Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar 

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

I nabbed the goldtop version of this SSC55 last June from MF and , from that day on, this has become my primary 6-string instrument. I had been leaning towards one of the Taylor solid bodies and after I did an A-B comparison I was blown away by the tone on this instrument. The Taylor really did have an awesome feel to it (one of the best feeling guitars I've touched in nearly 40 years of playing), but the complexity of the Vox tone really sold me on it.

The Coaxe pickups are fantastic sounding, and surprisingly hot for a passive system. Tonal variance in the 3 modes is a little more subtle that I would have liked but I generally run in "P90" mode 95% of the time. Perhaps the subtleties are lost due to my playing style. The roll off on the volume is really nice and allows for great control over the amount of break I get at the amp.

I thought perhaps the scale of the instrument would be an issue (Strat's 25.5" + Les Paul's 24.75" divided by 2 = 25.125") but I really love it. It's light weight body and slim neck feel fantastic. I had two minor issues with the finish on the SSC55. The first was with the nut. It was razor-sharp around the perimeter of the entire nut. It's as though it was completely missed on the assembly check list. A file took care of it. The second issue was a bit more pronounced and probably next to impossible for me to remedy. There was a vertical linear imperfection in the finish on the back side of the neck right around the 5th fret. I was tempted to send it back, but decided it wasn't so bad that I couldn't live with it.

So, how could Vox have improved this guitar? A separate volume for each of the pickups would have been nice for blending. What else? Those couple of finish issues shouldn't have been there but that may have just been my luck of the draw. Anything else? Hmmmm. Nothing. Seriously, I love this instrument. The doubloons to doubloons value just can not be beat.

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

You know all the specs. I wanted to talk about how thing guitar actually performs and feels.

First off the contours were one of the biggest reasons I bought this guitar. As a slightly overweight guitarist I often find myself holding guitars a little differently. They dont often sit well on my stomach. Not the case with SSC 55. This thing is just so comfortable. The other guitarist in my band is very thin and he too says it's a very comfortable guitar. Way lighter than your standard less paul.

Live, this guitar is about what you'd imagine. For cleans, this guitar does anything you want. For slightly dirty, it does everything you want. Full on distortion...you only hear one tone really. It doesnt get a lot of different distortion sounds. But the sound it does have is amazing. I used to play with 5 guitars live. Now i only bring two. This guitar and a Gibson SG as a backup and drop D tuning guitar.

In the studio... oh man. So let me explain that within my band we have 21 guitars. Gibsons, PRS, Fenders, Lados, high end Schecters, as well as a Hagstrom Viking, and a G&L. As you may guess, we're not afraid to spend on quality gear. Here's the thing... we're 9 songs into our 11 song album and every time i've tried tracking with other guitars, i've ended up redoing the takes with my Vox. It is THAT good. My other guitars has even used the vox for a couple takes over his PRS. Just saying, this guitar is even better than advertised. Especially in the studio. I think at first it takes a bit of getting used to. And on some amps (especially solid state) you dont really hear the tone changes as much. When i first bought it i was slightly disappointed, until i really figured out the guitar and how to bring it's best qualities out. Now, even with all our guitars its always the first one I grab.

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

I just can't get over this guitar. What drew me in was the versatility that was advertised. Its coaxe pickups are great and this guitar's tone and sustain are awesome. another thing that i was really focused on was comfort. I really love the look of les paul bodies but they are often pretty heavy and can be tiring to play after a while. I perform rock shows with my band regularly so being able to play for hours comfortably is important. this guitar has it all. great looks, comfortable and fun to play, and great sound. I'm so glad i got this guitar. Rock on Vox!!!

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

I bought the Vox SSC-55 online without ever playing one in person and, to date, I have no regrets whatsoever about the purchase.
My Vox SSC-55 gold top has a flawless fit and finish. I didn't really want a gold guitar but I did want the extra brightness afforded by the maple top that's only available with a gold or black finish. The "maple top" is much more than a thin veneer over the mahogany body; it comprises a good portion of the top.
This is obviously a guitar designed in the hands of musicians, not on a drafting table. The unconventional contours render the guitar very comfortable to play. Aside from the weight (that's considerably more than the thinline Tele's I'm accustomed to), it's one of the most ergonomically accommodating instruments I've ever played (either standing or seated). The neck joint makes playing all the way up to the 22nd fret a breeze. It is perfectly balanced on a strap (unlike the typical neck-heavy SG or body-heavy Les Paul).The neck is a little thin for my taste (obviously a concession to modern players with a thin C profile and very flat fingerboard) but I'll get used to it.The real magic with this guitar is in the versatile proprietary pickups. Each pickup features three modes (clean = single coil, crunch = pseudo P90, lead = humbucker) and you can switch in any combination you wish. Aside from the totally quiet performance, I was also impressed that each mode has the same output; no more adjusting your volume when you switch from single coil to humbucker and, when the different modes are used in combination, there is no problem with the humbucker mode overpowering the other pickup in single-coil mode. Brilliant! The different combinations yield a nice palette of very usable tones. I've used the guitar on dozens of recordings and fooled many "experts" who thought I used a Les Paul or an SG. The single-coil mode is sufficiently bright but it sounds nothing like a Tele or a Strat. Perhaps because of the Vox's set-neck construction and top-loader bridge/tailpiece (instead of bolt-on neck and strings-thru-body bridge), the Vox lacks the spank and twang of a Fender.On the subject of volume, the volume control is perfectly located for pinky volume swells.The hardware is surprisingly lightweight but solid and first rate.This guitar sings, chimes, or screams, and (for me) it's a keeper.

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

WARNING: The Vox SSC55 (single cut) will grab and shake you into a new arena of tones. I was looking for something other than a Les Paul for my next acquisition, and just tried this for the fun of it. Once the salesman noticed how much I enjoyed it, he took the time to explain all of the pup settings. My one and only gripe is that since the body is relatively thin (think Epi SG), it does not have that LP bass growl that I need in my arsenal. However, the neck is awesome, the scale is between my Strat and 335, and having Hums, split coils AND "P90"s (not to mention any combo of these three), well... it makes you think about it anyway. I have not purchased my next guitar yet and everything is based upon beating this Vox. The burst is as pretty as it gets. Even though it has endless tone possibilities, depending on the color, some are maple on top and others are ash and it seemed to make a difference. This is in that Gibson Studio/vintage Yamaha SG price range, but you can't count this import out until you have tried it. I must add that I enjoyed the "P90" tone better than a Les Paul P90 (odd isn't it?) and that alone might be my deciding factor. Maybe my EQ pedal will get that darker sustain sound.
With the fabulous three-way pickups and three-way pup switch, what more can be possible?!
Seems to better for this price guitar.
I don't know what to compare it to, but no doubt, you get two guitars for the price of one.

Comments about Vox SSC55 Single-Cutaway Solidbody Electric Guitar:

Hooked this beautiful goldtop into my Marshall Haze and WOW! This baby sings, nice harmonics, rings well, sounds great clean or overdriven, humbucker or single coil. Thank you Vox & Musician Friend for the tone and flexibility I have been waiting 45 years for.