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!

It took me awhile because I live out in the desert but I finally got one. I found a Guitar Center an hour away and they had only one left. Fortunately, it was a black one which is what I wanted. It's made in Korea by a *shhhh* secret manufacturer which it doesn't take long to realize is the same one Fender uses. It came with a really nice gig bag but I got the guy to throw in a Fender-style vintage-looking hardshell (fitting, I think) because I hate gig bags. I saw the demo at NAMM online so I knew what to expect and it is everything I expected and more.

I've been playing guitar for 40 years now and play everything from ballads to hard rock. I am retired from the road after having spent 30 years playing live both as a solo artist and in several bands. Now, I spend my time in my home recording studio and that's why this guitar is so perfect for me. I have six guitars and I think the Variax easily replaces four of them.

I've been using Line 6 stuff ever since their first amp came out. I love their stuff and use a POD now for all my electric guitar sounds. Of course, the Variax sounds great through the POD and through my Line 6 amp too. No pickups! No noise! Nothing to get in the way of my picking and a very clean look. I love it!

I should give this guitar a 10 for sound because although it's not perfect, nothing is and anyone who expects perfection is fooling themselves. Line 6 has done an amazing job with this guitar and nit-picking serves no purpose. Besides, what compares? Nothing!

I have never seen a guitar at this price that was set up this well right out of the box. There is some luck involved for me too since the action, the string gauge and the neck are absolutely perfect for my playing style. This guitar had seen a little use (I'm sure a lot of people tried it out in that store) so the finish had a few little scratches but that sort of thing means nothing to me. It looks great, feels great and I love the pearl pickguard although I will change the color if I get a chance. I love the weight (I was used to shoulder pain from my Les Paul) and I'm a big fan of Strat necks which is what this feels like. I would buy this guitar for this price just for it's playability. The modeling is just gravy!

I do wonder about how well the electronics will hold up on the road. I know from a lot of experience how things get beat up. Fortunately, I'm done with that so I don't have to find out but I sure wish I'd have had one of these when I was playing live. It sure would have simplified things and made for a lot less guitars and guitar changes.
This guitar seems very solid and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on the road. I think another Variax would be the perfect backup for live gigs because from my experience with Line 6, if there ever was a problem with one, the other one would be working!

I haven't any experience dealing with the company. I've never had a problem with any of my Line 6 gear. I really like what I've seen of their professionalism and attitudes. I think they are a great company and from what I've heard, they stand behind their stuff really well. The Variax has a one year warranty but I don't expect any problems with this either.

This guitar is a dream come true for me. I have wanted something like this ever since I bought my first Line 6 modeling amp in 1995. It was just a pipedream then but they did it and I think they've done an amazing job of bringing this idea to life. This will simplify my life and augment my guitar collection to the point where I have everything I need to make the recordings I want to make.

We all know the features of this one by now, if not read below.

Most of the sounds are very good. The only ones that aren't are the 12 strings, which sound a little digital, though still not terrible. When I got the guitar I went through all of them with a Digitech genx2 and they were all sounded like what you would expect from the various models. Then I took it to a friends house, who owns a few of the guitars modeled, a week later and truly saw how great it is. We tested the Variax against his guitars by using an A/B box through an old tube Fender head with a cab with 4 tens.
Telecaster: Sounded pretty much dead on compared to an early 90's American Standard w/ stock pickups. The difference between the two was no less than you would see between two Amer. teles.
Strat: Compared to an early 90's Amer. Standard Strat with Fralins, the sounds were also very close. The original was a little deeper sounding on the 1,3,5 positions, but the variax had a little more quack in the 2,4 positions. A toss up pretty much.
Les Paul: Original Les is a 70's model Standard with a standard pickup in the neck and a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge. The original was just a little deeper, but not in a good or bad way. They both sounded like Pauls.
ES335: Don't know the specs on this one other than the pickups are stock and the rest of the hardware looks stock. The variax did a more than adequate job on this one. I'm not saying the original didn't sound a little more hollow and growly, but what is the price on one of those today?
In closing I give it a 9, because I would really like to see a nylon string, a modern solidbody, and a little better 12 string. NOT a comparision to other guitars on the market, but what I think this one is capable of.

The guitar was set up prior to my purchase by Guitar Center in Nashville. It played great for a thousand dollar guitar. Action was low, but not so low you can't easily bend. Very similar to the action on a good Amer. Standard Strat. The finish is flawless as far as I have found. The only flaw is a small imperfection near the pocket on the neck that does not affect playability. I have the red one. It actually looks quite nice. Not as dull as the pictures you would see in magazines. Not rated higher because I've played better, but I've played much worse for a lot more money.

Can't judge yet. Seems solid. Electronics are a little scary as is any new technology.

never dealt with them

I've been playing for about 20 years. I currently own a Amer. Stand. Strat, Steinberger GM with Trans, old Jap. Charvel, Dano, Yari, and a few others. If stolen I would defenitly buy another in a heartbeat. I'll probably buy another one if they come out with a trem version. Love almost everything about it. Nitpicking the twelves, they could use a little more work. I give it a ten because I think it has more features than any other ax on the market and it doesn't sound digital like the roland modeling technology.

More tonal features than any guitar that I have seen (other than a guitar with a MIDI pickup). This seems to be the first step in the next tier of guitar evolution. It has a basswood body (very light and thin), a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, 22 medium profile frets with a 25 1/2" scale length. The guitar feels like a cross between a telecaster and a strat in terms of playability. It is an easy playing guitar and handsome as well. The main draw for the instrument is its ability to model other guitars.

