I am an acoustic player but wanted a Variax from the moment someone turned me on to them but decided to take the plunge last week with a JTV-59 after watching your videos. Please continue your good deeds....and they will be rewarded :)
Hey Chad! New to Helix and Variax, but loving the transition into the modeling world. I too wanted to simplify my rig and got tired of hauling around heavy Tube amps and speaker cabs. Really appreciate what you're doing with your videos! They've been really helpful and easy and fun to watch! Keep up the good work and I'm now a Subscriber!
FYI: “CAT5” describes the standard that the twisted-pair cable (usually used to carry Ethernet) conforms to. The _jack_ that you’re pointing to is called “RJ45”. Thanks for the info on how to get everything connected. Most videos just show how to work in the Workbench software.
Thanks Chad. I know this is a bit dated back a few years. I recently acquired a Shuriken Variax with not a scratch on it. Magnetic pickup works perfectly, however the modeling does not light up at all... no modeled sounds, no alt tunings, no LED light. Sort of the point of having this guitar, right? I ensured the battery is fully charged, all lights on the back when tapping the battery button. The main pot for the banks seems to not really depress much and no led light on what is selected. I opened up the back cover and all looks new in there too. Nothing obvious. I submitted a ticket into Line 6, but I am pretty sure without a receipt of new original purchase, I am going to be packing sand. Looked up and there are a couple of authorized shops in my area, so maybe thats a good route, as well. Just wondering if you had any thoughts to add? Thanks. UPDATE: Got it working albeit, its stiff, by pulling and pushing on the pot until it lit up. Still feels pretty, eh, grainy in there. Going to use some air and see if its just dust like a regular pot.
3 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol and one part marvel mystery oil. Mix and draw into a syringe. I use this on pots and mixer sliders. If you’re in an amp, use nonconductive plastic tip in syringe.
I’ve had my Variax 700 (and Vetta II half stack) since they came out. Great guitar! Unfortunately, since Line 6 stopped supporting the Vetta II, I no longer have any way of editing the amp or guitar via software (nor did I get the USB adapter). Will this USB adapter work with my older Variax? I’ve considered selling my Vetta (I don’t gig) and going for a Helix, but they’re pretty old now, too. Basically, I’m looking for ways to squeeze more life out of my Variax.
@@ChadHuskey went to check out the black JTV today. Was not impressed with it at all. Would have to change the neck and swap out all 3 pickups....just not worth it unfortunately. If I could buy a body only cheap on eBay maybe. I am so disappointed I wanted to buy it so badly.
I'm sorry you didn't like it :( The first Variax I bought was a 59. I played both the 59 and 69. To be honest the day I tried them out, the first time I had played either one of them, I didn't like the 69 at all. I thought the 59 felt way better. A few months later I saw a 69 at Guitar Center that was a demo and the price was so good I couldn't pass it up. It had a broken string, a loose nut, and one of the frets had an issue. I took it home got all the issues sorted out and much to my surprise it became the guitar I played the most. I didn't love the stock neck, mainly because the nut width was too narrow for my taste. Once I wore the frets to the point I needed to have some fret work done on it I replaced the neck with a Warmoth neck I'd had for years and really loved. It has stainless steel frets so I don't have to worry about them wearing out :) Now not only is it the most functional guitar I have, but my favorite to play as well. As far as the magnetic pickups I never use them, so that was never an issue for me. Though I thought they sounded ok. I've only ever played with them a handful of times, and not for very long. I will say this to put it in perspective though, I'm very much not picky about the guitars I play. As long as I have the chance to set them up the way I like them, I'll pretty much play anything. Playing the Variax guitars back to back with my Fender SRV Strat and Gibson Les Paul I have no problem leaving the "real" guitars at home and taking the Variax guitars to the gig. There are just too many things I can do with the Variax and Helix live that I can't with standard guitars. Plus I honestly think the Variax guitars are nice quality instruments and play well. But I realize that a guitar is a very persona thing to people. Certain guitars you bond with and certain you don't. Maybe if you ever come across a great deal on a used one it could be worth your while to check out. Once you get used to everything it can do it's hard to go back ;)
@@ChadHuskey I really wanted to like it believe me 😂 Haven't ruled it out should a good deal on used one surface. I have all the other line 6 gear this would be the final price of the puzzle. Def would be replacing that neck too no doubt. Still watching your vids too 👍
I get it, there are times I've gone to the music shop dead set on buying a piece of gear and it just didn't click with me for one reason or another. Been there many times :) Thanks as always for watching the videos!
