Thank you for the review and the in-depth tone demo! I was on this fence on this guitar, but after seeing this I made the trip, demo’d it, and had to bring it home. Thanks again!
No worries, glad to have been able to help you make your decision! These are great guitars indeed, and the only thing that might put some people off is the rather massive neck. Happy new guitar day and enjoy your V120 :)
Nice demo, great sounds. Thoroughly explored the range for us. Much appreciated Bravo! I picked one up and even though it arrived with a chunk of its backside damaged in shipping I still want to keep it. It has a sound to it. It kinda summarizes the sound of the band rather than just offering the sharp bits. It’s midrangey but with plenty of shimmer. The p100 delivers all the the charm of a p90 but with out the hum. The 3 in line bar tuners I suspect are a notch above the separate style regarding stability and sustain. The Wilkinson wraparound is lower profile than alternates offering more control over setting the action and the string to pickup height. I’m a fan of the Vintage CocaCola style font on the headstock and prefer it even to the Gibson logo. Mine is a double cut on the high side of 7 lbs so the weight can vary. All considered I am quite pleased.
Nice playing Rich! I bought the blue version after watching your demo. I had before a Vintage Strat, and these guitars sound/quality are really excellent. Cheers!
Thanks man, I'm happy to hear that and I hope you're enjoying yours! Yeah, I've played so many Vintage guitars over the years (I worked for them for three years back in the day, which helps to try them all ;) ) and they're excellent. The Wilkinson hardware really helps them, and I love the vintage feel of the V120 with its massive neck :) Rock on!
I bought this guitar as a project back in February. Got it as a B Stock purchase. It was good on its own, but I wanted to make it exactly how I wanted it. I sanded down that glossy finish to a worn finish. Not a relic job, but it looks more “vintage” and takes away some stickiness when playing. The tuners and nut surprisingly needed no upgrade. Pickup prob didn’t either, but I swapped it out for a SD Antiquity, and also upgraded to a Mojotone wiring kit. Love playing this guitar now!!
That sounds like an awesome set of mods! Did you sand the body as well, or just the neck? I find the Wilkinson hardware very serviceable indeed, although I would be very tempted to bung a more 'boutique' pickup in there to see the difference it makes... Thanks for watching!
@@RichWordsMusic After removing all hardware and electronics, I wet-Sanded the whole guitar with 3000 Trizac pads. It basically just took off the gloss finish and made it look like it had been played for awhile. Yes, Wilkinson hardware is pretty solid. THe only thing I felt really needed to be modded was the wiring kit (pots, etc.) I didnt like the way the volume rolled, etc.
@@michaelanderson4747 Oh wow, the whole thing! Sounds great. I might need to try that on a guinea pig guitar sometime, see how it works out. I do like a more played-in feel, without the massively reliced look! I agree about the wiring actually, smoother, more even pots might be an improvement. On the whole though, Wilkinson is great bang for the buck.
I bought this a few months ago and I like it, but the pickup is a stacked p90? and it sound, for lack of a better word, dry. Low end is bad. How is the antiquity compared to the Wilkinson? Also I want to change the bridge, the intonation screw digs in the pole and when I try to adjust the height it doesn't move. This is my first affordable junior. Your mods sound nice, I think I'll go your way with them plus the bridge. Thanks for any advise!
@@nikosikaria1212 Yes, the pickup is stacked - I asked Trev Wilkinson directly and he confirmed it. I still think it sounds awesome, and very close to a 'real' P90. The Antiquity is an amazing pickup, yes... you pay a big price for it of course, but I'm sure it's worth it! It will give you a little more sparkle and clarity for sure. I also think Mike had some cool mods, and I might do them myself as well at some point. But I think the V120 is a great choice for your first Junior, and I hope you get it playing and sounding the way you want it soon!
I think I see a pattern here! 😉 Wonderful video as always Rich. Now you need a couple of guitars with more than one P90! I think you are covered there 😉 OH! And fun fact, you did surpass me now in the #raceto1000! So congrats mate! The show is still going, and I'll see if I can surpass you once more. Don't count me out yet! 😎
Ha ha, I have done a lot of Junior type guitars recently... I need to branch out a bit, but these are what's here right now! Otherwise I have to start buying things ;) The #raceto1000 is not even half way done, and I am sure the lead will change hands many times until then! And maybe we can cross the threshold together sometime in 2027 ;) It feels like it's gonna take that long!
Here's the timestamps for you people on phones: 00:38 Intro and all about Vintage guitars 01:43 Vintage V120 specs and features and some CITES info 04:50 Today’s rig Amp on the Clean Channel 05:15 Country strummed chords 05:43 Indie barre chords 05:57 Poppy indie ringing chords 06:12 Cowboy chords with tone control test 06:51 Country picking sounds 07:14 Indie pop picked arpeggios and strummed chords 07:48 Classic soul pop riff with extra reverb 08:02 Bluesey southern rock melodic lick with extra reverb 08:27 Bluesey riff 08:38 Atmospheric lead melody with extra reverb Amp on the Crunch channel 08:47 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff 09:04 Groovy classic rock riff 09:30 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff 09:41 Epic classic rock riff 10:09 Southern rock picked arpeggios 10:19 Southern rock lead melody with extra reverb 10:33 Indie rock barre chords 11:00 Volume control roll-off test 11:26 Indie rock rhythm chords riff 11:43 Indie octave chords riff 12:07 Epic indie pop chords 12:24 Picked indie rock arpeggios 12:47 Droning indie rock riff 13:00 Upbeat indie open strings riff Amp on the Lead Channel 13:18 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff 13:37 Airbourne inspired classic hard rock riff 14:00 Hard rock riff 14:17 Classic hard rock riff 14:34 Glam rock riff 14:48 Glam rock palm-muted rhythms 15:10 Alt rock riff 15:24 Alt rock rhythmic chords with open strings 15:50 Pop punk riff 16:04 Green Day inspired punk rock riff 16:17 Pop punk melodic lead sounds 16:32 Punk rock rhythm riff 16:45 Chunky modern hard rock power chords (Drop D) 17:07 Progressive rock riff (Drop D) Clean Channel with Revv G3 distortion pedal (Drop D tuning) 17:22 Metal chugging riff 17:40 Mastodon inspired modern metal riff 17:50 Hardcore punk riff 18:04 Hardcore rhythm chugging riff 18:15 Classic metal riff 18:48 Lead sounds 19:01 My thoughts - I’m in a P90 phase right now 19:40 Vintage V120 build quality 20:44 The Lignum Rosa fingerboard 22:23 Playability and that massive neck 24:01 Sounds and the versatility of the Wilkinson P90 pickup 25:28 Final conclusion and goodbye
I have the Tobacco Burst with creamy P90s. It's the best production guitar I have ever had. It plays so good that it's really hard to put it down once you started with it. I play mine through an Orange Micro Terror via the rare Hartke GT 60 4x8 cabinet.
