Testing a Variax 700 guitar

You already know my interest in Variax modeling guitars so it is normal to also test one, beside reading reviews and listening how it sounds on YouTube. So, this last weekend, because, Silviu, my friends who owns one, was in Pitesti, I had this occasion so I asked him to let me test it at our rehearsal room.

So, Sunday morning we’ve met there. First impression? Despite what I have read on the internet and I was afraid of, the guitar is very beautifully built and gives a nice feeling of a job well done. He owns a beautiful Variax 700 model, red, so my opinions are about this model. I hope 600 model will also be well built…

The first guitar I was curious how it sounds was an acoustic model. Actually, any acoustic model, since if you find there at least one that sounds realistic, it’ great! So we’ve plugged the guitar in and started to play.

I can tell you it was not what I was expecting, the sound was not realistic at all, in my opinion. It sounded like a strange electric guitar but nothing like an acoustic. Maybe a bit that string scratch you get on an acoustic more than on electric.

Silviu told me that live, on stage, when set up correctly it doesn’t sound this way, sounds more realistic, since it should not be plugged through a combo.

OK then, let’s plug it on the PA system directly on a voice channel. We’ve plugged it in, cut the EQ and let it ring!

Well, here the situation was a bit different, the guitar sounded more realistic than through the combo and it emulated an acoustic guitar quite close. The 12 string acoustic guitar was nice also! So, as a short conclusion, the acoustic model is OK. Does not make your jaw drop, but it is OK for those moments when you need an acoustic guitar and don’t want to carry one with you. Plus that setting it takes only a spin of a knob while setting an acoustic guitar on stage takes more than that…

How about electric guitar models?

Well, here I had a blast! Really! I totally loved the distortion you get when you play the Gibson Les Paul modeled guitar, both on bridge and on neck “pickups”. Yeah! Rock on! True, rich sound and clear at the same time, notes that blend well when playing power chords and distinguish well when playing solo! I loved that! We played it through a Digitech (for electric models) and we bypassed the effect for acoustic models.

I also liked the Strat model, but I liked Tele models better for clean patches due to that sparky sound which worked great with the clean preset on the Digitech. And again, Gibson model works great on clean too!

The rest of the models were fun to try, but I don’t know if I will ever find an use for them: 12 strings Rickenbaker sounds great, I love it, banjo, sitar, great feeling but…where would I use them? Also jazzbox guitars were fun to try but not very useful to me also. But Gibson and Fender models work great!

The guitar was not heavy, or at least seems like a regular weight I am used to. I haven’t tested the tremolo bar, it was not mounted and I had no curiosity about it since the model I am interested in is 600 and not 700 and these 2 models differ very much when comparing the tuners so it wouldn’t have been relevant.

Very easy to play, beautiful fret inlays, knobs and “pickup” switch easy to use.

As a conclusion, the guitar made a good impression on me and the possibility for me buying one increased dramatically. However, it would be interesting to also test a 600 model…

Or just buy the God damn guitar and move forward!!!

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