Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Latest issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine has "50 Years of VOX". Another good read!

That was an interesting read. I wonder what happened to all those Vox Teardrop guitars. They looked really cool.

Were they any good?

I have one of the modern reissues from the '90's that I love. It has a great sound that is unlike anything else that I own---more cutting in its tone than a '52 Tele reissue.

Matthew, I had one in the past I bought from
a friend. I kept it for a while and then made
a mistake I traded the guitar at a local music
store. Now I'm trying to get another one I
had the BJ reissue. When the guitar was setup
it played great. I still like the all Vox
setup I have a reissue AC-30TBX and now all
I need is like I said to find another Teardrop
or Phantom. To do that I would have to sell one
of my three guitars a Gretsch 6128TBEE Duo Jet
a Rickenbacker 350V63 and a Steinberger GR4.
Lou D

I've been buying the new Phantom Guitar Works teardrop guitars. They play better than any of the old Vox guitars that I used to own. I currently have (2) Teardrop 6-strings, a Teardrop 9-string, a Teardrop 12-string, and a Mandoguitar. On order I have another 6-string, another 9-string, and a Teardrop bass. Later this year I'd like to order a pair of Brian Jones Teardrops (a 6-string and a 12-string).

Thanks for mentioning Phantom, Randy. I just had a look around at their website.

Randy, I have looked into Phantom guitars
and where I live none of the music stores
have any. Did you get to play one before
you bought it? What is the difference between
Jack's guitars and the reissue Vox guitars.
What are the necks like and do they have a
truss rod. You are the first person that I
read about that has Phantom guitars so any
knowledge would you pass it a long. Are these
good guitars to play out with and do you know
who they would sound thru an AC-30TBX.
Lou D

Lou: I don't play out, so I don't have any stage experience with PGW guitars. Will (from Echo And The Bunnymen) and Coldplay are among the pros that play PGW guitars. I've owned nearly a dozen Italian-built Vox guitars from the sixties, and the PGW guitars are superior in every way.

Jack is also a very nice guy, who will build you a custom guitar. I asked him to build a Teardrop 9-string (like Vox offered in '67) and he had twelve necks made. I bought the first one (it was black with a Bigsby) and I have another one in light blue on order.

To answer your specific questions, I'd compare the sound of the pick-ups to a Stratocaster. The necks are comfortable, but I own over forty guitars, so I deal with lots of different neck shapes. I like to add extra string trees to increase the pressure on the roller nut. I find the strings rattle if I don't make this modification.

I bought my first PGW guitar (Teardrop 6-string in triburst finish with HSC) on eBay for $300 BIN, so that was a super deal. It was my first chance to play one.