Variax
Variax is a line of modeling guitars marketed and developed by Line 6. It claims to be the first guitar able to emulate the tones of
25 other guitars, including notable models by Fender, Gibson and many others. It also has a banjo and a sitar tone. The Variax
originally came as an electric guitar, but they have since then introduced modeling acoustic guitars and modeling electric bass guitars.
The number of tones available to the guitarist become infinite when used with the optional Workbench software. The user has the
ability to "virtually" change guitar body types, number of strings; type, positions and number of pickups; and tuning. The latter is
of great benefit to those who want to instantly change the tuning of their guitar to more accurately simulate the sounds of different
recording artists in the genres of country, rock, bluegrass, jazz or blues.
There are two current models of solid body Variax guitars, the 600 and 700, and two now-discontinued models, the 300 and 500.
The original Variax did not have a model number when it came out in 2003, but was labeled the 500 when the newer 700 was introduced
in 2004. The 500 was discontinued about a year later. The budget model 300 was introduced in 2005. It was in limited supply
starting in 2007 and was finally discontinued in early 2009. The 600 model, which resembles a vintage Fender Stratocaster in
many respects, comes with a tremolo bridge and has an all-maple neck with 6-on-a-side tuners. The 700 model, with a carved top like
a Gibson Les Paul or Paul Reed Smith guitar, comes with either a hardtail bridge or a tremolo bridge and has a maple neck with a
rosewood fretboard. It has 3-on-a-side tuners and mother of pearl inlays with an abalone V at the 12th fret. The 700, made in
Japan, is much more expensive than the Korean or Chinese-made 600.
The bridge of a Variax electric guitar has an individual piezoelectric pickup for each string. Each of these 6 signals is converted
individually to a digital signal in the guitar's electronics. This allows for separate processing of the signals from each string.
This allows two technologies that would otherwise be impossible: the modeling of effects caused by one string on the others, and
virtually altering the pitch of each individual string, allowing guitarists to switch between different tunings using a pedal or a
switch on the guitar.
One notable feature of all Variax electrics is the digital output jack. Located next to the standard 1/4" jack, this allows an
all-digital connection to Line 6's Vetta amps and the POD XT Live and X3 pedals. Using this connection the guitarist can control the
guitar's settings through the amp or POD, and create presets which are tied to the amp's (or POD's) amplifier and effects models.
Thus the guitarist can change everything about his or her sound instantaneously, by stepping on a single button.
Customizers may remove the electronics and hardware of a Variax and fit them into a different instrument. These transplants can
look like almost any popular guitar but still emulate 26 vintage instruments. Of course the warranty is voided when the electronics
are removed from the original body.