Hi all,
From my earlier posts, I was investigating a Vela and was ideally looking to go with either Frost Blue or Frost Green.
Unfortunately, in the UK there are none of either around right now and the exchange rate means brand new prices of 'incoming' guitars have gone through the roof. When I called one of biggest shops, they were saying they wouldn't have any until Q3 this year and we'd be looking at 'around £1500'. At current exchange rates, that's $2000 US. Another shop committed to a little less but I was still looking at a long wait. So I was left looking through 'what was left' and the answer was 'not much!'.
Yesterday, I went to look at one of the only ones I could find brand new in the country and walked away with it. They were considerably cheaper than waiting and they gave a fair price on a trade in of an unloved guitar that was destined for sale so it worked out really well. I do love sunbursts so, whilst I'd have liked to have gone colourful this time, I'll live.... My reasoning for going blue / green was not that I don't like bursts - it's that I nearly always do bursts so thought a change would do me good!!
I was a little concerned that, as it was a satin Vela, it might not be in good shape as it's a soft finish and it's obviously been in the shop for quite some time.... Fortunately, I need not have worried - there isn't a mark on it. Only thing I've done is take off the pickguard film and fit a new set of strings as, whilst they looked in good shape, they had lost their zing.
It's a really nice guitar. Very light and plays well.... In my earlier comments, I was wanting something that could do something different to my much-loved Stripped '58 and Tokai Goldtop whilst staying to a shorter scale than Strats / Teles. It does a great job of this and I'm very happy with it
Neck goes in the direction of my Strat but a bit darker, the coil split is actually very nice (I'm not usually a fan but they've got it right on here IMO) and I like the full bridge - it's brighter than the stripper so does something 'different' which is what I was hoping for. If someone wanted an exact copy of a strat or a tele, this isn't it.... It does a good impression of some bits of both without being either and it does its own thing too. I think it'll cover a lot of ground once I get used to it
I had help re-stringing it - our cat likes the smell of the headstock for reasons I cannot explain! At least it momentarily distracted him from the strings
From my earlier posts, I was investigating a Vela and was ideally looking to go with either Frost Blue or Frost Green.
Unfortunately, in the UK there are none of either around right now and the exchange rate means brand new prices of 'incoming' guitars have gone through the roof. When I called one of biggest shops, they were saying they wouldn't have any until Q3 this year and we'd be looking at 'around £1500'. At current exchange rates, that's $2000 US. Another shop committed to a little less but I was still looking at a long wait. So I was left looking through 'what was left' and the answer was 'not much!'.
Yesterday, I went to look at one of the only ones I could find brand new in the country and walked away with it. They were considerably cheaper than waiting and they gave a fair price on a trade in of an unloved guitar that was destined for sale so it worked out really well. I do love sunbursts so, whilst I'd have liked to have gone colourful this time, I'll live.... My reasoning for going blue / green was not that I don't like bursts - it's that I nearly always do bursts so thought a change would do me good!!
I was a little concerned that, as it was a satin Vela, it might not be in good shape as it's a soft finish and it's obviously been in the shop for quite some time.... Fortunately, I need not have worried - there isn't a mark on it. Only thing I've done is take off the pickguard film and fit a new set of strings as, whilst they looked in good shape, they had lost their zing.
It's a really nice guitar. Very light and plays well.... In my earlier comments, I was wanting something that could do something different to my much-loved Stripped '58 and Tokai Goldtop whilst staying to a shorter scale than Strats / Teles. It does a great job of this and I'm very happy with it
Neck goes in the direction of my Strat but a bit darker, the coil split is actually very nice (I'm not usually a fan but they've got it right on here IMO) and I like the full bridge - it's brighter than the stripper so does something 'different' which is what I was hoping for. If someone wanted an exact copy of a strat or a tele, this isn't it.... It does a good impression of some bits of both without being either and it does its own thing too. I think it'll cover a lot of ground once I get used to it I had help re-stringing it - our cat likes the smell of the headstock for reasons I cannot explain! At least it momentarily distracted him from the strings
Last edited:
