Need some serious insight and help!!

[kw_guitarguy]

Hey everyone...

Alright, I have a dilemna that I need some insight from long time players, and new players as well :0

This is my current rig:

Epiphone Firebird VII
Epiphone PR7E
Yamaha Pacifica 112
Yamaha 4 string bass
Ibanez TB-100H head with Ibanez 4x12 cab
Line6 Pod XT Live
Jim Dunlop Crybaby Fazel Wah

The Pacifica was my first guitar, about 13 years ago. Then the 7E a few years later and the Firebird came on board two years ago. I have turned an old guitar case into my effects board with the Pod, DI, headphone amp, crybaby all wired up.

Pic: http://www.atnet.ca/area_51/guitar/PICT0001.jpg

My dilemna is this...I really don't like the Firebird anymore, it's awkward to play, very heavy, and complicated as far as getting a good tone. I still like my Pacifica, but I use it at home to mess around with.

My effects rig is also heavy and complicated. When I play at church, I lug the Firebird, effects rig, stand, music stand, gig bag, music etc...and it's way too much to carry.

What I would like to do, is trade in the Pod XT Live for the X3 Live. The reasons for this are, lighter, XLR and 1/4" outs (can be used at the same time). This way, I can go straight into the PA and my monitor at the same time. This allows me to just take the Pod in a gig bag, as I won't need the Wah, DI, or headphone amp.

I would also like to get rid of the Firebird for something like the Godin Velocity, or a Highway One tele. Something that is simpler (electronically speaking) with just a volume and tone. I would also prefer single coils, as I really like the Pacifica which has a single/single/hb setup.

My wife however, thinks this would all be a mistake and that I would be asking to do this all over again in another few years.

I don't really want to collect guitars as I am sure a lot of you do, I would rather have one acoustic, electric and bass that I really like and will like for years to come.

So, any insight>? Suggestions? Support? hehe..

Thanks everyone!!

~Andrew

[Paul]

Hey everyone...

<big snip>

I don't really want to collect guitars as I am sure a lot of you do, I would rather have one acoustic, electric and bass that I really like and will like for years to come.

So, any insight>? Suggestions? Support? hehe..

Thanks everyone!!

~Andrew

I'll likley need to put my flame suit on for this......

I know a couple of full time pro guitarists that do a lot of theatre type work. They used to show up at a job with an electric, and a 12 string, and a banjo, and a mandolin, and an acoustic.......

They now use Line 6 Variax. Some don't even bring an amp. They send the output to the mix desk and hear themselves through whatever monitoring is provided in the pit.

For a worship application where you want to use multiple sounds, a Variax can be a powerful tool. It does nothing as good as the original, few things fantastic, but most things quite acceptable. In the context of an overall mix, they are more than acceptable. I find that modeling type units sound best through full range systems, whether that system is the 50 000 watt PA, or a JBL Eon Powered Speaker, (get two for stereo). Your XT live would be ideal for this application.

[kw_guitarguy]

Hi Paul,

I have looked at the Variaxes, but they aren't for me. You make some good points regarding them though.

Anyone else have some thoughts on my issue?

Thanks!

~Andrew

[Maxer]

+ 1 on the Variax... but I'd look more at the higher end, where the fit, finish and wood choice is better. Extremely versatile guitar; I saw (and heard) Steve Howe do some very impressive things with a Variaxe in Toronto last time he was here, a couple of years back.

On the other hand, since you're not impressed with the Variaxe line, it sounds like you are more comfortable with a traditional straight-up electric guitar; I do think Godin makes some pretty versatile guitars. If money is tight, you could always try and trade your Firebird for a used Godin... there's lots of them about.

[iaresee]

Fender has some competition for Line6 in this market with their VG Strat. It's more expensive than the Variax but under all that electronics is a nice, solid American Strat. So you can have it both ways. Might be worth looking at. It's gotten nice reviews and even lets you do altered tunings without retuning.

And if I have to pick up one guitar to cover a range of situations it's always my PRS Standard 24. The 5-way gives me just about every tone I need. I know how to pull just about anything I need out of it. Only thing that would make it really perfect would be the ability to split and use just one humbucker for a single coil bridge or neck sound.

[suttree]

a hard thing to learn with gear is how to cart around less stuff... you basically have to learn to get more out of your gear, right?

if you're happy with the sound of the line6 floor unit, then the upgrade sounds like a fine idea... tell your wife that it's in essence a computer (which it is), and that you need to upgrade it every now and then like you do the PC... frankly, the cost difference between what you'll get on trade for the pod and what you'll pay for the new one shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred bucks.

the line6 variax is a good little piece of kit for a live show, really... it does what it's supposed to do, and pretty well. i've heard they'll fit standard US fender type necks, anyone know for sure?

i'm all for simplifying your rig though. the soul of tone is in simplicity, grasshopper :p

[Mogwaii]

If you have cash to throw, the Fender VG Stratocaster is pretty rockin'

[Paul]

Well then....

Strat style guitar with Hum-sing-Hum p'ups. Coil taps so you can go with S-S-S configuration if you like.

An LR Baggs X-bridge so you have piezo saddles to give you an acoustic simulation.

You'll be wired up with a trs output jack on the guitar so the mag p'ups can go to one place, the piezo go somewhere else.

The guitar will have volume and master tone for the magnetic p'ups, and a volume for the piezos.

Keep the pod xt live, use a full range keyboard amp

[fraser]

Well then....

Strat style guitar with Hum-sing-Hum p'ups. Coil taps so you can go with S-S-S configuration if you like.

An LR Baggs X-bridge so you have piezo saddles to give you an acoustic simulation.

You'll be wired up with a trs output jack on the guitar so the mag p'ups can go to one place, the piezo go somewhere else.

The guitar will have volume and master tone for the magnetic p'ups, and a volume for the piezos.

Keep the pod xt live, use a full range keyboard amp


yup i think paul has your answer- easily enough done too. :smile:

[suttree]

that's a great "swiss army" type setup.

i have: clean, dirty, wah on both and a tuner. i don't feel like i'm "not carrying" anything i play, although i'm not playing any "LA" type stuff on a regular basis. i get this with a tele, a simple tube amp, and three pedals.