Behringer iAXE393

I own a white model (about two years playing it). I bought it as a cheap model for practising, but I adjusted it an I think it's a playable guitar.

Gear is not good quality, and it is what anyone could expect for the price.

The reason for this review is to comment about simple changes I made in the guitar that, I think, made it an acceptable guitar. This could explain the disparity in the reviews, since this guitars are probably not adjusted from factory.

When used through an amp, initially I got a really poor sound. When used with the virtual amp, the sound seemed to be worse than the sound samples included.
I noticed that the signal level was low and then I adjusted the pickups closer to the strings and then the sound changed to a not only louder but very bright sound. Finally, the pickups as close as possible to the strings (avoiding the string to touch the pickup while vibrating)gave a good result. This adjust need only a screwdriver.

I adjusted the truss rod. Because I like a small string height, I had to level the frets (lightly) whith sand paper. Now, the guitar is very soft to play (1st 0.9) an has a very bright sound, althoug it picks noise (hum) specially in the single coil switch positions.

The guitar need to be tuned almost continuously. I suppose that the problem is in the tremolo system (that doesn't work properly ), and the detune effect it is somewhat chaotic.

Quality is fine for a very entry level beginner guitar. Looks better than it plays.

Upgrade to a better set of strings and maybe you'll get a better sound. Low quality out of the box.

Again...it's an low entry level guitar. Makes a good "prop" for your next guitar hero video

Probably would make a good sledgehammer

Customer support???? HA!!! Spent a month trying to get "customer support" through their website. Still have not been able to get the thing to play through a Mac with OSX 10.5.1.
Don't think Behringer knows how to make it work themselves...never will know at this point if their toy is set up for OSX 10.5 or the thing is defective. What a joke! Why not an 800 number Behringe and not just between the hours of 8am and 5pm (Mon-Friday)? Some people can not play their guitars at work.

Looks almost exactly like a Fender strat except for the neck and the built in soundcard, which is a very nice feature.

The strings that comes with it are absolute junk and it doesn't sound that good with them on. After I replaced them with Dean Markley strings it sounds quite good though.

It's really low quality. The action was set extremely high and it was very hard to alter it since the screws used are extremely poor. They probably use a machine to screw them in because some of the were stuck really hard. It's really easy to ruin them because of the force needed to get some of them to turn.

The frets look like they are made of welding wire and stick out a little bit from the neck so that you hurt your hand on them if you slide your hand along the neck.

The pickups are good though and they are set up perfectly. Intonation was spot on too except for the low E-string which was a little off. The neck is straight as well.

Due to it's low quality I wouldn't use this guitar for anything except as a practice guitar at home when you're a beginner.

I haven't contacted the support so I can't rate this aspect.

I bought this as my first guitar to learn to play on, and would recommend it if you're not really sure playing the guitar is for you. Since it's got a built in soundcard and pretty good software you don't need to buy an amplifier so the price for getting up and running is pretty low. So if you decide you're not going to continue playing you've not spent much money on it.

Although it is pretty low quality it is pretty easy to play and it sounds pretty good (if you change the strings) so you'll be able to learn on it. But you'll find you'll wan't a new guitar pretty soon if you are serious about playing the guitar, especially if you know someone that has a better guitar you can try.

You just have to keep reminding yourself how little you paid for it.

I did not expect much and I still was let down. It lacks any rich sound whatsoever.

It action is not very low. The strings need to be changed right off the bat. The guitar has very poor tuning keys and does not stay in tune.

I had read the software is hard to use but thought to myself, no big deal I can figure it out. Well I spent hours and still nothing. This software was designed very poorly. I don't think it works on Vista so I tried XP. Nothing and no support. So the whole thing about the USB is worthless if the software is not working.
You will see for yourself, everything even tring to register it is a pain.

