Product: Valley Arts California Studio Pro
Price Paid: $CDN 650
Submitted
07/05/1998
at
10:41am
by
Darko G.
Features
:
8
goton lock tuners, wilkinson bridge, duncan designed pick-up's (note: they are not seymour duncans - i think they just used the patented # of coil winds or something), mahogony neck, sunburst finish
Sound
:
7
it has a thin, very 80's sound, not the trendy vintage sound that everyone is going for today. i am probably going to install hotter output "real" seymour duncan strat size humbuckers to beef up the sound. p.s. i have already done this on some of my other guitars and know what the sound is, i like it, and that is why i am doing it.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
a very beautiful guitar. gold plated knobs, bridge, tunres. orangy sunburst finish on the body. has that pearly white plastic plate cover. i think the look of this guitar was one of the main reasons i bought it.
Reliability/Durability
:
7
i haven't had it for long - but i think it will last a long time provided it doesn't fall or something.
Customer Support
:
1
haven't had to contact them yet BUT BUYER BEWARE - there seems to be not internet info on this guitar!. i can't find neither a valley arts guitars or the distributor/corporate owner (samick, yuck!) web site.
Overall Rating
:
10
here is my reasoning behind buying this guitar. i have been looking for a reliable strat for a long time. personally,i think fender strats are way over priced. and you don't really get your value for your money. it seems you are mainly paying for the brand name "fender" to be printed on your neck. they hum alot on stage - so even when ypou do get one you still have to modify it somehow just to made it usable in a live situation. kind of a rip off if you ask me. i looked at schecters and some others until i can across this one in the store by chance one day.
I had heard of valley arts guitars for some time because Larry Carlton and Jay Graydon (my all time guitar gods!) have been endorsing them and using them for a long time. True, valley arts was sold by it's owner to Samick corporation a few years ago. and yes, they probably aren't as great guitars as they used to be under the ownership of it's original owners. but i think there is alot more care, attention to detail put into the design and building of this guitar then big old fender corporation puts into their over hyped products. i looks great and feels great to play. probably does not have the same resale value as a fender but if you want a good utility guitar, which you will modify on your own for live playing - this is a good choice for the money.
