The Collection - Guitars & Stringed instruments
Lowden S32
My 60th birthday was coming up and I decided that a really good guitar would be a good way to celebrate that milestone, or at least to ease the pain of knowing I was that old! A long search followed over several months. I was looking for a smaller body guitar, preferably with a shorter scale - I have fingers that are increasingly getting arthritic twinges and I want to reduce the strain and extend how many years I can play.
That size restriction limited my choice somewhat. A good number of visits to local shops resulted in frustrating failure - I could find good guitars but none that were better enough than my Tanglewood TW73 to make them special. I was looking at guitars from £1k to £2.5k. Plenty of Martins and Taylors included.
Then I got to try over a few weeks a Lowden guitar thanks to the extreme generosity of a forum moderator. It was a longer scale instrument but the sound and quality of the guitar made me start looking seriously at the more hand made end of the market. There were so very few around locally though.
I then found out about a shop called "Celtic Chords" in Stonehaven, some 140 miles away. Who stock a large number of handmade guitars. A visit there with my better half including an overnight stay nearby meant I had a very enjoyable morning trying out some very good guitars. Two of which stood out. A Brook Clyst and a Lowden S32. If the Lowden hadn't been there I would have happily got the Clyst and vice versa. But after a bit of a mental struggle I had to pick one and the Lowden won.
The S32 has such a wonderful balance of sound across the strings and up and down the fretboard, plus a purity of tone and a beautiful sustain. That sustain also has a bit of a bloom on it which is great for open tunings. It also just feels so well made. No bling on it and quite plain looking but that's fine - I'd rather just be paying for sound quality. It is similar to the one I borrowed, but the model was revised by George Lowden a few years back and the current version is shorter scale, so it ticked all the boxes for me.
I still fear that the guitar is much better than I will ever be as a player, so I don't get the most out of it, but I look forward to trying to!
My 60th birthday was coming up and I decided that a really good guitar would be a good way to celebrate that milestone, or at least to ease the pain of knowing I was that old! A long search followed over several months. I was looking for a smaller body guitar, preferably with a shorter scale - I have fingers that are increasingly getting arthritic twinges and I want to reduce the strain and extend how many years I can play.
That size restriction limited my choice somewhat. A good number of visits to local shops resulted in frustrating failure - I could find good guitars but none that were better enough than my Tanglewood TW73 to make them special. I was looking at guitars from £1k to £2.5k. Plenty of Martins and Taylors included.
Then I got to try over a few weeks a Lowden guitar thanks to the extreme generosity of a forum moderator. It was a longer scale instrument but the sound and quality of the guitar made me start looking seriously at the more hand made end of the market. There were so very few around locally though.
I then found out about a shop called "Celtic Chords" in Stonehaven, some 140 miles away. Who stock a large number of handmade guitars. A visit there with my better half including an overnight stay nearby meant I had a very enjoyable morning trying out some very good guitars. Two of which stood out. A Brook Clyst and a Lowden S32. If the Lowden hadn't been there I would have happily got the Clyst and vice versa. But after a bit of a mental struggle I had to pick one and the Lowden won.
The S32 has such a wonderful balance of sound across the strings and up and down the fretboard, plus a purity of tone and a beautiful sustain. That sustain also has a bit of a bloom on it which is great for open tunings. It also just feels so well made. No bling on it and quite plain looking but that's fine - I'd rather just be paying for sound quality. It is similar to the one I borrowed, but the model was revised by George Lowden a few years back and the current version is shorter scale, so it ticked all the boxes for me.
I still fear that the guitar is much better than I will ever be as a player, so I don't get the most out of it, but I look forward to trying to!
Ozark Tenor Mandola
Having a mandolin and an octave mandolin I thought the collection needed completed - so I looked for a Tenor Mandola.
I first tried a Hora as the Octave Mandolin I got from Thomann was so good - but the Hora tenor I received had a high zero fret so there were intonation and action problems - sent back with no fuss for a quick refund.
I ended up with an Ozark - of very similar design - quite possibly from the same factory?! Same bridge, same headstock shape and design, same shape and design on the tailpiece.
It's a different tuning to the Mandolin and Octave Mandolin which is a bit confusing but it has a good sound - it cuts through the mix well but without the treble harshness of the mandolin. Excellent value for a cheap instrument but I did get it from Omega Music who do a proper set up job.
Having a mandolin and an octave mandolin I thought the collection needed completed - so I looked for a Tenor Mandola.
