Line 6 Variax

Enough to make anyone happy. For the pro, plenty of usable stuff and for the novice enough to keep them happy until they have $50,000 to blow on vintage gear.

I have been playing and collecting vintage gear for 15 years. I have had as many as 300 vintage amps and 60 guitars. I know what they're supposed to sound like and what it takes to make them sing. I like Line 6. I think they are innovative and I don't get into head to head comparisons with vintage gear (or new as a matter of fact) because I think anyone who does misses the point. This little guitar is amazing in its own right. It's built ok but not great and we all know we're paying for the guts. I think it's worth it. The tone is in there, no doubt about it. A great way to find out is to play through the Guitar Port with some of the artist tones. It's damn close my friends. For a lot less money and a lot less effort. I dare anyone to spot a variax Strat or Les Paul tone within a song and say this sounds fake or digital. I don't know what one of the reviewers is talking about as far as not being able to get pinch harmonics or palm muting. Baby, it's all there. If you know how to play, it's there. Bottom line....it is a lot of fun and it is very usable. When you don't fell like bustin out the entire arsenal (if you could even afford to buy all the guitars modeled in the variax), this is just fine. Stop disecting and have fun!

The guitar is built ok. Not great but good enough.

We'll see.

Don't know yet.

It's a blast! The acoustics are great and the electrics are too. Not bad at all (and I am a vintage freak).

I will not bore you with the details since they're available on the line 6 site--let's just say this thing models guitars like the POD models amps--sort of :-) Oh yeah, it was in tobacco burst (not that it matters :-)

Overall, I like the sound of the variax and I think that many of the sounds are highly useable and toneful. The acoustic settings, even through a PA are dreadfully bright and brittle sounding, you do not want to give up you Martin, Taylor, or Takamine just yet :-) The Dobro's sound decent for slide and pretty good for back porch grooves. The sitar is WAY WAY cool--a lot of guitarists are gonna have fun with it. I think the standard les paul sounds are very very forgetable--without overdrive thst is (which is the nature of those guitars anyway), on the flip side the les paul specials sound fat, warm and spicy--I dig. The strat and tele settings--although their not "exact" replica's, they are an excellent approximation without the 60 cycle hum!!! The rickenbacker's are pretty good...the 12 string rick sounds like a decent chorus effect more than an actual 12 string electric. The semi-hollow and hollow-body do their thing well, and the banjo is cool...that stand out sounds for me are the Gretsch models...very cool vibe, and again NO NOISE!!! I like that feature a lot, can you tell??? :-) I do not care about how "close" these sounds come to the real thing. I played this guitar and rated it on it own merit--and it stands well by itself. Close you eyes and imagine that you are playing one guitar that has a plethora of pickup selections rather than a computer that emulates the characteristics of certian guitars you may or may have owned/played. If you play the Variax like that, allowing it to be an expirience in and of itself, you will walk away feeling much better about it.

OK...here's where things go south--while line 6 made the variax sound cool, playing it is another story. I have played mexican strats that have a better feel to them--which is not saying much. Anyone who's like me and believes in feel first, tone second...steer clear of this guitar. The set up from the factory wasn't bad, considering what they had to work with. It feels like you're holding a tonka truck that's been slammed into too many walls, not to mention those horrific frets...yikes...you better break out the file and take care of them :-) Still and yet, I think Line 6 is going to sell a lot of these things.

