Maude

£50 for the lot, absolute bargain. Not to miss a chance of a quick piccy, only to show some more Aria bargainyness (not entirely sure that's a real word) Plays and sounds better than any Squier or other non Fender P bass.

Agreed it's a tiny bit 'clanky' but that's not really a criticism, just my taste, still sounds really cool as it is . I've never really been drawn to the Fender side but I picked up an Aria STB Series P bass for £40, I'd heard the necks were really nice and they weren't wrong, I put some Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders in it and set of Chromes on and somehow it became my main bass. It plays beautifully and sounded instantly like the sound I had in my head, especially in a band situation, strange how you stumble across the sound you're looking for when you're not really looking isn't .

Warwickhunt, thanks for that, at least I know mines not faulty. Bassmachine, I'd love to get [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]a Rick,Musicman,Thunderbird and a P-bass and if you know where I can buy them all for the £290 I paid for my Variax I'll happily trade .[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]In all honesty if you take it for what it is and don't assume you're gonna get tens of thousands of pounds worth of basses for £300 then it really is a good bass, I don't think it was ever worth the £1000 or so they were new.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I gig with a covers band and usually use a P bass with Chromes but this will allow me to have a few different sounds without swapping basses which breaks the flow when a gigs going well. [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]At most gigs you could line our three 'guitarists' up and ask most folks which one plays bass and they wouldn't know, I'm not being mean but why would they, most folks just hear the band as a whole. Only us 'sad' bassists would pick apart the music and say that doesn't sound exactly like a Rick or P or whatever. If I can get a close enough approximation of an upright, a P, a rick and a hollow body then I'm good to go and I think the Variax will do it.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I just need to shut off my critical side and just have fun playing.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I am tempted to try some Chromes on it, I use the 50-105 set and love them but have heard the lighter gauges are too piano like so was thinking matbe trying a light set on it so I still get the high end for the roundwound models but have the feel of flats that I love using. Most of the models need the treble or tone rolled back at tad so upping it a bit would maybe compensate for the Chromes.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Man that was in depth for a Sunday morning .[/font][/color]

Evenin' all, I got my Variax yesterday (ebay unseen) and had a proper play with it today to set up some of the models to my liking. I have a couple of issues I am hoping someone on here can shed some light on. On the whole I am really pleased with the different models but the 12 string has bad tracking issues, obviously I had to try it out by playing 'Jeremy' but when playing the harmonics in the intro the harmonic over the fifth fret really breaks up digitally, if you know what I mean. Also if you play a couple of higher notes together it does the same, it's like the octave two above is just too high for the software to deal with. Secondly the synth models sound quite good but are almost unplayable as the sound keeps fading in and out as if the envelope filter is cutting the sound, actually it's more like a phaser which is cutting the sound, that slow in and out thing but it doesn't have a phaser. If you keep playing 16ths on the same note it almost mutes some notes and every now and again chucks in a random off note almost sounding like a pitchshifter. Are these problems just the way they are or has mine got issues? It's not really bad, more annoying than anything, as I said most of the models are really good and wether or not they accurately emulate the real deals there are some really varied usable sounds at the turn of a dial, which is what I wanted so I don't have to change basses at gigs, but I did want to use the synth for a couple of tracks and it's really not reliable enough, if you play slowly it's not too bad but pick up the pace and it just goes wierd. I am used to bass synths so it's not just the way they are but is it just the way the Variax is? Hopefully someone can shed some light. BTW, jeez these things are heavy .

Thanks Police squad, It's this one on ebay ([url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150835879478?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_1674wt_1110"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150835879478?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_1674wt_1110[/url]) I reckon I'll give it a go. I have an old blue metal cased (DOD I think) passive A/B box which I'm going to use instead of the XPS, solder in a stereo input with instrument pos/PSU pos/ instrument & PSU neg for the TRS lead and then send the outputs to my amp head and a tuner, the AB will mute my signal for tuning and then just be straight through for playing. What's the worst that can happen, fry my new Variax ? Thanks for the help, it'll be here on Friday so let the fun begin .

Cheers guys @ Police squad, is that because you're using it as a DI or is the bass that thirsty? Does the XPS do anything else that uses that power? It does seem strange that a 9V battery will power it but not a proper pedal board PSU. Mine will just be power for the bass. I see you can get an alternative replacement PSU on ebay for just under £15, 9V AC 2000mA, although Line 6 sell them for twenty something including vat and postage, I didn't write it down as when they said they couldn't supply the XPS I lost interest, the chap said it would be cheaper to get one from ebay though, at least they weren't doing the old "you must use a Line 6 PSU or it will bring about the end of the world" line . I also want a pick guard off the sunburst one as I really don't like the pearloid on black theme, I think it would look nice with the red tort on a black one but they can't supply that either , if anyones got one , I'll probably get one knocked up in red tort if not. Anyway thanks again.

I'm using an Ashdown James LoMenzo Hyperdrive at the mo and am liking it a lot. It's very versatile will go from bluesy grit to full on meltdown but it is (like all Ashdown pedals) a bit on the large side. Only around £50 though.

Firstly I'm new around here so be gentle . I've just bought a used Variax but it isn't coming with any extras so no TRS cable, Di or power cable. I know you can just use rechargable AA's and a standard lead but I just know I'll get to a gig and realise I haven't charged the batteries so I need to make up a power supply. 5m TRS cable, about a tenner on ebay, 9v power supply, just a normal pedal one, They're both easy, I'm gonna use an old A/B box with a stereo jack socket wired in for the input and then the two standard outs, one to amp and one to a tuner. What I need to know is which part of the cable does the power go to, tip, ring or sleeve? And I assume it will earth through the negative side of the sound signal. I hope my question makes sense, I'm no electrical whizz but this should be simple enough. I haven't got the bass yet so can't have a look but was hoping someone here might already know. Or even better have a link to a wiring diagram for the XPS Di box. Thanks in advance Allan.

Thanks for the welcomes

Hi, I've come across this site a few times now when searching for stuff so I've decided to sign up . Been playing for a good number of years now but hope to be taught some new stuff on my visits here.