Vox Standard Bass

Good solid bass, I bought it for I think about 120 back in 1982 when I couldn't afford a Fender and I still have it. The only major thing it's ever had done to it is that once I got my Fender Jazz in about '94 I took all the frets off, and as a fretless bass it's awesome. Still weighs a ton, though!

A good range of sounds from thick and bottomy to twangy and punchy thanks to the 'magic switch'. Always sounds like a real bass and not a cheapo, I guess partly because it's made from a solid heavy piece of wood. Sounded great as a fretted bass, and even better as a fretless,loads of tone and sustain.

Setup when new was good, all I needed to do was adjust the action to my own preference. Things like the finish, fret height adjustment etc were fine, no buzzes even with a fairly low action. I never had the problem, mentioned elsewhere, of the E string jumping off the nut.

I would gig with it with no backup (I would have to, it's my only bass now, everything else went to fund my burgeoning saxophone habit!), I have used it live in the past with no problems, electrically and mechanically never had a problem.

N/A Never needed customer support, also I would do minor repairs myself, such as ripping all the frets off, filling with wood filler and smoothing the neck.

I've been playing bass for, umm, 36 years, but nothing serious recently as I took up the saxophone 3 years back. I found it in a local shop at a time when I had no bass of my own and needed a cheapie - even though I'm not that fussy (basically I like non-fussy things like Fender basses) I liked it straight away. If it were lost or stolen I might try for another, but I reckon a more recent Precision/Jazz type bass would be easier to obtain and certainly easier on my creaky back!

I really dont know what year it was made but i acquired this bass in 1992 at the tender age of twelve when i was just learning to play. I bought it from a friend of my dad for ??40. Its a 4 string, 24 fret black beast that weighs a ton. The guy who owned it before me had clearly given this bass a bit of a hiding as there are a quite a few chips in the paintwork and the bottom strap nut had come off with the remainder of the screw snapped inside so i had to drill a new hole to put a new strap nut on it. Its also worth noting that my dads mate had put new pick ups on it in the same formation as a jazz bass, cleverly hiding where the original pick ups had been with a bit of black plastic.

I used to go to a youth music project near to where i lived where a lot of local kids would go with their guitars and be taught my guys who had been round a few years. These were mostly gig hardened old rockers rather than bonafide music teachers. Since i was the only bass player there and turned up playing what appeared to be a relic many people were intersted in my bass. The 2 j-bass style pick ups give the bass a fantastic deep, boomy, yet smooth sound that was often complemented on by the other players. It wasnt until a few years later when i spent ??200 on an Aria pro II, (what a fucking rip off!!!), that i realised just how fantastic the sound is on this bass. Ive not gigged the bass in the last 2 years, Ive used my fender jazz bass live, but have recorded with it several times and the sound is amazing. Ive played the bass through several amps including a laney rbw300 and a trace elliott and it sounds ace thru all of them.

When i got the bass it was missing a few strings so the first thing i did was to buy and fit a new set of strings, Being a total novice i bought light gauge strings that did nothing for the sound. I changed to standard gauge and teh sound was better but the action was a little too high, a friend tried to sort this out but the bridge was shite. I invested in a basic l-shape bridge, with saddles and screws that werent rusted to fuck, and lowered the action a little. This makes it ideal for playing almost anything. My band plays mainly rock/indie. A problem occured recently when i was re stringing my bass. on the headstock, just above the nut there are 2 discy things, i cant for the life of me think of the name of the fucking things but they keep the strings down and stop en flying out of the nut, you know what i mean. Anyway one of these flew out of the headstock when i was tightening the D string. to be honest i dont think it was originally on the headstock. when i tried to screw this back on i found that the hole was now too wide. fortunately my little bro is a carpenter and was able to pack out the hole with some small splinters of wood and its now screwed in as solid as a rock, (i hope!!).

Ive had this bass almost 14 years and its taken a fair few knocks, including falling down a flight of steel steps in only a thin bass bag. This is besides the knocks it had obviously taken at the hands of its previous owner. im beginning to think that this bass woul;d be the only thing, besides Mr. T and cockroaches, to survive a nuclear war. Now the finish isnt great, which is no surprise considering what its been thru, but i feel that it just adds to the charcter. Ive gigged this bass before and had it on standby as my back up, (thankfully im yet to need a backup bass), but would have no hesitation gigging it again, even without a backup.

ive been pkaying 14 years all told and have been gigging over the last 5 years. At the moment im playing a fender jazz bass and using a Laney rbw300 amp, playing thru D.I in larger venues. I had my Vox standard 4 years before i ever played another bass so was something of a bass virgin. However, i think i couldnt have bought a better bass to start off with, especially for 40 quid!!! If anything were to happen to it im not suer if i would buy another as im not sure that i could get one and if i could it just wouldnt be the same.

