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.

Variax Electric Guitars

Variax Electric Guitar
Manufacturer	Line 6
Period	appr. 2003 — Present
Construction
Body type	Solid
Neck joint	Bolt-on neck
Woods
Body	Agathis (300), Basswood (600), Mahogany and Ash (700)
Neck	Maple
Fretboard	Rosewood (300 & 700), Maple (600), all with 22 frets
Hardware
Bridge	Fixed (300, 500, 700), Tremolo (600, 700)
Pickup(s)	Saddle-mounted piezo

There are two current models of solid body Variax guitars: the 600 and 700. The original Variax was labeled the 500 when the fancier 700 was introduced in 2004. The 500 was discontinued about a year later. The "budget" model 300 was introduced in 2005 but just discontinued in 2008. 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 and has a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. It also 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.

The electronics and hardware of a Variax are sometimes removed and fitted instead 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.

Variax Acoustic Guitars

There are also three models of Variax acoustic modeling guitars; the 300 Nylon String, the 300 Steel String and the more expensive cedar-topped 700 (available only with steel strings). These have alternate tunings "built-in" and can emulate over a dozen rare and desirable acoustic instruments, including a real Indian sitar, rather than the Coral electric sitar modeled in the electric Variaxes. A premium 900 model was produced in very limited quantities.

Variax Bass Guitars

Line 6 had offered the same technology for electric bass guitars with the 4-string Variax 700 bass and the model 705 5-string bass, but discontinued them in 2007. The 5-string version still commands a premium price.

Guitars Modeled

This is a list of all the guitars modeled by the Variax 300, 500, 600 & 700 guitars. Not shown are those modeled by the acoustic and bass versions.

Solid-body Electric Guitars:
1959 Fender Stratocaster
1960 Fender Telecaster Custom
1968 Fender Telecaster Standard
1968 Fender Telecaster Thinline
1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
1955 Gibson Les Paul Special
1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior
1961 Gibson Les Paul Custom
1976 Gibson Firebird V
1956 Gretsch Silver Jet

Semi-acoustic Electric Guitars:
1968 Rickenbacker 360
1966 Rickenbacker 360/12
1953 Gibson Super 400
1957 Gibson ES-175
1961 Gibson ES-335
1967 Epiphone Casino
1959 Gretsch 6120
1965 Danelectro 3021

Acoustic Guitars:
1959 Martin D28
1970 Martin D12-28
1967 Martin O-18
1966 Guild F212
1995 Gibson J-200

Other Guitars:
1928 National Tricone
1935 Dobro Model 32
Gibson Mastertone Banjo
Coral Sitar