Glad you brought back the lights, it makes the guitars look better. I know the reflections are annoying to some people, but those people want natural sunlight shots of the finish too.
@DarrellBraun NICE!!!!! For me it's the Nuno Bettencourt Washburn N4 & N6 especially with 5 bolt Stephen's Extended Cutaway neck joint. Unprecedented access to the highest fret.......AMAZING!!!
Hey there I just thought I’d let you know it looks like another scammer sending me a message about winning the guitar. Though I wish it was true I know it’s not lol. Thanks for that video warning us about that stuff
Best intro solo I've heard from you yet! Tasty, some technical finger licking goodness, and just overall melodic mellowness. Not shredding for the sake of making Mozart look like he needs more notes on the piano. Giving you the thumbs and a long overdue subscription. After watching your videos and getting a chance to play one for myself, I just got me a Sire FM7 and I am loving it.
Darrell, I can't thank you enough for showcasing this little gem from VOLA with us! I had never heard of the brand until now as I live in the province of Quebec with no apparent distribution of the product yet. Despite that, your enthousiasm along with your in depth review of the TNC OZ was so convincing that I ended up buying an identical one to yours from Texas (over the Internet). Wow, the tones are exactly what I was looking for and I have never sounded better!! I am in love with this guitar and I owe it to you as this purchase would have never happened otherwise, having no possibility to try it out in local music stores. THANK YOU!!! and keep sharing your discoveries and your love for the instrument. It's infectious!
What a great job these guys did in having such an even response between all the pickup combinations, clearly a lot of thought went into this aspect. It sounds like a top quality instrument that will compete well with the more expensive premium guitars from some of the more popular brands, as well as the boutique guitar makers. Without living with an instrument, we won’t know just how we will interact with it, so I just have to go with what I’ve heard here, and nothing sticks out as not being right. I love that they chose Mahogany as the main body wood, and would be really interested to see how the guitar sounds with a Mahogany, Limba, Sepele, or rosewood neck. Variety is a wonderful thing, and I welcome these newer instruments, that are being made with great care. I’ve enjoyed the other reviews you’ve done of their other guitars and also really enjoyed the Shijie guitar’s as well. It’s an amazing time for guitars. Lastly, really enjoyed your Eastman Les Paul 59 Antique Varnish review, amazing value there! Thanks for this spirited review, that is what comes across here, because it’s a natural response to an instrument that moves us personally.
I build about a dozen guitars a year when the band is slow. I'm very impressed with that one! The clear pickguard and routeing on the top is a great idea, and looks great! From what I can see fit and finish is top quality also. It looks to be in a class with PRS core guitars! Even the use of mahogany, more $$ but IMO results in a better all around tone. Well done Vola! --gary
@@beefnacos6258 Depends on the design, for Les Paul Specials (or standards) mahogany is necessary for the best tone, although the wood called "mahogany" anymore comes from various species all over the world, generally with similar color and tone properties (including Nato now at Fender). For bold on neck Fender S and T models, alder/maple is the bomb, I've decided I like the smooth feel of maple over rosewood fretboards, but I prefer rosewood for its tone sometimes - I'm so confused.
Darrell, I just want to thank you for sharing your knowledge as you do. The way you explain things and the way you play guitar is beautiful, pleasant, refreshing and amazing.
I greatly appreciate your perspective on all of this, as well informed as it may seem to be, but you might as well realize that this guitar's sound does not even vaguely resemble any garden variety stratocaster of any description, it is it's own trip. Also, you are a fluent player but you're not laying down Layla, or While My Guitar Gently Weeps, or even showing any blues proficiency of any kind. It does show that when you think you know where your playing situation is taking you, i.e. where you're going, there are specifics that might seem to get you there, and this is one path, albeit an expensive, monetarily elite one. I would concur that all of the world has a great deal to add to the evolution of music and the electric guitar and many entities are doing so. Since you are unfailingly thoroughgoing and meticulous in your logic and and attention to detail, you will continue to have me as a long-term subscriber, but I've got those blues and country things under greater detail and mastery, and cannot get a lot from what you're harnessing here. If you wish to play it a bit safer, you should continue to bolster the things you keep returning to such as technical capabilities of the machine tuners and pickups being split, while realizing that really any newer innovations are unfailingly unlikely to replace past ways of accomplishing what History's masters of the guitar wished to accomplish: remember, Blind Willie Johnson was widely thought to have played slide guitar with a pen knife, and it wasn't because he couldn't find a bottleneck like Elmore James used. So super this, just ain't super that.
Absolutely fantastic. Still can’t believe she is so lightweight ( not being Ibanez thin) . Wow what to add about its versatility? Well done Vola & Darrel for the fantastic video.