Who know's? I wouldn't gig with this guitar--studio use ONLY--

never dealt with them--no rating here

I have been playing for awhile now, without going into specifics let's just say--long enough to know tone. The Variax is a nice toy (to quote one of the other reviwers on this page)--It never takes itself seriously, and neither can I. When a guitar feels this cheap I just want to put it down--this guitar did not inspire me. I have played lots of cheap guitar that have felt better--rounder, looser, fresher, more ALIVE--the Variax just doesn't do it for me. Hey, I gave it a fair shake...I played it through a Matchless Cheiftain Reverb 2X12 combo, a Mesa Boogie Nomad 55 1X12 combo, a Dr. Z Maz 38 Invasion, and a Bad Cat Hot Cat 30 Head w/a Bogner 4X12 Cabinet (what an amazing amp!!!). Then I connected it to the PA (for the acoustic stuff)..I also recorded directly into my lap top using an M-Audio USB interface and a little tube pre-amp. Like the POD this will be tough to beat for a studio musician looking to maximize possiblties and productivity, while minimizing set-up time and noise. For the gigging musician I still think your best bet is to find a guitar you love and make it your own. Hey Line 6...you're close...I suggest that you team up with a private builder like Gerard Melancon or Don Grosh and put out a PREMIUM version of the Variax...something for us players. It'll cost ALOT more, but with the feel of a premium guitar I think you'll find the variax will make it's way onto many, many stages. Think about it.

What can you say about this, its full of features that can keep you happy and twiddling around for hours on end. One can only rate this as a 10, to have the facility of going from an elctric amp or acoustic amp at the flick of a switch is very useful. Without being too expressful got to the Line6 web site for the list of features

To compare this to the original 28 guitars that are modelled is almost an impossible task, since the original guitar army here would set you back somewhere in the region of #500,000 and more to the point are you likely to get hold of these originals in the first place. However on a more positive note the sounds from this are killers, the Les Paul, the strat, the tele are excellent and to my ears very authentic. The sound of the National and dobro are simply exquisit. Again one has to say that this instrument is a fantastic recording machine. The acoutic modellers sound better through a mixer / recorder rather than a guitar amp.

I am no expert in this field, but straight out of the box it felt and played superb, i prefer a slightly higher action, not quite the SRV type but on the higher side if you get my drift.
There is a facility to adjust the action

To early to say

To early to say

Having been playing for 15 years with the infulences of Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, SRV, BB King, Albert King behind me, I only play and record at home through a zoom MTR1044 digital recorder powered through an old hifi amp and speakers, works well and does the job for me. If it were stolen then I would buy another without a doubt. The love of this guitar is the diversity without a doubt, my parting shot is get one thats all

2003 Model. The Variaxes are built in Korea. Line6 installs the elctronics here in the USA. 1 volume, 1 tone, 1 model select knob. No visible pickups. LR Baggs Piezo pickup under the bridge. Red Metal Flake. Body style is strat-ish, but still unique. Comes with a VERY nice gig bag, and A/B switch (to switch from 1/4 inch out to XLR out)

The reason I purchased this guitar was mainly for the acoustic models. The thought of being able to instantly switch from a strat or les paul sound to an authentic acoustic sound in the middle of a song, without changing guitars, was too much for me. I HAD to have one. I own or have owned several of the guitars which are modeled in the variax. I must say that most of the models are very good. Some are exceptional, some are just OK. In my opinion, the acoustic sounds are the best. The 12 string sounds are the least authentic, but would suffice just fine in a live performance, band setting if used in moderation. But the other acoustic sounds are incredible. How this guitar can sound so much like a "real" acoustic guitar is beyond me. It truly is mind blowing. (it's worth mentioning that I run through an acoustic amp, out to the PA for the acoustic sounds. You NEED to run to a full range amp or pa to get a true sense of the authenticity of these models) The banjo is amazing. The sitar is cool. The strat model sounds like a strat. Does it sound like your strat? I don't know. But I have had two, and it sounds DAMN close. The les paul model sounds like a les paul. I have Gibson Les Paul Custom and the variax's LP model is also DAMN close. Try the rickenbacker model, through a good tube amp and tell me it doesn't sound EXACTLY like Tom Petty. True collectors or purists should not buy this guitar. This is not for them. It will never replace all of the classics. It doesn't sound exactly like the originals. This guitar is for the working guitarist who needs a range of sounds. It's for those who, at the flick of a switch, can go from playing full bore power chords on a Les Paul, to an acoustic bridge, and back again. A few other notes: the sound is incredibly clear. Solo notes just sing. Put on some old Journey and play some of Neal Schon's crisp lead parts. It's all there. For what it is, this guitar is incredible.

I was very concerned about the setup before it arrived, but I gotta say, it was setup great. No fret buzz. Intonation was perfect. There are no pickups, so that wasn't an issue. The frets could be polished a little better and the back of the neck is not very smooth.

