Product: Vintage V6 (strat copy)
Price Paid: GBP 115
Submitted
08/12/2006
at
07:57am
by
Dave Thorne
Features
:
8
Its a Star copy inLaguna Blue Gloss. All hardware is wilkinson and it top notch.
Its has an added feature to most stratalikes in that the bridge and middle pickup are controlled by the lower toone control. This means the bridge pick is useable in more situations.
Sound
:
10
The sound is fabulous, as good as my 72 strat. It has a tone control that affects the bridge and middle pick-up which is great. It has all the classic strat tones it rings on clean through my marshall AVT 120 and gets SRV/Trower/Blackmore sounds with ease. I use an Ibanez TS9 in front of the amp.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
7
The Guitar was set up very well, all i needed to do was tune it.The action is set to medium/low,there is no fret buzz and strung bending is a breeze. The tremelo is set to dive only (you can lower the note not raise it). This is not my preference and I will adjust this to floating when I change the strings. There is a chio in the nut which has no impact on playing or tuning but shouldnt be there. I wont do anything about it yet as I like the rest of the guitar so much. I may get it replaced in a few years when I have the frets dressed.
I bought a Laguna Blue model and the body looks spot on, the neck varnish is a little dark coloured for my taste but is well finished.
The frets are smooth and comfortable, the fretboard is a little grainy but plays very well and Im sure this will bed in over time. The tuners work fine but the fixing screws are not as flush as on more expensie guitars (so what, it doesnt affect feel or playing).
Rated 7 but if I took the low price into account it would be 10.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
Will this guitar withstand live playing? Yes
Does the hardware seem like it will last? Yes
Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? Time will tell it looks fine.
Are the strap buttons solid? Yes
Can you depend on it? Yes it trev wilkinson hardware
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? yes
Rated at eight because I dont know how well it will last but it feels sturdy and has excellent pickups, bridge, tremelo and controls. The tuners work well bu dont not seem as robust or as well finished as the other hardware.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
10
Ive been playing 30 years and own a Les Paul, 72 strat, several early eighties MIJ squires,a PRS CE24, an Ibanez rg570, and an epiphone sheraton.
I bought this after reading a review from Dr Robert a guitar tech who writes for Guitarist magasine in the UK. I love it I can't believe it was so cheap. I wish there had been guitars of this quality for this price when I started playing. I highly recommend this guitar for anyone starter upwards because although it doesnt a "designer label" it is a great workhorse of a guitar that sounds great its got that "I cant believe its not a Fender" sound.