I first tried a Hora as the Octave Mandolin I got from Thomann was so good - but the Hora tenor I received had a high zero fret so there were intonation and action problems - sent back with no fuss for a quick refund.
I ended up with an Ozark - of very similar design - quite possibly from the same factory?! Same bridge, same headstock shape and design, same shape and design on the tailpiece.
It's a different tuning to the Mandolin and Octave Mandolin which is a bit confusing but it has a good sound - it cuts through the mix well but without the treble harshness of the mandolin. Excellent value for a cheap instrument but I did get it from Omega Music who do a proper set up job.
Hora Octave Mandolin
I found the mandolin such a very small fretboard it was cramped. The sound is quite shrill too. So I thought I'd go for a bigger fretboard and a deeper sound. So an Octave Mandolin was order of the day. As it was very much an experiment I only went for a modestly priced Rumanian built Hora. I did get to play a Morgan Lewis which was a beautiful instrument but at 5 times the price or thereabouts!
It plays much better than the price level would suggest and has a good tone. Certainly a match for instruments I tried at twice the price.
I found the mandolin such a very small fretboard it was cramped. The sound is quite shrill too. So I thought I'd go for a bigger fretboard and a deeper sound. So an Octave Mandolin was order of the day. As it was very much an experiment I only went for a modestly priced Rumanian built Hora. I did get to play a Morgan Lewis which was a beautiful instrument but at 5 times the price or thereabouts!
It plays much better than the price level would suggest and has a good tone. Certainly a match for instruments I tried at twice the price.
Tanglewood TW73
A Parlour sized guitar bought for open and altered tunings, leaving it's bigger brother the TW45 in standard tuning.
I tried quite a few guitars locally and this one was streets ahead. Interesting to note it has a cedar top, as does the TW45 - I think I prefer the extra warmth of sound from cedar instead of the more common spruce. I've noticed this preference in comparison videos since then too. It also has a solid mahogany back rather than laminate which maybe helps.
It's not much of a looker - a satin finish rather than glossy, and no real ornamentation to speak of. The sound is what this guitar is all about for me.
It's a shorter scale 24.75" which suits my tender finger joints. As does the narrower 43mm nut width.
Despite it's smaller size it still has a decent bass voice and projection. Where it really shines is in it's sweet treble notes higher up the fretboard. The fretboard is beautifully silky. A real joy to play and very difficult to put down - I find myself wandering round the house with it still strapped on ... never had a guitar that did that to me before.
A Parlour sized guitar bought for open and altered tunings, leaving it's bigger brother the TW45 in standard tuning.
I tried quite a few guitars locally and this one was streets ahead. Interesting to note it has a cedar top, as does the TW45 - I think I prefer the extra warmth of sound from cedar instead of the more common spruce. I've noticed this preference in comparison videos since then too. It also has a solid mahogany back rather than laminate which maybe helps.
It's not much of a looker - a satin finish rather than glossy, and no real ornamentation to speak of. The sound is what this guitar is all about for me.
It's a shorter scale 24.75" which suits my tender finger joints. As does the narrower 43mm nut width.
Despite it's smaller size it still has a decent bass voice and projection. Where it really shines is in it's sweet treble notes higher up the fretboard. The fretboard is beautifully silky. A real joy to play and very difficult to put down - I find myself wandering round the house with it still strapped on ... never had a guitar that did that to me before.
Tannhauser Mandolin
This was an instrument of my late fathers, purchased at least 30 years ago. As far as I can tell it was made in what was then East Germany, Markneukirchen in Saxony. Many instruments were produced in that area, but due to teh principles of the regime luthiers were not allowed to put their names on instruments they made.
Truth be told it's not a high quality instrument, but it does have a clear voice, and has worked very well. As it hadn't been played for over 20 years the strings did need changing!
What a tiny little fretboard it has - thankfully I've got pretty thin fingers.
This was an instrument of my late fathers, purchased at least 30 years ago. As far as I can tell it was made in what was then East Germany, Markneukirchen in Saxony. Many instruments were produced in that area, but due to teh principles of the regime luthiers were not allowed to put their names on instruments they made.
Truth be told it's not a high quality instrument, but it does have a clear voice, and has worked very well. As it hadn't been played for over 20 years the strings did need changing!
What a tiny little fretboard it has - thankfully I've got pretty thin fingers.