While cutting edge as the first modeling guitar, it misses the mark on some of its tones. While there is some controversy here, I can say objectively that some of the sounds come close (having owned the originals that the Variax tries to model) and others do not. The guitar is extrordinary, easy to use and incredibly versatile.

Relatively clean and tight fit. The sunburst finish is very classic looking. On the back electronics plate, there is a scuff on my Variax but I bought it "as new" from eBay. All in all, not bad.

Despite its complexity, the guitar has a simplicity in its look and playability. It seems reasonably durable and robust. Time will tell.

I have yet to deal with Line 6.

I am very pleased with the instrument, and excited about the possibilities of use. I have owned and played everything from Gibson Les Pauls, Flying Vs and 335s to Fender Telecasters to the Ibanez JS2000, Jem 777 and Jerry Jones electric sitar. I have a fairly good ear for tone, and this guitar has a lot of them. Most of the pre-programmed tones will definately be useable.

bought new in january 2003. Far east manufacture. 22 frets. solid two piece sunburst body. No pickups , it's all in the bridge.

Sounds amazing. Direct comparison with my les paul and strat, I couldnt tell the difference on replay. It models about 20 guitars. Acoustic sounds are great even through my Marshall stack and there is NO FEEDBACK! Dont expect les paul type sustain though. Banjo, sitar and 12 strings are all fab.

Finish is good but quality of materials could be a lot better. It needed a decent set up to get the action down.

It's still new so I can't comment on reliability, however build quality is ok. I have bought this to use as a gigging and recording tool. It won't replace my strat or les paul.

I have met the UK line 6 reps on a few occasions. Nice blokes. Not had time to break it yet so I don't know about repairs.

I have been playing for 40 years and own all the obvious guitars. I have been waiting for this guitar for years.This guitar will go out gigging with my les paul and it will take the place of my Martin DM, Fender Strat, Fender Telecaster, plus it gives me some 12 strings. Shame that it won't do a classical guitar. I may be tempted to strip the electronics out and put them in my strat.

I think enough people have described the Variax so I won't go over the same ground again, though I love the way they've done the neck joint- easy access all the way to the top. The gig bag it comes with is excellent- probably the best I've seen. Also a good quality lead, footswitch & power supply, Allen keys and a user's manual, which was well written and informative.
A friend of mine is a confirmed Les Paul & Marshall user and came over the day I got my Variax, tried it and asked if he could borrow it for his gig that night. He loved the guitar itself, but hated the thought of what it can do. Some people will never like the Variax, which is cool- if we all liked the same things the world would be a poorer place!

As far as I'm concerned, those who have tried A/B tests against, say, 50s Strats, Les Pauls, etc are missing the point slightly. They say it doesn't sound exactly the same as the original. OK, it might not, but then neither will a different 50s Strat as the pickups were hand wound back then and all have slight variations. What Line 6 have achieved (and I think they deserve much credit for this) is to give us guitar tones that sound near enough to the classic tones not to make any difference. The Variax might not sound the same as your Strat, but it does sound like a Strat! I'm not in a position to make informed comment about how close all the other sounds are (there's a guy on the Line 6 User's Group forum who is scanning Ebay to tot up the cost of buying all the guitars modelled by the Variax- he's found 14 out of 26 so far, with a total of $51,000), but if I could afford all these guitars (or indeed find them for sale) I'd be a very happy man! As this is out of the question, the Variax is ideal for me.

Mine was perfectly set up and in tune straight out of the box, with a medium to low action. I have no complaints there. It was put together as well as any new guitar I've bought before. Frets all OK, and generally everything was as one would expect. My guitar is the red version- it looks much better than the photos I'd seen before. I'm not too fussed about the neck shape as I've got 15 or so other guitars (not bad for a bass player!) with necks ranging from amazingly thin to chunky V and I've got used to playing on different necks, but the Variax seems a good compromise. The matt finish on the neck is great for me, as I sanded off the finish on my most used guitars years ago as I liked the feel of it. It's good enough for Eddie and that's good enough for me. The only criticism I have is that the rosewood fingerboard was very dry and was crying out for a little lemon oil.

It's too early to say, but it looks as if it will stand up to life on the road without too much trouble. The only concern is the electronics packing up, but that's a risk of any modern piece of gear. On the whole, I don't expect any problems.

No experience so far, but other people are generally positive about Line 6 customer support.

I've been playing guitar for nearly 25 years now, and recording for over 20, and I reckon the Variax is the most significant development in guitars since Leo and Les. It's perfect both for recording and playing live- 50 different tones at your fingertips. OK, it doesn't have the "Wow" factor of say a PRS Private Stock (look in the March issue of Guitarist magazine!), but as a working guitar I think it's great. No trem, which would have been nice, but only a few of the modelled guitars have them anyway. Pehaps the Variax 2 will have a software controlled trem- it would be fun to do dive-bombs on the acoustic models! I'm not sure about the scratchplate- I almost wish there wasn't one, just to make it stand out a bit more. I'm considering getting one made to match the Candy Apple finish so it disappears. The headstock shape isn't distinctive enough for me and is very close to a mirrored Fender acoustic, but it works well enough and of course the neck is replaceable. I'm really just nitpicking here- there's nothing about the guitar that I don't like. The only problem I had was the availability. I first heard about the Variax in August, and first they were expected by November, then by Christmas, then there was a problem with CE certification, so it was the beginning of February before I finally got my hands on one. Not all of the wait is down to Line 6, but the web site should really have kept us up to date with delivery dates.