I'm glad you are also enjoying yours! I am a big fan of Vintage... for the price they make amazing guitars, and even if you don't consider the price at all they are hard to beat. Sounds like a cool rig you've got there!
@@davidlalremruata I just watched your Amazing Grace performance... awesome, great playing and the guitar is lovely! I'd like to try this model too in the future :)
Fret King, Harley Benton, Vintage, all smell like Mr. Wilkinson. His P-90 Double Coil in the Fret Kings are pretty cool, with his pot that dials from single to double. Thanks for these great vids. Taking the HB Fat Jr. to a jam to test run.
Yep, Fret-King guitars are great and I love the Vari-coil control too. That was also on the Vintage Advanced range (another Wilkinson job!) and really makes the guitars so much more versatile. I still love my AV2! Hope the DC Jr FAT holds up well in a band setting! Let me know how it works out :)
I don't know if it's my set-up or the P90s but it always wants to scream. You know, as a fellow guitar player, that sweet spot where there's depth, warmth, sustain n organic harmonics just before the guitar feedback, it always seems to be there. Honest!
I agree 100%! I think P90s just have this raw rock attitude to them, and they're just always pushing you to turn it up a little more! I only recently discovered the joy of these pickups, and I wish more guitarists would also try them :)
Yep, it's the stacked one alright! It's officially called the W90SK, according to JHS and Trev (who I spoke with before I did the video)... but the specs online for Vintage guitars do seem to change a lot, and I do believe Wilkinson have made a stacked P90 called a P100 in the past too. Confusing, but I think we're both right ;) Either way, it sounds fantastic!
@@RichWordsMusic make a direct comparison between a "real" P90 and the Wilkinsons and you will be surprised. Especially when it comes to "teasing" a tube amp using the volume control on the guitar. To my ears the Wilkinsons (I own a Vintage Gold Top with Wilkinson P-whatevers) lack the gnarly bite that is so typical for P90s. I own 4 Vintage brand guitars and I'm very happy with them, just those Wilkinson P-whatevers are a breed of it's own. I absolutely appreciate the amount of effort you put into these reviews. On another account I have a photography channel with nearly 20'000 subs and I had a steeper hill to climb than you with your first 2'000. Absolutely deserved, keep it up.
@@fadermaster5221 I did do a video with the Vintage and my Harley Benton SC Junior (this one: ruclips.net/video/CxnJngmAzk4/видео.html) and the difference is on display there, but at no point have a teased a tube amp with either yet ;) Need to try that when I can! I do feel the Wilkinson have some bite, although the edge of the bite has been slightly softened, if you get what I mean. I also have a Harley Benton DC Junior FAT with their stacked P90/P100, and that has none of the P90 snarling magic. And oh man, tell me about it with the subs thing! I'm glad I am not doing this for a living as it'd stress me out way too much ;) It's a slow and steady battle, that's for sure. Congrats on the 20k though, that's a great number. What's your channel, if you don't mind me asking? I watch a fair bit of photo/video stuff to try and up my own game wherever I can!
This is a big one, Rich! I appreciate your attention to detail as usual, especially concerning neck profile and the fretboard material, which are quite important to me. I've lost Vintage from the radar lately, but that should probably change. The guitar sounds and even looks superb (appreciate the visible mahogany grain with no veneer), wonder how it compares to your HB junior and Epi - that'd be a shootout! Btw what about intonation with the (almost) fixed saddles, was it good enough? And were the frets leveled properly? I heard some buzz around 8:10. I've noticed that they've already placed your review on their web, gonna be a star now 😉
Yay, glad you enjoyed it! I also had Vintage off my radar for quite a while... if you look around on RUclips there's surprisingly few videos of them around. I'm not sure why, but maybe I've started a change with this one! And I'll see if I can get more in too, as they really are good guitars and a nice alternative! I will definitely compare this one to the HB Junior, and maybe the Epi too, if I have the time before it has to go back to Kai :) The intonation is great, and frets feel really good (no rough edges at all) but you're right... there was a tiny bit of buzz there, which means there's possibly a fret that's a little high somewhere! I was very happy to see they put the video on their site, and I hope I don't put any prospective customers off who go on there and the first thing they hear is me ;)
Thanks Jeff! I think the Wilkinsons compare pretty well! Being stacked to an extent, they do have a slightly fatter tone - and they do miss just a tiny bit of the top-end snarl that makes a true P90 sound so magical - but they're a really decent choice. And when I factor in the pricing too, the Wilkinsons/Vintage guitars do seem like a bit of a bargain!
I saw that movie as a kid and it scarred me for life... but it possibly subliminally influenced the guitars I'd want to put on my future RUclips channel! I do love a good Junior though.
Awesome review - Thumbs up ! ! ! Its really getting hard to decide between the Vintage - Epiphone - Harley Benton ! Gibson is way out of my budget ( Insane pricetag for such a Basic guitar ! ) ! I know it will be very time-consuming - complicated & very challenging - But a comparison between those 4 guitar brands would AMAZING - only one on RUclips ! !
