bapu
{tongueInCheek}
Michael, why you have that Spectrasonics schtuff? You know that's not real, dontchya?
{/tongueInCheek}
 

I think that is a good question Ed.
The reason is because they make sounds that a guitar can't. I can use a guitar to trigger.
I did get the bass software before I bought the Geddy Lee. I bought the bass so I wouldn't need the software and haven't used Specs bass since.
 
But to have a guitar so it can sound like other guitars?
 
I love not only the sound of different guitars but the feel....feeling is so much a part of playing one.
 
I may have to fake the drums and synths but I'll be damned if I'm going to fake an instrument I can play.
Besides all that....Line 6 screwed me out of money. They wouldn't communicate with me about the problem and left me holding the bag. The last Line 6 bag I'll ever be left holding. If they were the last company on the planet that I could guitar from I'd take up building guitars......oh......step ahead of those bastards. LOL.
 
 

MakeShift
Gibson is starting to put out some entry level instruments that are pretty descent.  I have always been a fan of Epi's and then changing out the pickups to Gibson pickups.  However, if some of these newer entry models had been around years ago, I probably would have just gone for them with the pickups already in place.  Aso, by the time you put 2 new Gibson pickups in and Epi, your about at the same price as the Studio.
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPJ14F2SC-14/
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPST14D5CH-14/

I've been seeing these in Best Buy stores here in Ottawa and they look like pretty solid instruments. Some stores even had the smarts to get someone to tune them. What they haven't yet done is put more than one of each on display so you can find the one that speaks to you.

Hmm. Interesting thread.
I personally have my sights set on one of these:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G5622TCBRR
I don't have anything in my arsenal quite like that yet.
But that's not really a suggestion. As you are well aware, instruments can be a very personal thing.
You say she is away at college. Will she be coming home for her birthday?
If so, would it be possible for the two of you to go on a mission to a local music store to acquire her new guitar?
A few years back, I set out on such a mission, accompanied by my wife, Donna.
I spent four of five hours in the acoustic room, with mild intervention from the attending salesman who realized that we were on a mission. Donna handed my selections to me as I played them in A/B comparisons. We whittled the field down to this one guitar that I kept coming back to. I did have a self imposed hard ceiling on the price.
I walked out with a guitar that I love, Donna helped select it, and we have the memory of some quality time spent finding something important to me, and vicariously to her.
I'm sure a similar event would mean a lot to a budding 18 year old guitarist.
That aside, I rather like the idea of the Variax. While I can understand Spacey's disdain(criminy, the man builds gorgeous instruments and winds his own pickups!), the Variax offers more sound flexibility than any one guitar.
It may not be the most premium instrument, but could be invaluable in finding that sound she wants to make hers, and ultimately get the premium guitar that is that sound.
Just some thoughts. hth.

RobertB
 
That aside, I rather like the idea of the Variax. While I can understand Spacey's disdain the Variax offers more sound flexibility than any one guitar.

I didn't quote Robert exactly...
 
Thank you Robert. It's just what that guitar means to me. The fault, if any, is that I haven't mentioned what it could
mean to others. I can understand how it could be a lot of fun, versatile and a smart investment.
( man...sometimes it's hard to honest :)...that almost made me puke.

OK,  I think I've found the solution.
 
I'll get the JTV-59,  (It's LesPaul(ish) shape like she wanted.)
I'll rip out all the electrics from inside and send the wood off to Michael to build a real custom guitar for her.
 
 
I got that right didn't I?
 
 
Something looks wrong.
 
 
Oh well,  off to the store...

As much as I'd love to have a custom made guitar, for the price and versatality the Variax offers, it would definitely fit my needs for recording. 
 
I think it's great to have the ability to switch guitar tones/instruments on the fly and your daughter would appreciate having this at her disposal.
 
At the same time, if I could afford it, I'd love to have a custom built masterpiece by our very own CH luthier, Michael.

Karyn
I'll rip out all the electrics

I really did enjoy that part! lol
 
I appreciate the support of my building but as I told Karyn...it's not a real good thing to get one from me.
Dollar for dollar I can't touch many of the guitars that are offered.
I enjoy talking, ribbing and "window" shopping about them though. Sure glad we have so many choices now. I remember when it wasn't like that..now very good guitars can be had for a few hundred dollars...well, very good for beginners and those that want toys. (lol had to throw that out there:)

 
Of course, you CAN have both (if you can find someone who still knows how to do this).  My custom has both passive AND Variax electronics in it. 

Karyn
 
I didn't start out as a guitar player but now I have three and one of them is a JTV 69, so I guess I'm a guitarish player :") .....Those guitars all have pickups in them  so they can be played like any other guitar. I don't have the american version so the fit of my guitar probably isn't as good as the american. The JTV 59 is a nice instrument built a lot like a LP. Same scales I think. 
 
From my limited experience with guitars and JTVs in particular I think a player needs to fall in love with the instrument. That never really happened with the JTV 69. It makes killer recordings of many different guitars but something about that guitar just isn't me, know what I mean? When I look at it I look at something totally utilitarian. I never really melded with it completely, maybe that's just me and you were looking at the 59 which is different but has the same insides. I think she should at least try it to see if it works for her IMHO.
 
The pros are- Can be made to sound like pretty much any guitar. Has a set of stock pickups in it as well. For the price it can't be beat in what it does.The software that comes with it lets you basically build your own guitar how you want it to sound. The guitar gives the player a good idea of which guitars have what sounds.
 
The cons- The cheaper 59/69/89 ships with only one battery. If she has any line 6 pod HD then it will power the guitar . The battery can go dead if you don't keep it in the charger. There is a small learning curve using this guitar compared to a regular guitar. Some players didn't like the neck on the 69 and it looks like the 59 has a fairly wide neck as well.Not huge but a few mm might make a difference.
 
Still to have this in her collection would give her a lot of capability.
 
Line 6 like to continually make changes to their products. I bought the HD500 and now not much later they come out with the HD500x...so there is a good chance that in the near future there might be a company announcment that the JTV is no longer supported and they came out with the JTX or something. That doesn't change her still having a nice guitar but there might be something else coming out.

"From my limited experience with guitars and JTVs in particular I think a player needs to fall in love with the instrument. "

I'm sure for most people, what a guitar sounds like and how it plays are the key factors. For me, the way a guitar looks has always been an extremely big part of the whole experience. Example, great guitars...Seagull's......for some reason that headstock design just doesn't do it for me. No offense at all to Seagull owners, they really are great quality and I really tormented over buying one once. I just couldn't get over my dislike for the shape of the headstock though, and finally passed on it thinking I needed to really love what I was going to buy.