With 29 incredibly detailed Variax instruments-plus the ability to virtually tune down a whole octave without impacting playability or intonation-JTV-89F shatters the limitations of traditional guitars. The Floyd Rose licensed double-locking tremolo system by Graph Tech, high-gain humbucking pickups and lightning-fast fretboard combine to make JTV-89F the perfect instrument for players of heavier, high-gain styles.
The Ultimate Recording Guitar
James Tyler Variax is the only guitar in the world that can sound like an entire collection of modern, vintage and exotic instruments. No more dragging multiple guitars to recording sessions. Thanks to cutting-edge Variax technology, each instrument inside the JTV-89F guitar offers exceptional sonic detail plus organic feel and response-allowing you to capture a wide range of tones in pristine sound quality.
JTV-89F also eliminates many common recording challenges: Stay in the creative flow instead of finding, tuning and acclimating to the feel of a new instrument. Track acoustic guitars with ease. Switch between drop tunings on the fly. Banish pickup noise from your recordings forever. It's the guitar you've always wanted in the studio.
Floyd Rose Licensed Double-Locking Tremolo by Graph Tech
The Floyd Rose licensed double-locking tremolo system by Graph Tech is designed for rock-solid stability in any alternate down tuning-and with any instrument. With JTV-89F, you can use extreme whammy bar techniques with classic electric guitars and exotic instruments like sitar-which would otherwise be impossible without heavy mods. The custom-designed bridge includes built-in piezo crystals that flawlessly translate the Variax guitar tone and dynamics. The precision piezos are housed inside a set of Graph Tech String Saver saddles, which are highly resistant to rust, corrosion or perspiration-ideal for sweat-stained stages and beer-soaked venues.
Access an Arsenal of Drop Tunings-Instantly
Imagine going from Standard tuning to Drop Bb in an instant-without interrupting your recording session or sacrificing an ounce of playability. JTV-89F lets you go lower than guitars have gone before, without worrying about pitchiness or slack strings. You can mix and match any tuning with any instrument-and also create your own tunings on the fly with Virtual Capo. It's easy to save your custom tunings, either to the open Model slot on the Alt Tune knob, or to one of the other alternate tuning slots.
Create Custom Instruments with Variax Workbench
Variax Workbench is your own personal guitar custom shop-with a twist. The software takes you far beyond what's possible in the physical realm so you can build virtually any guitar imaginable. Using the powerful and easy-to-use interface, you can mix and match a wide variety of instrument body and pickup models to define your own sound. You can also set up your guitars with Drop D, Drop C, Baritone or any other custom tuning.
Record with 10 Amazing Acoustics and Eclectics
With instant access to 10 of the world's greatest acoustic and exotic instruments, JTV-89F ensures you'll always get a great acoustic guitar sound in the studio. Each model delivers the tone of a professionally miked instrument in breathtaking depth and detail, capturing the subtle nuances of string vibration through the soundboard and the tonewoods of the original guitar body. It's never been easier to record pristine acoustic takes-all without setting up mics, preamps and EQ, or worrying about a barking dog or nearby lawnmower.
19 Electric Guitars
When it comes to electrics, we've included 19 incredible instruments so you can explore everything from aggressive metal tones to classic rock, blues and more. Featuring meticulous models based on* historic Strat, Les Paul and Rickenbacker guitars, among others, your James Tyler Variax provides instant access to the guitar tones favored by the world's most famous players. Whether you're recording or performing, Variax gives you a huge range of guitar sounds for all styles of music.
Five High-Gain Models
Each of the five high-gain models is based on a different pickup position, and delivers high-gain guitar tone while allowing you to access drop tunings, custom Dream Rig configurations and more. When combined with custom tunings, these models can transform JTV-89 into an extended-range instrument ideal for the many sub-genres of metal. By tuning down the bottom three strings while tuning up the top three, you can simulate the range of a 7-string or 8-string guitar.
Clean Tones Without Hum
When you switch to a clean tone, hum, crackle and other noises can easily ruin a perfectly good take. With JTV-89F, you can enjoy a variety of classic guitars without the distraction of noisy electronics. Thanks to Variax technology, every instrument in JTV-89F is free of hum-so you can enjoy great-sounding, consistent tone when the record light is on.
Legendary Craftsmanship
Designed by master luthier James Tyler, JTV-89F is a supreme player's instrument. The mahogany body complements a 24-fret three-piece maple neck with 6-in-line headstock, super-slick Tyler Fast n' Flat profile, and a rosewood fingerboard with 25-1/2" scale length. A pair of custom alnico humbucking pickups-wound to James Tyler's specs for high output, sizzle and sustain-translates this powerhouse to the amp of your choice. It all adds up to punishing lows, searing highs and aggressive midrange.