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! It is getting much harder to decide, because the quality of the cheaper brands is just skyrocketing. We guitarists have so much great choice these days. I tell you what, if I can find someone local to lend me a Gibson and an Epi I would totally do it... I did something similar with my 'four pickup types' video and that was a lot of fun. Yes, a lot of work too, but definitely worth it!
@@RichWordsMusic I have a Epiphone junior "57 reissue" made in 2006 - its maybe the closest to a Gibson junior ( glued & FAT neck - No "weird Veneer" like the new ones ) - i only upgraded the pickups ( epi had a p100 wich sounded weak to me ) with a original gibson p 90 , Still my fav guitar ! Highly recommended ! Try one if you can !
@@motorrebell I've actually heard about those 57 Reissue ones! Have been doing some research on Juniors recently and they always come up as a recommendation... I will try one for sure if I can! They sound great.
Very well! I'm going to do a direct comparison video between the two soon, but the main differences in a nutshell are (1) the neck profile - the Vintage is massive in comparison - and (2) the pickup. The Wilkinson and the Roswell have some differences, and I have a feeling the Roswell is more adept at high gain. Otherwise they're fairly similar, as you would expect!
I picked up the V130 and the HB dc junior. I would say the Vintage is heavier, has a thicker neck, is more solid and less flimsy feeling. The pickup is superior as is the tuners and bridge. The body is more symmetrical. In all I’d say the Vintage is a notch above the HB. I am returning the HB. I like the Vintage better. More a lifer guitar.
It speaks for this guitar, that you are inspired with it, after spending much time and investing a lot of effort as well Into the Reviews of the Other Junior Style guitars. The L120 was the Guitar, that made me Start to Work with Tone and Volume Control. Before that it was 100% (Volume/Tone) or nothin for me.
Yes, I agree, it does! And I was even inspired to stay with it despite the neck feeling huge at first. It is a really nice guitar, though. For me it was also always the same - volume and tone all the way up. Now, playing the Juniors, I realize there's another way, and it can give you so many different sounds :)
Yes! More P90 cowbell! This time I managed to overcome the sound effects and pay attention hahaha See, if I get it right, this is a stacked P90? Wilkinson W90SK. If that is the case, surprisingly clear, seems to be more P90ish than the FAT DC? Build quality wise, harley benton Jr or DC against Vintage, are both equivalent? By the way, I saw this video is already in Vintage JHS official page. Nice! It is surprising how few good reviews of this guitar and Vintage in general are in youtube, so great choice for you to do this one.
Well done, you made it through the silly noises! Right, so after I saw this comment I asked Vintage and Trevor Wilkinson directly for some advice... because to my ears, this guitar has a standard P90 pickup! It doesn't sound stacked to me at all... it sounds great, and much more like the SC Junior P90 than the DC FAT, for example. I'm still waiting for Vintage to check it up, but Trev told me that if this is a W90SK pickup, it IS stacked! (Of course it's possible that Vintage actually ordered a different pickup model and the wrong name is on their website, but I don't think this would happen). So, we can imagine this pickup is stacked. And if so, I'm amazed, because it sounds awesome. And yes, they put me on the Vintage site, this was very kind of them. I will try and get a few more Vintage guitars in for a test in the future :) Any specific models you'd want to see?
@@RichWordsMusic Indeed, if it is stacked, sounds amazing. Let's see if they confirm to you :) They have a Vintage guitar that is its own thing, not trying to replicate anything else, as you may guess, P90, seems like an amazing guitar, the mighty Vintage V6P Reissued, no reviews at all on youtube about this beauty.
@@marcomostroso Well, I have some news from Trev Wilkinson himself... and he said that if Vintage ordered the right pickup, it is indeed stacked ;) So I'm pretty sure it is in this case. And that's amazing, because it sounds just like a normal P90! It's a tiny bit fuller and has more low end than the Roswell in the HB SC Junior, but otherwise... wow. I'm very impressed. It's a much better P90 tone than the stacked one in the DC Jr FATs!
@@RichWordsMusic You are well connected for what I see ;) wow, interesting, definitely is impressive the sound they achieve with those stacked pickups. Vintage know their business. Thanks for finding out man, it is quite interesting to see what can be done with some love to guitars and tight budgets to get good price.
@@marcomostroso Ha ha, yeah, I'm lucky because I worked with Trev for years... but I reckon he's so nice he'd answer anyone's questions! By the way, not sure if I told you about this before, but have you seen the interview I did with Trev for the Guitar Summit last October? Also worth a watch if you're not sick of me yet ;) Here's the ,link: ruclips.net/video/yE_UItThPnY/видео.html Trev is really one of the great creative minds in the electric guitar industry. Some of the things he comes up with are just unique, and even all the little twists he adds to classic designs are just always so useful... always designed to make the guitar player's life that little bit easier! And if you look around, you can see his stuff on everything from Vintage to Suhrs... so even the high-end guys love his work.
Wonderful review, man...thank you! I LOVE p90 guitars, especially one pick up ones... The first time i got one, i had absolutely no knowledge or any info on it, simply fell in love with a Hamer XT SPJ (Special Junior)..only, later on, i gathered what is it (a Gibson DC Junior copy)..crucial thing what bought me was the sensitivity...and it was a gamechanger... its been quite a while since then and almost all of my stuff is recorded using p90s, especially Hamer XT Junior(well, juniors, as I had a few over time)... I have been eyeing this one for quite some time, as i find it beautiful.. visually i like it over Epiphone, i love the "V" kind of headstock taper (that is why Gibsons headstock is always nicer and more glorious, even compared to new(old) Epi headstock design..they opened the book, yet its still shoddy :D)... This one should arrive soon... ps, if curious of metal tracks with p90, all my metal, but prog rock stuff as well, is P90 in the bridge... superthorough review.. confirmes my hopes for thsi one..wasnt aware the necjk is chunky...fuck yeah!!!
