Vox Super Ace

Its got a strat like three pickup layout- but like they took a load of acid before wiring it up. The volume control is furthest away- near the output jack, and then two tone controls that work in reverse.

The pickup selector also works in the opposite way to what you'd expect. You turn it towards the neck pickup to get the bridge pickup working! Its only three way, but you can do the balancing thing to get those classic bridge/middle strat tones.

There is a trem arm of sorts, but on this one its been sawn off. Not the first time I've seen this. From photos I've seen, I BELIEVE that the only thing stopping the arm from flapping in the breeze is the bridge cover...and we all know how useful bridge covers and sixties trem arms are! I doubt you could get a replacement arm, cos its supposed to be riveted into place. Strange design.

Other info: This guitar has nineteen frets!
Not sure what it is made of, but its solid. Fretboard appears to be rosewood, not sure if the neck is maple or not, but its light coloured. Reminds me of the wood the pews in the catholic church in epping are made of. Similar finish too!

This guitar is white. Have seen a couple of blue and red ones, and a few sunburst ones on the net, but no other white ones. The blue ones DO look cool...

Terrific sounding guitar. Really resonant played acoustically, and the pickups sound fantastic. Its definitely a strat 'alike' but sounds as good as any strat I've ever heard. I probably wouldn't say that if I'd spent $200000 dollars on an old Fender, but I haven't!

It may sound great, but it's clear that this ISN'T a top qual. instrument. The tuners are crappy open backed plastic buttoned, but functional, the frets are trying to escape, and they made a botch of the neck join at the factory, which they rectified by adding a splint to the oversized screw holes! Having said that, it doesn't FEEL bad. I did a little fret work and fiddled with the join til it felt a little more secure. There is still work for a pro luthier to do here at some point, but nothing major.

Haven't gigged with it yet, but I think it will survive. I would definitely live in fear of one of the placcy tuner buttons snapping off- but as that happens on late fifties klusons too I'll let Vox off. Just symptomatic of the materials used at the time

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There are a few guys selling parts for Vox guitars on the net, but they tend to want more than I paid for the whole guitar for a row of six in line tuners or ONE pickup!

The antique centre I bought it at had it billed as 'old japanese guitar', I guess cos the headstock decal has fallen off at some point.

Basically I love this guitar, and highly recommend it. I've never been a fan of light strings (use 12s normally, so I can play harder) and slim necks, but as this has a slim neck (very straight) and no trussrod, I'm sticking with the ten guage strings that it came with. It feels FANTASTIC. As easy as playing an eighties pointy headstock thing...Although it looks like a quirky sixties guitar, it doesn't feel like one.

I have four other guitars- a jap Squier strat, a Hagstrom Futurama II, a '56 Fender Musicmaster and a czech Futurama II, and this is probably joint with the musicmaster in terms of great tone- but its more versatile, in having three pickups.

I really lucked out getting this guitar for so cheap, and I totally love it. Can't wait to use it in the studio

I've got a couple of queries about this guitar. It doesn't have a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock, like this era of Voxes are supposed to- though there is a date of jan '65 stamped on the neck join. Not sure why.

Also the pickup selector switch is a ridged black thing. I'm not sure its original, cos I've seen other super aces with a silver one similar to the volume and tone knobs, but with a handle. However, I've just seen pictures of a clubman bass, and the black ridged knobs on those are identical to the switch on my super ace. I wonder if Vox had a tendency to use whatever was around at the time?

1964-66 Vox Super Ace made in England. As you may know most Vox guitars were made in Italy by the same company that made EKO etc...The guitars that were made in England were some of the first ones made and were J.M.I. products (when Jennings and Denny still owned the company) The Super Ace is basicly a short-scale Strat. In # of frets, as well as distance between the frets. 3 single coil pups a bridge like a telecaster, but with a built in whammy bar. Stip tuners, 3 tone tobacco burt finish with a mint green colored "Vox" logo. (Italian ones had Black logos)

The Super ace sounds great! Those pickups are aged and sweet. Very Fenderlike sound. Pickup selection is kind of wierd, at least on mine you only have a choice of selecting one at a time??? Either way sounds great with any amp, I sould know I have 10.

Here is where the ace fails. Frets become loose, and I had to do some fret work. Action is a bit high, but not terriable, and could always shim if I wanted to, I play it how it is. Vox certainly was not known for their finishes, I know that too because I own 5 of them. The paint checks and cracks but the colors are rich. The neck has no rod but is solid and very straight.

Very solid though there are the issues listed above. I dont think it could take the abuse a Telecaster, or Les Paul could, but not many guitars can. NEVER go to a gig w/out at least a 2nd guitar. Nobody wants to wait while you put a new string on etc...

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Been playing 10 years have had 40+ guitars, still own 28 all makes and models Rick, Fender, Gibson, Epiphone,...The Vox was not a top of the line guitar in 1965, but it also isnt asian plywood. The pick ups sound as good as any Fender Ive heard, and has a very cool look. Dare to be different!