GREEN with envy!! I have wanted a Variax forever! I have played with one and loved the possibilities. To dial in and change to drop D or open E tuning... and to electronically capo...
Is your an old original or a newer James Tyler model? The JTs seem to have better electronics. Which of course means a higher price. The older ones, back like version 3, were badly affected by humidity. My friend used one up here and when he went to Florida all of a sudden 2 or 3 strings would stop responding. He tried everything. Sealing the body cavity better. Putting desiccant packets in the body cavity. Nothing helped. He had about 4 new logic boards put in over a few years. But then he got the JT and it has been flawless for like 6 years now.
And now you have one!!! AND a Helix!! Waiting for a demo!