Brand New Variax by Line6. Made in Korea.
Looks great. Perfect fit for my hands.
Great features. Very easy to use.
Greatly need a tremolo tailpiece version.

The sounds that work sound great. No two Tele's or Strat's sound the same and with that in mind the sounds on this guitar are excellent. At least half the sounds were so noisy that it was too distracting to play. The noisy sounds were also half the volume of the clean sounds. In all fairness, I think something is wrong with the one I received and the guitar would be great if all the sounds were working properly. Based on the sounds that work I would probably give the sound a 10 rating but most were noisy and so a 4 rating is all I can muster.

As I said above, the action and finish is excellent.
The 12th fret had several cuts as if the strings had been pushed into the frets very hard. A little sandpaper helped but did not remove the cuts. This makes it very annoying to bend strings on the 12th fret. The sound-changing knob is cheesy. Even though the pot underneath the knob has stops at the end of travel, the knob will continue to turn with very little applied pressure which will misalign the indicator with the actual sound. This is due to the fact that the knob has little indentions inside that actually determine which model is selected. The pot itself is a smooth turn and has no indentions. More than half of the selections have a white noise, which is very audible. It sounds like an AM radio off station. I'm sure the noise is a defect and not the norm but I'm the lucky one that got this particular guitar.

Too new. NA

I'll soon find out.

If all things had worked the way I think it will with a properly working guitar, this guitar would end my shopping for different guitar sounds. It would be the perfect studio, as well as live, guitar. I can't give a full rating until I get another guitar to try out. I would not be fair to give an overall rating at this time.

The features have been covered.

I purchased a Variax because I have been thinking about getting a Telecaster, ES-335 and yes even a Banjo.

I own a Gibson Les Paul Standard, Fender Stratocaster Plus, and a Hohner Acoustic. The Variax "really" sounds good. You just have to try one for yourself.

I was hesitant about the neck but after playing it I would compare it to a MusicMan, between a Strat and Gibson neck. The nut has a sharp edge that I kept hitting because of my playing style. The finish on the neck was smooth but had some obvious runs. I have the black one and it shows small scratches in the finish where my shirt sleeve buttons rub against the finish with my right hand. The setup was really good.

See above

I also have a Line6 GuitarPort and owned a FlextoneII at one point and they always answered the phone and provided great support.

This is the new modeling guitar that everyone says is going to change the world... well, they're probably right. This particular guitar is a basswood body, with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard (22). The neck has a profile somewhere between a standard Strat and a Les Paul, with a width that is almost like a skinny acoustic. The back is finished in that flat satin style that helps you avoid getting your thumb caught by friction. This makes it just about right for a lot of players, but probably not many people's perfect neck. The good part is it's bolt-on so you can replace it with one to your specs. The Line 6 guys report that changing the neck will have no practical effect on the modeling.

It comes with a deluxe gig bag that is, and I kid you not, REALLY nice. It's thickly padded and has a heavy duty zipper, made of durable tough material. There are two pockets on the front, which is good because you will need to carry not only the special TRS cable but also the footswitch and its AC adapter with the guitar, unless you plan on running on batteries all the time. Of course, it also comes with tools for adjusting action, intonation and tweaking the truss. Make no mistake, this is in many respects a normal guitar.

It's string-through body and changing strings is done normally as you would any other guitar. The tuners are solid feeling, not the best I've ever seen, but definitely par for a guitar in this price range. The frets are vintage style and the fretwork is very well done -- no catches or poor dressing.

Of course, the main feature is the unbelievable way this guitar changes like a chameleon. Complete purists will never love this guitar, but then again, those of us who actually *play* for audiences don't love purists -- those guys are all about fetish, not feeling. It's all about the music, and this guitar is that ethic, taken to the limit of 2002/03 technology. For that, the "10" is the only rating that will suffice.

A lot of people have said this is the perfect guitar for a player in a cover band. I agree wholeheartedly, but let me add that not only do I play in two *original* bands, but also write my own stuff as well, and this guitar will be a perfect addition to each of those settings. Anyone who says this guitar is a geek toy is delusional, stupid, closed-minded, or has an axe to grind (and not the good kind). This is a player's tool all the way. The sounds are fantastic on the whole with a few exceptions.

Let's start with the bad news and get it out of the way. The acoustic 12-strings (a Martin D12-28 and a Guild F212) will not fool anyone naked or solo. The problem is that it is just too hard to convincingly get those octave strings out of a normal 6-stringer. But Line 6 has made a valiant effort, and make no mistake, if you put these in a band setting or in a mix they will work great. And that's it for the bad news.

After I got this guitar, I went around to several of the local music stores and showed it off. (You'd think I work for Line 6, but no such luck.) I plugged this guitar into normal amps (not even one of the many wonderful Line 6 amps), like a Fender Deluxe, a Vox AC30, or a Marshall stack. For EVERY other model, the Les Pauls, the Gibson hollowbodies, the Gretsches, the Strat and Tele... the guitar players dropped what they were doing and feasted their ears on what they were hearing. Now, I'm not saying none of them could tell the difference (although some of them professed they couldn't) -- but nearly ALL of them wanted to know if they were in stock.

