Prices for MIJ guitars are out of control. 10 years ago, you could get an ESP Standard Series Horizon-II FR with Duncans, German Floyd and a nice quilt maple top for around 1700-1800 Euros ( 1,900 $). Nowadays a similar Horizon-II FR goes for 2500 Euros and it doesn't have the ESP logo on the headstock anymore, they call their MIJ production models ''E-II'' now. Oh and good luck actually finding a Japanese ESP production model at your local music store, even Thomann has many E-II models only available after 5-7 weeks. Hell, a Made in Indonesia Ibanez goes for prices you used to pay for MIJ Ibanez Prestige models, not so long ago!
I honestly don't understand why more companies don't do clear pick guards it's an awesome look with a good looking finish. For that matter i think clear cavity covers would be awesome also
The jackenbacker is a PRIME example of this. But I get that it means they have to back and front route instead of just routing the front and covering it with an opaque pickguard (for most people, not me, but sales in general).
@@keithsmith9889 while the body looks good, I don’t like clear pickguards. They tinge and get cloudy with scratches over time. People tend to forget they’re just plastic.
I had a Japanese built blonde squire strat, I think I bought it new in 91- 92, under £130. It was much better than the American strat I part exchanged it with, I still regret it to this day. I'm embarrassed to say I was a gear snob, 30 years later I'm of the opinion a good guitar is a good guitar no matter the price make or country of origin.
Bought a Vola OZ after watching this review. It has the multicolor finish. 1200 with case. Love it. It came out of the box tuned, set up and ready. The variety of sounds is fantastic. It is like a stratocaster but better. The neck is seriously fast, the craftsmanship is top notch. Mohagany, maple, gotoh, 5 way switch and whammy! Thanks for the review and info. Could not be happier. seriously I have a G335, GLP, PRS, and ESP and Fender already. This is better than Fender! I will do a video later on.
Sweet guitar... Btw that clear pickguard is awesome because you can customize it anyway you like by putting colored cardstock under it or even printing out custom graphics, skys the limit. If you want a permanent change you can spray paint the underside of the pick guard any color you want and it won't ever scratch off. It's a real bonus feature.
Great review. What a sweet guitar. The real star of the show IMO is that Gotoh510 bridge. I bought a Kiesel Delos this year with a Gotoh510. I have a routed space so it can be pulled up like a floyd rose. They sound and feel amazing! I had tuning problems though. It wasn't terrible but didn't hold tune as much as I thought it would. So I took my guitar to a repair shop and they tweaked it for me. They filed the nut a little and adjusted the posts and the springs and I don't know what else... anyway now my guitar holds tune perfectly all day - even with heavy trem use! All the best parts of a floating / locking trem, without all the setup and restring hassle. Great tone, too. Highly recommended.
YEP!!! it is all true. I have owned and played most guitar shapes and styles over the past 35 years. The Vola OZ RV TNC is absolutely the best all around, do it all, guitar in production today. Great value when comparing playability. Components , (electronics, hardware and woods) are top of the scale. Features give the versatility to play any style and capture any sound. This guitar, at only 6.4 lbs, offers all the custom specs and feel without the high price tag (go out and see what they want for a Mexican strat or chinese Epi, guilds, gretch. Scale length is right on. that coupled with some slight chambering offers the 6.4 lbs weight. I am 6'3" at 245lbs and fits me just fine. Keep in mind also, before Vola went direct marketing, outlets had this guitar at over $2,300.00. If you were to only have 1 electric guitar, this is the one.
I've had an Aria Pro II FS1000 for almost 20 years, and it is the most well made guitar I've ever had. And I have had dozens of fabulous guitars over my 60 year run as a guitarist.
The 2nd guitar I got was a aria pro and it was more then 20 years ago. It’s a amazing guitar and I have so many guitars as well. Still one of the best.
I bought a Vola Vasti about 6 months ago for $850 direct and it is now one of my favorites. All Gotoh hardware and great sounding pickups. The fit & finish and overall quality is every bit as nice as my Music Man Cutlass and US made PRS CE24. The Vola guitars in my opinion are the best value available today.
Nicer than your music man?! I may have to get one then. I have a Jason Richardson cutlass and it’s incredibly nice, but to say there’s something better? I’ve gotta get one.
@@thisguy2973 I didn't say nicer....I said the fit & finish and quality was every bit as nice. The Music man is a superb guitar and basically flawless.
I wanted another guitar. After watching your video and others on the Vola Oz, I went ahead and ordered it online late at night. After I did, I realized I forgot to put in your 5% discount code. I got a confirmation email on the order, so I put in the email explaining I had forgotten. I linked this video you made in the return email also. Not expecting to get the 5% discount I was pleasantly surprised today, when both the beautiful guitar came as well as a refund for $69.95! I hope you get something from them as well. I ordered the guitar late Thursday night and it already arrived at my home near Dallas. It plays beautifully! Much better than I can, but I can appreciate how fine it is. And one other thing..... I got the Tribal Red Gloss also. But the maple cap on mine is just one part. It does not have the line where they matched parts. Lol.... I know it is hard to believe but we have looked at it and are looking at it now and no one sees any line at all. Just saying. So thanks for the fine video, and helping me choose which new guitar to get! Ron
I have to say this guitar is one that I actually have liked in a long time that came out. It doesn't have that neutered look from being a rock or metal guitar and I also finally liked the sound of the neck pickup that did not sound so damn muddy like so many guitars out there. Where you always find yourself playing in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and 5th the guitar flubs out too dark losing a more strat style tone. Its why I have mostly always played HSS guitars to keep those strat tones in the 4th and 5th and harder rock and metal in the first 3 positions. But this looks and sounds pretty decent for the money they're asking. I also love those satin necks. I end up sanding my guitars necks all the time if they're painted. Nothing sucks harder than a gloss neck to me.
