Might score a Vela. Gotta question.

[Mike J.]

I could score an S2 Vela semi hollowbody online. Been loving the sound offerings on You Tube. The big question I have is regarding the single coil neck pickup. How's the 60 cycle hum noise factor? Of the many video's I watched there was only one where I heard that hum but I must say in all the other video's I didn't hear it.

If I order the guitar and if it's agreeable with me I'll be using it at church through my Line 6 Pod Go which goes directly to the PA. Never ordered a guitar online before and I can't try one because none of my local stores have one in stock. So as hesitant as I am I really want to take that leap of faith.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Aahzz]

I've owned 2 Velas, still own one. I've not had an issue with hum from the neck pickup unless I was sitting right on top of a power transformer - I sometimes practice in a cramped space and am closer than I'd like to be to my power supplies. Standing next to my pedal board isn't a problem, I'm talking about having the transformers sitting on a desk about a foot from the guitar - so really close. Even then, it hasn't been bad - and it's a GREAT sounding pickup. I highly recommend snagging a Vela. I also took the leap of faith without playing one first, and it's been my number one ever since. Bought a second Vela quickly after because I love it so much - had one solid, one semi hollow. Both great. Only sold the semi because I felt I needed a touch more variety and am trying to see how long I can survive with only 2 electrics .

 

[andy474x]

Based on what you’ve been posting in your other thread, I think the Vela would be a great fit. Smaller neck profile, no boomy neck pickup, and it has a special bridge that is a lot like a Tele bridge. I think you’ll find it sounds like that beefy Tele, with a feel similar to the SG.

 

[cjlloyd]

I've owned 2 Velas, still own one. I've not had an issue with hum from the neck pickup unless I was sitting right on top of a power transformer - I sometimes practice in a cramped space and am closer than I'd like to be to my power supplies. Standing next to my pedal board isn't a problem, I'm talking about having the transformers sitting on a desk about a foot from the guitar - so really close. Even then, it hasn't been bad - and it's a GREAT sounding pickup. I highly recommend snagging a Vela. I also took the leap of faith without playing one first, and it's been my number one ever since. Bought a second Vela quickly after because I love it so much - had one solid, one semi hollow. Both great. Only sold the semi because I felt I needed a touch more variety and am trying to see how long I can survive with only 2 electrics .

Our resident vela man has spoken

 

[Xtcclassic]

I don’t play a lot on the neck pickup, but I certainly haven’t noticed much hum with mine. And I play mostly with crunch / medium gain tones.

 

[László]

Any single coil pickup is going to make more noise due to RFI and EMI than a humbucker. That's why humbuckers were invented. So dimmers, AC breaker boxes, transformers, fluorescent lights, etc., will generate more hum and noise. It's just going to happen.

Nonetheless, single coil pickups like the one in the Vela sound fantastic. If it makes noise, the solution is simply to turn in a different direction until the noise stops.

Whether that works for you in your intended use can't be predicted.

 

[Mike J.]

I contacted my sales rep at Sweetwater and while they have a few S2 Vela's in they don't have the one I would like. I was going to try and get the semi hollow body in either Antique White (first choice) or in the Tobacco Sunburst finish. He said all they have is a semi hollowbody in black and a solid body with the sunburst finish.

Asked if he knew when they would be getting more and he said it's very hard to say. He added "maybe. again maybe sometime in the 1st quarter of 2022." Mentioned to him that my local music store told me it could be up to a year before they see any. My rep said "sadly, that is a possibility." Asked him to put my name on the waiting list and to keep me posted.

I was really impressed by Phillip McKnight's side by side comparison on You Tube of the Vela solid body and semi hollowbody. The semi defiantly had a bit more fullness to the sound compared with the solid body model. Not that the solid body model sounded bad because it didn't, But to me the semi sounded a touch "richer" all around.

Well gang, no luck today but it's certainly not the end of the world for me. Got my little house, got food and that's everything compared to some poor folks out there.

Thank you all for your help and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!.

 

[Boogie]

My house is pretty quiet, electrically, so this isn’t a harsh environment test, but I’ve not been unhappy with the Type D’s noise floor. Here’s an older Vela test with the SuperD and pedalboard of bodacious charm. Skip to around 3:30 to hear the neck pickup. Excuse the massive clam while trying to tap dance on the pedalboard and play. I nearly fell over.

