MusicRadar

The Variax model selector.

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• Review

After launching the 500 series guitar and higher-spec’d 700 series, Line 6 introduced Variax Acoustic and then the Variax Bass. Then followed the Variax 300, the most affordable version of this concept to date.

At nearly half the price of the 500, Variax 300 seems, outwardly at least, to be pretty much on par build-wise. Importantly, the modelling ‘engine’ is identical to that in both the 500 and 700. So how has Line 6 reduced the cost?

Firstly, Variax 300 is made in Indonesia, not Korea (the 500) or Japan (the 700), and we can assume there are fundamental cost-savings as a result. Secondly, the electronic guts of the guitar are loaded on to the scratchplate - the rear of the guitar simply hosts the battery compartment backplate, unlike in the 500 and 700 which have a large electronics coverplate and body-mounted electronics.

Instead of basswood the body is agathis - commonly used on Far Eastern electrics - and as a result the guitar weighs in at a near perfect 8lbs (3.6kg). The overall outline appears identical although, as you may expect, the forearm and rib contours differ slightly from the 500’s. As we’ve said before, Variax isn’t the sexiest design but it is highly functional. The guitar hangs well on a strap and feels fine played seated, while access to the top 22nd fret is easy thanks to those dual cutaways.

Shape

The neck is bolt-on maple with a rosewood ’board, held to the body with the same four recessed screws on the chamfered body heel as the 500. Although the 300’s nut width is slightly bigger than our reference 500 (12th fret dimensions are identical), the neck depths are pretty much the same and so is the overall shape - a quite bland but acceptable-feeling ‘C’. The necks do feel slightly different in the hand though; there’s a little more shoulder on the 300 in the lower fret positions, which makes the 500’s slightly more ‘V’-d lower fret profile feel skinnier. But, frankly, we’re splitting hairs.

Instead of Variax 500 and 700’s three-a-side headstock the 300 sports a six-in-a-line shape derived from the Variax bass. Unlike a Strat, however, there’s quite a step from the neck’s back to the back of the headstock.

A Fender’s neck has the neck back and headstock back in the same plane, but this stepped head is common on lower-end Far Eastern guitars (we're not sure why) although it does mean there’s a little more back angle over the white plastic nut to the tuners. Once again we have a clear matte finish to the neck’s maple. A slightly vintage tint would add a little sex appeal as the maple itself is very bland looking, and not helped by the dull brown of the Far Eastern rosewood.

Rough

While the set-up is reasonable (slightly high at the nut but far from unplayable) the frets ends are slightly protruding from the fingerboard edge, which immediately gives a sharp feel in the hand. The satin finish to the neck back is quite rough as well, and the fingerboard face also looks a little dry while the frets lack a good polish.