Darrell, thanks for another great review/show & tell. That's a great example of the classic Japanese Super Strat, and everything about it just says, "Yes!" In 2010 I was lucky enough to pick up a M.I.J. SuperStrat from a fellow who for many years had been doing stints of teaching English in Japan since the 1980's. He had bought this guitar new from the Japanese manufacturer in 1981 or -82, and it is _still_ a thing of beauty. The attention to detail and the level of quality and workmanship is amazing. The pickup configuration is SSH, but there are some extra tricks built in. In fact, one part of the electronics had been upgraded at the factory about 1985-85. They had installed their version of the "Clapton boost" circuit, beautifully done. I'm positive it was done at and by the factory, because they'd tucked a small, exquisitely drawn rice-paper diagram into the cavity. It shows the modifications to the circuit, along with notes from their custom shop tech and inspector (in Japanese, of course). The changes were so cleanly done that it was impossible to tell that it was not "as built" originally. Mind you, since the factory did the work, that's not too surprising. The guy I bought it from was just about to leave a relative's home in Edmonton and fly back to Japan for another year of teaching. I tried the instrument out and I was absolutely blown away by the versatility of sounds, as well as the overall craftsmanship. The owner gave me an extraordinary deal on the guitar - I had the feeling he was more interested in it having a good home than in the money. About a year after buying this guitar, I began wondering about the possibility of replacing one pickup. I wrote to the company, which is still in business, and they had a record for the guitar that included the build date, who had worked on it, and the later return and modification. It had also been back to their shop one other time, to have the tuning machines changed. They had, quite literally, a listing of the original purchase and the buyer's name, as well as details of the guitar's two visits back to their "custom shop" for mods. I inquired in my letter about possible changes to the pickups, and I received a very polite reply from the factory. In the letter they gave a list of several more modern pickups that they could install, or send to me for installation by a guitar tech. But was was rather interesting was the closing part of their letter. The suggested that since I had this particular instrument (with a very low serial #) still in "factory" and un-butchered condition that I might wish to consider leaving the electronics unchanged, because it's now a collector's item (on the Japanese market, at least) if it had not been modified since its last check-up at their custom shop. The also said that if I ever thought I might sell the guitar that they would like "first refusal" at an eye-watering price, along with having it crated and shipped back to Japan at their expense. So, in some ways even more of a "super" Strat than while the model had been in production. They also included a photocopy of a catalogue page - not just for that make and model, but for that particular instrument by it serial #. I was, as a Brit friend put it, "gob-smacked." There's nothing amiss with the existing factory pickups, electronics or wiring, so there was no need to replace or repair a pickup. Anyhow, I left it "as is" and I still play it often. It's wonderfully built and very light, as yours is. It's in good condition overall, so much so that I sent a copy of the maker's note to my insurance broker, asking them to kick up the insurance coverage on it. I had no idea about what the value might be to a collector. The factory's assessment of the probable value also made me appreciate how little the seller had asked for, compared to both the original purchase price, and the current value. I lucked out on this instrument in more ways than one! I bought it because I really liked the way it played; I never expected what I've learned since. So, I can appreciate your enthusiasm for your new guitar, and I think it's safe to say that it will hold its' monetary value as well as being a great guitar to play. As for experimenting with pickup changes, I've found another candidate for surgery, LOL. Thanks for the great review.
Nice demo. I like that little guitar. I have absolutely zero use for a trem, but the sound of that thing is really nice. Thanks for taking the time to show it to us :-)
It's gorgeous & stunning to look at, from the nut down. I am not a fan of the reverse headstock in whacky black that matched nothing else on this axe, along with the odd coloured plain logo. I love the versatility it is capable of, dug the straight strat feature too with the tone switch pull pot. I wanted to hear you use that middle button setting for something, not sure if you did or not. I wish you would also include in future reviews doing some playing standing while wearing a strap, as it is hard to tell if the axe is unbalanced with it just sitting on a lap. My humble suggestion would be to strap on the demo guitar and stand up while playing the 1 minute solos during the review. Many of us who play in clubs live would not be using, nor trying out guitars just sitting 100% of the time. I can't sit and sing properly, and it's healthier to stand to support your voice with your diaphram when singing and playing live at gigs. I am a fellow Canuck-lehead and would call it the Oh zed, lol! I enjoy your skill level of hard rock guitar playing and have picked up a few things just watching your reviews and jams. Keep up the fine reviews!
personally i think jackson or charvel make the best super strats, not because theyre owned by fender, but because they take the basic strat formula and just make it perfect for metal and 80s shredding
Always when i pick something from Fender, the thickness of the neck kills my speed of playing, iam not used to it,but superstrats from Charvel and Jackson as you said are just perfect.