I love that one for the same reason I love the Ibanez Genesis guitars: They are well made, they offer good quality hardware and they are looking and sounding sweet! And: They are great guitars to mod.
I hope they’ll make some short scale guitar models at these affordable prices. I have no idea how Vola is making these guitars more attainable, but they look amazing. Thanks, Vola!
Unfortunately, 1399 is officially in the affordable tier. Think of it as the affordable end of high quality. In terms of how Vola does it, they’re a family owned business that’s been working for 25+ years, and they used to be more expensive. They reduced the prices in recent years and they still have a custom shop USA line well over $4000. If you’re looking for better prices, they have plain finished bodies that are only $849, and 7 strings as low as 1099 for a Japanese made 7-string. That’s just incredible.
Basically, they copied Kiesel's ''factory direct''- model, minus the whole customization thing. One of the reasons why high-end guitars are so expensive, is because of the dealers upmarking their prices. ( same thing with cars.) Most guitar manufacturers don't sell direct to customers, they sell their instruments to dealers who then retail them. If you buy a high-end guitar for 3,000$, I guarantee you that the retailer bought it from the manufacturer for less than half this price. Vola now sells their guitars factory direct, if they had a dealer network, this guitar here would be at least 2,700$. The downside of this is: you won't find a Vola at your local guitar store, to just test it out.
Speaking from experience, dealers, especially small brick and mortar stores like mine don't pay "less than half the price". I signed on with Vola because I loved their guitars and wanted some more high end guitars in my store. I had to buy at least six of them to get the best price which was not nearly as cheap as you suggest (a significant investment for a small store like mine). Dealers don't set the price, manufacturers do. Six months after I bought into Vola they dropped all their dealers and slashed their prices to sell direct, leaving me with four instruments I could no longer make any profit on. Pretty shitty. Nice guitars though, grab one while you can before they go out of business @@greekfreak1980
Amazing guitar. I would buy one in a heart beat. I love Japanese made guitars. I own a '85 Fender Contemporary Strat with a single dual coil / single volume knob with a Floyd Rose lock down system. I replaced the original trem system with the Floyd Rose and dropped in a Carvin M-22T dual coil pick up in place of the original. It is my go to guitar and would rather play it over my American made Strat. All of Ritchie Kotzen's original signature guitars were Japanese made.
EVH had a workshop where he briefly mentioned his theory behind reverse headstocks, which turned out to be negated by locking nuts so he went to smallest possible headstock (which to me resembles a broken off F3nder shape) - the difference between scale length and string length and a reverse headstock allows longer *pull* length on heavier strings which means less effort for deflection on the same pitch difference versus "normal" headstock orientation. If you don't do a lot of bends, you probably won't notice the difference. If you are bending lower strings sometimes then you actually might. In the end it might not be that much of a conservation - I also like if one is going to do six in line that I don't have to take my hand off, twist my wrist, then get back under the neck or reach over with my plucking hand and back down to keep playing; "reverse" headstock keeps your hand in the playing zone when needing to make quick tuneups while in flight.
I am glad Vola has made their instruments more approachable...the first ones I saw were out of my reach, maybe now I can get one. Of course it's amazing. FGN has a few models distributed in the USA now. They have so many great models for under a kbuck of foldin money that I guess they sell themselves so there doesn't seem to be as many demos as even H-B or EART. I can't wait to try out the fretwork on these - if it's like my other MIJ guitars then it's butter on butter with extra butter sauce.
You cant go wrong with a Vola ..great build..stainless steel frets....roasted maple neck...super lite...real flame top...Gotoh hardware...etc..etc...how can any one have an issue with that...and Japanese quality no less... Try getting that with those specs from the big three builders...u would have to take a small loan to pay for it ...
Fujigen has been making guitars for ALL the big American brands for 40 years. There in house guitars are a mile ahead of Gibson and Fender quality and wood used and 1/3 the cost, Fujigen Kicks butt.
Just bought a Harley Benton Fusion III HSH & it makes me think they are equals but I wouldn’t mind to add it to my collection. I remember those 80’s Jackson DK’s! Great axes!
