Vola Guitars - Any thoughts?

Philly_Q · May 2018

There's nothing new about making S-types and T-types and superstrats with different body shapes, but there's nothing wrong with it either.

These look good to me, the specs seem impressive and it's great (very great) to see a range featuring so many fatter necks! Best of luck to you.

mkendall · May 2018

Thanks man. The necks really are a standout feature that make these instruments special. As you mention, specs are all top notch too. Hope you get to try one one day!

maltingsaudio · May 2018

USA quality really rankled me, I know it’s a ploy to justify the retail price but have more confidence in your product please.

mkendall · May 2018

You mean the 'made in the USA with quality' or similar strapline? Gonna try to help out with the wording. The USA models (quaint, quaint Vasti and Blaze) are great though - you heard of Acacia guitars? It's the same guys doing the work for Vola. Small scale, family made with all the care and attention in the world. Prices are higher though, you're right of course - but it's not because of MIA vs MIJ - it's the production scale and type. US is closer to a custom shop for Vola.

Bucket · May 2018

I really like the look of the Zenith and Origin 24 in particular, although I would rock the hell out of the Eve BRM as well. The Blaze and Vasti are the ones I'm least keen on - the former because I think it's a little derivative, and the latter because I'm just not sure about the shape. I like the wave-bottom design cue that carries across a lot of the models though - I scrolled through and looked at all the guitar models, and the ones I liked outnumbered the ones I didn't like by a fair distance.

The Eve gave me an idea - I don't know if there are plans afoot for extended range guitars, but I would say there's a serious gap in the market for a multi-scale 7-string with anything other than humbuckers... such a guitar with HSS or even SSS would float my boat so hard it'd start levitating above the water.

People saying "make a Telecaster, that's what we really want"... I couldn't tell if that was serious or not. If so... ffs. I despair of this place sometimes. I personally think there's some very cool stuff here and I hope you guys do well.

Bucket · May 2018

I've realised why I like the Zenith so much - it has a serious Valley Arts or Schecter Japan vibe. Aesthetically kind of stuck in the late-80s/early-90s (in the best possible way

)

The Origin 24 is very interesting too. I'm a total sucker for single-coils and you don't seem to see enough guitars with 24 frets and HSS.

What sort of price range are these going to be when they land in the UK?

mkendall · May 2018

Thanks Bucket!
Agree re the multiscale - they typically seemed squarely aimed at the metal players - but everyone benefits from gpod string tension!

Cool that you're into the Origin and Eve - not seen as much love for those designs to date as the others.

Origin UK price = £1099. Eve more expensive at £2199.

The Zenith starts at £2549.

Cool new video just went up with 4 of these guitars...

grungebob · May 2018

mkendall said:

Fair enough! Can't win em all. Whats your thing?

Well I own/owned everything almost and currently settled on an explorer and a musicman silo. I’m not shy of the weirder shaped guitars but I don’t get the designs listed on the site, I think part of the reason is that the pictures are all photoshop images rather than the actual guitars.
Change the pictures so we can see the quality perhaps?

mkendall · May 2018

They're actual guitars....but you mean in a more natural context? Not a white background?
Maybe check out the Vola Guitar Facebook page - there's lots of pics from Namm/Dallas guitar shows as well as pics of the guitars in more environments

soma1975 · May 2018

A couple of nice designs I'd play in amongst the crazy stuff.

andy1839 · May 2018

Eve in pink paisley with the led fan fret fingerboard.

Love that and the Zenith.

mkendall · May 2018

andy1839 said:

Eve in pink paisley with the led fan fret fingerboard.

Love that and the Zenith.

Nice, you're loving the light up ones then!

I've got a pink paisley eve and a tribal red zenith RV MEM as display models right now

dindude · May 2018

I like the Origin as a take on the superstrat, especially as it doesn’t have a skinny neck. If they are £1100 for the Jap made ones and the quality is right, I think that’s very good indeed.

DrBob · May 2018

On the ones where there’s a scoop out of the tail and the rear strap button sits in the scoop. Does that work ? It looks like the strap might catch on the bit of body that juts out above the strap button

mkendall · May 2018

DrBob said:

On the ones where there’s a scoop out of the tail and the rear strap button sits in the scoop. Does that work ? It looks like the strap might catch on the bit of body that juts out above the strap button

A few people have thought that - I can see why. I'll get a picture of one in use and post it...

It doesn't catch- but something some people do is use the little gap to put the lead through. I think it's quite practical for that

mkendall · May 2018

dindude said:

I like the Origin as a take on the superstrat, especially as it doesn’t have a skinny neck. If they are £1100 for the Jap made ones and the quality is right, I think that’s very good indeed.

Cool! If you're ever interested in checking one out let me know

andy1839 · May 2018

Do they all come with hard cases?

Iamnobody · May 2018

Welcome. I’m navigating the site on a mobile phone - iPhone.

If I click guitars from the menu I’m faced with a list of 11 models - if I’m being blunt I can’t be arsed to click through a list of 11 to see what might be there.

However, if clicking guitars from the menu took me to a page with visuals of each model I could then click on for more information, it would be a better user experience.

Also the website’s written content features such poor English it’s difficult to take it seriously.

Hopefull you see that as constructive feedback.

mkendall · May 2018

andy1839 said:

Do they all come with hard cases?

Not all - the Origin, Eve, Oz and Vasti don't. Oz and Vasti come with deluxe gigbag (it's very good!). Ares and Blaze X come with nice branded hard cases and the Zenith comes with a much more luxurious hard case. Want pictures?

mkendall · May 2018

Iamnobody said:

Welcome. I’m navigating the site on a mobile phone - iPhone.

If I click guitars from the menu I’m faced with a list of 11 models - if I’m being blunt I can’t be arsed to click through a list of 11 to see what might be there.

However, if clicking guitars from the menu took me to a page with visuals of each model I could then click on for more information, it would be a better user experience.

Also the website’s written content features such poor English it’s difficult to take it seriously.

Hopefull you see that as constructive feedback.

Definitely! This mirrors my own feedback and I'm taking steps to try and get some improvements made in the near future! Thanks for confirming my own thoughts

Howdy, Stranger!

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Vola Guitars - Any thoughts?

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