Vox Mark III Mini: Blood, Sweat and, Above All, Tears
In January last year, the prototype of the Vox Mark III Mini compact guitar was presented for the first time at the Future Product Preview, and after more than a year of waiting, it has finally hit the market. The instrument with the iconic design is based on the famous Mark IV "Teardrop" model, which appeared in the product catalogue of the traditional British brand back in the 1960s.
The miniature version features identical tuning and string tension as with standard guitars, but the scale has been shortened to 476 mm (18.75 inches). The body, with its signature teardrop- or pick-like shape, is made of American terentang (sometimes called amaranth), while the maple neck, attached with four screws, is complemented by a fretboard made of durable purpleheart, fitted with 19 medium jumbo frets and a 42 mm wide nut.
The sound transmission is handled by two single-coil proprietary pickups with no specific designation, housed in a pearl pickguard. According to the manufacturer, the special single-coils are designed with an emphasis on a wider dynamic response. A three-position blade switch, combined with common volume potentiometers and tone, is mounted on a plate of the same material.
The hardware consists of a solid hardtail bridge with strings through the body, fitted with block saddles, a newly designed single-row all-metal tuning mechanism with optimized gear ratios, and a retainer for BE strings. All metal components have a nickel-plated finish.
Measuring 243 x 65 x 810 mm and weighing 2.1 kg, the compact Vox Mark III Mini travel series offers similar playability to conventional guitars thanks to its zero-fret width and thick, higher tension strings. The mini version of the "Teardrop" model is available in Loud Red, Aqua Green or in a white base lacquer with a multi-coloured Marble finish evoking the 1960s. The official price has been set at around 270 dollars, including a padded soft case and service wrenches for adjusting the bridge saddles and the truss rod.
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