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BAW4742 · May 3rd, 2008, 12:25 AM

Hey guys. I wanted to toss this at you.

Line 6 Variax.

Think about it for a minute. What’s your first thought? What a piece of sh*t. That’s not a real guitar! That thing is so uninspiring. down right ugly.

If you go back to the 50’s I bet you’d be hearing the same thing about Teles and Strats. But they were on to something – something new and different. Why did Gibson and everybody else start following?

Sure, it’s easy to look back now and say they created classics or icons. But did the guitarists see it at the time? They were too busy rocking to worry about that.

If you knew what was coming would you have sold those old guitars that you had years ago? Somewhere along this long strange trip those same guitars somehow miraculously turned into vintage guitars.

So all I’m saying look to the future. Line 6 may not be there with the Variax but they may well be on the right path. The next icon may come from the maker that comes out with a digital guitar that can model the classics and create its own new voice as well. Maybe it won’t even model the classics but just create its own voice.

Who’s to say some young buck can’t come along and say I like all of this vintage vibe but I wanta thrash this guitar into a whole new realm. If enough people jump in and dig this new sound then there’s your next icon

Fender helped usher in a new age of electronics sound for guitars in the 50’s and it spawned a whole new music. Ya’ll listen to any classic rock from the 30s or 40’s? Arp and Moog helped do the same thing in the 70’s with synths. I’m not saying it’s the same thing but think innovation.

Look at what’s come of those beginnings. Synths were designed by electrical engineers to be marketed to college professors. But as David Bowie once said “Put that stuff in the hands of musicians and you’ll get all kinds of musical farts coming out of it that the engineers never intended. That’s where you get your new music” (That’s more or a paraphrase than a quote – I don’t remember exactly what David Bowie said when I heard him on the radio but that’s the jist of it)

I expect I’ll get lit up over this – but keep in mind that this is only my opinion. And it’s late at night and the Gin is making more sense than I am.

Sorry for the long message guys. I have trouble making it through these long ones myself so I guess I lost a lot of ya’ll a long ways back. Oh, by the way, I’m not getting rid of my Teles and Strats. And I dont work for Line 6 in case you're wondering.

Take it light ya’ll 'cause that’s where I’m coming from. Peace. Out.

May 3rd, 2008, 12:25 AM	#25 (permalink)
BAW4742 Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Age: 51 Posts: 643	I read this earlier and been thinking..... Hey guys. I wanted to toss this at you. Line 6 Variax. Think about it for a minute. What’s your first thought? What a piece of sh*t. That’s not a real guitar! That thing is so uninspiring. down right ugly. If you go back to the 50’s I bet you’d be hearing the same thing about Teles and Strats. But they were on to something – something new and different. Why did Gibson and everybody else start following? Sure, it’s easy to look back now and say they created classics or icons. But did the guitarists see it at the time? They were too busy rocking to worry about that. If you knew what was coming would you have sold those old guitars that you had years ago? Somewhere along this long strange trip those same guitars somehow miraculously turned into vintage guitars. So all I’m saying look to the future. Line 6 may not be there with the Variax but they may well be on the right path. The next icon may come from the maker that comes out with a digital guitar that can model the classics and create its own new voice as well. Maybe it won’t even model the classics but just create its own voice. Who’s to say some young buck can’t come along and say I like all of this vintage vibe but I wanta thrash this guitar into a whole new realm. If enough people jump in and dig this new sound then there’s your next icon Fender helped usher in a new age of electronics sound for guitars in the 50’s and it spawned a whole new music. Ya’ll listen to any classic rock from the 30s or 40’s? Arp and Moog helped do the same thing in the 70’s with synths. I’m not saying it’s the same thing but think innovation. Look at what’s come of those beginnings. Synths were designed by electrical engineers to be marketed to college professors. But as David Bowie once said “Put that stuff in the hands of musicians and you’ll get all kinds of musical farts coming out of it that the engineers never intended. That’s where you get your new music” (That’s more or a paraphrase than a quote – I don’t remember exactly what David Bowie said when I heard him on the radio but that’s the jist of it) I expect I’ll get lit up over this – but keep in mind that this is only my opinion. And it’s late at night and the Gin is making more sense than I am. Sorry for the long message guys. I have trouble making it through these long ones myself so I guess I lost a lot of ya’ll a long ways back. Oh, by the way, I’m not getting rid of my Teles and Strats. And I dont work for Line 6 in case you're wondering. Take it light ya’ll 'cause that’s where I’m coming from. Peace. Out.