Glad you found it useful! Yeah, I came to P90s in pretty much the exact same way as you... by chance! And it changed everything for me too, especially in a Junior single-pickup format like this. They really make you play differently, but they reward you with those extra dynamics and sensitivity, as you say... and mojo! I don't play 100% real metal, but you get the drift from the review - this guitar can do it all! (Another misconception about P90s is that they're only for vintage clean and crunch tones. They can scream with the best of them!) If you can get on with the neck - and if you're like me, you will, maybe with a little time to get used to the hugeness! - you'll love this guitar. It's amazing fun and incredible value for money. Cheers, and rock on!
@@RichWordsMusic Exactly...rewarding is a great term, yes! There is a special kind of magic in one pickup guitars..limitations ignite creativity..! Btw: after watching the full vid, your comparison on HB and this one came out...well, damn...i love the chnunky necks and look of v120 but of those particular 2, HB sounds much more alive...very surprised, but thank you..bith are definitely worth looking into! This was my first visit to your channel..superbly good job, man...i forsee a great future to your channel....your attitude is passionate, but objective and i that is best of both worlds...super useful for the viewers, yet humane! Not many channels like that, despite the crazy number of existing ones..ah yes, and great and diverse playing! Thank you and keep it up ..rock on!:)
@@petaralargic Thanks a lot, I'm happy you discovered my little channel and I hope you stick around! I try my best to make it fun and useful too. There really is magic in these single-pickup guitars... some people even say there is science behind it (less magnetic pull on the strings because of no neck pickup, etc.). I'm not a scientist, so I just play, but I do feel something special! It's funny, the HB does perform incredibly well, and it's kind of a different flavor of this guitar. For me the neck is the biggest difference, followed by the pickup. The Vintage is fuller and more rounded, with more bottom end, but the HB screams in the higher frequencies and is clear and sparkling... both great choices :) I have given the Vintage back to its owner now, but before I did, I shot another video where I compared it to the Harley Benton DC Junior Fat, which is a doublecut Junior with a stacked P90/humbucking pickup... this also gave some very interesting results! I'll get that video ready and release it in the next few weeks! The bottom line is, there are so many great and affordable choices out there for us guitarists right now... what a time to be a guitar player!
@@RichWordsMusic yeah...in one pickup guitars, as Greg Koch would put it...theres more tone juice:) and yes..i am familiar with the brighter/more sustain premise...i am a geek too...! :) Great about the HB FAT comparison..was very hapoy when i saw that model coning up...especially since my long time fav was double cut Hamer xt jun...though, i was dissapointed with the usage of the stacked pu in HB FAT...i understand the logic, sure...but its a shame to tame the magic..and even the hum is a part of it...but, to be realistic, it is simple swap:) i absolutely agree with you..it is beautiful to have so much options in affordable range..may be inspiring...! Its funny how i went from using exclusively humbuckers,without any thoughts, it eammwas like simple and co.pulsoey choice for intense stuff..than trying p90 changed everything... Goi g a step further and playing with single coils...and lets see...just got the affinity tele...its crazy, but its perfect...and yeah, esquiering one was an i stant though, but neck pu gives some great great spank...will see...:) Thank you for the deep and tboughtful correspodence...i think that is what matters and makes a cha ge..a human touch..! Good luck with the channel and new vids..looking forward to learn some new things! Ps: not a fan of sharing links or spammy behaviours..but really imtrigued by your impression on this all p90 track..surely when and if in the mood:)...petaralargic.bandcamp.com/album/sunrise-feat-kb-progressive-rock
@@petaralargic Yes, the stacking P90/HB in the DC Fat lets it down... I should change the pickup at some point! Not too hard to do, as you say. My 2014 Tele is still basically my all-time favorite guitar, so it's great you found them too! They're also amazing for high gain sounds... and I think we both need to try an Esquire! Maybe one day. There are some very nice new Squier ones that just got released. But the P90s are a bit fatter... they kind of have all the benefits of the other pickup types for me. I feel like you can hear the nasally mid honk on the second guitar in that track... it's very cool! A bit more classic prog with more melodies and hooks than modern prog - I like it a lot! At first I also thought it was you singing, and I thought wow, what a high range you have! But then I saw it was a woman singing... still, very enjoyable! It reminds me a little of The Mars Volta on some of their less crazy stuff ;)
Great demo. Like the fact that you use so many different genres in your demos
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Vintage & Wilkinson actually started life HERE!
Yeah, the seed was planted in Australia! Trev used to paint cars over there too, didn't he?
@@RichWordsMusic I think so.
I smell a Vintage versus Benton vid in the pipeline. Great job as usual, Rich. 👍🏼👍🏼
Yep, that's coming for sure in the not-too-distant future! Cheers :)
I wouldnt wonder if they both are built - made in the same Factory !
@@motorrebell It would not surprise me at all if they were!
Thank you for the review and the in-depth tone demo! I was on this fence on this guitar, but after seeing this I made the trip, demo’d it, and had to bring it home. Thanks again!
No worries, glad to have been able to help you make your decision! These are great guitars indeed, and the only thing that might put some people off is the rather massive neck. Happy new guitar day and enjoy your V120 :)
Nice demo, great sounds. Thoroughly explored the range for us. Much appreciated Bravo! I picked one up and even though it arrived with a chunk of its backside damaged in shipping I still want to keep it. It has a sound to it. It kinda summarizes the sound of the band rather than just offering the sharp bits. It’s midrangey but with plenty of shimmer. The p100 delivers all the the charm of a p90 but with out the hum. The 3 in line bar tuners I suspect are a notch above the separate style regarding stability and sustain. The Wilkinson wraparound is lower profile than alternates offering more control over setting the action and the string to pickup height. I’m a fan of the Vintage CocaCola style font on the headstock and prefer it even to the Gibson logo. Mine is a double cut on the high side of 7 lbs so the weight can vary. All considered I am quite pleased.
