A review of the Variax Standard.

Notes:

• This webpage is a Reddit post discussing the difference between MIDI guitars and real electric guitars.
• A MIDI guitar offers the option of a variety of non-guitar sounds, while a regular guitar will give you the sound of a guitar, no more no less.
• MIDI guitars’ main limiting factor is what you’re controlling them with. A lot come with stock sounds and presets.
• MIDI guitars are marketed more towards guitar players that want a MIDI controller with a familiar form factor.
• MIDI guitars do not sound like real electric guitars; they offer more sound possibilities but come with tremendous playability limitations and price tags 2-5x that of real guitars.
• Squier and Harley Benton make pretty good instruments and are good choices for beginners.
• Squier guitars are mostly rock solid.
• A lot of people recommend Squier Tele or a Squier Strat as a good starter guitar.
• Harley Benton guitars are great for a very affordable price.
• A user recommends Ibanez guitars for about 125 dollars as a good guitar to get to know what it can do and what you can do with it.
• Squier HSS Affinity Stratocaster is suggested for beginner guitar players.
• To record acoustic guitars like electric guitars, you can use contact mics or an acoustic pickup.
• MIDI guitars do not feel right and offer plenty of limitations.
• MIDI guitars are lame because they usually do not track perfectly, and it is better to play a keyboard for controlling MIDI notes.
• A user advises that if you are planning to play into your computer, you will have all the amp modules and effects you could need there.
• A guitar offers the chance to learn to play an instrument, which is universal. You can make it sound like a guitar or even make it sound like 100 other things using the right amp sim/fx.
• Playing a real guitar is better than playing MIDI guitar.
• Making a guitar sound like a synth has been possible with pedals since the 80s and requires special pickups.
• Although there are software tools that can transcribe what you play on your guitar, it will help to know how to play the instrument.
• A user recommends just getting a guitar instead of a MIDI guitar.
• A real guitar offers the proper sensory feedback a MIDI guitar cannot offer.
• Playing a real guitar is good for making music, and it is also nice to be able to play without a computer.
• There is no information regarding a review of the Variax Standard on the webpage.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that since it is a forum post, it contains various unrelated information regarding music mixing. Do you still want me to take notes on everything?

• The webpage is from Reddit and was posted in the Guitar community.
• The post is titled “[QUESTION] What Amp modeler to buy?” and was posted 1 year, 8 months ago.
• The original poster is a guitar player who is looking for an amp modeling software to use with an audio interface and Ableton DAW.
• They have a budget of $500 and are looking for pedal effects and models of Bogner Uberschall and Fender-like clean amps.
• The poster also asks if it’s possible to use their guitar to create bass lines.
• A Reddit user suggests using Neural plugins like Gojira or Nameless Suite/Granophyre and Abasi or Plini, and recommends Submission Audio Grovebass and a MIDI keyboard for bass.
• They suggest that Neural plugins have a 14-day free trial and that most plugins go on sale for 50% or more off.
• The same user also recommends using MT power drumkit and signing up for Nail the Mix, a subscription service.
• Another Reddit user suggests using the Line 6 Helix Native or hardware like the Pod Go or Zoom G5n.
• Other users recommend Good Drums, EZDrummer, Steven Slate drums, GGD’s, SSD 5.5, and Positive Grid Bias FX.
• Some users suggest getting demos and ignoring YouTube shills when trying out plugins.
• Another user recommends HX stomp if the goal is lots of effects, and Helix LT or Helix Floor if additional paths and processing power are needed.
• Several users like Neural plugins, whether Gojira, Nameless Suite/Granophyre, or Archetype Plini.
• There are discussions about the versatility and sound quality of different amp modeling software and hardware, including Line 6 Helix and Zoom G5n.
• Guitar players have shared YouTube demos of recorded music using Line 6 Pod Go with Helix amp models and effects.

• The title of the reddit post is “So the Line 6 Variax. Worth buying? Alternatives?”
• The post is from 2 years ago and has 4 points.
• The user who posted is interested in experimenting with alternative tunings and the modeling of different instruments.
• Several reddit users gave their opinions and experiences with the Variax.
• One user said that the Variax is worth it if it’s worth it to you and that they used to have one and enjoyed it.
• Another user agreed that it is worth it and stated that there aren’t any alternatives to it.
• One user responded to the suggestion that there aren’t alternatives by saying that there are alternative guitar modelers, but none that he believes compete with the Variax at the moment.
• A user expressed concern that the Variax’s sound might be horrible but was assured that there are many YouTube videos demonstrating the sound.
• Another user shared a video demonstrating the Variax’s capabilities through editing using Line6’s Workbench software.
• One user who has been playing guitar for 25+ years said that they got two Variax guitars and only use them for gigs now because of the alternate tuning capability and the instrument’s ability to sound like anything it’s modeling.
• A user who has been playing for only 3 years recommended the Variax JTV 69 and said that the alternate tunings were very handy, and there were several tone presets they loved and switched between frequently.
• That user also advised skipping the older models in favor of the JTVs.
• They also said that the 12 string, sitar, and acoustic presets are nice, but they don’t play very well with pedals.
• Another user weighed in, saying that they have a JTV59P and use it less and less but still value it for its ability to provide a very particular sound and its usefulness as a great p90 guitar.
• They also commented that it is heavy and would not be excited to gig with it for that reason.
• That user also shared that they use the sitar model more than they expected.
• They noted that the Variax doesn’t hold its value well, so it may be a good idea to start with a used one.
• Overall, the general sentiment from the various users who commented was that the Variax is worth it if it fits your needs and that there aren’t many alternatives at this point in time.

• A user in the r/Line6Helix subreddit post from 1 year, 3 months ago wants to purchase a Variax guitar to accompany their Helix but has no local options to try them out
• They ask which model they should consider given their preference for an OLP Petrucci feel, as well as the ability to mimic Strat neck pickup sounds, and their musical style, which includes classic rock and metal
• The user talks about previously thinking the main draw of the Variax was for digital tuning but now is aware of its potential for mimicking body types and pickups of other guitars, as well as acoustic sounds
• A user responds that the HSS version would be best for the user and shares that they have modded their Variax to have an EVH Humbucker in the Bridge with the Seymour Duncan Triple Shot
• Another user thinks that the JTV 89F is the best option for the user since it is similar in feel to their OLP Petrucci guitar, has 24 frets, and can mimic different body types and acoustic sounds
• A different user recommends the HSS JTV as a great choice if the user wants a Strat-style body with the ability to mimic other guitar sounds
• A user asks if you can change the pickups in the Variax without affecting everything, to which another user says the piezo is in the bridge and the user can replace the magnetic pickups with specs specific to their liking
• Another user gives pros and cons of the Variax Standard model, including that it doesn’t take a Fender neck, doesn’t do well with palm muting while using modeling, and its integration with the Helix is amazing, but it feels more like a $300–$400 guitar than one worth $900
• As a follow-up to the original post, the user ended up buying the JTV 89F as it had 24 frets and a similar feel to their OLP Petrucci guitar, despite not being initially interested in the Floyd Rose version, and the user bought it blindly since no store nearby had one for them to try out.

💭  Looking into

A review of the Variax Standard's playability and sound characteristics

💭  Looking into

An overview of the Variax Standard specs and features