Now I use a variety of amps, but one of my favorite workhorses is my Line 6 AX2-212. It has served me well for several years now through literally hundreds of gigs and never lets me down in sound or reliability. So of course I plug in there regularly at home too... and it sounds just as great. My wife says this is her favorite of my guitars because (a) it's cool, (b) I spend more time playing and less time fiddling, and (c) it makes me happy. (Great gal, huh?)

The sitar is cool but will probably end up being overused in the next year or so on every other local band recording where a guy owns this axe. :-) The banjo is jaw-dropping, just astounding; the dobro is very good as well and worked great for a slide part in a Delta-blues type number in one of my bands. The other acoustics are excellent, but to fully appreciate them, you MUST plug into a PA using the XLR out on the footswitch. I tried it into the clean channel on my AX2 using an A/B box, and then into my Mackie board, and it knocked me on my... well let's just say I'm standing while I'm typing.

And could anything be better than being able to record straight to computer hard disk, SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FRICKIN' MONITOR with a 1959 Strat in that beautiful lonesome-sounding middle position? I don't think so. :-) And when you start howling out some B.B. licks on the ES-335 you'll think you were in heaven. So there's no way this does not get a "10" here.

Setup on my guitar was really great, equivalent to any $1000-2000 guitar that I've received. I've heard some people say there's wasn't up to snuff but that was certainly not the case with my Variax. The action was low but not buzzing, and the neck set was fit as a fiddle (err... well you get the point). The only thing I would suggest might benefit this guitar would be a new Buzz Feiten-style nut... My understanding is that Earvana offers these for sale where you can replace it yourself.

The painted finish on mine was gorgeous and uniform (I got the black); the only place I found a flaw was at the very top of the headstock where there was a very slight discoloration along the top edge of the non-painted portion, where it corners against the painted front. It didn't bother me, and for this price range this was a minor quibble to me. All parts were in great working order, no loose tuners or bridge saddles.

You do not need to worry about the knobs feeling flimsy or second-rate; they are properly weighted and knurled, and feel like they will last through most players' abuses. The selection knob even feels pretty heavy-duty and I doubt anyone but the most brutal or ham-handed player is going to have any problems there. The black-pearloid pickguard on the black guitar is a nice touch; I personally wish they'd kept the white-pearloid one for the red.

Although I don't own a red one, I've played one in store, and it is a beautiful metallic-flake finish, not too over-the-top (no more than a red guitar SHOULD be!), but also not a flat color either. I haven't seen a sunburst yet, but given my experience with this guitar I am thinking about buying a second one for backup.

I'm giving a "10" here not because I've never seen any better setup guitars, but because for the price this is the best setup guitar I've owned.

The reliability seems to be high. See previous comments about the knobs, which are high-quality and not some cheesy parts like the Mexican Fender line. The finish looks good, although the basswood body (which is a softer wood) may not withstand a moderate smacking as well as some other guitars. Basswood was chosen because it is a more uniform wood -- in other words, as a matter of fabrication, two Variax bodies are not going to differ significantly like they might with alder or some other woods. And when you're dealing with modeling, that's a big issue.

The strap buttons are very solid. Because of the issue with how much room the electronics inside take up, and their location, I would not be inclined to switch them out for straplock buttons. Rather, I went for a universal locking strap.

I would probably take a second guitar with me because of the issue with electronics, but I am seriously considering making that second guitar another Variax.

I've dealt with Line 6 customer support on several occasions, mostly to just get new EPROM's sent updating my various POD's and my AX2. I've used phone and e-mail (through their Web site), and in every case have gotten immediate results. I would imagine that if I called on a holiday where half the other people in the country are off work and calling in too, I might have to wait as well. I used the Web site mainly because that is what Line 6 recommends -- since the entries there get tracked by their CS manager so that no one gets forgotten. But on the occasions I've phoned I always reached an actual human in a reasonable amount of time, who was courteous and responsive to my needs. (Maybe being polite helps, I don't know.)

From what I've seen on their Web forum, they are very responsive to actual issues there. Unfortunately, there are a small bunch of people who seem to post incessantly there because they have nothing better to do -- such as, say, actually playing music. If you hang out there it will seem to you like every piece of Line 6 gear is an accident waiting to happen. Well, I own a lot of their stuff, and I've never had a problem with any of it yet. NONE.

Now, after several amps, Floor Boards, footswitches, PODs, Bass PODs, and rackmount units, isn't that strange? Not to me, it's what I expect -- and it's what I've always had from them.

I've been playing for 15 years, and I own a lot of other gear which I am not going to list here, because now I want to go play this great guitar some more -- but I own other guitars, amps, basses, a Chapman Stick, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards & synths, autoharp, kazoo, hard disk recording software, PA stuff, you name it.

If something happened to this guitar I would immediately buy another one without a second thought. I love the neck on my Variax, and probably couldn't have designed one that was more comfortable for my hands. This may be dumb luck, but so be it.

There's really not much else on the planet to compare this axe to -- yet. I suspect other manufacturers are scrambling to either create a knockoff of their own or to spread FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) among the guitarist masses that the Variax is the work of the Devil. But don't be fooled, you will get a real kick in the pants out of this guitar.