Nice playing Rich! I bought the blue version after watching your demo.
I had before a Vintage Strat, and these guitars sound/quality are really excellent. Cheers!
Thanks man, I'm happy to hear that and I hope you're enjoying yours! Yeah, I've played so many Vintage guitars over the years (I worked for them for three years back in the day, which helps to try them all ;) ) and they're excellent. The Wilkinson hardware really helps them, and I love the vintage feel of the V120 with its massive neck :) Rock on!
I bought this guitar as a project back in February. Got it as a B Stock purchase. It was good on its own, but I wanted to make it exactly how I wanted it. I sanded down that glossy finish to a worn finish. Not a relic job, but it looks more “vintage” and takes away some stickiness when playing. The tuners and nut surprisingly needed no upgrade. Pickup prob didn’t either, but I swapped it out for a SD Antiquity, and also upgraded to a Mojotone wiring kit. Love playing this guitar now!!
That sounds like an awesome set of mods! Did you sand the body as well, or just the neck? I find the Wilkinson hardware very serviceable indeed, although I would be very tempted to bung a more 'boutique' pickup in there to see the difference it makes... Thanks for watching!
@@RichWordsMusic After removing all hardware and electronics, I wet-Sanded the whole guitar with 3000 Trizac pads. It basically just took off the gloss finish and made it look like it had been played for awhile. Yes, Wilkinson hardware is pretty solid. THe only thing I felt really needed to be modded was the wiring kit (pots, etc.) I didnt like the way the volume rolled, etc.
@@michaelanderson4747 Oh wow, the whole thing! Sounds great. I might need to try that on a guinea pig guitar sometime, see how it works out. I do like a more played-in feel, without the massively reliced look! I agree about the wiring actually, smoother, more even pots might be an improvement. On the whole though, Wilkinson is great bang for the buck.
I bought this a few months ago and I like it, but the pickup is a stacked p90? and it sound, for lack of a better word, dry. Low end is bad. How is the antiquity compared to the Wilkinson?
Also I want to change the bridge, the intonation screw digs in the pole and when I try to adjust the height it doesn't move.
This is my first affordable junior. Your mods sound nice, I think I'll go your way with them plus the bridge. Thanks for any advise!
@@nikosikaria1212 Yes, the pickup is stacked - I asked Trev Wilkinson directly and he confirmed it. I still think it sounds awesome, and very close to a 'real' P90. The Antiquity is an amazing pickup, yes... you pay a big price for it of course, but I'm sure it's worth it! It will give you a little more sparkle and clarity for sure.
I also think Mike had some cool mods, and I might do them myself as well at some point. But I think the V120 is a great choice for your first Junior, and I hope you get it playing and sounding the way you want it soon!
I think I see a pattern here! 😉
Wonderful video as always Rich. Now you need a couple of guitars with more than one P90! I think you are covered there 😉
OH! And fun fact, you did surpass me now in the #raceto1000! So congrats mate! The show is still going, and I'll see if I can surpass you once more. Don't count me out yet! 😎
Ha ha, I have done a lot of Junior type guitars recently... I need to branch out a bit, but these are what's here right now! Otherwise I have to start buying things ;)
The #raceto1000 is not even half way done, and I am sure the lead will change hands many times until then! And maybe we can cross the threshold together sometime in 2027 ;) It feels like it's gonna take that long!
Here's the timestamps for you people on phones:
00:38 Intro and all about Vintage guitars
01:43 Vintage V120 specs and features and some CITES info
04:50 Today’s rig
Amp on the Clean Channel
05:15 Country strummed chords
05:43 Indie barre chords
05:57 Poppy indie ringing chords
06:12 Cowboy chords with tone control test
06:51 Country picking sounds
07:14 Indie pop picked arpeggios and strummed chords
07:48 Classic soul pop riff with extra reverb
08:02 Bluesey southern rock melodic lick with extra reverb
08:27 Bluesey riff
08:38 Atmospheric lead melody with extra reverb
Amp on the Crunch channel
08:47 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
09:04 Groovy classic rock riff
09:30 Airbourne inspired classic rock riff
09:41 Epic classic rock riff
10:09 Southern rock picked arpeggios
10:19 Southern rock lead melody with extra reverb
10:33 Indie rock barre chords
11:00 Volume control roll-off test
11:26 Indie rock rhythm chords riff
11:43 Indie octave chords riff
12:07 Epic indie pop chords
12:24 Picked indie rock arpeggios
12:47 Droning indie rock riff
13:00 Upbeat indie open strings riff
Amp on the Lead Channel
13:18 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff
13:37 Airbourne inspired classic hard rock riff
14:00 Hard rock riff
14:17 Classic hard rock riff
14:34 Glam rock riff
14:48 Glam rock palm-muted rhythms
15:10 Alt rock riff
15:24 Alt rock rhythmic chords with open strings
15:50 Pop punk riff
16:04 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
16:17 Pop punk melodic lead sounds
16:32 Punk rock rhythm riff
16:45 Chunky modern hard rock power chords (Drop D)
17:07 Progressive rock riff (Drop D)
Clean Channel with Revv G3 distortion pedal (Drop D tuning)
17:22 Metal chugging riff
17:40 Mastodon inspired modern metal riff
17:50 Hardcore punk riff
18:04 Hardcore rhythm chugging riff
18:15 Classic metal riff
18:48 Lead sounds
19:01 My thoughts - I’m in a P90 phase right now
19:40 Vintage V120 build quality
20:44 The Lignum Rosa fingerboard
22:23 Playability and that massive neck
24:01 Sounds and the versatility of the Wilkinson P90 pickup
25:28 Final conclusion and goodbye
Great review 👏🏼
Thanks Andrew, glad you enjoyed it!
I have the Tobacco Burst with creamy P90s.
It's the best production guitar I have ever had.
It plays so good that it's really hard to put it down once you started with it.
I play mine through an Orange Micro Terror via the rare Hartke GT 60 4x8 cabinet.
