Variax Workbench - Adjust String sensitivity

Started by admin, March 13, 2018, 08:27:29 AM

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admin

QuoteRewolf said: ↑
In general you want to lower the gain of each string until you can hear a difference as you lower it. Variax appears to have compression on the string signals (makes sense if you think about it) so you get more dynamics if the levels are lowered to minimise this compression for your normal playing style, strings, specific set of piezos.
Not to bring up old stuff, but this right here just totally changed the variax for me. I've had 5 JTV's and every time I get rid of it because of this weird sound that sounds like compression. I've never been able to find anybody who knew what it was. This was the fix! Holy crap, I'm stoked now. Thank you!!
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/jtv-string-volume-balance.1816386/

admin

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/28910244/

davidb7170 wrote>
I have the 59 and the 69S, both since 2011 and 2012, been gigging them regularly since then. Love them both, but especially my 69S, since I'm a Fender guy. I lowered the global piezo string levels to -5.5dB on all strings on both JTV's to give the signals more headroom, and that relieves the compression that happens that squishes the signal initially. I then went through preset by preset and adjusted the preset string levels to balance the different models, and then boosted the preset volume by adjusting the pickup and/or preset volume to even the presets out to my liking. I also lowered my mags on both JTV's so the mag to model volume differences were much lessened, and the 59 to 69S mag/model levels were more on an equal setting so switching between the 2 guitars doesn't require two different sets of presets on the Helix. If I break a string on one, I pick the other off the stand switch the VDI cable and go. Interestingly enough, I've never had to do this (knock wood), but could if the occasion would arise. They've been work horses, play and sound great. I do tend to use the mags the most, but do have songs with drop tunings and lower keys, plus acoustic and banjo for some songs. Very versatile.

The other advantage to lowering the mag pickup height is it lessens the magnetic pull of the pickups on the strings, that can cause weird interactions and harmonics on the strings that can muck up sustain and such on a regular guitar, and add bad effects to the JTV/Standard models.

A good physical set up and my adjustments to the model presets made the models MUCH more dynamic and real sounding.