For the money I guess it's ok. Don't expect anything special. I would not buy it again. Just save more money and buy a real guitar. The only good thing is the actual look and finish is nice. Looks good next to my other guitars, but thats all.

made 2006, this was the first batch to hit australia.

neck is maple, body is white and made of an unknown wood, 3 singlecoil pickups... its just a average looking strat copy.

the usb output is nifty and the software is fun to play with, the other features have been covered in previous reviews

It realy is a beginer guitar through and through so I wasnt expecting too much but it sounds alright concidering the price and that its a strat copy.

pickups are a bit lacking but thats to be expected, I play mostly punk / rock and I find it to be a bit bright but hey... single coils!

action was great, the strings were extremely POOR though, replace them as soon as you get it.

the finish is average, few imperfections but the necks nice and straight - tuning pegs are slightly loose but good for the price.

the neck: the fretboard is rather small, i'l often find myself bending the strings over the edge of the frets so thats definately a minus.

I would never gig with this, appart from the fact you'd get laughed off stage it sounds terrible through a big amp.

the strap buttons and other hardware would never survive a gig so keep it in the bedroom kids!

never dealt with them: guitar was bought from venue music and they replaced the strings for free which was nice.

iv been playing for 3/4 years now and primarily play bass; I play this when im at my girlfriends (her sister got it for her birthday and she never plays it).

doesnt hold a candle to alot of stuff in the intermediate range but its a $200 beginer guitar and you cant expect TOO much from it.

if your just jamming in your room and are eager to play with the computer software and such I think it'd be a good beginer guitar or something to keep in the corner so people dont touch your godly custom guitar then go for it!

This is quite a strange guitar and I bought it just for the novelty of having one that plugged into the computer. As you already know, it comes with software with 5 programs, but beware! The 5 programs only work for one month! It comes with a software key that you type in after that month and the key makes one program work forever. As you already know it has a headphone jack, USB port and cable, 5 way switch, standard plug for amplifier, vintage bridge, volume tone tone, and the cheapest tuners I've ever seen on a guitar. But hey, what can you expect for your $100.

Again, this is a strange guitar, because it really does sound good when used with the software, then listen to it through headphones, or run the headphone jack to your tube amplifier. When you plug the guitar directly into your high quality amplifier it sounds quite poor. The pickups are very low output, very tinny. The bass is weak and the midrange isn't too pleasant. But surprisingly through the computer, it corrects the tone. I changed the bridge pickup to help out the guitar's tone. One thing to explain how this guitar operates: if you plug it into the computer, the sound does not come out of the computer speakers. The sound only comes out of the headphone jack.

The action, setup, neck angle and pickup height are fine straight out of the box. I usually adjust guitars to my liking but I did not have to do anything. There are no buzzes on any of the frets. Neck pocket fit is OK. The edges of the frets could have been sanded better - one could cut their hand if they had bad skin. As for the bridge, because this is a cheap guitar, I cut a block of wood to fix the bridge in place. It helps keep the guitar in tune. I also changed the tuners to Gotoh tuners. That was a bigger job than I expected because the holes were too small.

It's a good practice guitar/beginners guitar. It would be great for someone who can't afford an amplifier yet or something like that. By the way, the electronics are fine - no noise or scratches or anything like that. The paint job is fine - no flaws. No I would not play this for a gig or even for jamming with my buddies. It is for home use only. I have better guitars for that purpose.

I hear that Behringer is good with their warranty and that they replace defective products. I was having trouble getting the software key to work. They are quick in handling issues with email.

I've been playing for about 20 years, but I've had many periods when I haven't played. What I'm trying to say is that I'm an intermediate player. I don't have a band going anymore and I only practice at home. I bought this guitar on a whim, because I have little experience with working with music on the computer. I have a modified G&L SC-3 guitar, a Vantage The Entertainer, another 80's Vantage, a modded cheap Tele copy, a Charvel Charvette, and a Vantage bass. I've had many guitars; I had an American Strat, 2 G&L's, a Japanese Strat, a Duosonic, a Danelectro Convertible, and many 80's Aria and Vantage guitars. If someone stole this guitar, I would not buy another one because I've already figured out what this guitar does. The music shop was not pushy and did not tell me that this was a better guitar than it is.