I'm glad you are also enjoying yours! I am a big fan of Vintage... for the price they make amazing guitars, and even if you don't consider the price at all they are hard to beat. Sounds like a cool rig you've got there!
@@RichWordsMusic it's the V6132. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Blessings on you n your channel.
@@davidlalremruata I just watched your Amazing Grace performance... awesome, great playing and the guitar is lovely! I'd like to try this model too in the future :)
Fret King, Harley Benton, Vintage, all smell like Mr. Wilkinson. His P-90 Double Coil in the Fret Kings are pretty cool, with his pot that dials from single to double. Thanks for these great vids. Taking the HB Fat Jr. to a jam to test run.
Yep, Fret-King guitars are great and I love the Vari-coil control too. That was also on the Vintage Advanced range (another Wilkinson job!) and really makes the guitars so much more versatile. I still love my AV2! Hope the DC Jr FAT holds up well in a band setting! Let me know how it works out :)
great review ,have my like and subscription, good work 😃👍👍
Thanks a lot, really happy you like the video! And cheers for the sub too :) Rock on!
I don't know if it's my set-up or the P90s but it always wants to scream.
You know, as a fellow guitar player, that sweet spot where there's depth, warmth, sustain n organic harmonics just before the guitar feedback, it always seems to be there.
Honest!
I agree 100%! I think P90s just have this raw rock attitude to them, and they're just always pushing you to turn it up a little more! I only recently discovered the joy of these pickups, and I wish more guitarists would also try them :)
Great review, man👍 I like it quite a lot actually
Thanks so much! These are great guitars...
Great review as always but that's not a P90 but a Wilkinson P100 which is a stacked single coil.
Yep, it's the stacked one alright! It's officially called the W90SK, according to JHS and Trev (who I spoke with before I did the video)... but the specs online for Vintage guitars do seem to change a lot, and I do believe Wilkinson have made a stacked P90 called a P100 in the past too. Confusing, but I think we're both right ;) Either way, it sounds fantastic!
@@RichWordsMusic make a direct comparison between a "real" P90 and the Wilkinsons and you will be surprised. Especially when it comes to "teasing" a tube amp using the volume control on the guitar. To my ears the Wilkinsons (I own a Vintage Gold Top with Wilkinson P-whatevers) lack the gnarly bite that is so typical for P90s. I own 4 Vintage brand guitars and I'm very happy with them, just those Wilkinson P-whatevers are a breed of it's own. I absolutely appreciate the amount of effort you put into these reviews. On another account I have a photography channel with nearly 20'000 subs and I had a steeper hill to climb than you with your first 2'000. Absolutely deserved, keep it up.
@@fadermaster5221 I did do a video with the Vintage and my Harley Benton SC Junior (this one: ruclips.net/video/CxnJngmAzk4/видео.html) and the difference is on display there, but at no point have a teased a tube amp with either yet ;) Need to try that when I can! I do feel the Wilkinson have some bite, although the edge of the bite has been slightly softened, if you get what I mean. I also have a Harley Benton DC Junior FAT with their stacked P90/P100, and that has none of the P90 snarling magic.
And oh man, tell me about it with the subs thing! I'm glad I am not doing this for a living as it'd stress me out way too much ;) It's a slow and steady battle, that's for sure. Congrats on the 20k though, that's a great number. What's your channel, if you don't mind me asking? I watch a fair bit of photo/video stuff to try and up my own game wherever I can!
This is a big one, Rich! I appreciate your attention to detail as usual, especially concerning neck profile and the fretboard material, which are quite important to me. I've lost Vintage from the radar lately, but that should probably change. The guitar sounds and even looks superb (appreciate the visible mahogany grain with no veneer), wonder how it compares to your HB junior and Epi - that'd be a shootout! Btw what about intonation with the (almost) fixed saddles, was it good enough? And were the frets leveled properly? I heard some buzz around 8:10. I've noticed that they've already placed your review on their web, gonna be a star now 😉
Yay, glad you enjoyed it! I also had Vintage off my radar for quite a while... if you look around on RUclips there's surprisingly few videos of them around. I'm not sure why, but maybe I've started a change with this one! And I'll see if I can get more in too, as they really are good guitars and a nice alternative! I will definitely compare this one to the HB Junior, and maybe the Epi too, if I have the time before it has to go back to Kai :) The intonation is great, and frets feel really good (no rough edges at all) but you're right... there was a tiny bit of buzz there, which means there's possibly a fret that's a little high somewhere! I was very happy to see they put the video on their site, and I hope I don't put any prospective customers off who go on there and the first thing they hear is me ;)
@@RichWordsMusic haha I think most people will appreciale your honest and thorough approach as much asi I do. Thanks for the answer and rock on!
@@alanst.4417 I hope so ;) Cheers to you!
Excellent review! How does this Wilkinson P-90 compare to a Les Paul Special’s P-90’s? I have a 2021 Gibson LP Special in Olive Drab which I love!
Thanks Jeff! I think the Wilkinsons compare pretty well! Being stacked to an extent, they do have a slightly fatter tone - and they do miss just a tiny bit of the top-end snarl that makes a true P90 sound so magical - but they're a really decent choice. And when I factor in the pricing too, the Wilkinsons/Vintage guitars do seem like a bit of a bargain!
I only with Thomann would carry Vintage guitars.
Great review, thank you!
Yeah, I'm surprised they don't... they used to! Could be a competition thing. Glad you're enjoying the video :)
@@RichWordsMusic I'd say too competitive with Harleys now!
@@DMSProduktions Could well be that ;)
You and those juniors...
Is your favourite movie one with Arnold and Danny, where they aren't brothers?
I saw that movie as a kid and it scarred me for life... but it possibly subliminally influenced the guitars I'd want to put on my future RUclips channel! I do love a good Junior though.
I’m Bad DNA that’s why YT eats my comments, or was that Marty Friedman that ate my comments??