Vintage V100 Lemon Drop
I've had Vintage brand guitars quite often and used to have a standard V100 model - I've always found them to be very good value for the price level. After several months I'm convinced the Lemon Drop is even better than just good value for the price level - it is just a very good guitar, full stop.
I've found it to be very versatile and to be a guitar that encourages creativity. Great tones for melodic lead lines from the Wilkinson PAF humbuckers - designed on the basis of Seth Lovers original pickup after a long talk between Lover and Trev Wilkinson.
Quite a hefty 10lbs in weight, but just about manageable with a thick padded strap - worth it for the tones and the playability. I know a lot of players get this guitar due to the Peter Green pickup out of phase arrangement when both pickups are selected, but I've found the sounds from the neck pickup on it's own to be wonderful.
It has very much relegated all my other electric guitars to occasional use.
I've had Vintage brand guitars quite often and used to have a standard V100 model - I've always found them to be very good value for the price level. After several months I'm convinced the Lemon Drop is even better than just good value for the price level - it is just a very good guitar, full stop.
I've found it to be very versatile and to be a guitar that encourages creativity. Great tones for melodic lead lines from the Wilkinson PAF humbuckers - designed on the basis of Seth Lovers original pickup after a long talk between Lover and Trev Wilkinson.
Quite a hefty 10lbs in weight, but just about manageable with a thick padded strap - worth it for the tones and the playability. I know a lot of players get this guitar due to the Peter Green pickup out of phase arrangement when both pickups are selected, but I've found the sounds from the neck pickup on it's own to be wonderful.
It has very much relegated all my other electric guitars to occasional use.
Hagstrom Viking Deluxe
A second-hand purchase on e-bay, and without ever having tried one. They're very rare round here.
Amber Sunburst.
Body - contoured ply flame maple. D'Aquisito style bound s-holes.
Neck - Canadian had maple, set neck. 14" radius. D'Aquisito style headstock with pearloid binding.
Fingerboard - Resinator wood (long life & eliminates hotspots/wolf-tones) with Pearl Block markers.
H Expander Truss Rod - special design allowing very thin neck.
18:1 Die Cast Tuner Keys.
24.75" Scale Length.
2 x Hagstrom HJ-50 Pickups calibrated fro large hollow bodied guitars.
3 way toggle pickup selector switch.
Long Travel Tune-o-matic Bridge.
Hagstrom Trapeze Tailpiece. Offset design to reduce symathetic resonances.
2 x Volume, 2 x Tone Controls.
Really shows its classy tones through a good valve amp.
Matt Thorpe shows how good it can sound on YouTube.
Now with Seymour Duncan/Seth Lover SH55 pickups - wonderful sounds and improved playability.
Amber Sunburst.
Body - contoured ply flame maple. D'Aquisito style bound s-holes.
Neck - Canadian had maple, set neck. 14" radius. D'Aquisito style headstock with pearloid binding.
Fingerboard - Resinator wood (long life & eliminates hotspots/wolf-tones) with Pearl Block markers.
H Expander Truss Rod - special design allowing very thin neck.
18:1 Die Cast Tuner Keys.
24.75" Scale Length.
2 x Hagstrom HJ-50 Pickups calibrated fro large hollow bodied guitars.
3 way toggle pickup selector switch.
Long Travel Tune-o-matic Bridge.
Hagstrom Trapeze Tailpiece. Offset design to reduce symathetic resonances.
2 x Volume, 2 x Tone Controls.
Really shows its classy tones through a good valve amp.
Matt Thorpe shows how good it can sound on YouTube.
Now with Seymour Duncan/Seth Lover SH55 pickups - wonderful sounds and improved playability.
Self-Build "Stratocaster"
At the sixth attempt to self-build a guitar this is a "keeper".
Natural finish one piece northern ash hand made in UK body.
Gloss finish Soft Honey Flame Maple 22 fret bolt-on neck with 12" radius.
Maple fingerboard.
25.5" scale length.
Wilkinson Steel block Trem Bridge.
Wilkinson vintage style pickups S/S/S.
Wilkinson Kluson style EZ lock machine heads.
Upgraded with hand wound pickups from Chris Hernandez in the USA in November 2012. Very mush an improvement - in sounds and in playability of the guitar. Has brought it very close in quality to the more expensive Hagstrom.
Natural finish one piece northern ash hand made in UK body.
Gloss finish Soft Honey Flame Maple 22 fret bolt-on neck with 12" radius.
Maple fingerboard.
25.5" scale length.
Wilkinson Steel block Trem Bridge.