I don't think the Variax is perfect, but even if you paid the street price ($100 over what I paid) this guitar is one of the best deals going. If you're a part-time player, you almost can't afford NOT to get one. If you're a full-time player, it's a great tool, especially for pick-up gigs, quickie recording sessions, or jamming on your own at home. But most of all, it's fun to play, and that's the most important part -- that you will PLAY!

The guitar has medium frets and the feel of a Strat neck. The body is surprisingly small and is Strat-like in design, but fits well and comfortably. I bought a sunburst sight unseen in spite of not really being a sunburst kind of guy. I guess I thought it was time to move away from reds, blues, and sparkles. The sunburst finish is nice, smooth, and flawless. It also goes well with the tortoise shell pick guard. Personally, I probably should have ordered red, but this is a decent sunburst. It may not show up well in the audience due to the small size. At first hoist the guitar felt unbalanced; the headstock was heavy compared to the small body. But it balances well on your knee or around you neck. It's nicely beveled and shouldn?t cause back strain during a long gig.
There are 3 knobs - volume, tone/mic position, guitar model selector. I think the person who posted the previous review may not have understood the function of this knob in acoustic mode. In acoustic mode it is NOT a tone setting knob. Moving the knob gives the effect of changing the mic placement (the acoustics are supposed to sound mic'ed). If you've ever mic'ed an acoustic, you'll probably agree that mic placement makes a huge difference. This knob does a pretty god job at allowing you to change the sound in the fashion of changing the mic placement. In the sitar setting, this knob dials in increasing amounts of sympathetic string sound. It allows you to start off with just the sound of the sitar six strings and then add increasing amounts of the sound of the sympathetic strings. Do you want clean or chaotic? You have your choice.
The third knob is used to choose banks of guitars.
There is a five way switch that is used to choose different pick up positions of a guitar model or to switch models.
It came with a very nice, heavily padded gig bag. The best I've ever seen.
The guitar is powered by six AA batteries. In case you're AA's die at a gig, you can substitute a 9 volt for 1 to 2 (only) hours of playing.
It also comes with a Planet Waves cord which plugs into a supplied switchbox. The switchbox is powered by a wall wart and will provide power to the guitar. The switchbox has a ?? input and a ?? and an XLR output. The XLR output is meant to go into a PA (it probably could be used to connect to an acoustic guitar amp). When you are playing an acoustic model you are supposed to route the signal to the PA instead of your electric guitar amp.
It also includes a mysterious port which serves no function now but will be used for software upgrades at least.

There are so many models; I'll just send you to wwww.line6.com to check them out. Otherwise, I'd be typing all day.
Let me get the negatives out of the way first:
1) The 12 strings don't make it. They sound like a 6 string through a good chorus. If I had a live song that required some quiet 12 in the background, I might use it. If the 12 were the main guitar, forget it. No punch and clarity.
2) There is no whammy bar. I knew this before I bought it, so it's no surprise. Still what's a Strat or Gretsch without a whammy or Bigsby?
That said, just about everything is usable to darn good. I own a Start and two Teles and this guitar does the trick. Does it sound exactly like my three guitars? No, but my Start is a Deluxe and my two Teles have had pick up changes. No two guitars of the same model are going to sound exactly alike anyway. The first out of phase Strat position is, for example, great.
We then get into Gibson territory. I do not own a Les Paul and own only one humbucker equipped ax, a Yamaha AES 800. But I hear a definite switch from single coil into humbucker territory. The Les Paul Jr.'s are brattier than the Pauls?
Next up are Gretsch's. These are nice but the lack of Bigsby hurts the Gretsch-ness.
Rickenbackers are next in line. The 6 string is good and the 12 string isn't. I had a Rickenbacker 330 and I sold it. Now I don't miss it one bit. I'll use this instead.
Then it's the Gibson 335 and Epiphone Casino. I used to own a 335, but sold it because I guess I didn't get it (d'oh!). As I remember, it sounded kind of like this guitar.
There are Gibson jazz boxes next. These can be dark and jazzy or brighter like Scotty Moore and Chuck Berry.
When I first played the acoustics, I had them playing through my studio monitors and I was disappointed. I couldn't feel the air moving and the box vibrating under my arm. But then I realized I was hearing the sound of a live acoustic guitar mic'ed through a PA. Thought of that way, the sounds are good (except for the 12 string). I will use this live to add some acoustic when needed.

This guitar is a solid body. I think that you aren't going to get the interaction between the semi- and hollow body guitars and the amp that you would get from the real thing. There are no pickups so I think creating feedback may be a problem.

If this had a Bigsby or whammy AND the Ric 12's were better, this would be the only guitar I would bring to a band gig. As it is, I'll still bring it for our one sitar song, to add acoustic flavors, and to occasionally venture into humbucker territory. And I will be using it for recording.

Action, fit, and finish were good out of the box. Haven't had to have it set up yet.

I always bring a back up guitar to a gig. Anything can go wrong with any guitar, and, if I break a string during a set, I'll reach for the back up and then change strings between sets. This is now my back up guitar.
The elctronics are new and untested, so I'll give it a 9.

Haven't had to contact them yet. Sorry, warranty is handy so I don't know.

