ok is the Variax the future of guitars?

[Innocent Smith]

 

I'd argue that the synthesizer became the future of music, and that amps and especially tubes are going, going, gone. Not saying that there won't still be guitars, or that people won't still play them. But they'll become increasingly marginalized. I can see a day when 'Stratocaster' is an effect, just like chorus or flanger.

 

 

Nothing inevitable about that. The manufacturers will keep making what sells. There are far more types of tube amps on the market now then there were 30 years ago.

[Alecto]

Guitarists are a conservative bunch and they tend to resist change. When the Variax first came out, I heard a lot of people claim the models were lousy; after trying one myself, I started to suspect that it was their technique that was to blame. The Variax sounded good but you had to meet the models halfway. Putting the Variax guts into a credible guitar (like the James Tyler) will help but players will still balk at the extra $$$ for all that circuitry. Besides, the majority of the Variax is about recreating the sounds of yesteryear in a single instrument, rather than creating new ones.

I'd argue that the future of the guitar is the Moog. If I had the $6,000+ I'd be all over this guitar like a fat man on a sandwich:

[*BLEEP*]

Some guy used it live on TV here. Didn't sound very good, looked awful.

 

 

 

Steve Winwood, maybe? If so, I saw that a while back. It was pure audio cheese.

 

PS: I played one of these Variax guitars once a little while back. Like some of you say, the guitar itself was rather cheaply made for such a high price.

[FoonkySteve]

I'm not really sure how they are way overpriced. For about the same price as a Fender American Deluxe you can get a JTV-69 which has the same basic functionality of a Strat (3 single coil pickups, 5 way switch, trem, etc..) iin a well made guitar that also gives you access to all the Variax models and alternate tunings. YOu seriously expect those to be on offer for $400-500? I don't see that happening.

 

 

My bad it seems they do have more affordable options available, but the one below, was the one reviewed in guitarist mag, when they came out, i expected they were all this price.

 

http://www.andertons.co.uk/electric-guitars/pid18999/cid556/line-6-jtv69-usa-tyler-custom-shop-variax-guitar-in-three-tone-sunburst.asp?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=pricecomp&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping

 

 

[Engl Kramer]

Guitars will always be with us, along with the same pointless arguements that fill these pages day in and day out.
I never wanted a Variax but you have to admit this dude does make this one sound if not look very attractive.