I just got the standard it sounds a little muddy and there's a mid-range thing that's a little wonky.. I hear you have a whole download for the variaxe. And mine is the standard new one.. were you able to change EQ?. And where can I listen to yours and download it?
Super cool video Chad. One thing I didn’t catch is the famous volume pot, I seem to recall a frustrating evening where I had intentionally left the volume at zero ( if you’re running on battery setting the volume to zero will switch off the Variax component and maintain the battery longer. Is it true you need to ensure the volume is not at zero when you’re doing updates - in addition to plugging in the 1/4 jack to turn on Variax?
Thanks! I just tested this with the volume knob turned down and it's still communicating with Monkey no problems. I know that on battery power with 1/4" cable it will go to sleep after a period of time, but I'm not sure about when the Cat 5 cable is also plugged in if it goes to sleep, even with the volume knob down. I have it hooked up now and letting it sit for a few minutes to see, but I don't think it's going to sleep. I've never paid attention to this before, but I usually keep my volume knob on 0 when not playing just by habit, so it's likely I've done updates before with it turned down.
Need help. I installed everything. I have the older interface. Both are green. When I open monkey. All it comes up wihh the is the pod go which I do not have. It won’t detect variax. Variax is plugged in and battery in. Work bench says it needs updated to 2.00 or higher to work. How can I fix this.
No, the hx stomp does not have a vdi jack to connect to the Variax. Basically that means that the hx stomp won't power the Variax and you can't use the hx stomp to change settings on the Variax. But you can plug the Variax into the hx stomp with a regular guitar cable and use it that way. You still have the Variax feature set, you just control it on the guitar hardware only. And you have to make sure you have your battery charged.
Hi Chad, I have bought a used Variax Standard which has been tweaked by the first owner I want to set it back to the actual new version with all the standard guitars. I have a Mac with M2 Apple silicon. There is no Line6 Monkey Version working on Apple silicon. So my problem is, that I can not use Line 6 Monkey. HD Workbench works fine with Apple silicon. What would you recommend to reset my Variax Standard? Can I do it with the help of HD Workbench? Greetings from Claus, Germany Schwarzwald.
There isn't a way to reset to the factory bundle without Monkey and for some reason Line 6 doesn't have a download link for the default factory settings. You'll need to find the original bundle file, which isn't on Line 6's website for whatever reason, and load that in. HOWEVER, if I may suggest I have a replacement bundle for the Variax on the Line 6 marketplace which I've tweaked and volume leveled everything across the board to sound better. If you want to check that out it's here: shop.line6.com/marketplace/varaix-tweaked-complete-bundle.html I googled and found a discussion thread where someone posted a link to the stock bundle: mega.nz/file/OYhgFCyR#vpefsoJg9rL-LDI02lGUFYSHnSc2GrPo_wv-uy_CyoE It looks to be legit, but it's just something I found in a thread. Here's the original thread line6.com/support/topic/61419-where-is-the-factory-bundle/ Hope that helps.
@@ChadHuskey Thank you so much Chad 🤩. I will buy and install your tweaked package today. And thank you for your great and helpful videos about Helix & Variax. This will solve my problem. Regards, Claus, Germany, Schwarzwald
Hi Chad, I know this vid is a year old, but I hope you get this message. I just purchased your Variax Everything Bundle and was wondering if you have a tutorial somewhere on how to install this on my Variax. JTV69, Old style "dongle", Helix user (if that helps, though I believe that the Variax cannot be updated through the Helix IIRC). Do I use the "Update from File" option associated with the Flash Memory on Monkey's Home screen? Also, how do I save my current settings in case I want to revert (Hopefully not, lol, but you know how we guitar players are). Thanks in advance!