Been playing for almost 40 years. I own one Strat, two Teles, one Ric 12, a Yamaha AES 800, Danelectro Baritone and 12 string, Jazz bass, Gretch Tennessee Rose, and Martin HD-28.
If lost, I would buy it again unless I knew a tremelo model and/or improved 12 strong model was coming out soon (remember, this thing can upgraded).
This is a first, and it can only get better. Look at how far amp modeling has come.
No, it ain't the real thing, but it can come pretty darn close, costs way less than the real things, and, unless you are a one axe only kind of player, or a vintage purist (I do admire you cats), you will really enjoy this guitar.
If you got a red you want to trade for a sunburst, let me know!

The Variax is a Modeling Guitar. The basis of it is a reasonably well made Korean Strat variant. I say variant, because there are no magnetic pickups and the body shape is not exactly the same. The top sports a 5 way switch, model select knob, volume and tone knob. The Guts of the guitar are mounted in the back and are what make the thing work. What the Pod is to amps, this is to guitar. I would have liked to see a tremolo and a few more types of guitars.

As I said above, what the POD is to amps, the Variax is to guitars.

It models a lot of different types of guitars (LP, Strat, tele, gretch, 6 and 12 Rics, acoustics) etc. and couple related instruments like (Banjo and Electric Sitar). The models of most instruments were very good. They all had some of the character of the real thing. The Banjo and Dobros were very good. The LPs, Strats and Teles were reasonable. The models that I didn't like as much were the 12 strings, because I could hear the artifacting and chipmunking in the pitch shifts and the other acoustic sounds which sounded too bright and artificial. I was hoping to use this as a replacement for bringing a twelve string electric and the acoustics, but it just didn't excite me on those sounds. They were very artificial sounding to my ears without enough interaction. Also the tone control on the acoustics didn't seem to change the high end or mids, but just take some of the body out of the sound. The Sitar would probably be fine for some situations, but didn't have the high end harmonics of a good Coral Sitar with the sympathetic strings. The dobros were sort of nice to play and responded well to a slide, but were also one dimensional. It does sound pretty good on most patches, but it doesn't sound just like the real thing.

The frets were dressed pretty well, the neck joint was solid and the finish on the body was excellent. Not the most inspiring neck, but a good compromise between a strat and gibson style neck. Obviously, you're paying for the electronics, because the guitar itself is the equivilent of a $250 Korean or Indonesian made guitar.

I think it will probably last. I've found Line 6 gear to hold up well.

Haven't used it, but the web site is very good.

I didn't buy it. I really wanted to like this thing, because I liked the idea of everything in one package. Take a Variax and a PRS and I'd have the gig covered. I tried it on three separate occasions and was left with wanting it to be better. It does sound good on most of the sounds, but it never sounded great on any of them. There was too even of a sound and an artificiality. No life or air. The twelve strings and acoustics, which would have sold me, ended up leaving me frustrated. The dobros were nice but not totally convincing either. The high end was artificial and harsh sounding. I think for many club players this thing will be an answer to a prayer. It reminds me of keyboards in the 80's trying to reproduce a piano or organ. It's close, but not quite there. I do think that it is a good start and many people will love them. Look how long it took Roland to get a guitar synth that tracked well. So this is a real good first effort, but for me it left me uninspired. By the way, although I do use a POD for some of my recording, I still use a tube amp live, because of the better tone. I feel the same about the Variax - it is a well designed tool, but not quite up to the instruments it is trying to replicate. But don't let my opinion sway you - go out and try one for yourself. Also try a Roland VG-88 (their version of guitar modelling).

Enough said already, THE feature of this guitar is it's ability to model other guitars. The neck is more strat sized, plenty of room for my fat fingers. It takes 6 AA batteries! There is a power supply included. It will also work with a 9V in emergency. Mine included a gig bag too. Features gets a 10 from me, this thing has some sounds.

There's no noise, none! Of course not, it has not pickups! However this guitar is packed with sounds. At first, I thought it was a little thin sounding, then I started tweaking... there is something here for everyone.

I've got some string buzz on the 6th string. It's set up with 10s and want nickle wound strings. That's fine by me. Its not the prettiest design, but the neck will be familiar to anyone who's owned a Fender. And, there are no pickups to get in the way while you're playing all your favorite tunes.

The finish seems solid, the rest is all electronics, I have no idea how well it will last. I don't gig.

Haven't had to call them.

I've been playing since college, I've got a 335, a strat, and a midi enabled Brian Moore. This is the future of guitars. I've just come to know it in the past couple of days, and it's a keeper.

See Line 6 website. Mine is a black one.

Now if they only put out a trem model or perhaps some different finish choices, or maybe some purely aesthetic things like abalone inlays, sparkly finishes, silvery logos, etc.

Totally not important stuff, but fun!

And after getting home and playing with it I am ecstatic. To me everything sound friggin fantastic. I've been playing for 20 years and this guitar is a dream. Fabulous. I can't say enough.

As other have said the tone knob really helps the acoustics. I was perfectly happy even just running it through a JC120 model on my AX2. Also sounded great through the Aux channel.

12 strings sounded great to me. I believe there is a bit of tiny "delay" (as there would be on a real 12) which obviously is going to be the least natural thing on the guitar since it's the only real time that the Variax has to syntesize something that isn't there, but to me they still sounded awesome.

Another issue with the 12 strings that I wonder if some people are encountering is that I had to be real conscious to NOT play the guitar like a 6 string. On a 12 string obviously your vibrato is going to be different (if you can manage at all on a 12) and bends and stuff are also going to be totally different. Personally when I play a 12 string I play pretty straight because bends or vibrato and such is very difficult. When I played the variax like I would a 12 string it sounded great. It was only when the auto pilot kicked in and I started playing it like a normal 6 string (which is natural because IT IS) that I thought things sounded a little unnatural.

