Reviewed by:
jjaw, on june 29, 2009
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Price paid: € 250
Features: Seeing as it was (according to the german Vintage guitars website: Vintage-rocks.de) only released this year I take it was made in 2009, but I sadly don't know where.
This Guitar has 22 "medium-Jumbo" Frets, a Rosewood Fretboard on a Mahogony Set neck, scale: 24.75". The SG shaped Body is also made from mahogony, which isn't that common at this price. It is Finished in "arctic white", has a black scratchboard and pickup holders, and the Hardware is Gold. The Bride is a, for this type of guitar, normal Tune o matic style bride (made by wilkinson), the non locking tuners are Wilkinson WJ44s and the ceramic Pick ups are Wilkinson MWVC Humbuckers. You may have noticed, all the hardeware is by wilkinson, seeing as Trev Wilkinson started Vintage. Quite a great extra, seeing as he owns both companies you get better hardware, than you would usually, find at this price. The VSAW has a normal 3-way selektor for pups and one tone and volume control each.
Besides a trussrod andjustment key, there was nothinh in the box besides the guitar, cardboard polystyrene and the little salt pack - in other words, no extras. // 9
Sound: Until now I've always been more of a metal PLayer (my own stuff rather than covers) but I decided to buy this guitar of my mate (wehn he offered it to) to help me expand my playing abilities into directions such as rock and blues. So far so good, I'm enjoying playing various AC/DC Riffs etc and also improvising solos, and I believe I have improved (probably just because I'm doing it more now)
I've played It through an Orange Tiny Terror, Marshall JCM 800 and my home practice amp from Cheri (r15 or something similar). If I want more OD than the amp can Deliver I use my Marshall Jackhammer to add power. The clean sound is a bit thinner than I expected on the Bridge pick up, but very round and full on the neck. If you add distorion or overdrive the neck and bridge equal out a bit in terms of fullness. I personall ywould have loved a slightly more powerfull pick up at th bridge but I can happily live with the mwvc. The tone knobs do their job well making noticable diffrences to the sound, giving rounder or brighter, slightly more aggressive sounds. so in short: it is great for what it is intended and with the Jackhammer I can play Metal at the lower ends of distorion tolerance.
No unwanted sound or noise so far. The pups also seem quite low on feedback, seeing as I got none what so ever when I tore the pre amp and Master volume all the way up on the JCM 800. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: I don't know If this guitar had an "extra" set up compared to the ones you buy (as mention before I got it of a friend that won it.), but the way it was set up was okay. Low action and no string noise (or what ever it is called whed you can hear the strings slapping against the frets further up the neck). I put the action down a bit more, sadly resulting in a bit of said string noise, but only when listening to the guitar its self, you can't hear it through the amps. Now I have super low action and resultig great play-ability. The top fret acces is great, thanks to the neck transition at only about the 21. fret, and good cut-outs. The first time I played the guitar, I remember just going up and down the neck with my hand while talking to my friend. When I had my hand right at the top of the neck I was wondering why, din't the put an extra 2 frets on here? Even with 24 frets the neck would be compfy all the way, and access would be good! The lackered neck, although not to thick, isn't the fatest, so it probably wouldn't appeal to shred-heads. It's nice for just "grooving" and also for chords ("Standard" and Barrι). I couldn't find any actual flaws but the stock strings were... bad, and snapped on the first day, but the d'addarios I have on there now fine, so it was no fault of the guitar itself. I raised the bridge pickup slightly to improve gain, and I'm happy with the result.
"only" 7 points here for not beeing set up quite perfectly, bad strings and not using up all the potetial of the neck. Sadly the guitar is quite top heavy - but apparentl ythats normal with SGs or SG style guitars. // 7
Reliability & Durability: So Far It has withstood everything I've thrown at it and although I haven't played It live and probably won't, at least not with the people I usually play with (mainly metal lovers) I expect It would cope nicely. The hardware seems reliable although I'm not sure about how long the gold'll stay shiney. - But that is the least of my worries. As for the strap buttons, can't beat stap locks, but for the stock buttons they're great.
I think you can depend on it, seeing as everything is wired and soldered cleanly. The only reason I wouldn't play this live with out a backup unless there is no other option, is the same reason I wouldn't play any guitar Live without backup. Changing stings mid-set - couldn't be bothered!
The finish seems quite thick and I don't think it would wear easily but If it does - I wouldn't be bothered - I like a slightly used look. // 9
Impression: For my newly discovered love of playing rock and blues this guitar is Top! I've been playing guitar for about two years and I have loads of bits and bobs, it's not worth listing them all.
I don't think there was anything to ask besides wether I can test before I buy. You don't get offered a Brand New guitar for 90 off the list price everyday, so It was a no brainer to take the guitar once I decided that I liked the way It plays. I found out yesterday that the street price is about 290 but I'm still 40 beneath that, so I'm not going to complain. If you're wondering why my friend wanted to sell the guitar if it is "so good" the reason is simple. His style has changed a lot to what it used to be (and when he owned the previously mention Gibson) and he only plays Strat now. there for the guitar was no use to him.
I don't plan on losing this guitar but If it were stolen I'd be rather p*ssed. I'd see if I couild get a new one through insurance ( depending on where it was nicked from and what the situation was, if there is any insurance... ) And if not and I decided it was worth paying for a "home and fun" guitar again, I'd probably go for the same model or the Les Paul version.
I love how easy it is to jam on this, and how compfy it is. I hate the 24.75" scale, because when I do play metal I rarely hit the pinchspots for pinchharmonics straight of - all other guitars I have or have played are 25.5" I chose this guitar, because it was all I was offered but when I heard the price was a Vintage I looked them up and this was one of the once that caught my eye so I'm happy.
I've played many guitars (real cheapos, Cort, Gibson, Fender, Washburn, Epiphone etc.) and I don't think you can get a better guiatar at this price in this category, but that is my opinion and I could be proven wrong. Feature wise this guitar is as complete as it will get, but I must get a case for it (or a well padded gig bag) but that is nothing to do with the guitar.
If you want a good guitar at a low price, and you're not into extreme distortion, but prefer light(er) distortion (or you want a guitar to help you improve you're stings in these directions): go for it. // 9
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