Got my Vox back in '82. Probably the best bass I have ever owned, certainly the most robust! After 24 years of abuse, only now is the lacquer wearing on the neck, especially on the edge of the neck under the G string where my funky-slapping era dominated!

The neck is beautifully tapered towards the nut allowing easy access and excellent playability. I notice some problems have been mentioned about the nut. MIne too! The E string tends to jump off. Thanks for the info on the brass nut. I have a cappo fastened round it at the moment to hold it down.

Although the body is heavy, it again allows full access to the 24th fret again helped by a slender neck design and the smooth finish over the maple. I actually stripped the body back to the wood in the 90's just to confirm that it was wood and not concrete! One piece body, still not sure if it is ash or not. The weight feels like it but I think the weight adds to the playability.

Still got no fret buzz and I have not had to adjust the truss rod. Only thing I did initially was take the neck off and slightly pack it.

The bridge is simple and has caused me no problems, allowing any adjustment that I have needed although it has now become a bit rusty.

The chrome finish macine heads still look like new. Never known a bass like it to stay so in tune.

I was always fascinated by the Trace Elliot sound. Used my Vox through a Eezee custom 4x10 cab with a Ohm 150w head. Absolutely cracking range of sound and control despite the basic controls on the bass. A recent review named the Ohm amp as 'the poor mans Trace Elliot' Too right!

Presently using it for covers ranging RHC Peppers to Weller. I find it so versatile.

I have only really used it for studio work but had no problems gigging with it in the 80's

I initially set the strings lower to the neck. Quite a lot of scope for adjustment here. Got it set up back in '82 and have not done anything significant with it since.

Maybe the only downside to it are the pick-ups. Cheap but still there sounding good. I found that the thread was easily stripped from the plastic cover limiting the height adjustment. The allen key still lifts them but they tend to slip back down. I also took out the pick-ups and packed them to allow more height and to stop them stripping the thread if they got hit by the strings.

Nothing wrong with the initial setup, just needed to set it up to my style.

The wiring has suffered a bit. The pots worked lose and due to lack of maintenance, they loosened the earth to the bridge, now got a buzzy bass.

I have not used it a lot live since the '80s but back then I found it the perfect touring tool, reliable and durable.

Like other comments on the strap buttons, never had a problem. I have to give it full marks for this!

Dont know why they ever bothered with customer support as it is the most reliable item that I have ever bought.

Since I bought it, my hair has disappeared, my back has gone and my eyesight has deteriorated but this bloody bass is still sat there! Shame the Japanese didnt come up with the strap line 'Vorsprung Durch Technik'

Now only got the Vox. Previously had a Precision copy, Guild semi-acoustic and other cheapies.

I have been looking at the Cort range. Although they look good, I think they lack that chunky feel and punch. Bit of a 'one trip pony' whereas the Vox is a decathlete.

When I got it, it was a toss up betwen the Vox, an Ibanez and a Precision. Took me about 5 mins to decide which.

Cant fault it! Its 26 years old and were still talking about it! Surely this is fantastic value?