All in all, I am totally satisfied, and in fact completely ecstatic about this guitar. I will be spioled for choice as to what model to use when playing!

The guitar feels absolutely wonderful. It played so well from the factory that I hesitated to change string gauges for fear of messing it up! The action was perfect. High enough that I could get a grip on the strings but not too high as to make it hard to play. Very clean assembly. No gripes.

We'll see!

Hopefully won't ever need to know!

Absolutely everything it claims to be. It sounds way too good to be true, but for once something isn't. It's all I'll be playing now.

Same as above. I played a final version of the guitar by way of a Line6 rep.

The sounds was good for my ears. Surely the could'nt have gotten the exact sound that you would get from the real thing. I was impressed by the sitar and banjo sounds. I was also impressed with the response time of the software. There was no delay in the tracking that has to go on inside. I would have like more variations on the models. Another switch or two and various pickup selections would be possible.
All in all pretty convincing.

I didn't get to check it out completely. I was obviously set up for Demo use.

Not enough info

Not enough info

I think this is a great step in guitar development. The idea is bordering on revolutionary. To expect an exact duplicate of 59 LP on a guitar like this is pushing the limits,but this is a step in the right direction. Anyone who thinks these things are crap must have paid the price for a real one of the guitars modeled. It will only get better. I saw a 70 Les Paul deluxe the other day for $3500. That is an example of the outlandish prices these types of guitars are fetching. I got one in 83 for $100. Times have changed. Line6 is making all this exclusive stuff accessable,and so finally we might have some good music being made again.

In my opinion, the Variax is the most significant advance in guitar technology since the invention of the electrical pickup. The modeling guitar is likely to become the most commonly used guitar in clubs. People who presently need to take four or five guitars with them are going to be taking only this one, along with a PODxt to model a variety of amps.

I am happy to report that I am completely satisfied. Have you heard, on the L.R. Baggs web site, the comparison recordings of Phil Keaggy playing the same song recorded with a Baggs I-Beam and with a couple Neumann tube mics? The tube mics sound better, but the I-Beam still sounds seriously acoustic and great.

Well, the Variax is at the I-Beam level. Not utterly perfect, but in the top one percent of acoustic pickups. Best you?re likely to ever get short of using $7,000 worth of microphones and a very expensive guitar (and playing like Phil Keaggy). Best of all, I turned up the amp louder than I?ve ever played my Gibson, and the Variax still sounded utterly acoustic. I can?t wait to hear it over a big P.A. system.

The Gibson J-200 setting really does sound like at J-200. It doesn?t sound like an average one, but a great one. Keep the tone knob full treble. The Martin D-28 sounds better than any D-28 I?ve ever played. I?ve played a few D-45s that sound better, but this is terrific. Turn down the tone a little to balance it out. The J-200 has that compact J-200 ring. The D-28 is much looser sounding, as it should be. And no feedback. If you need loud acoustics in a club, the Variax will be perfect. Do you know the sound of Stephen Stills? guitar in ?Suite: Judy Blue Eyes?? That?s what this D-28 sounds like.

The Guild 12 string is warm and lovely and clear. I haven?t played many 12 strings, and they?ve been mainly inexpensive ones. The tone is often sort of muffled, stuffy, without much separation. With this one you can hear every string when you play a chord. Great. There have been a lot of complaints about the Martin 12 string. It has a sort of click as one plays each string. After listening more carefully, I?ve decided that what?s happening is that the high string in each pair is unusually piercing in tone. So it sounds very sharp and bright. In some songs this might be good. The Rickenbacker 12 on the neck position is delicious and can easily be used in an acoustic repertoire without complaints. The Martin 0-18 sounds great on the MP3, but mine doesn?t sound quite that way yet. I?m working on it.

Reso: I was really disappointed with the Tricone and the Dobro at first. I used to have a Tricone, and I have a Dobro squareneck, and the Variax didn?t sound like them. However, I discovered that to get the sound I had to turn up the amp. Then the sound is much more like the Resos. However, what about slide? Maybe you can play slide with a radiused neck and extra light strings 1/6? off the fret board, but I can?t. The guy on the Variax NAMM demo does a good job, but I?d need to raise the strings. I wouldn?t have put a Coral Sitar on my ?must have? list, but the Variax models it perfectly. ?Paint it Black?! The Banjo is pretty good, but it needs to be played near the bridge, ideally with fingerpicks, and if you want to sound like Earl Scruggs you?ll need to learn his sort of picking patterns. Of course, you?re also missing that 5th string drone. Still, it?ll do for a few bars in a song in a pinch. I was much more pleased with the Danelectro than I expected to be. The sound is distinctive, and it?s also pretty cool. Reminds me somehow of The Band playing ?Up on Cripple Creek.? Worth keeping!

Jazzbox: Nice thick jazz tones.

Semi: The Gibson ES-335 and the Epiphone Casino are both great. I don?t have the right amp to sound like B. B. King,, alas, but the Casino gets a good Beatles sound just as it is.

Chime: Easy to see why these Rickenbackers are called ?Chime.? They really do chime like bells. Both the 6 and the 12s are especially well modeled. Sound like Byrds or Beatles without effort and without any need for special effects.

