Variax Transplant

[TheTomSmith]

I've been considering transplanting a Line 6 Variax's electronics into a different guitar, and was wondering if there are any guitars with enough space inside to accommodate the electronics w/o much more routing. Any suggestions?

[WRGKMC]

Which Variax, There are many different versions. The biggest question you need to decide is, do you want to destroy both guitars resale values? If you strip the Variax, the resale goes down to what you can get for scrap parts on EBay. The guitar you move the electronics into will also have its resale value wiped out. "Maybe" is its a really pro job someone may like what you did, but I highly doubt it will come anywhere close to the devaluation of both instruments.

Then if you choose a cheap guitar to modify all the electronics into, is that really a step up from what you already have?

From there An exact fit isn't likely. I'd need a shot of what's under the hood before I could even guess at what might work.

Judging from exterior shots, The Strat type Variax use a non standard pickguard and the upper wheel area at least would require additional routing. Unless you have experience using a router, I suggest having it done by someone very good so its a professional job. I'd likely choose a Strat with a boat route, not a traditional three pickup route.

 

I'm sure you could probably fit all of it in a semi hollow body. Again, If you have a Strat type Variax I'd likely ditch the pickguard. Its unlikely to fit any other instrument and made purposely so by the manufacturer. Next you'd have to cut routes for the controls and make new face plates. None of which is exactly fun.

 

I just don't see this as a good mod myself. At least taking a guitar pedal and mounting it in a guitar, you only leave behind a box. A Variax transplant you leave behind a useless guitar that would also need to be modified to a non modeling version.

[mindwave65]

actually when the Vax came out the body was hated so uniformly that folks like carvin actually made bodies that you could swap out, I think they has a strat a tele and an lp style, but its been a while. I do some building myself and have always said Id love to find a cheap vax and build the perfect neck/body(for me) for the cpu.

 

But even the 300's are still going for almost $300 in my area and thats just too much to throw away.

 

HOWEVER you might try my NEXT project on for size.

 

The line 6 pocket pod is $50 used in most places, and IT would fit quite easily in an explorer body (with the right routing) and some internal wiring an BAM youre very OWN programmable variax style setup!

 

I would not discourage you from doing it, if you own one of the original series do a search on google and ebay i'll bet you;ll still find someone making bodies with the carve out for the cpu.

 

and if not, head over to TDPRI and check their DIY for 6 month or so and you'll want to build as well!