'They even have a guitar that looks acoustic but is incapable of playing as a normal acoustic guitar or sounding at all like an acoustic. So, the geeks have built an onboard digital emulator into the thing to allow the guitar to sound like a variety of other instruments. I bit the bullet and felt sorry for the poor clerk and tried it out. Even the acoustic guitar emulator sounded lame! I guess if acoustic guitar makers made guitars that sounded better they wouldn't need to enhance them with all those fancy electronics.'

I think what you are talking about is the line 6 variax. which is a godsend to anybody who doesn't have the meek respectful audiences that folk clubs, folk festivals and the like provide you with. Get the right amp - AER is a good combination - and the variax will deliver a good acoustic sound through the speakers - certainly better than plonking a mike in front of an acoustic. also it doesn't feed back - even at high volume.

If you are using the PA system - you're dependant on some wally at the desk anyway - most of whom ain't got a clue. One time I capoed two - and somehow the whole of guitar sound was gated out. Much better have a big noise, and nail the bastatrds to the wall till their ears bleed if necessary. More power!

You re right about one thing - the sales assistants of England have no idea, even five years on, how to demo the variax. lets face it - getting the sellotape off the box is a logistical challenge for most of 'em!

There is a good review of the variax in this months acoustic magazine. the reviewer initially hates it, and then all of a sudden he gets it. This is the guitar for a guy gigging in a ford fiesta. quite right - I used to have two mackie 450 speakers - nearly a killowatt of power, and still my guitar was virtually inaudible in some noisy pubs (I'm a picker, not a basher) - thats even with a damn good yamaha transducer system. With the variax and I'd have volume to spare with a 250 watt fender passport system.

It might look like the devil - but give the variax its due!