Wilkinson vintage style pickups S/S/S.
Wilkinson Kluson style EZ lock machine heads.
Upgraded with hand wound pickups from Chris Hernandez in the USA in November 2012. Very mush an improvement - in sounds and in playability of the guitar. Has brought it very close in quality to the more expensive Hagstrom.
PRS SE Soapbar
I liked the sound of the P90 pickups in the VSA590 a lot.
The PRS was bought to give me a solid body guitar with P90 pickups. Made in Korea.
It's good quality and I like the playing action - but the pickups were "hot" and I don't go for the sound - quite compressed and coloured. I'd like clarity and airiness. So a search went on to upgrade with Vintage style Alnico II pickups. The choice made was Tonerider Vintage P90s - lively sustain and clear chiming sounds - what a transformation for the better to my ears.
I also found the guitar was set up for light guage 9s - having changed the strings to my preferred 10s I then found the nut needed filed - the 5th and 6th strings on a set of 10s were too wide to fit.
The PRS was bought to give me a solid body guitar with P90 pickups. Made in Korea.
It's good quality and I like the playing action - but the pickups were "hot" and I don't go for the sound - quite compressed and coloured. I'd like clarity and airiness. So a search went on to upgrade with Vintage style Alnico II pickups. The choice made was Tonerider Vintage P90s - lively sustain and clear chiming sounds - what a transformation for the better to my ears.
I also found the guitar was set up for light guage 9s - having changed the strings to my preferred 10s I then found the nut needed filed - the 5th and 6th strings on a set of 10s were too wide to fit.
Hofner Ignition Violin Bass
A Hofner Ignition Violin Bass was my answer to the problem of coping with a full scale 34" bass.
Spruce Top
Maple body
Rosewood fretboard,
22 frets,
30" (76cm) scale,
Control plate with 2x volume controls, 2x on/off pickups switches, rhythm/solo switch for volume boost.
2x Hofner humbucker pickups,
It's a dream to play - no strain on the joints and a tone that suits me fine.
Spruce Top
Maple body
Rosewood fretboard,
22 frets,
30" (76cm) scale,
Control plate with 2x volume controls, 2x on/off pickups switches, rhythm/solo switch for volume boost.
2x Hofner humbucker pickups,
It's a dream to play - no strain on the joints and a tone that suits me fine.
GUITARS I NO LONGER HAVE
Gretsch Alligator Resonator
This was a great sounding guitar but it became used so infrequently and my arthritic fingers were finding it difficult to cope with its size.
After 4 or 5 years of wondering about getting a Resonator I finally succumbed.
I went for a Resonator which was just acoustic as I would rather record the "real" sound with a microphone, and had a biscuit style bridge for the Bluesier voice.
It certainly has a voice unlike any of my other guitars and it is very difficult to stop playing it once I've picked it up. It's also very easy to go straight to the resonator when I first go to pick up one of the guitars.
Suits a whole range of styles and genres and when used with a slide and open tuning is instant blues.
Really nicely built guitar and at its price level was well ahead of the others I tried. I was sad to see it go.
This was a great sounding guitar but it became used so infrequently and my arthritic fingers were finding it difficult to cope with its size.
After 4 or 5 years of wondering about getting a Resonator I finally succumbed.
I went for a Resonator which was just acoustic as I would rather record the "real" sound with a microphone, and had a biscuit style bridge for the Bluesier voice.
It certainly has a voice unlike any of my other guitars and it is very difficult to stop playing it once I've picked it up. It's also very easy to go straight to the resonator when I first go to pick up one of the guitars.
Suits a whole range of styles and genres and when used with a slide and open tuning is instant blues.
Really nicely built guitar and at its price level was well ahead of the others I tried. I was sad to see it go.
Tanglewood TW45NSB
This electro-acoustic guitar had been in my collection for several years, but had not seen a great deal of use while I was concentrating on playing electric blues and melodic improvs. My wifes interest in the Ukulele meant that I started to play along with her and an acoustic guitar was the obvious choice to use. It re-awakenend my interest in acoustic guitar.
The purchase of a spider capo meant that I could try out altered tunings and try to do improvs but using an acoustic guitar on it's own with no backing tracks. This heightened my interest in the acoustic.
The Tanglewood has a lovely tone and my feeling is that it is better captured in a recording by using a decent condenser microphone than by using the on-board preamp electrics.
I did still find that this acoustic was more difficult to play than an electric even with lighter gauge strings. So I had to beware of not straining slightly arthritic joints in my fretting hands fingers. I got a shorter scale Tanglewood TW73 that made playing easier.
