The James Tyler Variax JTV69S is no run of the mill guitar. Combining the latest in cutting edge tone modelling technology that Line 6 have pioneered for over a decade with a beautiful instrument designed by renowned luthier James Tyler, the JTV69S is a guitar you'd be happy to use just as a traditional guitar with the on board three single coils. But if you did that you'd only be seeing the tip of the iceberg! The hidden piezo pickup works in combination with the modelling technology to offer you a wide range of tones modelled on classic instruments from the last 70 years (you know the ones we mean: 'casters, singlecuts) as well as 12 strings, acoustics, and even some more exotic instruments! All you have to do to access this world of extra sounds is a twist of the on board knob! Just imagine on stage switching from a '62 Strat sound to a '59 Les Paul sound then back again all with no fuse and changing guitars!

Here's what Line 6 say about the James Tyler Variax JTV59P
29 Amazing Instruments in One

By combining patented, industry-leading Line 6 digital modeling technology with boutique-style craftsmanship, James Tyler® Variax® is the only guitar in the world that can sound like an entire collection of vintage instruments—28 models, plus the James Tyler-designed guitar itself. No more dragging piles of instruments to gigs or recording sessions. JTV-69S gives you an endless variety of guitar sounds—from classic acoustic and vintage electric tones all the way to sitar and banjo, plus the onboard SSS pickup configuration—in a double-cutaway, 25-1/2â€� scale-length guitar designed by one of the world’s finest luthiers.

18 Vintage Electric Guitars

When it comes to electrics, we’ve included 18 incredible instruments to take you from classic rock sounds to blues, country and more. Featuring meticulous models based on the* 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 performing or recording guitar, Variax gives you an amazing breadth of sounds for all styles of music.

10 Amazing Acoustic and Eclectic Instruments

JTV-69S makes it easy to switch between electric and acoustic guitar sounds on a moment’s notice. The acoustic guitar collection features beautiful six- and twelve-strings, jumbos and a “parlor,� ideal for a variety of genres and playing styles. Line 6’s breakthrough acoustic guitar modeling technology gives these five models breathtaking depth and detail, capturing the subtle nuances of string vibration through the soundboard and the tonewoods of the original modeled guitar body. You can take your tone even further—from country music stylings to the sound of the Indian subcontinent—with the inspiring dobro, sitar, banjo and Tricone models.

1 Finely Crafted Guitar

Designed in the tradition of the classic 25-1/2� scale, bolt-on neck, three-pickup solidbody, JTV-69S features an alder body, a 22-fret maple neck carved to a comfortably rounded Tyler '59 profile. This time-tested design yields the bright, percussive snap and bite that characterize this breed of guitar, with plenty of bluesy warmth when required.

Access Alternate Tunings—Instantly

Imagine going from “Brown Sugar� in Open G to “Kashmir� in DADGAD with the twist of a knob. JTV-69S provides immediate access to 11 alternate tunings, so you can stay in the creative moment instead of spending quality time with your tuner. 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 personal custom shop—with a twist. The software takes you far beyond what’s possible in the physical realm, so the only limit is your imagination. Mix and match the 28 instrument body models (solid-body, semi-hollow or hollow) with any of the 17 pickup models (single-coil or humbucking) to create unique guitar tones or celebrated classics. You can fine-tune all the details of each tone, or change your tuning to Open G, DADGAD, Drop D, or anything else you can imagine, without ever needing a tuner. Once you load your custom instruments into your JTV-69S, it’s easy to access them with a twist of the Model Selector or Alternate Tuning knobs.

Designed by James Tyler, Master Luthier

Spot-on, industry-leading modeling is only half of the James Tyler Variax story. Equally important are the innovative design and boutique playing experience provided by master luthier James Tyler. Tyler’s visionary concepts and meticulous attention to detail have made his guitars the top choice of world-renowned session players and performers—and made him the perfect partner for the Variax guitar series. Each James Tyler Variax guitar was designed by Tyler and is built to his exacting specifications to ensure exceptional playability.

