Almost A Cure

The Variax 500. 25 guitars in one, and with the aid of a workbench programme, endless variations are available. So basically the only guitar you'd ever need.

You'd think so wouldn't you?

On the one hand, yes, on the other hand........it's another guitar for my collection.

The Variax 500 was introduced in 2002 by Line 6.

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.

The result of this is that you can change from one modelled guitar to another. The technology works well, and the actual tone achieved, well the purist might quibble but they're still bloody good.
The models you can access are :
* 1960 Fender Telecaster Custom
* 1968 Fender Telecaster
* 1968 Fender Telecaster Thinline
* 1959 Fender Stratocaster
* 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
* 1952 Gibson Les Paul "Goldtop"
* 1961 Gibson Les Paul Custom (3 PU)
* 1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior
* 1976 Gibson Firebird V
* 1955 Gibson Les Paul Special
* 1959 Gretsch 6120
* 1956 Gretsch Silver Jet
* 1968 Rickenbacker 360
* 1966 Rickenbacker 360-12
* 1961 Gibson ES-335
* 1967 Epiphone Casino
* 1957 Gibson ES-175
* 1953 Gibson Super 400
* 1959 Martin D-28
* 1970 Martin D 12-28
* 1967 Martin O-18
* 1966 Guild F212
* 1995 Gibson J-200
* 1935 Dobro Alumilite
* Danelectro 3021
* Coral/Dano Electric Sitar
* Gibson Mastertone Banjo
* 1928 National Style 2 "Tricone"
I can't comment on the vintage tones, but I can say that the range available is amazing and probably makes this the most versatile guitar available.

In a live gigging situation this is the only guitar I need, I can switch from acoustic to electric, smooth jazz to dirty rock.

I only recently bought this guitar, I've been intrigued for years but was worried it might be a gimmick. It was only after seeing a mate playing one, and talking to him about it, I decided to buy one. I've never regretted it, I really wish I'd bought it years ago.

The other inovation with the Variax, is that you can connect it to a computer, and using the workbench software you can adjust and tailor the guitar to your own needs. You can programme body shape, pick ups, volume and tone control etc. The possibillites are ( probably ) endless.

A feature that I really like is you can programme in alternate tunings, again this adds to the stage versatility of the guitar. I've even programmed in a Gretsch barritone guitar and a mandolin!

So with all this at your fingertips there's no need to ever buy another guitar...................yeah right!!

I love this guitar to death, but asking me to stop buying guitars is like asking me to stop breathing.

The guitar itself is a joy to play, nice weight, good action and stable tuning. It does everything it promises to do and I can't recommend it highly enough to the gigging musician, but it won't stop me buying the real versions of the guitars it copies, much to my wife's chagrin :-)