I did try some Newtone Heritage strings on the TW45 (which are round core and low tension) and they helped me to reduce strain on the fingers. Those strings have also changed the tone of the guitar quite a bit and as a bonus have changed it in a way that suits the type of music I want to play now.
But the purchase of the Lowden S32 meant that this guitar was no longer getting played at all.
This electro-acoustic guitar had been in my collection for several years, but had not seen a great deal of use while I was concentrating on playing electric blues and melodic improvs. My wifes interest in the Ukulele meant that I started to play along with her and an acoustic guitar was the obvious choice to use. It re-awakenend my interest in acoustic guitar.
The purchase of a spider capo meant that I could try out altered tunings and try to do improvs but using an acoustic guitar on it's own with no backing tracks. This heightened my interest in the acoustic.
The Tanglewood has a lovely tone and my feeling is that it is better captured in a recording by using a decent condenser microphone than by using the on-board preamp electrics.
I did still find that this acoustic was more difficult to play than an electric even with lighter gauge strings. So I had to beware of not straining slightly arthritic joints in my fretting hands fingers. I got a shorter scale Tanglewood TW73 that made playing easier.
I did try some Newtone Heritage strings on the TW45 (which are round core and low tension) and they helped me to reduce strain on the fingers. Those strings have also changed the tone of the guitar quite a bit and as a bonus have changed it in a way that suits the type of music I want to play now.
But the purchase of the Lowden S32 meant that this guitar was no longer getting played at all.
Crafter SA12 TMBK
Was a purchase of a 12 string guitar designed to increase the range of sounds I could get from my collection. It's not really a semi-acoustic or an acoustic guitar - Crafter themselves refer to it as a "Hybrid".
It had a slim body so the unplugged sound is not dis-similar to a semi acoustic and is therefore really only applicable for quiet practice. Plugged in it had the choice of LR Baggs piezo pickup or a Kent Armstrong lipstick pickup and these two could be blended in various proportions for a range of sounds - also controls on the preamp for bass, middle, treble, and phase. It was a high quality of build and came with a very good set up to my specifications by Richards Guitars in the UK.
I really only ended up using it playing along with my wife and her ukulele to add some shimmering colour to the song. My switch to purely acoustic guitars meant that it was not the right purchase for me. It went to help fund the expanding collection of acoustic instruments.
Was a purchase of a 12 string guitar designed to increase the range of sounds I could get from my collection. It's not really a semi-acoustic or an acoustic guitar - Crafter themselves refer to it as a "Hybrid".
It had a slim body so the unplugged sound is not dis-similar to a semi acoustic and is therefore really only applicable for quiet practice. Plugged in it had the choice of LR Baggs piezo pickup or a Kent Armstrong lipstick pickup and these two could be blended in various proportions for a range of sounds - also controls on the preamp for bass, middle, treble, and phase. It was a high quality of build and came with a very good set up to my specifications by Richards Guitars in the UK.
I really only ended up using it playing along with my wife and her ukulele to add some shimmering colour to the song. My switch to purely acoustic guitars meant that it was not the right purchase for me. It went to help fund the expanding collection of acoustic instruments.
Vintage VSA590
A guitar that I regret selling.
Was purchased locally - "Live Music" in Edinburgh. I was looking for a semi-acoustic with P90s - a sound that was missing from my collection. There were very few choices, particularly at the lower end of the cost scale.
The Vintage VSA590 has had good reviews and I can see why. Well built and a good range of sounds.
No rough fret ends, no fret buzz, nice intonation and action out of the case (maybe marginally high for my liking but not much in it).
Top, back and sides of body are maple - it does have a solid centre block.
C shaped neck - glued in - mahogany with rosewood fretboard, Grover tuners.
Nickel plated dog-ear P90 style Wilkinson pickups.
About 8 1/2 lbs.
For some reason I thought it a good idea to sell it to help fund the purchase of a Gibson SG Classic P90. The SG was not a keeper, and for me the sound turned out to be no match for the VSA590, despite the huge price difference.
Was purchased locally - "Live Music" in Edinburgh. I was looking for a semi-acoustic with P90s - a sound that was missing from my collection. There were very few choices, particularly at the lower end of the cost scale.
The Vintage VSA590 has had good reviews and I can see why. Well built and a good range of sounds.
No rough fret ends, no fret buzz, nice intonation and action out of the case (maybe marginally high for my liking but not much in it).
