Although its AC30 is among the most iconic and historically important amps of all time, Vox isn’t the first company that comes to mind when one thinks of guitars. Sure, they had those kooky trapezoidal guitars such as the Phantom and the teardrop-shaped Mk III in the mid-‘60s. But these instruments never reached the status of the all-mighty Strat or Les Paul—certainly not the same way the AC30 held court against the Fender Bassman or Marshall Plexi.

But Vox is bent on changing that. In 2007 the company reinvented its guitar line by introducing the acclaimed Virage semi-hollowbody. This year Vox added three more lines to the roster—the semi-hollowbody Series 77, and the solid-body Series 55 and Series 33. Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks playing a single-cutaway Series 55 SSC-55 ($999 street).

Voxy Lady
When I pulled the SSC-55 out of the included gig-bag, its sexy design and TeaBurst finish immediately caught my eye. The TeaBurst model has a swamp ash top over a mahogany body with a polyurethane finish and slightly understated figuration. Optional finishes include Vintage Cream, which also an ash top over a mahogany body, as well as Black and GoldTop, both of which have a maple top over a mahogany body. The double-cutaway SDC-55 is also available in Trans Red, with a solid swamp ash top, replacing the Vintage Cream model.

Appointments such as the body binding, which wraps around the instrument’s asymmetrical curves, also add to the guitar’s visual appeal (see Fig. 1). The tuners have a futuristic design with sharp lines and a ridge designed to fit the contour of the finger (see Fig. 2). The mother-of-pearl inlays also share the same zigzag design as the tuners. The futuristic tuners and inlays are contrasted by the retro-looking Vox logo on the headstock. Over-sized strap buttons are also included and would most likely have no problems securing a strap.

Fig. 1: The bound and contoured body.

In addition to looks, ergonomics also play a key role in the guitar’s design. The instrument is contoured to comfortably fit the human body.

Fit as a Fox
In keeping with the emphasis on ergonomics, the two-piece mahogany set neck, with Indian Rosewood fingerboard, has a very deep, contoured heel for easy access to the upper frets. On the single-cutaway review unit, however, the upper part of the body joins the neck at around the 16th fret so my thumb couldn’t follow my fingers to the uppermost regions. If you’re a high-fret shredder, the double-cutaway SDC-55 model might be a better choice because it has a thinner, faster neck that offers unobstructed access to the end of the fingerboard (see Fig. 3).

The craftsmanship of the SSC-55 is excellent. Generally “off-the-shelf” guitars require some setting up, but the SSC-55’s factory setup was superb and the guitar was ready to go right out of the box. The guitar comes strung with D’Addario strings (gauges 0.10 to 0.46) and the action was set to 5/64-inch for the low E and 3.5/64-inch for the high E at the 12th fret. The 25 1/8-inch scale length was very comfortable and there was no buzzing, protruding fret edges, or fretting-out issues across the 22 frets. The fretboard’s 12-inch radius, combined with the neck’s rounded C profile, allow for easy string bends and an even action across the neck. Anchoring everything is the SSC-55’s MaxConnect aluminum bridge, which has an extended saddle and weighs less than 2 ounces.

Fig. 2: The SSC-55’s headstock and tuners: Sweet!

Pickup Joint
The most distinctive feature of the SSC-55 is the proprietary CoAxe pickup system. Vox bought a pickup winding machine and worked in-house with renowned pick-up expert Eric Kirkland, intensely winding, testing, and listening until they finalized the CoAxe pickup design. Rather than stacking pickups side-by-side or on top of each other as in a conventional humbucker, the coils of the CoAxe are co-axially embedded.

Remarkably, the CoAxe pickup offers single-coil, humbucking, and P-90-esque modes, labeled by Vox as Clean, Crunch, and Lead, respectively. The modes are selected using a 3-position toggle switch provided for each pickup. With the toggle switch in the down position, the humbucking mode is selected. In the middle position, you get a P-90 sound, and in the up position, you get a single-coil sound. The pickup design is passive, so no battery or other power system is required.

In addition, there is a 3-position switch that selects either or both of the pickups. Master tone and volume knobs are also provided.

The CoAxe system was very useful in real-life playing situations. For example, I could start a solo in Clean mode, then switch to Lead when I wanted to really scream. Besides a change in volume, there is also a very musical change in tone and frequency response between the modes.

Fig. 3: The double-cutaway model makes it easier to reach those higher frets.

Guitar Modders note: If you feel the need to replace these pickups, standard P-90-sized pickups will drop right in. However, the CoAxe system won’t function with a replacement pickup. If you change only one pickup, the CoAxe system will still function with the remaining Vox pickup.

Gig-worthy
For an import guitar, the Korean-made SSC-55 is definitely pricier than other overseas-manufactured guitars. However, the quality of the SSC-55 is top-notch—better than some American-made guitars. At this price point, it’s up against the likes of the Fender American Standard Stratocaster, the Fender American Standard Telecaster, and the USA-made Gibson Les Paul Studio and Gibson Les Paul Jr.—all classic instruments that generally retain their value over the years. The key feature of the SSC-55 is that, theoretically, you can have Strat, Tele, Les Paul, and P-90 sounds all in one guitar, so from that perspective the pricing is reasonable.

In addition to the Teaburst finish, Vos offers—clockwise from upper-left—Vintage Cream (single-cut only), gloss Black, Trans Red (double-cut only), and gloss Goldtop.

Unplugged, the guitar sounds lively and resonant, which is a good indicator of how it will sound when plugged in. I used the SSC-55 in several different gig and rehearsal settings and was pleased with its versatility. Using the Lead position on the bridge pickup, I was able to get a hellacious drop-D grind through a Mesa Rectifier. I also got some Stevie Ray-esque biting blues sounds from the Clean mode. Even jazz lines sounded convincing, although the semi-hollow Series 77 might get you closer to jazz-box territory.

I Can Drive 55
With the Series 55’s various pickup options you can cover a whole set of music with just one guitar—no need to bring an extra Tele along just to play the one song with a twangy country riff. If the Clean, Crunch, and Lead options of the CoAxe system fulfill all of your sonic requirements, a Vox Series 55 instrument could be the last guitar you’ll ever need to buy.

Pros: Plays great. Professional sound quality. Innovative pick-up system with plenty of tonal variety. Reasonable price. Classic styling.
Cons: None.

NYC-based guitarist Joe Charupakorn writes for Guitar Edge magazine and is a best-selling author and editor for Hal Leonard Corporation. Visit him on the web at joecharupakorn.com.