Hi there, if you're reading this you've found a great website, and you are also checking out a review for what maybe a great find for yourself, the vox standard bass. made in japan between 1982 and 1985. it caries a serial number on the neckplate so you could possibly find out exactly when if you try hard enough. check out vox website for the history, origins of this london england based company and how this little item hails from japan. ok, heres the lowdown.black body, cellulose coated solid maple, dont know how many pieces make up the body but it is heavy. heavier than my fender jazz, lighter than my peavey t40. original shape so not a cheap copy, looks a bit like a cross between a precision and a westone. Maple neck two piece ie seperate fretboard. 24 frets, 2 octave neck, also maple. black and maple, nice combination. single coil split pasive pickup ala precision, bridge like a fender although a little more robust. gotoh style tuners, volume, tone and a phase toggle switch.basic but functional. I bought this on ebay, it had a f***d nut so i added a brass adjustable nut, neat idea, easy to adjust, saves lots of dosh you would have given to the luthier. Nut width 40mm, e to g almost as narrow as my jazz, neck a little thicker than my jazz (2003 s1) a bit like an early jazz but a fraction wider, none the less comfortable and fast. Neck appears stable, unlike a T40. heres the good thing , with the new nut everything adjusts beautifully ie nut, truss, bridge, intonation, pickups that adjust the volume of each string well. intonation spot on at the 24th!
action adjustable from sky high to under ground and easy all the way. Heres the deal : this is a remarkably well made bass that feels quite pro and has cost you virtually nothing. If you are checking this out with a view to a purchases, then buy it, assuming it's not wearing sunglasses. Because of the dimensions of the p.u and all the hardware you can always uprate everything should you so wish. The quality of the neck and the body will make it financially worthwhile. suffice to say the standard equipment is more than adequate. Incidentally web search 'guitar set up' for all the info you need to know about getting it spot on.

sounds like a precision should. bit of a bruiser.

all easily adjusted to my liking, can easily be adjusted to yours.

body and neck rock solid, every thing else is replaceable as and when, but it looks robust enough to last.

not really relevant any more.

blah blah blah, if you find a vox standard bass, buy it, its that simple.

Made late 70s/early 80s in Japan. Everyone knows that anything the Japanese make is good - and so is this bass.
Double octave, skinny neck, 4 string.
The body is very heavy, much heavier than a Fender Precision and thicker too. I guess it must be mahogany or a related timber. The neck is maple and so is the fingerboard, but of laminated construction.
Volume and tone controls, and a coil tap control a passive split humbucker pickup. Not certain of the make but they are a quality unit, with adjustable pole pieces and have aged cream covers. I think they were probabably made by Mighty Mite.
The body has a thick black polyester finish, which has stood up to being gigged and the maple neck is a hardwearing clear laquer, which shows little sign of wear. The head, on the front, is also black.
This guitar is just a good copy of a Fender Precision bass.
As I don't actually like precision basses, I prefer the Jazz, I will only give it 8.

We do mainly 60s and 70s covers and I have used this bass as a backup to my Jazz bass. I play through an Orange 100 and a 4 x 12 Marshall cab. No effects. Not noisy at all.

No idea how the bass was set up by the factory, but it is Japanese, so it was probably good.

This bass is around 25 - 30 years old. I use it regularly as a backup and just for a change for playing pubs and clubs. The body finish is still good, although it has a few dents and scratches now. The neck still looks like new, although there is a bit of wear on the varnish on the maple finger board. No rust on any metalwork, which is good on a bass of this age.

No idea, but it was made in Japan so it would have probably been good.

Been playin about 30 years. I own several other guitars and basses, including a Fender Precision and a Fender Jazz - Japan. I like this bass because it sounds good - through decent gear, the neck is very comfortable and because it was not too expensive, I don't have to worry too much about scratching it. The main reason that I like it is that because the body is so heavy, when you let go of the neck, it doesn't head south - unlike my other long-arms. The worst bass that I have ever had for this was a Baldwin Bison back in the mid 70s. Every time I let go of the neck it dived for the floor. That was why I eventually changed to Fenders and their copies.

Made in mid-80s by Japanese company VOX (now making amps). 24-frets and 4 strings. Laminated top. Volume and Tone knobs and possible cut-out switch (not wired up when i got it). Standard bass pickups, not great but sufficient. Dont know what its made from, but its taken a few knocks and has stood up well. Black laquer finish. No scratch plate and strat-shaped body (slightly taller body). Bridge style is L-shaped bridge with strings feeding through & secured behind it. Fairly stock tuners, (non-locking). Fat neck with Jumbo frets (maple i think). I got this out of a skip so i didnt have a choice of extras, only a few little chips in skip-rescued state.

Nice style, quite hard to play because needs fairly thick and heavy strings. A lot of buzz from the E string when played open, hard to solve without altering bridge settings out of good range of pickups. Huge variety of styles can be played on it, from Jazz to Rock and Blues. Not great for the stage, not beefy enough at the bottom, good for studio and everyday use.

Got this bass when it was already 15-20 years old so dont know how it was when it came out of the factory, pickups not great but sufficient. Top tuning peg comes loose easily, knobs very weak and crack when the bass is knocked. Very durable though, always can be trusted to work, very simple wiring system.