Top, back and sides of body are maple - it does have a solid centre block.
C shaped neck - glued in - mahogany with rosewood fretboard, Grover tuners.
Nickel plated dog-ear P90 style Wilkinson pickups.
About 8 1/2 lbs.
For some reason I thought it a good idea to sell it to help fund the purchase of a Gibson SG Classic P90. The SG was not a keeper, and for me the sound turned out to be no match for the VSA590, despite the huge price difference.
Tokai LC85
Tokai made in Japan take on the les Paul Custom.
Bought new from RichTone Music on line. I'd tried a second hand Tokai LS made in Japan - liked the sound and playability, but too pricey for its condition. Had to buy on-line - not available locally - or within 200 miles.
Wine Red.
Solid Mahogany Top and Back (like the original Les Paul Custom).
Mahogany one piece set neck. 12" radius. Bone Nut.
Rosewood Fingerboard. Block inlays.
Tokai PAF Mark 2 (made in Japan) Pickups.
3 way toggle switch.
2 x Volume, 2 x Tone.
Tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece.
Gold Hardware.
Arrived nicely set up - very little adjustment needed, though I have gone to wrap over strings at the tailpiece to allow it to be down on the body of the guitar without making the strings a steep angle down from the bridge.
The easiest guitar to play that I have ever had - hammer-ons and pull-offs are so much easier and your fingers float as if they have taken on new life. I let it go so someone who plays in the manner that suits a Les Paul could get the best out of the guitar. My tastes are tending to single coil tones these days.
Bought new from RichTone Music on line. I'd tried a second hand Tokai LS made in Japan - liked the sound and playability, but too pricey for its condition. Had to buy on-line - not available locally - or within 200 miles.
Wine Red.
Solid Mahogany Top and Back (like the original Les Paul Custom).
Mahogany one piece set neck. 12" radius. Bone Nut.
Rosewood Fingerboard. Block inlays.
Tokai PAF Mark 2 (made in Japan) Pickups.
3 way toggle switch.
2 x Volume, 2 x Tone.
Tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece.
Gold Hardware.
Arrived nicely set up - very little adjustment needed, though I have gone to wrap over strings at the tailpiece to allow it to be down on the body of the guitar without making the strings a steep angle down from the bridge.
The easiest guitar to play that I have ever had - hammer-ons and pull-offs are so much easier and your fingers float as if they have taken on new life. I let it go so someone who plays in the manner that suits a Les Paul could get the best out of the guitar. My tastes are tending to single coil tones these days.
Vintage Reissued Series V2 "Telecaster"
Budget Tele copy, bought new locally at "Live Music" in Edinburgh.
Blond.
Eastern Poplar body.
Hard Maple 22 fret bolt-on neck.
Rosewood fingerboard.
25.5" scale length.
Wilkinson Tuners & Bridge.
Wilkinson single coil pickups.
Traditional Tele controls.
Staggered brass saddles give spot on intonation and good sustain.
Surprisingly good sound for a budget guitar, helped by the brass saddles.
I've been a fan of the Vintage brands excellent value for money since the involvement of Trevor Wilkinson.
Blond.
Eastern Poplar body.
Hard Maple 22 fret bolt-on neck.
Rosewood fingerboard.
25.5" scale length.
Wilkinson Tuners & Bridge.
Wilkinson single coil pickups.
Traditional Tele controls.
Staggered brass saddles give spot on intonation and good sustain.
Surprisingly good sound for a budget guitar, helped by the brass saddles.
I've been a fan of the Vintage brands excellent value for money since the involvement of Trevor Wilkinson.
Vintage Advance Series AV4 Bass
Jazz bass copy - bought off the internet from a local outlet.
Vintage White.
American Alder body.
Maple Bolt on 22 medium jumbo fret neck.
Indian Rosewood fingerboard.
Wilkinson Tuners and bridge.
34" scale.
Wilkinson alnico 5 pickups.
2 x volume, 1 x tone.
A good quality guitar with good tones but the 34" scale was too much for me - traded in for a 30" scale bass.
Vintage White.
American Alder body.
Maple Bolt on 22 medium jumbo fret neck.
Indian Rosewood fingerboard.
Wilkinson Tuners and bridge.
34" scale.
Wilkinson alnico 5 pickups.
2 x volume, 1 x tone.
A good quality guitar with good tones but the 34" scale was too much for me - traded in for a 30" scale bass.