I tend to agree on the Charvel. I own one that is an HSH and I was comparing it to the one being displayed on this video and thinking I’m not sure I’m seeing anything on this guitar that would make me prefer it over my Charvel (which has the same Gotoh 510). And I think Charvel knocked it out of the park on their SD pickup selection.
Looks great! With a flamed or other figured top, a clear pick guard makes aesthetic sense, and I like the versatility of the pickup and switch arrangements. Way out of my price range, however.
Hi Darren, Excellent guitar, beautiful and functional- I love the clear pickguard on that finish. My minor gripe is that I would have liked to have heard crunch-free tones, especially with the traditional sounds, otherwise a fine video.
That's a beautiful guitar. I wonder if Vola will build a lefty of that one. I recently bought a lefty Vola Blaze X from someone. And I absolutely love it....
As an admitted Fender fan boy that is something I would definitely rock, I think it’s the single coil mode that really does it, nothing else does that.
There are so many great guitars . I personally have several different super strats, Jackson, Ibanez, EVH, Solar, PRE, and even a Harley Benton , But I always seem to be playing my Cort G290 Fat when I’m in a Strat mood. Something about it just draws me to it . Wonderful Guitar.
Mr. Braun I would like to go ahead claim the guitar I have won , my apologies for being somewhat skeptical about me being your winner. How do I proceed??
G&L Legacy HSS - option order one as conservative or outlandish as you want. Fantastic trem (DFV Vibrato), choice of neck profiles, finishes, woods, frets, etc. PTB tone system on all three pickups, coil split, optional expander switch. Made to order right on Fender Ave in Fullerton Calif, in Leo's CLF Research factory.
For a Japanese made guitar with this premium feature set I would say the $2000 price tag is reasonable. By comparison, my Charvel HSH MIM has a very similar feature set but at about $1200 and no stainless steel frets. The only thing with guitar makers like Vola is will they hold their value on the used market?
Classic Strat - SSS - 6 Point Bridge (I mean the original so obviously is the classic) Hotrodded Strat - SSH - 2 point bridge (Lonestar strat is what made this what it is) SuperStrat - HSH - Floyd Rose or 2 point Strat bridge (Steve Vai - Jem and a few others created this, while MIJ these days isn't an absolute) So it has a 7way Gilmour switch Bypass switch, well that is Neil Young(Old Black's first mod) and Jimmy Paige I think had something on 1 of his guitars. Only real thing then it is missing is a push button cut off switch. Personally if you want a SuperStrat - make it yourself or just modify a Morello strat Aerodyne HSH Morello body - Stratosphere - $389(no hardware or electronics) $699(everything) (You can cheap out here with the Player Floyd) Morello Neck with Tuners - Stratosphere - $499(You can also cheap out here with a Player Floyd model neck) Pickguard - Dragonfire custom - around $100 Dimarzio Utopia set - $400 Wiring 920D harness - Upgraded Jem autosplits with 7 way - $100 Cutoff switch - Urtone - 12mm Momentary pushbutton -$8 (If you want it like morello replacing the 3 way switch but want a button just use a latching instead of momentary)
I agree on the Japanese guitar quality. I have. a '62 reissue Tele with metal flake candy apple red w/cream binding and rosewood neck I bought some years ago. Excellent build quality / sound / playability etc. I've watched many of your vids and really enjoy your content, flow, playing, and production. You are one of the best RU-vidrs going. Thanks for all the effort you go through to provide very valuable information. I get to Canada a few times a year. I think you're near Peterborough which is one of my destinations. Canada is part of my business territory and it's a great country with great people. Many friends there. BTW I recently watched your vid on the guitars you regret selling. When I saw the PRS Custom 24 gold top.... Ouch!
I already really liked this guitar based on the tone and the appearance. But I was especially impressed once you went into the switching/split options.
thanks as always Darrell for the rundowns...so much to really like on this guitar...only drawback for me is that rear cut at back of body and strap button placing...looks like might be a pressure issue for certain kinds of strap locks and regular straps..maybe if they bring that ridge height down a little bit would be an improvement in my opinion....anyways good sir, thanks for everything you do!
Some of the features on this guitar are interesting. I like the fact that it's only 6 pounds and I like the clear pickguard. The pickups actually sound good, too. I would like it better without the reverse headstock and a rosewood fingerboard would be nice. I already own several guitar's with this type of pickup configuration, so I would probably pass for now but i can see it as a useful tool for many player's.
Did I hear sprinkles of Chitlin con Carne in your test? Thanks for describing the neck profile. Many companies don't even list the neck profile in there descriptions. I'm always looking for necks with stainless frets and fat profiles.