Time will tell. I have heard a few stories about problems with the A/B box failing. Mine works fine so far. I am only using the box to power the variax. I am not using the XLR out on the box. (this seems to be the source of the problems from what I've read.....phantom power on consoles zapping the XLR out on the box)
I am going 1/4 out from the line6 box into a morley a/b box, then 1/4 out to both of my amps. (AR Acoustic and JCM 2000) The guitar is certainly more prone to problems than a traditional electric guitar. It is MUCH more complex. I purchased a two year extended warranty with mine. Again, time will tell........

Heard many a horror story. When the times comes, I'll find out.

I have been playing for 20 years. I currently own a Gibson LP Custom, a Jackson USA Soloist, an Ibanez Prestige, an Ovation Elite, a Fender USA Fat Strat and a Line6 Variax. I have owned some VERY nice guitars, some VERY expensive guitars, and some very cheap guitars and everything in between. This guitar "feels" like a $500-600 guitar. It plays very nice, but nothing like a nice US-Made strat. But, it sounds like a million bucks and that's what counts....in my book anyway

HOw could you NOT give this a 10 for features? The Variax effectively models a plethora of guitars and stringed instruments like the PODxt does for amps and effects. I won't re-hash the details, they've all been described very well in previous reviews.

I'm giving the Variax an 8, although its overall sound is more like a 7.5. It sounds very good (as does the PODxt) but you can tell it's digital (as does the POD xt). There's virtually no noise besides the usual finger squeaks on the amplfied acoustic models. The tones range from bright and hot to dark and muddy, so you have plenty of options from which to choose. I've played this through a PA, a dual amp set up (Tech 21 Bronzewood 60 & Trademark 60), and a Peavey Ecoustic 112 with basically the same results from each set up. Some of the models are very similar to others (some of the Teles sound pretty close to some of the Strats, etc.) and there is a pretty big volume difference from the electrics to the acoustics, so you need to be prepared to plan for that. There are many usable models (I easily have ten saved into the 2 custom presets), I only wish the custom presets were next to each other instead of at either end of the dial. I like the way the Variax sounds, but my Takamine LTD 98 and Parker Nitefly are better.

You can tell it's not a custom made instrument, but it played well right out of the box and didn't need any adjustment. There were no flaws but the fretboard did have some little hash marks where the frets were aligned that probably should have been sanded out before finishing. The Variax plays nicely, but nowhere near as slick and silky as my Parker Nitefly or my Takamine LTD 98. Otherwise, no complaints. I didn't expect it to be of the same physical quality as my other guitars. I know we're paying for the computer technology.

Everything seems to be solid. I take excellent care of my gear so I don't expect problems. Still, this is the first guitar I've had that's a computer so ... I've had a variety of Line 6 stuff since they've been around and have never had a problem save for an easily repaired footswitch problem on the floorboard I used to have. (I have sold or traded most of my Line 6 stuff for more toys, including this, and now only own the PODxt & Variax).

Never needed to contact them, yet. Website is good.

For what it is, the Variax is a pretty cool toy. I've only had it for a week so I'm still getting to know it, but I can see getting a lot of use out of it. I'm not ready to say I'd gig with it yet (my Parker has a piezo pick-up so I can get acoustic & electric sounds wtih it) but I'm sure I will once I get more comfortable with it. I'm sure it doesn't nail the instruments it models, but who the hell cares? It still sounds good or better yet, it doesn't suck. I like that I can take the Variax and PODxt to my friend's place or a club with a PA and only make one trip from the car. I love the sitar! The Ric 12 string is cool (kind of like a syrupy chorus not a real 12 string but that's okay). I hate that I traded or sold a bunch of gear to get this, but I couldn't afford nor justify a grand. Oh well, I have more space on the floor to move around and a bunch of virtual guitars to play. I'm happy so far and will be unless it malfunctions.

Read about it on-line at line6.com. First let me say that I waited for several months to try the Variax. I read all of the previous reviews and I have to say either most of you work for Line 6; have never played a real American-made, properly-set up Tele, Strat, or LP; or you are some tone-deaf mo-fo's.

