Vintage guitars

[Slartibartfarst42]

Now it has to be said that I'm a long way from being a guitar collector. I only own two guitars and frankly, it's all I appear to need because between them they cover all that I play so why waste money buying a third guitar?

A few days ago a friend showed me a Vintage V100 he'd picked up in a trade and surprisingly (to me at least) it was actually quite impressive. The pickups weren't great and could stand a proper setup but the finish was good and the neck was surprisingly thin for something that's a Les Paul copy. It was really nice to play and as you seem to be able to pick these things up for Ł100-150. This gives me just two key questions for anyone with any knowledge of these guitars:

1) Are these guitars actually as decent as my initial impression suggested?

2) Which models in the V100 range have these thin necks as I assume they're not all the same?

[gwEm]

some guys on the forum have mentioned the Peter Green Lemon Drop model and have been quite complimentary. Their 'Advance' range has been lauded in the press, however I don't have personal experience here

[tekbow]

I only hear good things about them for the money, and the ones i've played have been perfectly good wee guitars.. i remember when 100-150 quid would get you a plank of wood with wires nailed on to it, and a bad example of a plank of wood with wires nailed on it at that.

[Toe-Knee]

I used to own a vintage guitar. It was really excellent to be fair and i still miss it to this day.

The LP type ones are rumoured to be the best along with the strats.

As for the neck i couldn't say maybe an email to JHS would give you the answers?

[Philly Q]

Never played any of the range, but I've never seen a bad review or any negative comments about them.

Trev Wilkinson seems to be a guy who wouldn't want his name associated with anything substandard, even when it sells at a budget price.

As for the neck question, I would guess most of them have slim necks.  That seems to be what most people prefer, and budget guitars are always aimed at the mass market!

[Arthurus]

Well, I got one ! It's an Icon V100, and well it's cool. It sounds VERY bassy, and it's heavy, but it does the job. I tune mine to B standard.

[Telerocker]

Well, I got one ! It's an Icon V100, and well it's cool. It sounds VERY bassy, and it's heavy, but it does the job. I tune mine to B standard.

Bassy? What wouldn't be bassy in B-standard?

[Arthurus]

Well, I got one ! It's an Icon V100, and well it's cool. It sounds VERY bassy, and it's heavy, but it does the job. I tune mine to B standard.

Bassy? What wouldn't be bassy in B-standard?

I meant it was already bassy when it was tuned to E  :?

[Slartibartfarst42]

As for the neck question, I would guess most of them have slim necks.  That seems to be what most people prefer, and budget guitars are always aimed at the mass market!

Good point, that makes sense. I assume that the Lemon Drop will have a thicker neck but for the rest of them, a thin neck would be more logical. I still don't really need one but a good basic guitar for Ł150 that might really benefit from a pickup upgrade seems like a good buy. Now I just don't know what I'd do for pickups. The Crawler and Holydiver cover all of my needs and I don't seem to be keen on pups that are too vintage. I'll need to think about this carefully as if I can come up with a pickup combination that I can make use of then I'll buy one and if not, I won't bother.

[rotpunkt]

I have heard only good things about the lemon drop.

Never played one, but know someone who has and he really liked it, in fact he tried to get me to buy it (and it wasn't even his, his mate was getting rid for peanuts... Shoulda bought it...  :oops: )

[Slartibartfarst42]

It seems that these Vintage guitars are as good as my first impressions suggested. I've been thinking about possible pickups for it and my first thought was a Cold Sweat set as they're nice and modern but more open sounding than my Holydivers. My other thought was an Abraxas bridge and ? neck as I've always fancied an Abraxas but never got around to buying one and I think it would work well in a Les Paul. My final thought so far was to try some sort of P90, just for something different but I have no idea which one.

[Kiichi]

It seems that these Vintage guitars are as good as my first impressions suggested. I've been thinking about possible pickups for it and my first thought was a Cold Sweat set as they're nice and modern but more open sounding than my Holydivers. My other thought was an Abraxas bridge and ? neck as I've always fancied an Abraxas but never got around to buying one and I think it would work well in a Les Paul. My final thought so far was to try some sort of P90, just for something different but I have no idea which one.

I think when it comes to P90s youŽd have the best chance with the MQ / Nantucket. Ballsy but still classic. If you want it a little softer the blue note, but I guess the manhattan / half note would be too little for you taste. On the other side the Supermassive might be an option, but it is distinctly modern in sound. Both the Stockholm and Pig90 would be overkill for you I believe. Even the fatter and more modern ones are true P90s in tone though.

So really the MQ / Nantucket as it is in the same vain as the Crawler. HD is close too but that is between the SM and MQ I recon. Blue note is softer yet you might want an axe for a little lower stuff like blues and rock.

I think you would dig P90s, they have that special somewhat coarse and warm midrange roar which I think youŽd really appreciate. Combine that with SC esque attack and bottom string definition, but all the balls of a HB, heck even deeper in bass. Try to get one of these babys muddy...
They sit wonderfully in LP types as well as those tend to have a lot of midrange and P90s compared to HBs have more highs and lows.
Plus they handle fuzz like nothing else.

[Telerocker]

Well, I got one ! It's an Icon V100, and well it's cool. It sounds VERY bassy, and it's heavy, but it does the job. I tune mine to B standard.

Bassy? What wouldn't be bassy in B-standard?

I meant it was already bassy when it was tuned to E  :?

Ah sorry, so it's very Les Paulish. So I assume RiffRaffs would be perfect in a V100.

[Telerocker]

I once picked up the Icon Lemon Drop. Felt good, but as Magn.Beard says, very heavy. A bit like the Yamaha SG700 I had once. I like the AV3, which is a twist on an ES335. Maybe I pick one up sooner or later. I like how the basscontour-knob can thin out the sound.

What I read is that there can be quite a quality-difference. Some have a really bad frettdress and the frets are not always set in properly. The Icon I had in my hands had a good neck and frets. Inspect thorougly I'd say.

[Dave Sloven]

This might be your chance to try out those Rebel Yells!  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on them relative to the Holy Divers and Cold Sweats.  :)