Strat-style guitar with a very nice, fast neck: maple, satin-finished, 22 medium frets (good for access to the high notes), and very flat radius (I'd guess 9.5" to 12").

The guitar's tail has a module providing a USB connection to/from a computer, and a 1/4" headphone out jack. Note that the headphone jack functions only when you're plugged into a computer. (It plays the return audio signal from the computer -- including any processing you've added to the guitar's signal.) There's no battery providing onboard power to this headphone jack, so it does nothing without a computer connection. Also, the USB jack is USB 1.1, not USB 2.0.

Has standard Strat-style controls: 5-way switch, master volume, and separate tone pots for the neck and middle pickups. These tone pots do function, but don't dial down the tone very much (compared to those on a Fender or even Squier Strat).

Currently comes in two packages -- the first is scarce, and the second seems to currently be impossible to find:

* $99 package = white guitar, basic accessories, and software.
* $129 package = black guitar, same accessories and software, plus small "table-top amp."

The white version looks sleek. But if you're patient, you might want to pay the extra $30 just to get the black color, and consider the little practice amp "gravy."

The guitar's body is mostly Strat-shaped, but with less contouring and a slightly chunkier, more Cubist design. The lower bout has a Telecaster vibe to it.

Both packages come with a CD-ROM for your computer that installs USB drivers, recording software, tempo-shifting software for MP3 recordings, and amp-modeling software. This modeling software is actually three separate 30-day tryout packages, all from the same publisher. After 30 days, you decide which one you like best, and download a permanent copy using a serial number included with the CD-ROM. Haven't installed or tried any of this yet.

Pickups sound clean, but they're weak. (As you'd expect on a guitar of this price.) To avoid a wimpy sound, add amp gain or a compressor circuit. Check the five-way switch on the copy you're buying to make sure it sounds clean.

You might want to adjust the relative pickup heights (using a Phillips screwdriver) to get the best chime tones on positions 2 and 4.

If you fall in love with the guitar's feel and USB feature, you might later want to upgrade the pickups. The pickguard is *not* quite standard Strat shape, so you can't just screw on a prewired Strat pickguard assembly.

The assembly varies widely by copy. (Quality control on low-cost, Chinese-made guitars like this is not as good as their overall workmanship.) So I strongly recommend that you select yours carefully at a local music store, where you can compare two or three copies.

Watch out for a string path that's misaligned with the pickups' pole pieces. This can produce odd string-to-string dynamics, with the high E string sounding very anemic. Also check the 5-way switch, and other controls, to make sure they switch cleanly.

The action tends to be very good -- low, with no buzzes. The parts themselves are well-made. The necks are beautifully milled, finished, and fretted. However, you might find wood-stain blemishes or even shallow gouges on some necks.

Feels firmly assembled and pretty solid. Behringer tech support told me they *think* the body is made of "medium-density fibreboard (MDF)." The whole guitar weighs 6.6 lbs., so to get an idea of its density, compare that weight to a solid alder Strat's.

A phone number is printed in the manual, and it gets you right through to a live human who gives you real answers. That made me happy.

I just got mine, but I'm posting this "premature" review to help fill the information gap on this cool new guitar that everyone's curious about. It's an amazing value, thanks to a combination of ingenious German engineering and cheap labor by our friends in Chinese sweatshops.

Even without the USB feature and bundled software, it's a very nice starter or backup guitar. That's *if* you want a Strat-style guitar with single-coil pickups. See "Features" for details about the neck and the USB/headphone jacks.

I strongly recommend that you buy yours from a local "bricks-and-mortar" music store, where you can inspect a couple of copies and pick one that has proper string/pickup alignment and no blemishes. (See "Action, Fit, & Finish" for why.)