@@PooNinja It was Marty for sure!
Poodle haird freaky fingered virtuoso ain’t got enough to do he gotta put the Dragons Kiss on all my comments ? WTF 😳
Awesome review - Thumbs up ! ! !
Its really getting hard to decide between the Vintage - Epiphone - Harley Benton !
Gibson is way out of my budget ( Insane pricetag for such a Basic guitar ! ) ! I know it will be very time-consuming
- complicated & very challenging - But a comparison between those 4 guitar brands would AMAZING - only one on RUclips ! !
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! It is getting much harder to decide, because the quality of the cheaper brands is just skyrocketing. We guitarists have so much great choice these days. I tell you what, if I can find someone local to lend me a Gibson and an Epi I would totally do it... I did something similar with my 'four pickup types' video and that was a lot of fun. Yes, a lot of work too, but definitely worth it!
@@RichWordsMusic I have a Epiphone junior "57 reissue" made in 2006 - its maybe the closest to a Gibson junior ( glued & FAT neck - No "weird Veneer" like the new ones ) - i only upgraded the pickups ( epi had a p100 wich sounded weak to me ) with a original gibson p 90 , Still my fav guitar ! Highly recommended ! Try one if you can !
@@motorrebell I've actually heard about those 57 Reissue ones! Have been doing some research on Juniors recently and they always come up as a recommendation... I will try one for sure if I can! They sound great.
motorrebell I'm with you on that one. The world needs Rich to find out! 😉
@@alanst.4417 Ha ha, I'm on it... hopefully I can track one down soon ;)
So how does my Harley Benton junior hold up to this one ?
Very well! I'm going to do a direct comparison video between the two soon, but the main differences in a nutshell are (1) the neck profile - the Vintage is massive in comparison - and (2) the pickup. The Wilkinson and the Roswell have some differences, and I have a feeling the Roswell is more adept at high gain. Otherwise they're fairly similar, as you would expect!
@@RichWordsMusic thanks man. I look forward to the comparison video
@@benallmark9671 No worries, should be coming up in the next couple of weeks!
I picked up the V130 and the HB dc junior. I would say the Vintage is heavier, has a thicker neck, is more solid and less flimsy feeling. The pickup is superior as is the tuners and bridge. The body is more symmetrical. In all I’d say the Vintage is a notch above the HB. I am returning the HB. I like the Vintage better. More a lifer guitar.
It speaks for this guitar, that you are inspired with it, after spending much time and investing a lot of effort as well Into the Reviews of the Other Junior Style guitars.
The L120 was the Guitar, that made me Start to Work with Tone and Volume Control. Before that it was 100% (Volume/Tone) or nothin for me.
Yes, I agree, it does! And I was even inspired to stay with it despite the neck feeling huge at first. It is a really nice guitar, though.
For me it was also always the same - volume and tone all the way up. Now, playing the Juniors, I realize there's another way, and it can give you so many different sounds :)
Thanks for the video men really help me ..for choosing the right...one
Cheers, I am glad I was able to help you a bit! Which did you decide for in the end?
Is the body routed for adding a neck pickup?
You know what, I never checked that! I'll ask my friend who owns the guitar and I'll let you know. I would assume not, but you never know...
I dont think so, judging from the pickguard size which barely covers the space thats needed for a p90 cavity
@@maxmustardman298 Good point! Just looking at it you can see it's very unlikely.
Yes! More P90 cowbell! This time I managed to overcome the sound effects and pay attention hahaha See, if I get it right, this is a stacked P90? Wilkinson W90SK. If that is the case, surprisingly clear, seems to be more P90ish than the FAT DC? Build quality wise, harley benton Jr or DC against Vintage, are both equivalent? By the way, I saw this video is already in Vintage JHS official page. Nice! It is surprising how few good reviews of this guitar and Vintage in general are in youtube, so great choice for you to do this one.
Well done, you made it through the silly noises! Right, so after I saw this comment I asked Vintage and Trevor Wilkinson directly for some advice... because to my ears, this guitar has a standard P90 pickup! It doesn't sound stacked to me at all... it sounds great, and much more like the SC Junior P90 than the DC FAT, for example. I'm still waiting for Vintage to check it up, but Trev told me that if this is a W90SK pickup, it IS stacked! (Of course it's possible that Vintage actually ordered a different pickup model and the wrong name is on their website, but I don't think this would happen). So, we can imagine this pickup is stacked. And if so, I'm amazed, because it sounds awesome.
And yes, they put me on the Vintage site, this was very kind of them. I will try and get a few more Vintage guitars in for a test in the future :) Any specific models you'd want to see?
@@RichWordsMusic Indeed, if it is stacked, sounds amazing. Let's see if they confirm to you :) They have a Vintage guitar that is its own thing, not trying to replicate anything else, as you may guess, P90, seems like an amazing guitar, the mighty Vintage V6P Reissued, no reviews at all on youtube about this beauty.
@@marcomostroso Well, I have some news from Trev Wilkinson himself... and he said that if Vintage ordered the right pickup, it is indeed stacked ;) So I'm pretty sure it is in this case. And that's amazing, because it sounds just like a normal P90! It's a tiny bit fuller and has more low end than the Roswell in the HB SC Junior, but otherwise... wow. I'm very impressed. It's a much better P90 tone than the stacked one in the DC Jr FATs!
@@RichWordsMusic You are well connected for what I see ;) wow, interesting, definitely is impressive the sound they achieve with those stacked pickups. Vintage know their business. Thanks for finding out man, it is quite interesting to see what can be done with some love to guitars and tight budgets to get good price.
@@marcomostroso Ha ha, yeah, I'm lucky because I worked with Trev for years... but I reckon he's so nice he'd answer anyone's questions! By the way, not sure if I told you about this before, but have you seen the interview I did with Trev for the Guitar Summit last October? Also worth a watch if you're not sick of me yet ;) Here's the ,link: ruclips.net/video/yE_UItThPnY/видео.html
Trev is really one of the great creative minds in the electric guitar industry. Some of the things he comes up with are just unique, and even all the little twists he adds to classic designs are just always so useful... always designed to make the guitar player's life that little bit easier! And if you look around, you can see his stuff on everything from Vintage to Suhrs... so even the high-end guys love his work.