Several of the switch positions were extremly noisy. The sounds were not even close to touching the perfection of my American made Strat with Seymour Duncan JB Jr's. Also note, my Fishman Strat tremolo bridge (TSV Powerbridge? Pickup)/Zoom 504II combination sounds much better than the acoustic "model" sounds from this digital nightmare.

This is where I can't believe any of the previous reviewers. Have you played a real guitar? Go to the closest music store and play an American made Strat or Tele. What about a Peavey Wolfgang? Those guitars are made good and are usually set up perfect. This thing is a piece of pooh and I don't mean Winnie. $999 at our folks from MF? $999 gets you a new classic strat with Floyd Rose, a used Les Paul with an awesome finish and feel, or a Peavey Wolfgang Standard off of EBay.

Where will you be when the battery runs out, the power supply fails, or the prom takes a dump? This creation in cheap. Now I love Line 6--I think they are a fantastic company for thinking out of the box and coming up with unbelieveable creations. But here's the truth from someone who has owned almost every guitar and amp known to man. You can't beat a Les Paul Custom, an American-made Tele, a Ibanez artist from the 70's, a Mesa Boogie amp with EQ, or the pure rock-ability of a Wolfgang. Don't waste you money or time on this thing. I can aways tell how good new products are by looking for slightly used ones on EBay. Check for yourself, while you're there look at the guitars I mentioned.

Poor--where's their POD XT editor they promised 6-months ago? You have to care about the customer even after the sale, not just while marketing your new products.

If a theft stole it, I would hope that Musician's Friend calls the cops, because this one is going back to them.

it's a variax. it's all features.

i expected more. it is a fun thing to play softer music with, but if you play hardrock/metal like i do, you will not appreciate it as much. for example, i love humbuckers. the variax les paul models sounded like humbuckers, but did not play like them (no pinch harmonics, palm mutes sound...strange i guess)
but hey! i loved the banjo, sitar, semi/hollows, and acoustic models!

the one i played was fine all around. like a strat. i'd most likely change the tuners though

this would stand up to a gig. maybe not a metal gig though. everything seemed fine (operative word "seemed") but for the cost, i would want grover tuners or something

overall, it was a nice guitar, if i played in a wedding or cover band.
if it were stolen by an lp player, he'd probably give it back.

brand new this 2003... black line 6 variax..

truly amazing..one mught think that you can get any tone from a modeling pedal... but not like this and you need no pedal.. it is just a grreat playing and sounding guitar..

excellent action and setup.. no problems whatsoever..

too soon to tell

need none yet

i have been ploaying 35 years and have had all kinds.. maybe over 100 or more guitars in my life.. this is one of my favorites along with my rainsong and burns steer..waiting for line 6 to create a nylon sound and download it right into th guitar from my computer.. it has a ethernet port...

Upon hearing of the Variax, I envisoned some guitar-synth monstrosity. For a guitar housing so many "models" and overall tonal capability, it's a wonder Line6 was able to retain the design of a traditional strat, down to the spartan 3 tone knobs. Although aesthetics isn't everything, you gotta hand it to Line6 for retaining the look and feel of a classic guitar.

The 30 plus guitar "models", an AC A/B footswitch, stereo cable, and a padded gig bag, all combine to make this the most feature ladden of any guitar of any price range.

A reviewer, below, has said that the Variax is the POD of guitars --which is both the good news and the bad news. I would concur with this assessment. Like the POD there exisits a certain "je ne sais qua"...umm, I dunno. Call it a "brittleness" that one doesn't find with a tele, LP, ES-335 --or any of the guitars represented here.

Additionally, I've happened upon some artifical sounds when palm-muting on any of the electric models. This isn't too distracting, but rings a little false when digging into those Black Sabbath riffs.

Lest I'm misunderstood, please know there's a lot to love with the Variax. The overall tones of the Strat (my favorite), LP (espcially the p-90 model) and ES-335 are smokin'. I also dig the suitibly snotty vibe of the "Special" settings --the Firebird model being my favorite of the quintet.

