The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #146498   Message #3393573
Posted By: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
22-Aug-12 - 09:11 AM
Thread Name: Where are the youngsters?
Subject: RE: Where are the youngsters?
Until I find a Vox Apache on display in a shop
I can't confirm to my own satisfaction how good they'll sound.
Earlier attempts at producing electric travel guitars in the last 2 or 3 decades
employed basic cheap onboard transistor amps and tiny speakers that sounded nasty, shrill & farty...

My initial concern about the Apache is Vox's reputation
for having a good prototype idea but sabotaging the production model
by stupidly deliberately omitting useful features
potential buyers would require.

Vox and parent company Korg already sell very good & successful affordable valve amp & FX emulation products.
Hopefully that's the technology being used in the Apache...???

However, immediate online guitar forum contentions are the novelty inclusion of digital drum patterns
but no provision for more essential simple onboard FX such as delay, tremelo/vibrato, autowah, etc
which Korg/vox could easily have built in using readily available
cost effective chips & circuits.

Though I guess they'd justify foregoing power hungry digital effects
to extend battery life..?

But applause to Vox for trying at least.
The young learner guitarist marketed Apache will also provide
'Folk' musician's & Blues Slide players with more choice & options,
and there is the potential to mic up the Apache on stage
as if it were a traditional 'acoustic' instrument
and use mixboard FX....

Be interesting to see what the circuit modding and bending boffins
eventually come up with to customise the Apache electronics and extend it's possibilities...????

Be even better if the Apache survives long enough in production
to be upgraded within 18 months into a more versatile version 2....