I bought the recently-available black model which, for some reason included the mini-amp which I thought was extra. Maybe it was a mistake, but I'm not returning it! Face it: this is a $99 guitar (forget the $149 suggested retail) and for that kind of money, it's a lot of guitar. I have no idea what kind of wood it's made of, but whatever kind it is it's not effecting the sound. More on that later. I think it's made in China (it doesn't say on the guitar itself, but another site assures me it's Behringer, so it's made in China). It's not a Strat copy because it doesn't look exactly like a a Strat. To anyone who studies guitars, that'll be obvious at a glance. It kinda looks like a Strat. It has the three single-coil pups and the three knobs and one 5-positionj slider selector switch. However, both the shape and the pickguard are a bit different from the Fender Stratocaster and the tuner . Blond maple(?) neck and just as many frets as a Strat (22) but this guitar has a somewhat modified headstock that does NOT scream "Fender."

This guitar includes an "el cheapo" shoulder strap and a variety of software which is either freeware or trialware. You do get to keep one of the three Guitar Combo packages after the trial period. If you want the others, you'll have to buy them, so Behringer isn't being as generous as you might think.

Of course, the one thing that distinguishes this guitar from most is that it has a USB output, and assuming you have a system that can access your instrument, you may be able to record your guitarwork and edit it. I can't vouch for that. More on that later. If I could get the software working, this guitar might rate a 10.

I play rock and blues for the most part, but I want a guitar I can use to create soundscapes. Considering the price or not, this guitar has a very good sound, and seems to be able to do anything a "real" Strat can do. No disappointments there. I have a ton of effects but I really have no comment on noise: I don't play at high volume (I live and play in an apartment on a "practice amp," the Peavey Rave 15, and my orientation with instrument is toward home recording). I haven't replaced the strings yet, but I'm guessing the high E is about a 10. I'm probably going to go to a set with 8 or 9 in the high E position.

The string height was okay but could probably be set slightly lower. No attempt was made to send me a tuned guitar. I have no comment on pickup adjustment yet I can say that the guitar that arrived was flawless in terms of blemishes.

Like I said, it's somewhat light in weight. Not sure how that relates to durability. It's far too soon to talk about reliability and durability.

I've had software problems and so far no one is helping.

The guitar is a good value for $99, but I haven't been able to get the software functioning and believe me support is not exactly falling all over itself to help me. Of course, the usual is happening whenever there are three businesses are involved: none of them wants to take responsibility or trouble to help me and keep sending me to one of the other parties.

White bodied strat-style guitar with maple neck and fingerboard. Guitar has unknown tuners which I already had bought Wilkinsen locking tuners to replace. Originals tuners are not too bad but worth replacing. I would also replace the stock strings, I prefer coated strings (Elixir, etc). Stock S/S/S pick-ups sound good by themselves (I play through a Zoom 505 processor with headphones or through any type amp). 5-way selector switch works good with minimal cracking as well as 1 volume and 2 tone controls. Standard vintage tremolo with downward bending only, works well. The addition of a USB port and the accompaning software is what makes this guitar special. Load the software on your computer, hook up thru the USB and headphone jack (both on the guitar) and listen to the sounds this thing can put out. You can also run your amp jack from the headphone jack instead of the normal output jack so the sound can be played through an amp! Software also includes a 16 track recorder and another program I haven't done anything with yet.

Sounds good the old-fashioned way (played straight through an amp) but since it was designed to be digital, use it, the sound is awesome!

Let's face it, this is a $100 guitar. As mentioned the tuners need to be replaced and if you want a better guitar, I would replace all the electronics and hardware (better pu's, pots, tremolo, etc.). Having said that, if you're a beginning you will enjoy this right from the box. For me the stock set-up was very good and I did little more than tune it and go. Set up the software and get ready to jam!

After doing the adjustments under the Actions, Fit, & Finish, I think this guitar would stand up as good as any Strat. I feel it is more made for home inspiration though as you can digitally record right into your computer with some awesome processing sounds. So I would say that physically the body and neck are very good, but update the hardware and you will have one solid axe!

First one I bought from Zzounds.com had a faulty USB, everything else worked fine. Zzounds was very good with the customer service and the second one was right on. Don't know about Behringer though.