 

[Mike J.]

My house is pretty quiet, electrically, so this isn’t a harsh environment test, but I’ve not been unhappy with the Type D’s noise floor. Here’s an older Vela test with the SuperD and pedalboard of bodacious charm. Skip to around 3:30 to hear the neck pickup. Excuse the massive clam while trying to tap dance on the pedalboard and play. I nearly fell over.

Thanks for the clip! I do like that neck pickup. Clear and strong and to me it doesn't sound boomey.

 

[Boogie]

Thanks for the clip! I do like that neck pickup. Clear and strong and to me it doesn't sound boomey.

I might add, that was played at gig volume, and I’m not shy at gigs! A PRS 50w amp into a PRS pine 2x12 cab only 10’ from the iPhone. That’s why I didn’t have the camera pointed at me or the amp. Even then the Type D is so beautiful and stays that way…though I keep the guitar volume down to about 6.

You won’t be disappointed with the Vela. Oh, and vintage white would be awesome!

 

[Aahzz]

I contacted my sales rep at Sweetwater and while they have a few S2 Vela's in they don't have the one I would like. I was going to try and get the semi hollow body in either Antique White (first choice) or in the Tobacco Sunburst finish. He said all they have is a semi hollowbody in black and a solid body with the sunburst finish.

Asked if he knew when they would be getting more and he said it's very hard to say. He added "maybe. again maybe sometime in the 1st quarter of 2022." Mentioned to him that my local music store told me it could be up to a year before they see any. My rep said "sadly, that is a possibility." Asked him to put my name on the waiting list and to keep me posted.

I was really impressed by Phillip McKnight's side by side comparison on You Tube of the Vela solid body and semi hollowbody. The semi defiantly had a bit more fullness to the sound compared with the solid body model. Not that the solid body model sounded bad because it didn't, But to me the semi sounded a touch "richer" all around.

Well gang, no luck today but it's certainly not the end of the world for me. Got my little house, got food and that's everything compared to some poor folks out there.

Thank you all for your help and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!.

There are a few Antique White semi-hollow Velas on Reverb at the moment, brand new - if you're not absolutely set on Sweetwater.

Also, having owned both a solid and a semi-hollow, your description of the tone difference is spot on. The solid has a bit more twang, the semi a bit more warmth.

 

[Mike J.]

Thanks again guys. I do appreciate all the help. To satisfy my curiously I went back to my local music store today to retry the S2 Starla with a bigsby that they have there. Turns out the date of manufacture is 7-7-14! I guess this qualifies as new old stock. I played the guitar for about 45 minutes (no amp) just to get a good feel for it. No fret buzz anywhere, action was just a pinch high but still very playable. Things I have been kinda struggling with (certain chord shapes) on my Epiphone SG were much easier. I borrowed a tuner and the intonation was spot on. Tried the bigsby, something of which I have no prior experience with. Didn't do any Van Halen dive bombs, just those little "shimmer" movements and some half step bends. I did this repeatedly and kept rechecking the tuning. Some strings went a bit sharp while some went a bit flat. Not out horribly, but just enough to notice things sounded a touch out. I'm not knocking it because there's no doubt ways to keep in fairly in check. So I'm not slamming something I have no experience with.

I was really liking this guitar and thought I might walk out of the store with it until I plugged it in. The pickup height's looked pretty much where they should be, but going back and forth between the two pickups, the neck pickup was considerably louder in volume and in bass response than the bridge pickup. So much so that I borrowed a screwdriver to make heights adjustments on both pickups. This helped considerably but some further tweaking would still be needed. The big disappointment was when I tried the coil split. The volume drop off was huge and not like it was in all the video's I've watched. But then maybe, perhaps there was something wrong with the potentiometer for the tone/split. When turning it from 0 to 10 it had a very loose feel to it compared to the volume control which was much stiffer to turn. I brought this to the stores attention and maybe they'll look into it.

I'm not knocking this guitar at all. Again, maybe there was something wrong with the tone/split pot. This neck shaped suited my hand very well and I was hoping this guitar would work for me but it didn't.

Oh well. Move on!

 

[Sybo]

I can also give a huge recommendation for the Velas , I LOVE this guitar. Soo much guitar for the dough!