you can drop three or raise five.
The guy I know that has the JTV has created about 4 oddball tunings so he apparently can edit. I love the idea of playing in open E and then with the push of a knob and a twist of a dial be in open G. Apparently, from what you said, they fixed the motherboard problem. I know that all 3 of the guys with the major problems DID have early models and they crapped out on them during summertime outdoor gigs when humidity was high. We don't have the humidity that Notes has in Florida but Ohio has it's moments.
I asked him about doing a song of mine that needs baritone guitar and he had the preset for it, but I ended up just tuning a guitar down 3 half steps to loosen the strings and made it sound like a baritone.
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David,
I understand exactly what you're saying. I believe all the Variax models have too much piezo effect that make them sound artificial. I've used that to my advantage recording rockabilly or playing the thunk, thunk Johnny Cash lick invented by Luther Perkins. My guitar responds well to pick position between the bridge and fretboard but doesn't like finger strums or picking. It sounds better when I use a pick.
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Anyone here ever play or own a Variax (specifically from 2014 or later)? Very curious about them and would love to hear some informed opinions if possible. I have a JTV and love it. It's not a perfect guitar in terms of the action or even the look of it, but I love being able to switch between emulations and tunings. Most of the emulations sound pretty fanastic, and when playing through amp/cab emulations I have often found that I like what the Variax emulations are giving me than one of my my traditional guitars. I have compared some emulations with the real guitars and found that the differences can be very minimal and in some cases I even like the result of emulation better (though that would really depend on what you're going for and what amp/cab preset you are using, I think). Definitely a tool to have in the shed, and it could become your favorite guitar just for the ability to easily experiment with different results (very handy when trying to zero in on a tone for a new song or a recording, and then of course for performing later). Did you end up getting one, or are you still considering it? I don't trust it not to fail on me at some point so I keep paying the annual warranty replacement insurance just in case. That computer is bound to fail at some point, I would think. There were some build and quality control issues when they first came out, so beware buying second hand... though if someone had those minor issues fixed the guitar could be pretty solid.
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David,
I understand exactly what you're saying. I believe all the Variax models have too much piezo effect that make them sound artificial. I've used that to my advantage recording rockabilly or playing the thunk, thunk Johnny Cash lick invented by Luther Perkins. My guitar responds well to pick position between the bridge and fretboard but doesn't like finger strums or picking. It sounds better when I use a pick. This helps me get a more acoustic and less piezo sound when I record my acoustic with the include piezo pickup: http://www.harmonycentral.com/articles/better-sound-from-acoustic-guitar-piezo-pickups
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
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I have a JTV69 in red currently. I have had a Variax 600, JTV59, and a sunburst JTV69 previously. I loved how the 1st Gen 600 played but all the models didn't quite sound as open as a normal guitar does. When I had the JTV59 it was a nice guitar but was so heavy I sold it, nothing wrong with it but if you go that route I'd hold it because like any LP style guitar they can be heavy. The JTV69 is what I enjoyed most because I like Strats and use a trem a lot. The models are much more convincing and Workbench HD is a blast to get lost in. The real deal is when you pair this with a Helix. With snapshots it is just the ultimate gigging tool. I can be on a Gretsch 6120 with filtertrons for the opening to a Strat neck on the Verse, to a Les Paul bridge pup driving the Chorus, to an Acoustic Jumbo for the bridge, etc. All in one preset, all by just pressing a button on my Helix. It can't get much better than that.
Yes I agree the Acoustic models take longer to dial in but it's possible and in the mix sounds great, even the 12 String acoustic models. On their own you can kind of tell but still more than passable and much better than just using a Fishman power bridge on a Strat or Tele.
The Alt tunings are super fun and have found myself exploring slide again. Overall this thing is a tool that can inspire and drive music out of you that you didn't know you had in you. I like mine a lot. Is it like playing my Mag equipped guitars? No not exactly but once you get adjusted to it it's amazing. It's kind of like how when you get a new guitar with a neck profile you aren't use to, it takes some time to adjust but when you do you don't notice it anymore.
The other big reason I chose the JTV69 is you can put any Strat neck out there on it. The neck pocket is the same. So if you don't like the neck you can put a new one on no problem, one of the screw holes is different but that's really no big deal.
If you have already got good guitars this would be a great guitar to through in there.
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I own a JTV -69. I used to carry around multiple guitars. I had my Stratocaster electric and one of my acoustical guitars. I had to have a bunch of pedals. I play country covers and all my original stuff and I also play classic rock covers. Going in and out of the two genres gets sticky with having to change out guitars and jacking with distortion and effects. With my variax though all of that is gone.
I have a line 6 amp and I can program my back ups tunes into the amp.
I just create my songs with band in the box...make a copy without vocals and program them into them into my amp. I program the guitar effects and such as well as vocal effects. If I want to play a rock song I just load up the backing for the song that I have created..it automatically brings up the effects and settings for my guitar and vocals. I set my guitar to the guitar I want (like Les Paul setting for rock) I hit play with either with my finger or step on the pedal and start rocking.
If I play a country tune, I just set my variax to acoustic on the guitar I want and set my amp to the song backing and start jamming down.
I haven't mastered the virtual capo yet but I do use the tuning knob for some songs.....I just set the tuning knob to a tuning like "drop-d" or "open g". Then I can get down to something like "Heard it Through the Grapevine" or Honky Tonk Women"
I run into a lot of musicians who play classic rock covers and some who play country covers....but I never run into anyone who play my original tunes, I loose them at that point.
But Band in the Box gives me a way to have a backing band with my original tunes..
Before I use to had to use a drum machine and record all of the parts of my song separate and record them to make a backing track.
I took me a little while to get use to the acoustic guitars on the variax because the guitar is actually and electric body style and at first it is kinda creepy cranking out acoustic sounds on an electric, but I am used to it.
People can't even really tell in your recordings. I had the variax 700 to start with, but it had no pickups and you can't get harmonics out of them..The JTV version solved all of that though and can be used straight up just as an electric.
C.Dan
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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