Ask any guitarist and they’ll likely agree that one of the most difficult things about honing their skills at their chosen craft comes down to not only finding time to practice their instrument, but transporting it around the place. Sure, it’s not quite as difficult as say, a double bass, but there is a certain impracticality when it comes to lugging around an electric guitar in order to work on some tricky licks or chord fingering.
Likewise, ask any young budding musician, and they’ll similarly agree that it can be difficult to get a handle on a guitar that’s built for larger hands, with frustration often limiting musical growth.
Thankfully, the folks at Vox are forward-thinkers, and as such, offer up an alternative for those wishing to learn the instrument or keep their skills up to date by way of the Vox SDC-1.
At its core, the SDC-1 is a slick mini electric guitar which packs the same specifications and features as a regular axe, just on a slightly smaller scale (479mm, to be specific). This makes the instrument perfect for younger musicians starting out on the guitar, or for those with smaller hands who find a regular-sized model a little bit of a stretch.
However, the beauty of this is that the SDC-1 doesn’t compromise any of its quality in scaling down the instrument. That is, it features the same tuning and tension that a full-scale model does, along with a mini humbucker pickup, and single volume and tone knobs, ensuring that players from all walks of life are catered for without settling for anything but the best.
From a design point of view, the SDC-1 is sturdily-built machine, with its poplar body and maple neck providing a solid experience to the player, and managing to avoid the toy-like feeling that a smaller instrument may sometimes conjure up within players.
Of course, the biggest highlight of the SDC-1 series is the versatility of the instrument. While any regular-sized guitars prohibit the environments in which they can be played, the SDC-1 overcomes such an obstacle by way of its smaller scale. As a result, it becomes a perfect travel guitar, ideal for those who find themselves on the move, or dreading the notion of lugging a full-size axe around the place.
By utilising accessories such as a Vox amPlug as well (that is, Vox’s lightweight headphone amplifier range), the somewhat antiquated memory of a singular ‘music room’ being a necessity becomes a thing of the past, making anywhere and everywhere the stage.
The Vox SDC-1 is just one of the many instruments in the manufacturer’s stable these days, alongside other notable additions in recent years, including the Bobcat V90 and S66, which revives the classic semi-hollow body style of the original ’60s-era instrument, albeit with improved sound and appearance.
The Vox SDC-1 is available now in a trio of colours, with red, white, and black versions of the instrument on offer. For more information about the guitar, be sure to check out the Vox website for a detailed breakdown.