Ya know what that guitar at that price makes me think? The Guitar Max Signature guitar from Harley Benton is a freaking steal 😊 Darrel Barroon ah hahaha😂
If you want something real nice you can buy/sell/trade your way to one! I acquired an Ibanez rg5320 prestige(in cosmic shadow) by doing exactly that! I started by finding some great deals/fixer uppers and turning them around. I got a charvel desolation CHEAP only cuz it needed a simple wiring fix. Got it for 120 sold it for 350. I also picked up a mint schecter apocalypse(rust grey) for 500(super good deal at the time-2019...). I traded it for a Chapman ghost fret knowing itd probably sell quicker and it did. It sold for 700. The charvel/chapman sold in the same week so i was able to buy a mint Ibanez AZ242f. I absolutely loved it and it was meant to be a keeper, but i eventually decided the neck was too thick and i wanted a wizard/wide-thin instead. The AZ sold for a 1100 and the next day i picked up the mint 2022 RG5320 for 1100. All it needed was a simple spray of D5 deoxit.
I'd add Charvel to the list of great Japanese guitars. My Japanese made 1987 Charvel /Jackson is the best guitar I've ever owned. The craftsmanship is insanely precise, and has kept it's basic form for decades. Better than my San Dimas, better than most. Kudos to those real craftsman's that made these great guitars.
I'm not knowledgeable about your area, but every few years I buy a jo - mostly bought outside Japan for a marshal art, & inside Japan......they're about 5 feet in length, yes I know there are the much longer Japanese sticks called a bo.......my reason is I use the jo in a Chinese exercise system.......but us guys who buy jos are aware of the constantly increasing costs of the Japanese redwood they're made of.......it's soooo beautiful, the feel of the Japanese wood is incredible, you can't not buy them. I'm not a musician, but I feel I can relevantly comment - from my little worm's eye point of view, you are not easily going to get cheap Japanese guitars.
Cort kx700 $700 awesome specs , great pick ups , looks amazing ( of course thats a matter of taste ) luminlay dots , stainless steel frets , ibanez quality since its the same factoy
I have one similar to this in my cart right now. Waiting to pull the trigger. It's an HSS pickup configuration though. Needed a little info on the bypass switch. A guitar of this quality ranging from 1399 USD to 839 USD, depending on pickup configuration, is amazing. I'm just trying to justify which one is going to satisfy what I need. Of course, the more bells and whistles, the happier I would be.
It remind me of my Ibanez RG770 with clear pickup guard also made in Japan. My one has jumbo threads thin neck and DiMaggio pickup in the middle modified by previous owner. For while I was thinking to modify the setup, but I love that guitar and I do not think I will ever sell it.
I ran into a guy in the Philippines who was returning from a Church missions trip. They did all the usual stuff (helped build, fed the poor, performed for Churches, etc....). I asked him what he played (he was a bass player) and he told me a Japanese company that I hadn't heard of (Bacchus) but are supposed to be really good. They're $2000-$3000 in America, but you can buy them directly from Japan to the Philippines for under $1000.
Sharp! I agree with The Max. I'd lose that clear pick guard too. I wouldn't want to cover up that beautiful flame with a solid colored one either though. Nice choppin' too BTW...
@@TengsuangFaith In '81 I bought a good condition Black Gibson Les Paul Custom for $550 from a guy out of the Pennysaver newspaper here in So. Cal . Wish I still had it, damn.
Wow, bud . I was salivating over the unique look, but in the month or so I've known you, I already bought nine guitars. So I was actually somewhat relieved when you said its in a higher affordability class than I shop in. It was really cool though to watch this video. You're a totally even keeled badass dude. Freaking love your playing. Thanks again for another cool video. 😎👍
I agree about the pickguard. That’s the first thing I saw immediately I didn’t like. Reverse headstock is great for low tunings. The low E string doesn’t flop around like a spaghetti noodle
My acoustic variax and Dean were made out that way and the quality is superb. You try to get a Japan made Fender Strat. It will knock spots off the US made one. They are THAT good.
Awesome. Japan makes fantastic guitars. I want to get the new Mami Sasazaki Stratocaster but no USA sellers and do not feel comfortable ordering a guitar from Japan.
I work in a guitar warehouse and get to handle guitars in every price range from all over the world; that said, I think that the guitars coming out of Japan and a few select Indonesian manufacturing facilities are putting out some insane quality units. I see Fender owned brands come in from Mexico, China, Indonesia, and Korea and to be honest IMO the best bang for your buck is the Fender Aerodyne series made in Japan. $999.99 for an Aerodyne Special HSS strat is far better than the Player Plus series equivalent coming out of Mexico for just about $1100.00, again this is my opinion and opinions vary. I think Vola is a brand that has the goods I have played a cheaper model and it was solid and far better than a player series or a classic vibe that's for certain. If you think about it for a minute then 800 dollar Vola made in Japan or an 800 dollar Ibanez made in Indonesia which do you think is going to have the better quality? Now, I’m not knocking Indonesia at all because the $800.00 Yamaha Revstar Standard is made in Indonesia and to play it side by side with the $1900.00 Japanese made Revstar Professional the difference is so minute that it would take professional frequency measuring devices to tell them apart as a blind test would not be able to detect any.
My first guitar is (still have and play it) a Fernandes APG-80 (bought in 1999, it was discounted 3x (saw the original price of 1600 (guilders, before the Euro), cut to 1400 and cut again to 999)). The only downside (at the time) was that it was RED instead of BLACK. I want to convert it to a hard tail (tired of the not so gud FRT (no locks on the bridge side, so you can easily get it out of tune, if your sleeve catches the low E "fine tuner")) But yeah, nothing wrong with Japanese guitars in general. Would buy it again, anyway....
I was lucky enough to get one of these at Amazon. Not this model but comparable for under 300. It is amazing with a roasted maple neck and more tones than I know what to do with. I can’t find anything about this company but they make crazy affordable guitars.
My two PRS SE series guitars are built better than my MIJ Strat. Whether you can find anything you like in their lineup is a different matter, but the build quality is definitely there.
All S type guitars with a 5 position blade switch have the same problem getting to position 2 and 4 quickly. You just have to get a feel for it for your particular S type guitar.
There have always been affordable, excellent quality, Japanese guitars. I owned an Epiphone Elitist 57 Goldtop LP as well as an Elitist Worn 61 SG that I would have put up against almost any Gibson on the market when I owned them. If I still owned them, I would still put them up against almost any Gibson on the market today. While they are not as low-priced today as they once were, there are still deals to be found.
The Increased string length on the Low 'E' would ensure it could be down tuned and remain properly tensioned, making for a tighter chug, when down tuned & affording better articulation. Plus Reverse Stocks just look Rad!
Luthiers have proven that doesn’t matter. The tension is held between the nut and the bridge. The extra bit beyond the nut only matters when bending strings at the most.
Just my preferences here: I generally don't buy bolt-ons or less than 24 frets or guitars with pickguards or trems other than Floyds. I mean, that is on CHUNKY joint where the neck meets the body.
These vola guitars are absolute love. Their tonal character looks each and everything is just top notch and in great price
Prices for MIJ guitars are out of control.
10 years ago, you could get an ESP Standard Series Horizon-II FR with Duncans, German Floyd and a nice quilt maple top for around 1700-1800 Euros ( 1,900 $).
Nowadays a similar Horizon-II FR goes for 2500 Euros and it doesn't have the ESP logo on the headstock anymore, they call their MIJ production models ''E-II'' now. Oh and good luck actually finding a Japanese ESP production model at your local music store, even Thomann has many E-II models only available after 5-7 weeks.
Hell, a Made in Indonesia Ibanez goes for prices you used to pay for MIJ Ibanez Prestige models, not so long ago!
I honestly don't understand why more companies don't do clear pick guards it's an awesome look with a good looking finish. For that matter i think clear cavity covers would be awesome also
The jackenbacker is a PRIME example of this.
But I get that it means they have to back and front route instead of just routing the front and covering it with an opaque pickguard (for most people, not me, but sales in general).
because they look terrible and make the guitar look cheap, like strippers shoes.
I'm still searching for a early 90's Jackson Standard Dinky that came with a clear pick guard. They came in burgundy and blue. Very hard to find.
because most people don't like them
@@keithsmith9889 while the body looks good, I don’t like clear pickguards. They tinge and get cloudy with scratches over time. People tend to forget they’re just plastic.
I had a Japanese built blonde squire strat, I think I bought it new in 91- 92, under £130. It was much better than the American strat I part exchanged it with, I still regret it to this day. I'm embarrassed to say I was a gear snob, 30 years later I'm of the opinion a good guitar is a good guitar no matter the price make or country of origin.
This MIJ models are amazing. I have one and plan to keep it.
Bought a Vola OZ after watching this review. It has the multicolor finish. 1200 with case. Love it. It came out of the box tuned, set up and ready. The variety of sounds is fantastic. It is like a stratocaster but better. The neck is seriously fast, the craftsmanship is top notch. Mohagany, maple, gotoh, 5 way switch and whammy! Thanks for the review and info. Could not be happier. seriously I have a G335, GLP, PRS, and ESP and Fender already. This is better than Fender! I will do a video later on.
Sweet guitar... Btw that clear pickguard is awesome because you can customize it anyway you like by putting colored cardstock under it or even printing out custom graphics, skys the limit. If you want a permanent change you can spray paint the underside of the pick guard any color you want and it won't ever scratch off. It's a real bonus feature.
About a decade ago I did something similar using printouts of album covers and spray mount (Black Sabbath albums to be precise). Looked great.
It’s my understanding that it’s also a really nice piece of clear plastic rather than feeling like a plasicky cheap pickguard.
clear pickguards with a flame finish underneath looks so good.
like the japanese G-Life Cross Edge series guitars, but those cost $5k💀
I have been changing pictures under the clear pick guard on my 1956 DanElectro since the 70's. Fun without ever making a mod that cannot be reversed.
Does anyone have experience with clear pickguard? My experience is scratching on the pickguard. How does this look over time?
Great review. What a sweet guitar. The real star of the show IMO is that Gotoh510 bridge. I bought a Kiesel Delos this year with a Gotoh510. I have a routed space so it can be pulled up like a floyd rose. They sound and feel amazing! I had tuning problems though. It wasn't terrible but didn't hold tune as much as I thought it would. So I took my guitar to a repair shop and they tweaked it for me. They filed the nut a little and adjusted the posts and the springs and I don't know what else... anyway now my guitar holds tune perfectly all day - even with heavy trem use! All the best parts of a floating / locking trem, without all the setup and restring hassle. Great tone, too. Highly recommended.
I really appreciate the new interpretation of a classic design.
YEP!!! it is all true. I have owned and played most guitar shapes and styles over the past 35 years. The Vola OZ RV TNC is absolutely the best all around, do it all, guitar in production today. Great value when comparing playability. Components , (electronics, hardware and woods) are top of the scale. Features give the versatility to play any style and capture any sound. This guitar, at only 6.4 lbs, offers all the custom specs and feel without the high price tag (go out and see what they want for a Mexican strat or chinese Epi, guilds, gretch. Scale length is right on. that coupled with some slight chambering offers the 6.4 lbs weight. I am 6'3" at 245lbs and fits me just fine. Keep in mind also, before Vola went direct marketing, outlets had this guitar at over $2,300.00. If you were to only have 1 electric guitar, this is the one.
I've had an Aria Pro II FS1000 for almost 20 years, and it is the most well made guitar I've ever had. And I have had dozens of fabulous guitars over my 60 year run as a guitarist.
The 2nd guitar I got was a aria pro and it was more then 20 years ago. It’s a amazing guitar and I have so many guitars as well. Still one of the best.
My first guitar was an Aria, the cheapest one they had in 1989. But I haven't seen that brand since in any local shops.
Lately, Steve from Boston has been playing a Vola a lot on his streamcasts. Between your own, and Steve's playing, they do sound great.
I even love the pickguard. Great review, Max ! Thanks for the history lesson. Those tasty bits really add to our understanding.
I lusted after those for a bit, but finally settled on an Ibanez S-series. Half the price and good enough for my skills, such as they are.
Japan, in the 70s I had that Ibanez (lawsuit) Les Paul, white -w- black binding & Gold hardware. That thing was a work of art !
´◔‿ゝ◔`)━☞ I have a Firefly FFLP Classic blueberry burst with triple opencoil pickups, great Les Paul copy 😉🤙
This guitar is absolutely beautiful Max! Great review! Thanks again! Love the look & specs!
I bought a Vola Vasti about 6 months ago for $850 direct and it is now one of my favorites. All Gotoh hardware and great sounding pickups. The fit & finish and overall quality is every bit as nice as my Music Man Cutlass and US made PRS CE24. The Vola guitars in my opinion are the best value available today.
Nicer than your music man?! I may have to get one then. I have a Jason Richardson cutlass and it’s incredibly nice, but to say there’s something better? I’ve gotta get one.
@@thisguy2973 I didn't say nicer....I said the fit & finish and quality was every bit as nice. The Music man is a superb guitar and basically flawless.
I love Japanese crafted guitars, best value for your money in my opinion. Just wish Vola had some fixed bridge offerings for their super strats...
You have the most Awesome Job! I have only a couple of guitars and have looked at VOLA for a while. They are beautiful guitars.
I wanted another guitar. After watching your video and others on the Vola Oz, I went ahead and ordered it online late at night. After I did, I realized I forgot to put in your 5% discount code. I got a confirmation email on the order, so I put in the email explaining I had forgotten. I linked this video you made in the return email also.
Not expecting to get the 5% discount I was pleasantly surprised today, when both the beautiful guitar came as well as a refund for $69.95! I hope you get something from them as well.
I ordered the guitar late Thursday night and it already arrived at my home near Dallas.
It plays beautifully! Much better than I can, but I can appreciate how fine it is.
And one other thing..... I got the Tribal Red Gloss also. But the maple cap on mine is just one part. It does not have the line where they matched parts. Lol.... I know it is hard to believe but we have looked at it and are looking at it now and no one sees any line at all. Just saying.
So thanks for the fine video, and helping me choose which new guitar to get!
Ron
I have to say this guitar is one that I actually have liked in a long time that came out. It doesn't have that neutered look from being a rock or metal guitar and I also finally liked the sound of the neck pickup that did not sound so damn muddy like so many guitars out there. Where you always find yourself playing in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and 5th the guitar flubs out too dark losing a more strat style tone. Its why I have mostly always played HSS guitars to keep those strat tones in the 4th and 5th and harder rock and metal in the first 3 positions. But this looks and sounds pretty decent for the money they're asking. I also love those satin necks. I end up sanding my guitars necks all the time if they're painted. Nothing sucks harder than a gloss neck to me.
I'm hoping these come Left-handed, looks great and sounds amazing
I love that one for the same reason I love the Ibanez Genesis guitars: They are well made, they offer good quality hardware and they are looking and sounding sweet! And: They are great guitars to mod.
I hope they’ll make some short scale guitar models at these affordable prices. I have no idea how Vola is making these guitars more attainable, but they look amazing. Thanks, Vola!
I'm sure once their reputation builds/sales increase prices will shoot right up. I wish I could buy one now
Unfortunately, 1399 is officially in the affordable tier. Think of it as the affordable end of high quality.
In terms of how Vola does it, they’re a family owned business that’s been working for 25+ years, and they used to be more expensive. They reduced the prices in recent years and they still have a custom shop USA line well over $4000.
If you’re looking for better prices, they have plain finished bodies that are only $849, and 7 strings as low as 1099 for a Japanese made 7-string. That’s just incredible.
Basically, they copied Kiesel's ''factory direct''- model, minus the whole customization thing.
One of the reasons why high-end guitars are so expensive, is because of the dealers upmarking their prices. ( same thing with cars.)
Most guitar manufacturers don't sell direct to customers, they sell their instruments to dealers who then retail them.
If you buy a high-end guitar for 3,000$, I guarantee you that the retailer bought it from the manufacturer for less than half this price.
Vola now sells their guitars factory direct, if they had a dealer network, this guitar here would be at least 2,700$.
The downside of this is: you won't find a Vola at your local guitar store, to just test it out.
Speaking from experience, dealers, especially small brick and mortar stores like mine don't pay "less than half the price". I signed on with Vola because I loved their guitars and wanted some more high end guitars in my store. I had to buy at least six of them to get the best price which was not nearly as cheap as you suggest (a significant investment for a small store like mine). Dealers don't set the price, manufacturers do. Six months after I bought into Vola they dropped all their dealers and slashed their prices to sell direct, leaving me with four instruments I could no longer make any profit on. Pretty shitty. Nice guitars though, grab one while you can before they go out of business @@greekfreak1980
I have a Dean Dimebag Darell Razorback made in Japan, and it is really nice!
Amazing guitar. I would buy one in a heart beat. I love Japanese made guitars. I own a '85 Fender Contemporary Strat with a single dual coil / single volume knob with a Floyd Rose lock down system. I replaced the original trem system with the Floyd Rose and dropped in a Carvin M-22T dual coil pick up in place of the original. It is my go to guitar and would rather play it over my American made Strat. All of Ritchie Kotzen's original signature guitars were Japanese made.
Japanese guitar with Gotoh hardware. Probably the first decent guitar this fella's recommended. FGN (FujiGen) are definitely worth a look as well
THIS is what I Have Been Waiting For; thanks!
Hope to get a Vola someday soon, but I wish they made more 6-string models with 24 frets.
did you look at harley benton fusion t?
they seem to rock the same specs, have great reviews but are half or one third of the price
EVH had a workshop where he briefly mentioned his theory behind reverse headstocks, which turned out to be negated by locking nuts so he went to smallest possible headstock (which to me resembles a broken off F3nder shape) - the difference between scale length and string length and a reverse headstock allows longer *pull* length on heavier strings which means less effort for deflection on the same pitch difference versus "normal" headstock orientation.
If you don't do a lot of bends, you probably won't notice the difference. If you are bending lower strings sometimes then you actually might. In the end it might not be that much of a conservation - I also like if one is going to do six in line that I don't have to take my hand off, twist my wrist, then get back under the neck or reach over with my plucking hand and back down to keep playing; "reverse" headstock keeps your hand in the playing zone when needing to make quick tuneups while in flight.
Reverse headstocks suck for tuning purposes
Amazing guitars. Just got one. Absolute beautiful player. Necks melt in your hand.
I am glad Vola has made their instruments more approachable...the first ones I saw were out of my reach, maybe now I can get one. Of course it's amazing.
FGN has a few models distributed in the USA now. They have so many great models for under a kbuck of foldin money that I guess they sell themselves so there doesn't seem to be as many demos as even H-B or EART.
I can't wait to try out the fretwork on these - if it's like my other MIJ guitars then it's butter on butter with extra butter sauce.
Plus it means they finished underneath perfectly so those of us that hate pickguards can take em off all together
I like that they came up with a fairly original shape.
You cant go wrong with a Vola ..great build..stainless steel frets....roasted maple neck...super lite...real flame top...Gotoh hardware...etc..etc...how can any one have an issue with that...and Japanese quality no less... Try getting that with those specs from the big three builders...u would have to take a small loan to pay for it ...
Great guitar... I love the clear pickguard and switching ...
Fujigen has been making guitars for ALL the big American brands for 40 years. There in house guitars are a mile ahead of Gibson and Fender quality and wood used and 1/3 the cost, Fujigen Kicks butt.
Just bought a Harley Benton Fusion III HSH & it makes me think they are equals but I wouldn’t mind to add it to my collection. I remember those 80’s Jackson DK’s! Great axes!
Gorgeous guitar with great sustain. Thank you for the review, Max.
Ya know what that guitar at that price makes me think? The Guitar Max Signature guitar from Harley Benton is a freaking steal 😊
Darrel Barroon ah hahaha😂
Darrel Barroon - Classic deadpan humor. 🤣
You are such a humble dude. Shoutout to you and your channel ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Great review. Love the direct to customer model.
That perfectly Quarter sawn maple fingerboard
The Arrow / Finger Nail Grain Patterns going right up the middle of the board
I'd buy it right now if it had 24 frets. Reminds me of Steve Morse music man signature with that clear pick guard. Very classy looking.
That is a killer guitar for the price they are asking. I really wish I could get one.