Wonderful review, man...thank you! I LOVE p90 guitars, especially one pick up ones... The first time i got one, i had absolutely no knowledge or any info on it, simply fell in love with a Hamer XT SPJ (Special Junior)..only, later on, i gathered what is it (a Gibson DC Junior copy)..crucial thing what bought me was the sensitivity...and it was a gamechanger... its been quite a while since then and almost all of my stuff is recorded using p90s, especially Hamer XT Junior(well, juniors, as I had a few over time)... I have been eyeing this one for quite some time, as i find it beautiful.. visually i like it over Epiphone, i love the "V" kind of headstock taper (that is why Gibsons headstock is always nicer and more glorious, even compared to new(old) Epi headstock design..they opened the book, yet its still shoddy :D)... This one should arrive soon... ps, if curious of metal tracks with p90, all my metal, but prog rock stuff as well, is P90 in the bridge... superthorough review.. confirmes my hopes for thsi one..wasnt aware the necjk is chunky...fuck yeah!!!
Glad you found it useful! Yeah, I came to P90s in pretty much the exact same way as you... by chance! And it changed everything for me too, especially in a Junior single-pickup format like this. They really make you play differently, but they reward you with those extra dynamics and sensitivity, as you say... and mojo! I don't play 100% real metal, but you get the drift from the review - this guitar can do it all! (Another misconception about P90s is that they're only for vintage clean and crunch tones. They can scream with the best of them!) If you can get on with the neck - and if you're like me, you will, maybe with a little time to get used to the hugeness! - you'll love this guitar. It's amazing fun and incredible value for money. Cheers, and rock on!
@@RichWordsMusic Exactly...rewarding is a great term, yes! There is a special kind of magic in one pickup guitars..limitations ignite creativity..! Btw: after watching the full vid, your comparison on HB and this one came out...well, damn...i love the chnunky necks and look of v120 but of those particular 2, HB sounds much more alive...very surprised, but thank you..bith are definitely worth looking into! This was my first visit to your channel..superbly good job, man...i forsee a great future to your channel....your attitude is passionate, but objective and i that is best of both worlds...super useful for the viewers, yet humane! Not many channels like that, despite the crazy number of existing ones..ah yes, and great and diverse playing! Thank you and keep it up ..rock on!:)
@@petaralargic Thanks a lot, I'm happy you discovered my little channel and I hope you stick around! I try my best to make it fun and useful too. There really is magic in these single-pickup guitars... some people even say there is science behind it (less magnetic pull on the strings because of no neck pickup, etc.). I'm not a scientist, so I just play, but I do feel something special! It's funny, the HB does perform incredibly well, and it's kind of a different flavor of this guitar. For me the neck is the biggest difference, followed by the pickup. The Vintage is fuller and more rounded, with more bottom end, but the HB screams in the higher frequencies and is clear and sparkling... both great choices :) I have given the Vintage back to its owner now, but before I did, I shot another video where I compared it to the Harley Benton DC Junior Fat, which is a doublecut Junior with a stacked P90/humbucking pickup... this also gave some very interesting results! I'll get that video ready and release it in the next few weeks! The bottom line is, there are so many great and affordable choices out there for us guitarists right now... what a time to be a guitar player!
@@RichWordsMusic yeah...in one pickup guitars, as Greg Koch would put it...theres more tone juice:) and yes..i am familiar with the brighter/more sustain premise...i am a geek too...! :) Great about the HB FAT comparison..was very hapoy when i saw that model coning up...especially since my long time fav was double cut Hamer xt jun...though, i was dissapointed with the usage of the stacked pu in HB FAT...i understand the logic, sure...but its a shame to tame the magic..and even the hum is a part of it...but, to be realistic, it is simple swap:) i absolutely agree with you..it is beautiful to have so much options in affordable range..may be inspiring...! Its funny how i went from using exclusively humbuckers,without any thoughts, it eammwas like simple and co.pulsoey choice for intense stuff..than trying p90 changed everything... Goi g a step further and playing with single coils...and lets see...just got the affinity tele...its crazy, but its perfect...and yeah, esquiering one was an i stant though, but neck pu gives some great great spank...will see...:) Thank you for the deep and tboughtful correspodence...i think that is what matters and makes a cha ge..a human touch..! Good luck with the channel and new vids..looking forward to learn some new things! Ps: not a fan of sharing links or spammy behaviours..but really imtrigued by your impression on this all p90 track..surely when and if in the mood:)...petaralargic.bandcamp.com/album/sunrise-feat-kb-progressive-rock
@@petaralargic Yes, the stacking P90/HB in the DC Fat lets it down... I should change the pickup at some point! Not too hard to do, as you say. My 2014 Tele is still basically my all-time favorite guitar, so it's great you found them too! They're also amazing for high gain sounds... and I think we both need to try an Esquire! Maybe one day. There are some very nice new Squier ones that just got released. But the P90s are a bit fatter... they kind of have all the benefits of the other pickup types for me. I feel like you can hear the nasally mid honk on the second guitar in that track... it's very cool! A bit more classic prog with more melodies and hooks than modern prog - I like it a lot! At first I also thought it was you singing, and I thought wow, what a high range you have! But then I saw it was a woman singing... still, very enjoyable! It reminds me a little of The Mars Volta on some of their less crazy stuff ;)
First
You win! This week I didn't even try to beat you ;)
@@RichWordsMusic 😂
ÖUT öf the clöset!
@@DMSProduktions Can't believe there are insider jokes on my own videos that I don't even get ;)
@@RichWordsMusic Haha! Used as a put down for all those '1st' claimants! Imply they're gay! The non gay person would find it objectionable!