NGD - Vox SDC-55

HarrySeven

So...this arrived today...

https://i.imgur.com/Ua6GMga.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EAignHo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uEJJPjr.jpg

Always liked the look of these...

Sesh

They do look good. The pickups were intriguing, but reviews weren't kind iirc.

Philly_Q

These were relatively recent weren't they, about 10 years ago?  It seemed like they were trying hard to do something original, but the looks weren't appealing, although I quite like the hardware and the inlays.

Non-original nut?  It looks a bit crude.

jellybelly

I had a 33. Pickups were great (bright though!) and the bridge was well designed. Nice bit of wood on mine too - it was a slightly translucent TV yellow. 

Looking forward to your review!

johnl

That actually looks great - who made these? I'm assuming Vox farmed the job out to someone.

Funkfingers

Sesh said:

reviews weren't kind iirc.

A -33 turned up in a shop in my town a few months ago. Pickups were interesting. Neck was unstable. 

Two questions arise.
1) What does the third toggle switch do? (Individual mode per pickup, perhaps?)
2) Are there any guitars in the UK that the OP has not recently acquired?

hermannkymn

Use to have the top of the line Japanese Vox Virage. Overtly bright sounding guitar, and the 'single coils' were anaemic. In answer to Funkfingers, the two mini toggles were individual controls for each pickup (roughly speaking it was humbubker - p-90 - single coil), and then a standard pickup selector toggle. 
OP - that nut looks all out of place. 

Winny_Pooh

I really liked the pickups, would own one but neck didn't agree with me. 

HarrySeven

Have to say I prefer the look of the Teaburst - the black is a bit generic. Do like the shape though - kind of an odd mix of Gibson/Yamaha SG, ‘70’s John Birch and bits and bobs of other stuff.

This example was cheap as it’s a bit of a project - there’s a headstock fracture which will need attention in the near future.

I’d actually never played one until a few days ago. It’s kind of a bit bland, in (for me, anyway) an LTD/Schecter way - functional, slick, but nothing which immediately made me bond with it. Saying that, the controls are interesting and there are some quite nice sounds to be had - some Strat-ish, some P90-ish and some Humbucker-ish...which I guess was the designer’s intention.

Updates to follow...

Voxman

Vox  kindly loaned me the single cut 55 together with the then new Valvetronix VT40+ and I used the SCC55 during a demo I made with the amp.  

My recollection is that it was very nicely made. The neck felt slightly wider than my other guitars but it was comfortable and a light guitar. Each pickup  (called Coaxe) had three setting options...the idea was that it could switch from humbucker to single coil to P90 tones. Although a great concept, the pickups didn't quite live up to it. Humbucker and single coil tones were OK but the attempt at P90 tones completely missed the target.  

The original guitar with this concept was called the Virage and I tried one when it was launched at LIMS in 2007 I think. The Coaxe pickups were significantly superior but the guitar, a double cutaway, was very expensive...£1800...quite a lot in 2007.  The SCC 33, 55, 77 and SDC double cut versions were brought out as more reasonably priced versions. 

Tonally, the SCC55 was quite versatile. But at £895 new they were still pushing up hill. 18 mths or so after launch stores couldn't shift them and the prices were reduced, ultimately going for half price or even less. Shame really, as they were decent guitars and I almost bought one in a sale but it still didn't quite grab me enough because of its non P90 tone. 

Btw IIRC the 33 version only gave the single and humbucker options, not the third P90 tone.

I opened and closed the vid I made in 2011 with the SCC55 and I also used the SCC55 at 2:45, and 8:30 for bottleneck.  

Funkfingers

At this point, the obvious question to ask is, what common aftermarket pickups will directly retrofit in the Co-axe routs?

HarrySeven

Re. Questions about the nut - yes, it’s loose in it’s slot. Forgot to reposition it before I shot the pics.

HarrySeven

http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/sdc33.html

http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/55_series.html

HarrySeven

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/vox-sdc-33-270605

susbemol

I love the necks on these guitars, they're super comfy to play! My brother's got a lovely gold 55 and I have a HDC99 (the one on the left - quite rare!) which has the Coaxe 'Vintage' pickups. They are basically a less bright version of the original with screw pole pieces.

I also have a 33 with Seymour Duncan APH2s and a Roland GK3 internal kit (on the right). It has been my main guitar synth controller for years. I sold the blonde HDC77 in the middle a while back as I just couldn't regularly use so many guitars and I felt bad about it.



Standard P90 pickups fit the factory cavity but I noticed that not all P90 covers are the same so you may need to check that. I had to do quite a bit of routing to get the humbuckers in the 33 though. 

SimpleSimon

Nice score, that's the most normal guitar I recall you having? Always wanted the MIJ LP version or the larger DC/335 style one.

p90fool

I liked the pickups on these, though they are known for falling apart apparently. 

susbemol

p90fool said:

I liked the pickups on these, though they are known for falling apart apparently. 

Based on my experience, that is not the case at all. I think there were a few reports of a few people having issues with the pickup cover bending but I have had 3 of these guitars (and still have one) all of which have been heavily used over the years and none had this problem.

Fuengi

I had a Gold Top Singlecut 33. It was a really nicely made guitar, lovely dark fretboard and nice neck and lovely contours. I didn't like the pickups and got some Mojo P90s put in to replace the stock ones and rewired it.

Wouldn't mind playing that guitar again now to see how it went but I sold it about five years ago. 

HarrySeven

SimpleSimon said:

Nice score, that's the most normal guitar I recall you having?

Indeed it is...

Voxman

So, @HarrySeven - how many guitars do you have now, ...and where do you keep them all!?