Great guitar! Loved it! There is another Japan made that's very affordable that is FGN (Fujigen)
If you want something real nice you can buy/sell/trade your way to one! I acquired an Ibanez rg5320 prestige(in cosmic shadow) by doing exactly that! I started by finding some great deals/fixer uppers and turning them around. I got a charvel desolation CHEAP only cuz it needed a simple wiring fix. Got it for 120 sold it for 350.
I also picked up a mint schecter apocalypse(rust grey) for 500(super good deal at the time-2019...). I traded it for a Chapman ghost fret knowing itd probably sell quicker and it did. It sold for 700. The charvel/chapman sold in the same week so i was able to buy a mint Ibanez AZ242f. I absolutely loved it and it was meant to be a keeper, but i eventually decided the neck was too thick and i wanted a wizard/wide-thin instead.
The AZ sold for a 1100 and the next day i picked up the mint 2022 RG5320 for 1100. All it needed was a simple spray of D5 deoxit.
Dude...I love the show , and damn your tone is sweet !! awesome player !
Really love the clear pickguard. Meant to actually be a pickguard, not part of the guitar's looks! Show off that beautiful top wood!
I still have an 80s Japanese Fender Strat. Pretty nice guitar.
Cool demonstration man, nice shoutout for the mij Jackson DK2's 😄👍 the early 2000 models are my favorite they had the coolest paintjobs!
I'd add Charvel to the list of great Japanese guitars. My Japanese made 1987 Charvel /Jackson is the best guitar I've ever owned. The craftsmanship is insanely precise, and has kept it's basic form for decades. Better than my San Dimas, better than most. Kudos to those real craftsman's that made these great guitars.
The was a great job on the solo how you just laid back on it!
Don't forget, you can also pull the volume knob
I have a Fender MIJ stratocaster with a Schaller tremelo. It was a bit hard to keep in tune but sounds really good.
Max you should try out the Luna. VOLA makes fantastic guitars and now at even a lower price point.
Holy VOLA those folks make AWESOME instruments
I'm not knowledgeable about your area, but every few years I buy a jo - mostly bought outside Japan for a marshal art, & inside Japan......they're about 5 feet in length, yes I know there are the much longer Japanese sticks called a bo.......my reason is I use the jo in a Chinese exercise system.......but us guys who buy jos are aware of the constantly increasing costs of the Japanese redwood they're made of.......it's soooo beautiful, the feel of the Japanese wood is incredible, you can't not buy them. I'm not a musician, but I feel I can relevantly comment - from my little worm's eye point of view, you are not easily going to get cheap Japanese guitars.
Japanese guitars started getting good around 77 Max...with Matsumoku and Fujigen.
Cort kx700 $700 awesome specs , great pick ups , looks amazing ( of course thats a matter of taste ) luminlay dots , stainless steel frets , ibanez quality since its the same factoy
I have one similar to this in my cart right now. Waiting to pull the trigger. It's an HSS pickup configuration though. Needed a little info on the bypass switch. A guitar of this quality ranging from 1399 USD to 839 USD, depending on pickup configuration, is amazing. I'm just trying to justify which one is going to satisfy what I need. Of course, the more bells and whistles, the happier I would be.
I'm totally digging Vola. They make such good stuff.
I love Vola guitars…I was torn between the Vola and a Strandberg…went with the Strandberg but my next guitar is definitely an OZ👍
Love Vola guitars. I have 2 and they get a lot of play time. The Vasti KJM is amazing and quickly became one of my favorites
man i love the way you talk
i don't know how butit made me not depressed ( no joke )
It remind me of my Ibanez RG770 with clear pickup guard also made in Japan. My one has jumbo threads thin neck and DiMaggio pickup in the middle modified by previous owner. For while I was thinking to modify the setup, but I love that guitar and I do not think I will ever sell it.
I ran into a guy in the Philippines who was returning from a Church missions trip. They did all the usual stuff (helped build, fed the poor, performed for Churches, etc....). I asked him what he played (he was a bass player) and he told me a Japanese company that I hadn't heard of (Bacchus) but are supposed to be really good. They're $2000-$3000 in America, but you can buy them directly from Japan to the Philippines for under $1000.
Sharp! I agree with The Max. I'd lose that clear pick guard too. I wouldn't want to cover up that beautiful flame with a solid colored one either though.
Nice choppin' too BTW...
Joe Satriani and Steve Vai IBANEZ models are very good examples of Japanese craftsmanship plus the electronics added to it. They are excellent 👏 👌 👍
I like those videos where you talk about guitars
That button's purpose reminds me of Karl Sander's Dean V that doesn't have any control knobs, the pickup conects directly to the output jack.
it costs over 1000.00 Your idea of affordable and mine are worlds apart. i consider an affordable guitar to be under 600.00
thought affordable was under 300. i'm gettin old lol.
(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ under $500 for me.
@@jornfox3545me too 😂
@@TengsuangFaith In '81 I bought a good condition Black Gibson Les Paul Custom for $550 from a guy out of the Pennysaver newspaper here in So. Cal . Wish I still had it, damn.
To be the point is $1,200 since that’s where the guitar companies shift in quality.