The acoustic and dobro tones are better than anyone should hope to expect. The Martin D28 model through the POD sounds considerably more "real" than my Guild D25 through my acoustic amp.

The Coral Sitar and Banjo are brilliant approximations of the real thing. I had always wanted to add both these tones to my pallete for recording, but couldn't justify the purchase of either, frankly. Having these available, along with the other Resonator models is a whimisical gift from Line6.

The guitar was set-up surprisingly well for a Guitar Center show model. The overall quality of the guitar smacks of a US Made strat; however, as has been pointed out elsewhere, this is a Korean assembly job. The frets, although a little rough, do not interfere with the
impressive action of the Variax.

The tuners/machines hold quite well --no worse than the Grover Imperials on my Les Paul.

You'll want to save those Pete Townsend hijinx for the non-digital guitar in your arsenal. I'm trepident about the durability of the Variax, given that the guitar is in essence a protective shell for a
computer processor.

I've had a few frustrations already with the stereo cable --either the cable is flaky, or the input jack on the Guitar isn't up to standard. On occassion, the guitar shorts-out; a turning of the cable in the input jack seems to resolve the fizzing-out, but this could be a littel embarrasing in a live situation. "Take it, Johnny! Err....umm, drum solo!"

Line6 have a top-gear website. The supporting manuals, in download form, are well written. The two times I e-mailed the support staff I received adequate responses to my questions.

Regarding Warranty, I opted for the Guitar Center 2 year maintanance plan, as I would be heartbroken should this fragile animal fall of it's stand and cease to dazzle.

In order to procure this toy, I had to sell a few guitars; however, I'm not leaping into the digital age without a net. I still cherish my Tele, LP and Sheraton --guitars that, on their own, sound better than the Variax to my ears.

The joys of analog gear notwithstanding, I'm most pleased with the sonic palette afforded by the Variax. Again, I anticipate I'll use it more for recording than live use, but maybe my fears of the Variax's reliability will become unfounded over time. We'll see.

Suggestions for "future" upgrades: mandolin, and a nylon stringed, classical guitar. In the words of James Brown, "Im a greedy man!"

Models many classic guitars, etc. Made in Asia. 22 frets. Solid-body. Selectable guitar models via a 12-point switch & 5 position switch, which changes among different configurations & guitar models. Strat-style body, but more slab-shaped and rounded at the base. Smaller than a Strat, but with a Strat-length neck. Medium frets.
Comes with a nice gig bag and the proper cable, a really fat Planet Waves Tip-Ring Sleeve (TRS) cable, necessary for carrying electricity to the guitar to power the electronics.

Basically, the idea is to cover nearly every guitar playing style, from acoustic folk to and flat-picking to classic rock to full-on metal madness. And it does it pretty damn well.

Nice fit and finish. The neck, however, is kinda cheap looking. The fretboard wood is pretty light-colored for rosewood, and the neck body is a two-piece deal that's been grafted together near the headstock. Overall, it's a good-playing neck, and probably not so awful that it requires replacement.

Set-up out of the box was very good.

Time will tell...one worries about the electronics. I've had a few weird things happen while fooling around with this one, and yet it has always played okay after my experiments (i.e. hooking it up to my DVD player mic input to see if the accoustics would sound better). Played as intended, however, it seems to work superbly.

Line 6 has gotten back to me in response to questions, but I don't think they bothered to really read my inquiries, as the answers didn't fit the questions. So, I'm not real secure in their customer service.

A lot of people will knock this for not sounding true to the models it emulates, but I find that you have to work to get other factors, such as amp setup and tone settings, to get the "perfect" modeled sounds. For instance, the acoustic sounds are really off through my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, but if you output them to the power amp alone, they are fine. Better still would be an acoustic amp. And the Gibson models work best through a POD or other amp modeler. The Fender amp kinda kills some of the distinctions between the various models (although the Strat and Tele sound great through the Fender, as one might expect!) Anyway, it's very versatile and a good solution if you've always wanted a bunch of guitar tones and models, but couldn't afford to buy six, seven, eight, etc. guitars!