The most durable guitar i have ever seen, spent 10 years kicking and being thrown around a school music department and stood up well, minor chips, it will last forever in my opinion. Finish quite good, hard to chip but area around chips becomes weak, wont wear off with play. Big fat strap buttons, 100% solid, i would use this to gig without straplocks or even a backup strap. Great and reliable, truss rod adjusted about twice a year, never lets me down.

Never dealt with company due to skip rescue 15 years after manufacture. Easy to repair yourself. No warranty info.

been playing about 2 years. I have a Stagg S-302 Electric Guitar, and an EKO Ranger Acoustic (another skip rescue from my school). No regrets on salvaging this bass. If it were stolen i would search for another at a reasonable price, but wouldnt break the bank just to have one. Wish it had more functions, less effects than other modern basses. but this is a good solid bass, perfect for practice, and my first ever bass! i give it 8/10

1980s Japanese made Vox Standard Bass. More or less precision style, with slightly sharper horns. Chunky maple 24 fret neck and fingerboard, 4 a side unbranded tuners. Precision style split pick up, bridge. Traditional Vox head shape. No scratchplate.Pick ups and controls set into wood. Tone and volume and what I think is a coil tap switch. Physically heavy and long - it barely fits into the longest case I've got.

A very solid feeling instrument.

Play everything from vintage rock and funk, psychedelia, folk and weird to Primus style slap. Using sometimes with a bass pod, sometimes a sansamp bass driver, sometimes DI for recording.

Sound is pleasantly bright, not too bright. There's a slightly unpleasant nasal quality to the upper midrange, more noticeable on D and G in the middle of the neck. I replaced the stock pick up with a Bartolini to try and cure it and it has, to an extent, but not completely.

With medium strings it lacks a really heavy bass punch. i've tried various amp and pod/sansamp settings to correct this but for live use it doesn't exactly power through at the low end. Put very heavy strings on it and it is more or less Ok in this area. But then it gets to be a bit of beast to play. I'm not phased by needing a bit of strength to handle a chunky set up - I have another bass set up with mega heavy strings - but the Vox really gets tough to handle with the big gauges.

Where it shines is in a nice clear, balanced sound, lots of sustain. For recording or larking around at home it is very versatile and pleasant to play. For live use it lacks the killer punch. I tend to use it for teaching, where I need to demonstrate a variety of styles.

As said above I mreplaced the stock pick up.

The stock bridge was crap so I stuck a Wilkinson bridge on it, which has helped considerably.

There was a problem at the nut. E and A strings weren't sitting properly and I was getting some unpleasant overtones on the open strings. I added an extra string retainer just behind the nut to give a sharper break angle over the nut and that seems to have fixed it. I tried all the usual ways of winding the string carefully onto the machine head peg to solve this but it wasn't physically possible - even with the string right at the bottom of the peg.

The tuners are solid enough and the controls also feel decent.

The headstock was finished in gloss black with Vox Standard on it in disgusting, ugly (ie plain ugly, not eccentric or charming ugly) lettering. I stripped the headstock to the wood and refinished and it looks 1,000 per cent better. You've probably gathered I'm not a purist. I've got no interest whatsoever in keeping instruments in original condition.

Built like a tank. Original bridge crap but tough. Strap buttons extremely secure. I would use it without a backup. The finish is still rock hard and unblemished. It's already survived two decades and still looks pretty much like it came out of the box.

I 'inherited' this bass after a friend left it at my house for about five years and then told me I might as well just have it, so I've never had to deal with anyone.

Been playing twenty years. also own 70's Ibanez Rickenbacker 4001 Copy, Burns Flyte, Framus Star Bass, Hohner fretless Steinberger copy, double bass.

I do like this bass but I'm not blind to its flaws. If I could defeat the slight nasal sound in upper mids, and find a bigger punch in the sound then it would be pretty much ideal.

It has a certain charm, feels solid and well made, and is a pleasure to play. The very long neck and body gives it a bit of swagger, which I like a lot. This is no small bodied, weedy looking jazz-funk-fusion-underneath-the-chin instrument.

If it got nicked or lost then I'd replace it with something similiar, but I wouldn't spend my life tracking down another Vox standard. if one was easy to get - and cheap - then I would.