Exceptional Playability

James Tyler has made a career of understanding what makes vintage instruments so phenomenally playable, and applied this expertise to the James Tyler Variax modeling guitars. Since the feel of the neck is one of the most important aspects of a guitar, he chose a proven design inspired by his custom work—and designed the neck joint to provide absolute access to the upper frets. Tyler used four neck mounting ferrules, eliminating the need for a neck plate and allowing him to carve away even more wood from around the neck screws. Crafted from premium tonewoods, JTV-69S sounds and feels incredible.

Expertly Wound Pickups

After decades of partnering with other manufacturers to spec pickups for his custom guitars, James Tyler began winding his own pickups in 2007—and has since released more than 30 variations. Drawing on this vast expertise, Tyler carefully designed the pickups for the JTV-69S guitar. A nod to the traditional format, JTV-69S features an SSS pickup configuration complete with three vintage-voiced single-coil pickups that are loaded with alnico magnets and wound to James Tyler's precise specifications.

Custom Tremolo Bridge

One of the most integral parts of any guitar is the bridge, where seemingly small changes can mean huge differences in tone and tuning stability. Tyler leveraged years of experience to design the James Tyler Custom Tremolo bridge for the JTV-69S, which provides the smooth vibrato action that characterizes this breed of guitar. Each string enters the bridge through the front of the tremolo, which brings the ball end as close to the saddle as possible—facilitating re-stringing. The knife edges and tremolo pivot posts provide nearly zero resistance which, in conjunction with locking tuners, deliver exceptional tuning stability. It’s also easy to intonate, and simple to set up the action.

Premium Nut, Tuners and More

A high-quality guitar nut also plays a critical role in maintaining tuning stability and extending the life of your strings. As you hit the strings on a guitar, they flex, retract and move in the nut—and if they bind even a little, you’ll end up quite out of tune. That’s why Tyler chose the precision-engineered, self-lubricating Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut, which allows the strings to move—and enhances the JTV-69S guitar’s performance and tone by bringing out hidden harmonics in each note.

Play for 12 Hours—Or All Night

JTV-69S features a long-lasting, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which delivers at least 12 hours of playing time on a single charge. It also features a four-LED battery life meter, which lets you know how much time you have left. To get the most from each charge, simply roll down the volume when you’re not using the guitar, and the electronics will go to sleep after just a few seconds. And thanks to the pickup bypass function, you can always use the guitar without batteries.

Headed out on the road? Pick up some extra batteries and chargers, or check out the optional cable power kit.

Get More from Your JTV-69S

Unlike a traditional guitar, James Tyler Variax modeling guitars can expand their capabilities over time. Line 6 is continually working to refine Variax technology, so be sure to check Line6.com for updates that enhance your James Tyler Variax guitar—and the way it integrates with your other Line 6 gear.

The Dream Rig

Individually, the JTV-69S guitar, DT25â„¢ or DT50â„¢ amplifier and POD® HD500 multi-effect processor are powerful sonic tools. Collectively, they form the ultimate integrated dream rig—and provide limitless sonic possibilities. With the press of a single footswitch, you can change sounds, routing, instruments, effects and tuning—instantly transforming your setup into virtually any rig.

Specification
Alder body
Bolt-on solid maple neck
25-1/2" scale length
Tyler '59 neck shape
22 medium-jumbo frets and dot inlays
1-5/8" Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL self-lubricating nut
Sealed locking/staggered tuners (16:1 turn ratio)
Chrome hardware
Fully adjustable Tyler-designed tremolo bridge
L. R. Baggs Radiance Hex piezo pickup system
SSS pickup configuration features vintage-style single-coil pickups loaded with alnico magnets and wound to Tyler's specs
Master Volume and Tone knobs
Model knob and Alt Tune roller knob for easily accessing 28 vintage instrument sounds and 11 alternate tunings
5-way selector switch
VDI (Variax® Digital Interface) for integration with Line 6 POD HD500 and POD HD PRO, and limited compatibility with POD® xt, POD® X3, Vettaâ„¢ II amplifier and other legacy Line 6 products
Lithium-ion battery (12 hours of play time) and international wall charger (also functions as standard electric guitar without batteries)
Variax Workbenchâ„¢ software and USB interface
Includes high-quality padded gig bag
Additional battery, charger and cable kit available separately