Congrats Assaboi. I've been jonesing for the DT-50 or DT-25 even to complete my HD500, Variax setup as well.
You'll love the JT Variax. I might have waited for the JTV-89F if I had known it was coming out as I would like to have a Floyd Rose style trem as well. Instead, I have the Les Paul style JTV-59.
My favorites are the Telecaster and Martin acoustic models. Probably cause I don't have an actual Tele. As for the acoustic, the JTV is the only way to get anything close through your speakers without a nice room and a couple of good, well placed mics. It's just so convenient to have everything right there.
As for alternate tunings, you've got to make sure your speakers or your headphones are set pretty loud so that you can't also hear the unamplified strings. That will mess with you at first. But hey, with the DT-50, you won't have anything to worry about. Just set the master volume at noon and you're good to go.
One thing I did notice with the alternate tuning knob is that when I set it to drop-D, if I hit a harmonic at the 12th fret e string, the initial attack is way out of tune almost like the intonation is wrong, but I checked that out and it's ok. It kind of bugs me cause I have one tune "Midsummer Daydream" by Rik Emmet of Triumph (old tune, yeah) that uses this. I can't really play/practice this song with that setup. I'd like to know if I'm the only one experiencing this so let me know if your Variax does not do this. Other than that, this guitar is killer. It plays great and even it's magnetic pickups are good. Sounds very close to the real Gibson LP. So even without the modeling stuff it's a great guitar.
I've uploaded an acoustic patch for the HD500 (zip file) that can get you started with acoustic tones. It's essentially uses a compressor, and I've mapped two different chorus pedals and two different reverbs to different footswitches so you can get some nice varied acoustic tones all with the same patch. I think with the acoustic models that's all you need is a bit of compression and reverb to taste. Also, if you have the digital variax cable connected (instead of regular guitar cable) when you switch to this patch, it will automatically select the Martin D28 model. No knobs to turn, just hit the footswitch to select the patch and you're good to go. Is that cool or what?
Click to view attachmentAnyway, have fun with your new JTV.