Build and features

As if to mirror the brand name, this rosewood-backed Vintage has a more traditional, Martin-like vibe. The spade peghead is one aspect, so is the clean German spruce top’s herringbone purfling, a theme repeated in narrower style as the back’s centre strip.

The fingerboard’s rosewood binding - as opposed to the others’ cream or white plastic - also conveys a discreet, retro-style cosmetic approach. Like the Takamine, the VEC’s livery is all-gloss.

By a small degree, the neck at the nut is the widest on test, though at 43.5mm it still falls comfortably within the medium-span category. We again find an easy-playing ‘C’ profile, of moderate depth, and it’s partnered by Takamine-like medium-thin fretting, which is once more very well dressed and polished.

Next: Vintage VEC1100N sounds, pros and cons