R-Billy: Gretch: The neck pickup brings Chet Atkins to mind. The others seem good, but I don?t have much experience with these.

Lester & Special: You have your choice of a Les Paul Standard, Goldtop, Custom, Junior, and Special. As an acoustic guy, I?ve never played a Les Paul. I?d assumed the dif

The neck, set up by Line 6 techs., is one of the very nicest I've ever played. It's extremely fast and slippery, but not glossy. The frets are medium thick. No buzzes. Extremely low action.

Everything about this was flawless.

Except for the normal annoyance of having eight pounds strapped to one shoulder, this is an extremely comfortable guitar to hold and play, very well balanced. Everything seems solid and heavy duty. (The cover to the battery compartment, for example, is heavy steel.) The only problem is in the floor switch for switching between a P.A. system with a balanced XLR jack and an amp with a !/4" jack. Mine has a loud hum caused by some sort of short, but it's not necessary for playing.

Everything in the Variax looks like it will last. What I don't know is how long the electronics will hold up. This is essentially a computer inside a guitar, and I don't know how it might respond to, say, static shock from dancing around on a wool carpet, or priximity to a speaker magnet, or that sort of thing. Still, apart from that, this guitar seems to be made to last for decades.

Line 6 has a nice discussion board on its web site, and some of its people also monitor www.instituteofnoise.com/forum, which has a very good Variax forum, and answer questions.

Unfortunately, I e-mailed Line 6 three days ago about the switch box that isn't working right and haven't heard from them, so I don't know how good their support is. Others would have a better idea of this.

I've been playing since 1967. Other than the Variax, I generally play a Gibson Blues King Electro. This is the ideal guitar for playing in, say, a church or club, where a variety of guitar sounds would be welcome.

By the way, if you like CCM, check out my book "Joyful Noise: A Sensible Look at Christian Music," which should be available on Amazon.com in June.:

This is a review of the 2003 Line 6 Variax Modeling Guitar. I won't go into the specifics, as these are readily available on the Line 6 website http://www.line6.com .
But just in case you've been living in a cave, let me quickly sum up the features by saying that this electric guitar has digital models of about 50 classic and or highly desirable, electric and accoustic guitars, 6 string and 12 string.
Also included are a few that maybe more fun than useful such as Gibson Mastertone Banjo and Coral Sitar.

The kinds of guitars modeled are everything from Strats, teles, Rics, Les Pauls, ES335s, Gretsch, Epi's Martins, etc. etc.

There is something for everyone here! A great variety of sounds, there is going to more than a few that you will like!

They have modeled every nuance of the Strats (except the single coil noise). It is a real joy to sit and record with this guitar in front of my computer monitor. No buzz, hums or radio stations filtering in. Very cool. I was going to buy noiseless pickups for my Strat, but no need to now. Well that might not be entirely true.... if it just had a vibrato bar (Wammy? trem? you know what I mean).

Does it sound exactly like the guitars it models? Yes and no. Yes, (to my ears) if you put the electrics through a suitable amp, and you put the accoustics through the PA system or through full range speakers.

No, if you play the twelve string or accoustic models and expect to hear all the sounds coming from the strings. It's a little weird but it is pretty cool once you get used to it.

There are some obvious differences that show up. If you use 6 strings to play 12 string sounds, you are going to lose the individual string hits as the pick digs through each note slightly before the next ones.
That's to be expected, but for most tunes, this is not noticeable.

The guitar comes with high quality gig bag. Some hardshell cases are not padded as well.

It was set up very nicely from the factory with Ernie Ball 10's. I may change them 009's for the way I play.

The low E string buzzes a bit, so I am going to have my guitar tech look it over. It's probably just a fret that needs a little smoothing, but I can't see which one it is. This is not a surprise, I have never bought any guitar that couldn't use a little pro set up after shipping. Anyway this isn't a big deal and it's close enough that I wouldn't hesitate to record or gig with guitar.

Finish is very nice, a deep candy apple red on this one. Really looks better than the pictures in their ads. The ads look like fire engine red and it's not. A couple of screws in the pick quard have tiny metal burrs that are sharp, A little steel wool carefully applied, fixed this.

The neck is very lightly finished satin. Feels nice.

Guitar seems well made, solid, and durable. Tuners are smooth and the guitar stays in tune well. I would gig with it, but I always have a backup, no matter what. That goes for any guitar!
The Variax seems on par with modern guitars, and should last a long time with a little care.

Haven't needed support. Works great out of the box.

I have been playing for over 40 years (damn that's a long time). I have owned quite a few guitars in my time. The guitars that are made today are the best ever. There have been good guitars made 40 years ago, but there also were some awful pieces of junk.

The Variax is truly a delight to play. Is it perfect? Nope. Is it fun? Oh YEAH! This little axe makes a ton of really great sounds. It helps if you have an amp that has presets, as you will probably want to tweak the amp settings as you go from one guitar to the next, just like you would if set up for a Strat and then switched to a Les Paul.

I would definitely buy this guitar again. If it were stolen I'd cry, and get another one as soon as I could. I am waiting for the next model with a Trem on it, as soon as that's out I'm there! Still, that wasn't enough reason to wait a year.

There has been lots of discussion on whether the Variax sounds like the guitars it models. By the time you run any guitar through amps and effects, it is very hard to pinpoint exactly what you are listening to. So probably a better question is "Can the Variax make some killer guitar tones that rival the classics?" I have to go with a YES on this one!