Vintage unveils V501 acoustic and USB-equipped VEC501 electro-acoustic guitars
New models boast solid spruce and mahogany tops

Vintage V501 Acoustic Dreadnought
Vintage instruments are strewn across our rundown of the best budget acoustic guitars, so strummers and fingerpickers will be pleased to see the introduction of two new acoustic guitars: the V501 Dreadnought and VEC501 Electro-Acoustic Cutaway Dreadnought.
The V501 offers a classic combination of solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides, plus a maple bound rosewood fingerboard on mahogany neck.
Elsewhere, a rosewood bridge with Graph Tech NuBone saddle promises “perfect” intonation, while a herringbone/abalone soundhole rosette complements the three available satin finishes: Natural, Tobacco Sunburst and Burgundy Burst.
A solid mahogany-topped model, the V501MH, is also available, in a satin mahogany finish.

Vintage VEC501 Electro-Acoustic Cutaway Dreadnought
While the VEC501 mirrors the V501 in construction, hardware and tone woods, it offers a lower bout cutaway for increased upper-fret access and, crucially, boasts a Fishman Sonicore undersaddle pickup and Isys+ preamp with 1/4” and USB outputs for direct connection to computers.
Volume, bass and treble knobs control the Isys+ preamp, while it also packs a built-in chromatic tuner, low battery indicator LED and phase button to deal with onstage feedback issues.
Like the V501, the VEC501 is available in Natural, Tobacco Sunburst and Burgundy Burst satin finishes, as well as a mahogany-topped model, the VEC501MH.
The Vintage V501 Acoustic Dreadnought and Vintage VEC501 Electro-Acoustic Cutaway Dreadnought are available now – see JHS for more.

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.