Includes gig bag.
Strap on this dream collection of classic guitars at your next gig. Order today.
Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage
Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.
Gold Coverage Includes:
Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidityOther plan features include:
For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details
Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.
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Love the look, and feel. Expected the action to be set up, it wasn't. If it was, they should learn what decent action is.The only "real" problem I have with this guitar is:
When using the Variax, the "A" string is "SIGNIFICANTLY" lower volume than the rest. I'm not comfortable tearing into it to see what the problem is, and I've left multiple help requests on the Line6 forums with no responses.
I'm extremely disappointed that a "new" guitar would be shipped like this but i'm hopeful that a solution can be found.
Line 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
.First, the negatives... The first guitar had one of the piezo pickups not putting out enough level. MF was quick to send a replacement. This was more of a Graphtech QC issue than Line 6 but it should not have been shipped in that condition. The second guitar had a fret buzz and I had to take it to a local luthier to get that fixed. MF, well, Ethan Hoggan, was great about working that out and reimbursing me. Line 6 does need to step up their quality control. (The color varies a lot. One was red, the one I kept was a much deeper, richer, delicious dark red)
Now the good stuff... The sounds out of this guitar are amazing. Every simulation is stellar and being able to retune on the fly is incredible. The sounds are all close enough that you definitely know which guitar it's going for and to be fair, every specific guitar it's modeling will have it's own sound anyway. The acoustic modeling is really good. I can take one guitar to the gig and I have it all covered. I've never owned a Floyd Rose before and it's got it's pluses and minuses, just know you may need a second guitar at a gig because changing a broken string will take some time. All in all, this has become my go to guitar amongst several high end guitars, it's that good. For the money spent, I'm very pleased.
Line 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
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Can snap to any tuning with a turn of the knob and find the right key to fit my voice in a snap great for songwriting and works great with the Helix pedal board with the variax cord a must have for any studio songwriter, and for live touringLine 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
.As others have apparently found, when modeling the A string has a lower volume that the other strings across the board. There is possibly some way to remedy this via the software, but one shouldn't have to when spending this much for a guitar.
Also found it quite difficult to get an acceptable sound with any single model, despite use of PD HD 500X. Tried it direct into a FRFR powered speaker, into a tube amp power amp (effects return) AND a tube amp front end, and just couldn't get it to sound anything but phony. Perhaps that's the best a simulator like this can muster, but it's not what is advertised.
As I said, a great concept and amazing in some ways, like instant tuning changes, but not yet ready for prime time as a performing or recording guitar. Keep working on it, Line 6!
Line 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
.I have a variax 300 and HAD a Hamer with 24 frets, 2 doubles coils and a Floyd. This guitar was to replace both of them. Sold the Hamer while the 89F was in transit. Wish I hadn't. The bar on the 89F is so sloppy it's unusable for anything subtle. Ordered another guitar thinking it was an isolated case. Nope. 2nd one is the same. The first is on it's way back to AMS. The second I will send to Line6 to see if they can correct this. I'm pretty sure this will be a waste of about a month before they say that it's normal and there is nothing they can do. So I expect AMS will be getting that one back as well.
Line 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
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The JTV-89F is really a great guitar. It's very well made with a lot of attention to detail. Mine was perfectly set up on arrival and played perfectly - no need for neck or string adjustments. The neck is slim and fast, and feels a lot like my Fender Strat. The strings are not too close or too far apart, so this guitar plays great when I'm using a pick or just fingerpicking. It sounds great when plugged directly in my amp using the 1/4" standard cord, even without using any of the Variax features. But be aware that unlike a normal 2 humbucker guitar with 2 volumes and 2 tones, the JTV-89F only has one volume and tone covering both pickups (this is not as much of a problem as you may think) because you can split each humbucker into a single coil configuration with the 5-position switch. The Variax models and Workbench HD really give you some awesome capabilities in modeling and configuring any sound you can dream up. I play a lot of Jazz in addition to rock, RnB, and country - the jazzbox models sound great right out of the box, but even better if they are tweaked a bit using HD Workbench. The locking tremolo bridge is really sturdy and works perfectly to keep the guitar in tune no matter how hard you use the tremolo bar. I really like this guitar, and for the price it's a great instrument.Line 6 James Tyler Variax JTV-89F Electric Guitar Red
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