Japan's Vola Guitars have released updated versions of their OZ and Vasti solid-body electric guitars, with the handsomely sculpted S- and T-types featuring a new neck carve and a raft of luxurious appointments.
The OZ V3 MC is a bold riff on the quintessential Superstrat-style format, featuring a Vola VHC humbucker in the bridge position and two VS-1 single-coils in the middle and neck positions. The Vasti V3 MC, meanwhile, has a Vola VDR I mini-humbucker seated in an ashtray-style bridge, with Vola VTS I Tele-style single-coil at the neck.
While both sport a most unique silhouette, with the OZ V3 MC's angular headstock scoring bonus shred points for being reversed, Vola has applied a classic tonewood formula to their build – the Vasti pairing ash with a bolt-on maple neck, with Vola plumping for alder on the OZ.
Those revised neck profiles should give the new models a contemporary feel, measuring a svelte 20mm at the first fret, with a very gentle taper out to 21mm at the 12th fret. Both models split the different between typical Gibson and Fender dimensions by featuring maple fingerboards with a Gibson-esque 12“ radius and having a full 25.5“ scale a la the bolt-ons that inspired their design.
Quality hardware has been used throughout. Besides the bone nut, both models are fitted with Gotoh bridges – the Vasti with Gotoh's three-saddle Ti-TC1 unit, the OZ using the 510T-FE1 two-point vibrato system – and locking tuners.
Like the hardware, both the OZ and the Vasti are handmade in Japan, and there are a number of classic finishes to choose from – all of which look pretty cool on those modern body shapes. The OZ V3 MC arrives in 2 Tone Sunburst, Daphne Blue, Surf Green, Vintage Ivory, and Shell Pink Gloss, while the Vasti V3 MC is available in 2 Tone Sunburst, Butter Scotch Blonde, Surf Green, and Vintage Ivory Gloss.
The OZ retails at $1,199 with the Vasti priced $1,259. For more details and pics, head to Vola Guitars.
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