Wow, bud . I was salivating over the unique look, but in the month or so I've known you, I already bought nine guitars. So I was actually somewhat relieved when you said its in a higher affordability class than I shop in. It was really cool though to watch this video. You're a totally even keeled badass dude. Freaking love your playing. Thanks again for another cool video. 😎👍
I agree about the pickguard. That’s the first thing I saw immediately I didn’t like.
Reverse headstock is great for low tunings. The low E string doesn’t flop around like a spaghetti noodle
Wow, your playing is really getting tuned in, Love it!. The quality of guitars today vs value? Blows my mind! I wish it had Jumbo frets..
Hey Max. How would you say Vola compares to Ibanez Prestiges? I’ve been stuck between the two and would like your thoughts.
Great review, thanks!
They look and sound very nice. they also offer some lefty models but very limited up till know.
I’m not a big fan of red on guitars but that one in my opinion really looks good.
That is awesome. Looks fantastic as well.
My acoustic variax and Dean were made out that way and the quality is superb. You try to get a Japan made Fender Strat. It will knock spots off the US made one. They are THAT good.
The 'recessed' pick guard looks pretty cool.
Why does this guy make me think of what might happen if Danzig overdosed on mochi. Love the channel. +5.
Beautiful guitar. Great review.
Thank you kindly!
Still play and prefer my Yamaha RGX to this day. Have owned many axes, spent a bucket load of money … and always come back to the rgx.
Hey! That's a picture of my Jackson DK2! 😃
Awesome. Japan makes fantastic guitars. I want to get the new Mami Sasazaki Stratocaster but no USA sellers and do not feel comfortable ordering a guitar from Japan.
Hire trog to get it for you
Really well done. Congrats
I work in a guitar warehouse and get to handle guitars in every price range from all over the world; that said, I think that the guitars coming out of Japan and a few select Indonesian manufacturing facilities are putting out some insane quality units. I see Fender owned brands come in from Mexico, China, Indonesia, and Korea and to be honest IMO the best bang for your buck is the Fender Aerodyne series made in Japan. $999.99 for an Aerodyne Special HSS strat is far better than the Player Plus series equivalent coming out of Mexico for just about $1100.00, again this is my opinion and opinions vary.
I think Vola is a brand that has the goods I have played a cheaper model and it was solid and far better than a player series or a classic vibe that's for certain. If you think about it for a minute then 800 dollar Vola made in Japan or an 800 dollar Ibanez made in Indonesia which do you think is going to have the better quality? Now, I’m not knocking Indonesia at all because the $800.00 Yamaha Revstar Standard is made in Indonesia and to play it side by side with the $1900.00 Japanese made Revstar Professional the difference is so minute that it would take professional frequency measuring devices to tell them apart as a blind test would not be able to detect any.
My first guitar is (still have and play it) a Fernandes APG-80 (bought in 1999, it was discounted 3x (saw the original price of 1600 (guilders, before the Euro), cut to 1400 and cut again to 999)).
The only downside (at the time) was that it was RED instead of BLACK.
I want to convert it to a hard tail (tired of the not so gud FRT (no locks on the bridge side, so you can easily get it out of tune, if your sleeve catches the low E "fine tuner"))
But yeah, nothing wrong with Japanese guitars in general.
Would buy it again, anyway....
I was lucky enough to get one of these at Amazon. Not this model but comparable for under 300. It is amazing with a roasted maple neck and more tones than I know what to do with. I can’t find anything about this company but they make crazy affordable guitars.
Congrats, your videos are always informative
My two PRS SE series guitars are built better than my MIJ Strat. Whether you can find anything you like in their lineup is a different matter, but the build quality is definitely there.
WOW! This guitar is a BEAST!
There’s a new playa on the block FOR SURE!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That is one nice instrument... Thanks.
Max.
All S type guitars with a 5 position blade switch have the same problem getting to position 2 and 4 quickly. You just have to get a feel for it for your particular S type guitar.
An the fact my idea of affordable an yours are not the same troubles me my friend thanks
There have always been affordable, excellent quality, Japanese guitars. I owned an Epiphone Elitist 57 Goldtop LP as well as an Elitist Worn 61 SG that I would have put up against almost any Gibson on the market when I owned them. If I still owned them, I would still put them up against almost any Gibson on the market today. While they are not as low-priced today as they once were, there are still deals to be found.
Recently I tried some of Vola guitar in Shanghai , great sound and play ability
Can i ask quality wise are they on par with ibanez prestige or E ii?
Very nice, sounds great. You play so good anything you play pretty much you can make sound wonderful. 👍
The Increased string length on the Low 'E' would ensure it could be down tuned and remain properly tensioned, making for a tighter chug, when down tuned & affording better articulation. Plus Reverse Stocks just look Rad!
Luthiers have proven that doesn’t matter. The tension is held between the nut and the bridge. The extra bit beyond the nut only matters when bending strings at the most.
Just when you think you’ve heard all the bullshit about a guitar here comes something I haven’t lol
Just my preferences here: I generally don't buy bolt-ons or less than 24 frets or guitars with pickguards or trems other than Floyds. I mean, that is on CHUNKY joint where the neck meets the body.