need bright rounds for Variax bass

henryjurstin13 · #1 11-29-2005, 09:49 PM

I play Rock music with a pick (my tone goal is Allen Woody of the old Gov't Mule) into a tube head...

I am currently using D'Addario EXL170 45-100 Round and my Line 6 Variax seems to be eating the 'fresh, bright' tone up very quickly. The Variax works much better with fresher strings... any suggestions on how to keep these fresher longer? Or, suggest a different set of strings that might stay fresher longer?

thanks, justin henry

PilbaraBass · #2 11-30-2005, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryjurstin13

I play Rock music with a pick (my tone goal is Allen Woody of the old Gov't Mule) into a tube head...

I am currently using D'Addario EXL170 45-100 Round and my Line 6 Variax seems to be eating the 'fresh, bright' tone up very quickly. The Variax works much better with fresher strings... any suggestions on how to keep these fresher longer? Or, suggest a different set of strings that might stay fresher longer?

thanks, justin henry

1..try the stainless instead of the nickels (D'add makes them, too)

2..take your old strings and clean them in denatured alcohol...you can get another couple of uses from them...

Showdown · #3 11-30-2005, 04:57 AM

I've never really considered his tone to be bright. On the first album he use an EB-2 and there was no bightness at all, just EB fatness. On the subsequent albums he used either EB type basses or Thunderbirds, and the Tbirds were a little brighter, but not at all what I would consider bright. To me, deader strings would be closer to his sound.

henryjurstin13 · #4 11-30-2005, 05:26 AM

I like this thick, overdriven sounds... but, I personally, prefer a fresh set of strings. If I could afford it - I would change them out weekly.

I have searched the alcohol threads, and forgive me for asking, but can someone give me a recipe of how much & what kind? Where to find the right kind of alcohol & what the steps involved are?

thanks, justin henry

KJung · #5 11-30-2005, 06:14 AM

Just curious.... I thought the Variax was a 'modeling/midi' type bass, and therefore that the strings themselves wouldn't have that much if any impact on the sound?

wulf · #6 11-30-2005, 06:24 AM

Unlike a midi instrument, which can produce any kind of sound once it has identified the input note the Variax uses a series of advanced filters - no tracking problems but dependent on a predictable input. That means your choice of strings is going to have an effect on the sound, depending how far they vary from the benchmarks the Line6 team used when creating the available models.

Wulf

KJung · #7 11-30-2005, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wulf

Unlike a midi instrument, which can produce any kind of sound once it has identified the input note the Variax uses a series of advanced filters - no tracking problems but dependent on a predictable input. That means your choice of strings is going to have an effect on the sound, depending how far they vary from the benchmarks the Line6 team used when creating the available models.

Wulf

Thanks. I'd like to try one of those sometime. Sounds like a unique and interesting product.

WillBuckingham · #8 11-30-2005, 07:48 AM

Those Variax bass sound pretty interesting. Does anyone know a store in the New York area that has one on the floor?

henryjurstin13 · #9 11-30-2005, 10:30 AM

Certain models in the variax are very, very sensitive to strings. The fretless J-bass model like fresh strings so much - that will dead strings, it doesn't sound the same at all. More like a muddy jazz & not a fretless.

I am pretty sure they come standard out of the factory with D'Addario EXL170's. Not sure about the 5 string though.

I like it - very versatile. You won't find the detail like you might on a F-bass, or Pedulla... but, you can switch from T-bird raunch to P-bass, to Rickenbacker, to 8 or 12 string, to upright, acoustic, or even 2 different Synth sounds.. which sound great. I like it. However, everyone should try them out themselves... Line 6 is a company that produces items that people usually love or hate. They don't leave much of a gray area. It also plays very well... like a nice, heavy Jazz with a big body.

PilbaraBass · #10 11-30-2005, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryjurstin13

Certain models in the variax are very, very sensitive to strings. The fretless J-bass model like fresh strings so much - that will dead strings, it doesn't sound the same at all. More like a muddy jazz & not a fretless.

I am pretty sure they come standard out of the factory with D'Addario EXL170's. Not sure about the 5 string though.

I like it - very versatile. You won't find the detail like you might on a F-bass, or Pedulla... but, you can switch from T-bird raunch to P-bass, to Rickenbacker, to 8 or 12 string, to upright, acoustic, or even 2 different Synth sounds.. which sound great. I like it. However, everyone should try them out themselves... Line 6 is a company that produces items that people usually love or hate. They don't leave much of a gray area. It also plays very well... like a nice, heavy Jazz with a big body.

i tried one for about 1/2 hour about 2 months ago...the jazz bass sounds were very good...the P-bass sound was GREAT...the rest of the sounds IMO were so-so...If I could get one for $1200 AU, I'd buy it...but they're selling these things here for like $3K...no thanks...I have an electronic drum set in mind for that $3K investment...