What? It's a silly idea! The whole point of having rear mounted controls is avoiding the pickguard. Regular strats require the pickguard, because the pickups and controls are bolted on to it, and it covers a larege routed out cavity in the guitar. This makes machining and assembly a lot easier and quicker. They went through the considerable extra effort of an RMC design, but then still added a pickguard that has absolutely no purpose other than getting scratched and collecting dust an cigarette ashes and what not behind it. You could obviously remove the pickguard, but you are then left with a bunch of screw holes in your beautyful guitar.
Sometimes all these variations on the strat formula just make for a long learning curve with all the extra knobs and adjustments. I have a mid 90's strat ultra with blue-gold-dually red lace sensor pickups , LSR roller nut , and locking tuners, and it has all the tones and adjustments one could want without having to memorize all the adjustments.
That's a nice looking guitar! Pretty versatile aray of tones. When you first played the neck humbucker, I thought "it sounds like a Les Paul neck pickup, not what I want from a strat." Then you played the neck pickup split and I thought "there's that strat neck pickup tone! Now that's cool you can have both tones in the same guitar!"
The one thing that puts me down is that it doesn't have 24 frets. In my opinion, as long as it's not a vintage reissue almost all guitars should come with this feature. As more & more artists are utilizing the whole 2 octaves, at some point you'll wish the guitar had that feature too. Because other than that, it's a beast of a guitar.
Also was thinking so, before learnt that 24th fret position is sweet spot for strings vibrations to have there neck pickup. As for 2 octaves range, i simply make pull off on 22th frets...)))
It seems like the picguard is just transparent and doesn't actually do anything except act as a scratch plate. I think I would prefer it and the screwholes weren't on the guitar.
Thats certainly a light guitar considering all the hardware. Quite a specimen for sure. Ive always wanted one , not really my playing style but even still , i compare them to sports cars, very slick and powerful
I live super strats , I have an 85 fender contemporary Jap strat that came stock with a hss setup and a locking trem system my other is a fender “squire” Floyd rose hss that has a photo flame finish that’s pretty cool .. such versatile instruments !
Fantastic sounding guitar, and it's beautiful! The only thing I don't like, and that's just me, is the reverse head stock. But for this axe, I could probably make an exception!
That is one pretty axe - sounds incredible too - in single coil mode it sure does give you that classic strat quack...good looks and versatility, you sure know how to pick em
Years ago Washburn released the Mercury series and my brother bought an MG74. Apart from the body shape and roasting, looks a lot like it! Even down to the finish.
You ever watch your grip on your pick when you edit? I do some of the same stuff with my pick hand...was wondering if you have a hard time with keeping your picks effective edge consistent? I started making aggressive textures on my picks and it helped the heck out of me! 😉 Really enjoy your channel, thanks for the content sir! 🤘
man that is incredible. you can play absolutely any combo! Thanks Darrell. Why dont you just sent that one on over and i'll check it out lol. Good video
Listening to you play, AWESOME DB, WIFE AGREE’S, JUST IN WIFE SAID OUR FAVORITE DEALER LIDGETT MUSIC Council Bluffs has added VOLA !!! A Great Place if your ever in the Neighborhood
I’ve had that same feeling about mijGuitars. Have a Conrad thinline d cutaway like a Barney Kreisel als Gibson from late1960’s, a Ventura 200 acoustic jumbo, also have Ibanez blonde dreadnaut the logo on the head stock was inlaid in Cursive all from Japan.
Not a super Strat guy, but it looks like a nice guitar. I like the idea of the blower switch. Put that into a G fuzz with the volume at 5, then hit that switch and chaos ensues. Nice guitar.
Love the clear pickguard over the flamed maple top. Live all the different tone options. My one question would be, when you engage the “straight rock and roll” button, what is the resulting volume? In other words, if you are riding the volume knob around 6 or 7, when you hit the bypass, is it the signal going to be comparable to that 6 or 7, or is it comparable to a dimed V pot? I like the idea, but it seems like you would have to adjust the amp volume, on the fly.
Just wow! It is a great guitar and also in the price range of a Fender Stratocaster Professional type, I could not find a actual price for this Vola model. Maybe you can make a comparison, this would be interesting to see how close they are and to see the difference. I like the switching systems and the sounds of this Vola guitar. I'm impressed.
In my opinion there is no such thing. Why do you think people end up owning 26 guitars? No such thing as a perfect one. Everyone is different though and some clam that they have found their "holy grail" guitar. I think it's all temporary though, a year later they will find something else they like more.
Zed is way more practical than Zee Darrell, zee is often mistaken for cee over the phone or two-way radio. Greetings from down under, well played as usual on a beautiful instrument. Thanks.