Get a good set-up, replace the equipment with parts of your choice, and you will have a great guitar. Someday I envision every guitar having the equipment this one does, as far as the computer electronics. You won't believe the sound!!! Get this guitar!

wei??e Stratkopie mit aufgeleimten Maple-Griffbrett, S-S-S Best??ckung, leicht (ca. 3kg), d??nner Hals mit 22 B??nden und integrierte USB-Sounkarte.
Ich habe keine Ahnung aus welchem Holz der Korpus besteht.
Vermutlich made in China mit no name Mechaniken, Gitarrengurt Software CD und USB-Kabel.

Ich spiele Rock, Folk, Klassik und Blues direkt ??ber PA. Ich wollte die Gitarre eigentlich nur zuhause am Computer benutzen, aber aufgrund des guten Klanges bin ich am ??berlegen ob ich mir f??r den ??bungsraum auch einen Computer zulege.
Da ich wegen der schlechten Kritiken der V-Pack Gitarren sehr negativ
zu den iaxe Gitarren voreingestellt war bin ich sehr positiv von den Tonabnehmern ??berrascht. Diese Tonabnehmer haben einen ausgesprochen brillianten Klang (ich habe mir schon ??berlegt ob ich die Tonabnehmer bei meiner USA-Strat einbauen soll).

Als ich die Gitarre bekam Versuchte ich zuerst die Oktavreinheit einzustellen was aber nur m??glich war wenn man bei den 3 Ba??saiten die Feder vom Reiter entfernt, weil sonst der Reiter nich weit genug zur??ckgeht. Bei der tiefen E-Saite mu??te ich sogar ein St??ck vom Reiter wegfeilen. Dann stellte ich beim D-Dur Akkord einen Mi??ton fest der erst nachdem ich s??mtliche Schrauben nachgezogen hatte beseitigt war. Die Schraube des Saitenniederhalters der D und G Saiten konnte man nicht mehr nachziehen da das Loch in der Kopfplatte ausgeleiert war also enfernte ich ihn (brauche ich nicht). Ansonsten sieht der Steg etwas billig aus, Den Vibrato Arm habe ich demontiert
(verstimmt sich leicht wie bei USA Strat) und die Mechaniken sind nicht die besten aber akzeptabel. Der Hals ist d??nn und leicht bespielbar und optisch sieht die Gitarre gut aus.

Softwarem????ig funktionieren bei mir nur diese 3 virtuellen Guitar Comboas mit der Gitarre und die beiden anderen Programme nicht.

Bis jetzt kein Problem, ich w??rde diese Gitarre auch live spielen.
Nachteil: wenn man live mit USB spielen m??chte braucht man einen Computer und 2Kabel an der Gitarre. F??r live-Auftritte ist das zugeh??rige kurze USB Kabel v??llig ungeeignet.

Ich spiele seit 30 Jahren und kann es immer noch nicht. Ich habe schon viele Gitarren gespielt und momentan habe ich eine Alvarez DY 86, eine USA Strat, 2 Johnson Telekopien und eine Jolana Tornado.
Trotz der schlechten Kritiken der Behringer Gitarren (V-pack) habe ich mir diese Gitarre bestellt, da ich mir die USB Gitarre eingebildet habe. Nach diversen Einstellungsarbeiten ist diese Gitarre gut spielbar und hat einen sch??nen Klang.
Die Softwaregitarrenverst??rker sind gut aber ich wei?? nicht ob das mit der eingebauten Soundkarte sinnvoll ist (Man k??nnte auch ohne eingebaute Soundkarte ??ber den Computer spielen (nicht mit de zugeh.
Software)). Nachteil: Wenn man den USB Anschlu?? nutzen will, braucht man 2 Kabel, das USB Kabel welches eigenlich viel zu kurz ist und ein 6,3 mm Klinkenkabel welches den Kopfh??rerausgang (=Ausgang der Soundkarte) mit dem Verst??rker Verbindet