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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45
NGD Vintera 50s Strat
Spent some time in Andertons and Guitar Village today and tried out a decent handful of Strats.
Ended up with a Vintera 50s Strat (the Mk I version ) in sea foam green.
Ended up with a Vintera 50s Strat (the Mk I version ) in sea foam green.
Some observations about the different guitars I tried…
The Vintera I and Vintera II 50s Strats differed more than I’d have expected. The neck on the Vintera I has a noticeably more pronounced ‘V’ profile than that of the Vintera II. The Vintera II’s neck is a softer more-rounded ‘V’.
The Vintera II no longer sports the colour discrepancy between the knobs and pickguard. The plastics are now all the same off-white colour (parchment?).
The Vintera I and Vintera II 50s Strats differed more than I’d have expected. The neck on the Vintera I has a noticeably more pronounced ‘V’ profile than that of the Vintera II. The Vintera II’s neck is a softer more-rounded ‘V’.
The Vintera II no longer sports the colour discrepancy between the knobs and pickguard. The plastics are now all the same off-white colour (parchment?).
I also tried a Vintera II 60s Strat but much preferred the sound and feel of the 50s instruments.
Next I had a go on a PRS SE Silver Sky. Very nice neck indeed - the 8.5” radius fretboard is really comfortable. Pickups sounded good too. Call me shallow but I just couldn’t live with the aesthetics. The bird inlays, the three-a-side headstock, and the cheap-looking grey tuner buttons and truss-rod cover were all deal breakers for me.
I had really been hoping to come away from Andertons with a new guitar but so far nothing was doing it for me.
So anyway, off to Guitar Village In Farnham. Tried a Vintera I 50s Strat which immediately felt just right. (I also tried a couple of Vintera 60s Strats but deep down I already knew I’d be coming home with the Vintera I 50s.)
Note about the Vintera I and II 60s Strats - the Vintera I is the first guitar I’ve played which has a pau-ferro fretboard. It will also be the last. Felt dry and genuinely horrid. The rosewood board on the Vintera II was so much nicer. Had that waxy feel you’d expect from a rosewood board.
What I think surprised me most about the whole shopping experience was how two (supposedly identical) guitars can be so different. Luck of the draw I guess but the two Vintera I 50s Strats I tried could hardly have been more different. Same with the pair of Vintera II 50s Strats but to a lesser degree. It also felt that almost everything I played at Guitar Village was better set up than at Andertons. I don’t know if GV does a quick check / set-up before putting their guitars on display but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Pics to follow (even though you all already know what a Strat looks like).
Next I had a go on a PRS SE Silver Sky. Very nice neck indeed - the 8.5” radius fretboard is really comfortable. Pickups sounded good too. Call me shallow but I just couldn’t live with the aesthetics. The bird inlays, the three-a-side headstock, and the cheap-looking grey tuner buttons and truss-rod cover were all deal breakers for me.
I had really been hoping to come away from Andertons with a new guitar but so far nothing was doing it for me.
So anyway, off to Guitar Village In Farnham. Tried a Vintera I 50s Strat which immediately felt just right. (I also tried a couple of Vintera 60s Strats but deep down I already knew I’d be coming home with the Vintera I 50s.)
Note about the Vintera I and II 60s Strats - the Vintera I is the first guitar I’ve played which has a pau-ferro fretboard. It will also be the last. Felt dry and genuinely horrid. The rosewood board on the Vintera II was so much nicer. Had that waxy feel you’d expect from a rosewood board.
What I think surprised me most about the whole shopping experience was how two (supposedly identical) guitars can be so different. Luck of the draw I guess but the two Vintera I 50s Strats I tried could hardly have been more different. Same with the pair of Vintera II 50s Strats but to a lesser degree. It also felt that almost everything I played at Guitar Village was better set up than at Andertons. I don’t know if GV does a quick check / set-up before putting their guitars on display but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Pics to follow (even though you all already know what a Strat looks like).
I play guitar because I enjoy it rather than because I’m any good at it
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/iwa0ySCJdS2dpPOfyPZpRytJvNIYfE06lJiVHntMWRZ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/ZG4qQaRxPt2r4fQ39nhxiF5nSdmVKlYqQfh52eiNHcg
(Sorry that Amazon are rather cheekily including advertising in the links)
My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie