Has anyone checked out these guitars? They look interesting but I can't imagine paying $2600 for one! I wonder how they play/sound for that kind of money.
Vox Virage?
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- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 14, 2008 8:03 a.m. audiodrome:
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Oct 14, 2008 9:10 a.m. Dr Nyl:
Hasnt checked or tried but they had great reviews about the Virages in the UK magazine "Guitarist".
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Oct 14, 2008 9:12 a.m. Proteus:
This post was clearly wrong, and I wouldn't want to put anyone off what might be a great guitar by praising it.
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- Rated: 66 ↑
Oct 14, 2008 9:17 a.m. Walter Broes:
Just like Taylor's solidbodies, they remind me of Ovation's experiments with electrics. Which I think are offensively ugly.
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Oct 14, 2008 9:21 a.m. JazzBoxJunky:
Yucko, and on what planet is it good to have 2 toggle switches that close together.
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Oct 14, 2008 9:22 a.m. Proteus:
Well, there's nothing more to be said, then.
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Oct 14, 2008 9:27 a.m. Walter Broes:
Proteus, don't be offended! I wasn't replying to your post, I was really just saying what came to mind first time I saw those in an advertisement! Sorry!!!
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Oct 14, 2008 9:40 a.m. Proteus:
First time I saw them (someone mentioned them months ago, I think), I thought they were ugly and uselessly derivative – but I didn't bother to really go through the material at the site discussing development and features.
When I did that today I came away with a completely different perspective.
I agree that the single-cut especially can be amazingly ugly from some angles; it looks like it's way too low-waisted. Vox's photography on the site manages to stay away from the ungainly perspectives, but this Ebay ad finds the uglies.
The doublecut, though, seems well-proportioned.
I'm not completely a fan of the sound holes or inlay graphics, which share a motif, but they don't disqualify it for me.
I too had no use for the Ovation electrics (though the Preacher was interesting in shape, anyway), and have no use for anything from Taylor; their electrics seem to me to offer no reason for their own existence other than for Taylor to sell electric guitars to their fan base.
The Voxes, at least as far as I can tell without actually trying one, do make sense.
My first reaction to the closely-spaced switches was negative as well – but then I realized they're pickup-mode switches, and I can clearly see the advantages of having them close together. For one thing, you could tell immediately by feel, with your eyes closed, which was which and what position it was in. With a couple fingers, without moving your hand, you could set both of them to any desired position. And if you wanted them both in the same position, you could do it in one stroke.
What's dumb about that?
My original post:
That is a seriously impressive new guitar design. Every detail thought out, well-conceived, and beautifully implemented.
The "arched" kinda wraparound body has been done on solidbodies (as in Brian Moore), but I don't remember seeing it on a semi before, and if so surely not done this well. Ought to really make the guitar comfortable.
The carved "tone bars" (wonder where they got THAT) seem a very smart alternative to the usual railroad-tie-down-the-middle, and I even halfway buy their rationale for them.
Aluminum bridge – well, duh.
Pickups are certainly interesting. They look great, and the thinsingle-fatsingle-humbucker concept is a winner, if well implemented. I'm mostly impressed with the sound samples, but would have to have it in hand to really know. The switching is smart.
Mahogany and ash - yeah! The world did not need another maple-over-mahogany guitar.
The long-tenon smooth-heel neck joint is interestingly implemented on a semi - though not as smoothly done as Tom Presley at St Louis Music did it 23 years ago on Westone Spectrum solidbodies.
The website is very well done too, from copy to look to layout to audio/video. In all the clips regardless of amp/tone setup, the guitar has appealing girth and body in tone, bright enough without being spiky, and not muddy or overfat.
(The country and funk clips badly miss their marks musically, but I'll assume that's not the guitar's fault.)
Kudos to Vox for pulling off the difficult stunt of designing a semi-hollow that both innovates intelligently and honors tradition. I'm very interested to try one.
But no Bigsby, or at least some vibrato?
That's almost a fatal flaw.
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Oct 14, 2008 9:50 a.m. Walter Broes:
I see where you're coming from, but guitars that are "too thought through" and try to be several things at once, always strike me as fish nor fowl, and remind me of this :
Almost every feature of it makes sense from the designer's point of view, and plays into what seems to be a big industry buzz word ----> "versatility", but the end result is..wel...
The doublecut reminds me a little bit of a National Bobby Thomas model, even though this example has a particularly hideous sunburst. (and lost its original Bigsby!)
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Oct 14, 2008 10:20 a.m. JazzBoxJunky:
I'm glad you reposted the original review Pro. Just for the record no one was attacking your post, just giving our opinion.
I still think it's overpriced, unattractive and overgadgety, but I think some like that kind of guitar. Sadly, the price will most likely kill the whole deal. IN MY OPINION
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Oct 14, 2008 10:27 a.m. happydog:
I would love to try one. (It should be said that I also love the Ovation electrics unashamedly, and if I could find a Deacon or Breadwinner at a sane price I'd have one). However, at that price nobody in my neighborhood has one and I'd be unable to buy it (thanks, Wall Street!), so, nothin' but a beautiful dream. Anyway, I want a Power Jet first if I'm going to drop big bucks on a guitar.
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Oct 14, 2008 10:28 a.m. audiodrome:
For me, this is a Vox guitar. Nothing else will ever do!
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Oct 14, 2008 10:28 a.m. Ric12string:
I would probably not be inclined to buy this guitar any time soon, for several reasons, but it looks like a decent instrument. I have to agree that the sound clips were pretty impressive, in terms of their overall diversity. And, while Proteus didn't like what was being played on the country and funk clips, the tonal qualities of each were still good. I happened to like the country clip, but it didn't particularly showcase very well the single-coil sound that I think that you would want in that application. But, otherwise, it seems like a reasonable instrument. A little bit pricey.
Edit: Oh yeah, Audiodrome, I also like the old Vox Phantoms. I have one made by Phantom Guitar Works, out of Oregon, and it is a fun guitar. I have never warmed up totally, however, to the Kent Armstrong pickups that it has in it. Not sure why...it just feels a bit on the thin side and I just don't get the tones that I am looking for.
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Oct 14, 2008 10:33 a.m. Proteus:
JBJ, I think it's definitely overpriced for a new entry, but it is Japanese, and at least list prices are par for that course.
Attractive is all in the eye of the beholder; as I said, I'm not a fan of the singlecut, but the doublecut seems OK.
Overgadgety I still don't see – body construction and bridge are conservative as innovations go, and require nothing of the player; the pickup mode switches are nothing but taps, and even with those it has no more controls than the average Gretsch.
Of course, all just opinions.
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Oct 14, 2008 10:34 a.m. audiodrome:
My '66 UK Phantom doesn't play that great (the neck kinda sucks), but I can get some nice Tele-like sounds out of it, and it sure looks cool! If it wasn't for the "cool" factor I'd probably sell this guitar tomorrow. I sold my '67 US/Italian Phantom last year. As a player's guitar, they're just not that good. I'm sure the Virage plays and sounds much better than any of the vintage Vox guitars but it looks a little strange to me.
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Oct 14, 2008 10:59 a.m. Rex:
I look at the Virage as a collector piece. At its price point I don't think its going to be a big seller and won't be in production long. BUT, I've been wrong before.
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Oct 14, 2008 12:01 p.m. AndyJ:
Meh. Definitely not my cuppa joe, in both the looks and electronics department. But who am I?
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Oct 15, 2008 5:35 p.m. drmilktruck:
I would be more interested if they included a piezo as well.
