Variax queries.

[Maude]

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 .

Edited August 4, 2012 by Maude

[warwickhunt]

"They all do that Sir"... You've basically highlighted the downsides of the Variaxe in your post!

I had one and it was good fun but the 12 and Synth modes were 'just' fun and couldn't, unless you were lucky, be used in a live gigging context. I could get a better/controlled sound from using a couple of effects pedals rather than the Variaxe settings.

Never noticed that mine was 'that' heavy and I'm a stickler for weight, so I think you maybe struck unlucky and the wood density of yours was a heavy one... or mine was the odd one out and was light!

[bassmachine2112]

Get a Rick,Musicman,Thunderbird and a P-bass
they sound perfect with no digital hangovers and look lovely on stands in your living room.
Only kidding,great idea but maybe to many whistles and not enough bells.
I tried one but I,ve still got the real deals.

[Maude]

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]

Edited August 5, 2012 by Maude

[dc2009]

£290? Jeez that's a bargain.

To be honest, I know some synth pedals that aren't too great at dealing with faster playing, or are particularly unforgiving if you leave a note ringing slightly when you change string, so it's not exclusively a Variax issue.

The thing that surprises me is that there hasn't been a proper follow up model; the technology is now many years old and I bet having had the knowledge of making the first one, and the errors with harmonics as you described, that they would be able to make a much better model now.

[warwickhunt]

I bought and sold my Variaxe for about £300 and agree they were never worth the original price tag.

If you like to have lots of different sounds in one bass and 'have' to have that Ric clank or Alembic sound or what-ever then the Variaxe is worth having. However, be aware you are playing a sub £200 so don't expect it to feel as great to play as a £1000 instrument though mine felt and played as good as any Squire or £200-£300 bass.

[TomRichards]

Even with technology the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none" holds true. Honestly, in the 12 string mode harmonics just confuse the circuit because that is what the circuit itself triesn to do.

I had an original variax and what i found was that it was a good bass for a wide ranging gig. The Steinberger tone for Rush, Ric tone for he Jam, Hofner for early Beatles and i found the Hamer 12 pretty good live when trying to be Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick.

With all the choices, its like the "coverband" of basses. If you have a sound that is your own, "fuggetaboutit!"

Coll piece to have around though.

[yorks5stringer]

I had a 5 stringer, bought and sold it for around £400. Once I realised that in the band mix, the nuances of the different sounds got lost and i got bored with all the cables, it had to go!

[Muzz]

I've had a long-standing urge to buy one cheap (£290! Blimey...that'd do) and gut it, then build the bits into a better bass. It was the physical bass itself that put me off, especially at the £700-mark. There's a couple of builds online where people have done just that.

[Leon Transaxle]

Wish I could have found one for £290!
I have the guitar and I find it a really useful piece of kit.

[Raslee]

I shall be returning home off my hols to a 4str Variax later this week....quite looking forward to it...although shame to hear the synths are pants...we'll see

[Maude]

[quote name='Rasta' timestamp='1344455687' post='1764950']
I shall be returning home off my hols to a 4str Variax later this week....quite looking forward to it...although shame to hear the synths are pants...we'll see
[/quote]


With a bit of tweaking and work on technique so as not to confuse it you can get usable synth sounds from it, but it's certainly not what I'd hoped.
I can get it to do Jamiroquais 'Deeper Underground' pretty well with a nice dirty moogey type sound but it just craps itself at Muses 'Hysteria'.


Rehearsal night tomorrow so we'll give it a run at a decent volume and see how things go. All in all I'm really pleased with it, as I said earlier I never expected to be getting a top end bass and never expected it to sound identical to the basses it models, but you can get just about any tone out of this thing you could want, it doesn't sound at all digital ( apart from the multi courses and synths) and I really like the differing sustain on different models.
I've nearly always played mid priced Yamahas and to me this neck feels nice to play, not uncomfortable at all, I'm not sold on the colour scheme (black with pearloid pickguard) but if I decide it's a keeper then it might get a refinish and new pickguard anyway.