Thanks for picking up the Everything bundle! The only thing you have to access to add these to your Variax is a connection to Workbench. Which you can do via Helix. The only thing you can't do over Helix is update the variax firmware, but you won't need that to add these guitar models. The everything bundle has the sounds saved as banks and presets. It also includes the tweaked stock bundle which does have a bundle file. In workbench under the file menu you can choose to load preset, bank, or bundle. You can also open the files in Windows Explorer and drag and drop them into workbench. You can save the stock settings as a bundle (everything saved in one package), or you can save individual banks and presets as a back up. I did a live stream a little bit ago and at the beginning of the live stream I go over how to load presets into the guitar: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--I-z2tVLGHE.html Hope this helps!
@@ChadHuskey Thanks for all the info, and so quickly! Actually, my biggest problem now may be finding the file itself. I will double check my trash from my email, but I can’t seem to find the actual file, just explanations on how to register my software etc. I will keep looking for it, wish me luck!
@@stevesheroan4131 To download the files go to the line 6 website. Log into your account and when you click on the account icon look down the list and click on Marketplace Downloads and it should take you to the page to download the files. Hope that helps :)
Afternoon. I’ve been dreaming of a Variax for years, just picked one up off reverb. It doesn’t have a usb interface. I’ve searched the web and can only find one in Italy for $300 plus. I’m I in trouble? Can you use a cat5 to usb from Amazon? Are there any other work arounds? I need help my friend. Hope this finds you. Marc
Hi Marc Unfortunately I've heard so many people say this happened to them. Every Variax comes with one, and seemingly no one who sells one still has it, and I truly don't understand. I don't like being the bearer of bad news, but you will need some type of interface. Off the top of my head here are some ideas 1. I don't know what type of buyer protection Reverb has, but if the seller did not disclose that the USB interface was missing then you did not get what you paid for. There might be some type of recourse there. Either some type of reimbursement or maybe the seller can locate it. 2. I would also contact Line 6 and open a support ticket to see if they can help you find one. $300 seems very very expensive for that. 3. If you do have a Line 6 product such as Helix or the hd500, you can use that as the interface for Variax. I haven't used my actual USB interface in years because I always use the helix to get the Variax signal to the computer if I need to edit in workbench. Could be a good excuse to buy a helix if you don't have one 🙂 I hope this is helpful and good luck!
Wow! Thank you so much for getting back to me. I do have a Line 6 Firehawk FX. Have you heard whether the fire hawk can be used as an interface to workbench? If not, will the Helix Lt, the lesser expensive helix work as an interface to workbench?
@@marcsmithlawns you're welcome! For sure the helix lt will work as an interface. Since the firehawk has a vdi port it to control Variax parameters, it should work as an interface for the Variax as well. You'll just have to test it to make sure, but I'd be surprised if it doesn't work for you.
Thank you again. I really appreciate you taking the time. I’m ordering a Variax cable off Amazon right now. When I get it tested on the Firehawk, I’ll let you know how it goes. I assume I’ll need to set up a line 6 account, down load and update the fire hawk, then open workbench and hope it recognizes the variax. I’ll review your video again. Seems like you need to plug a 1/4in Jack into the variax to turn on the power also…. Thanks again
You're very welcome for the videos! I am unsure if a generic adapter will work. I would opening a support ticket with line 6 and I'm sure their support staff can let you know. They're usually really great help 👍
Hello i have a line 6 HD 500 and a Variax 300 i want to plug it into my computer what USB connector i should get ?? the first one or the second one that you show at the beginning of your video, thanks
It’s not detecting my jtv 59. I went to workbench and it says the guitar needs to be updated to 2.0 It’s all connected correctly. I’m assuming I’m missing a driver But I can’t update it it’s not detected by monkey And advice appreciated
hi chad, I just got a shrunken Variax and I want to just connect it to my amplifier and use the knobs on the guitar. however the models and tunings don't seem to change at all. Do I need to have helix to make this work? I thought Helix was just an option.
No you don't have to have a helix. Make sure that your battery is charged. Secondly when you plug in the Variax you press in the model selection knob to turn on the modeling. You'll see the back light on the knob turn on. If you don't turn it on all you'll hear is the magnetic pickup.
That's strange. If the battery is charged and the Variax won't turn on there may be an issue with the switch. This is kind of a long shot, but connect the Variax to your computer via the USB adapter and make sure you also have the 1/4" cable plugged in as well. See if the guitar is recognized by the computer when you press in the model selector knob. If so maybe trying reloading the firmware. If not I would open a ticket with line 6 about it. They should be able to take care of you.
@@ChadHuskey thanks Chad. The workbench software definitely sees the knob turns but not a knob press. Apparently monkey is not supported anymore either. I will contact tech support. Appreciate the help. -Paul
@@Ironbrood4426 that's strange that work bench sees the guitar but the models won't turn on when you play it. Tech support should be able to get it sorted. As far as I'm aware monkey is still available. It's the only way I'm aware of to update/reload the firmware if needed. If you go to the line 6 downloads page and search under the software tab it's still listed. Don't worry about selecting Shuriken on the hardware tab, just go straight to the software tab.
So, I can't charge my battery anymore. I have several cables, and I would like to power up my guitar, but cannot figure out how to do it without the battery. I'll spend the $80 for a battery if the tones are acceptable and the ability to store some tunings works better than the last time I tried several years ago. Any suggestions re: powering up with the cables that Line 6 included?
If you have a helix you can use the vdi cable to power the guitar via the helix. You'll have to purchase the cable if you don't already have one. It wasn't something included. Also don't spend $80 on a battery. They can be ordered for $35 from next batteries. If you search on the line 6 marketplace I have several bundles of presets that I created for Variax that improve the tone considerably. The tuning function is one of the major reasons I use Variax exclusively. To my ears it's very usable for +/- 3 semi tones. After that you start to hear some artifacts, though it's still very usable in a live setting.
Just picked up a used shuriken and after updating workbench it said to not use a hub but it won't recognize the guitar. I've updated drivers and everything, guitar is powered up and I got nothing. Any ideas?
Ethernet hub or switch? I'm not sure if one should be using either with a Variax, but you might try a switch which is a full-duplex and multicasting device. Hubs are 'dumb' and just bounce data to all ports whether requested or not, wasting bandwidth and this might prevent your Variax from handshaking with the PC or vice-versa.
chad can I use my variax 600 with workbench I am using windows 10 ? line 6 support tells me they don't think I can and said I need windows 7 to use it ???? please help
Varaix 600 does work with the original version of Workbench, but not the Workbench HD version. As far as whether or not it works on Windows 10 you’ll just have to try that out to see. If Line 6 says it’s not supported I would tend to think they would be right, but it never hurts to try. Best of luck with it!
I have much Work to run a Workbench for my old Variax 500. :-/ old Flash-Version, WInXP in VM-Ware running, find a Browser, how is running on this ... not nice , Line6!! I still can play my 1956 Gibson but my 2003 Varix is for Trash? think about this, Line6: It is a Guitar not a IPhone. It should work for MY lifetime.
To be fair to Line 6 it is a guitar that's based around digital signal processing. So the comparison to a 1956 Gibson isn't a 1:1 comparison. Super cool that you have a 1956 Gibson though!! The Variax should function as it did from the factory indefinitely. So it shouldn't stop working. All of the older software and drivers should be available. Are you saying that you have to use XP to run the older version of Workbench? While it's not an iPhone the Variax is a technology product. And the 500 was the very first version of that product and is going on 20 years old. When using a DSP based guitar eventually you will have issues with drivers and operating systems, but it shouldn't stop functioning. You'll just have a harder time interfacing it with the computer.
