Conference napalm::guitar

    
    Vantage is a Japanese brand that was sold in the US from about
    1977 but I haven't seen any recently. They sold mainly to the
    student/intermediate player market.
    
    The model you have sold for about $400-500 when new.  The three
    pot knobs should be all gold.  Is it a neck through body model?
    Most Vantages had bolt-on necks, but I seem to remember the top-end
    models had active EQ and through-body necks.  When Les Pauls fell
    out of favor, Vantage switched to Strat-style models with whammies.
    
    Current value in the US is about $200 for a top-end one in good
    shape.
    
    

    	I have a Vantage "Avenger" I believe.  I bought it used from
    someone who bought it and never played it (if I remember correctly
    it still had the factory strings on it).  It's a strat copy with
    a few cosmetic differences in the body and a bolt on neck.  It plays
    great and sounds great, although I do have a slight hummmmmm problem
    in high gain situations.  I replaced the bridge pickup with a Dimazio
    (sp) with a phase switch.  If I set the switch in the reverse phase
    position and select the bridge and middle pickup it gets this fantastic
    tele sound, nice and bright with surprisingly little hummmmmmm.
    
    	Overall, I love it.  The frets are starting to show some wear,
    but so far no buzzing.  As far as playing action, my other guitar
    is a Les Paul (the real thing) and the Vantage is comparable to that.
    In other words, it don't much better than that, folks!  
    
    	It doesn't seem like a very expensive axe, but it is very well
    made.  The machines are apparently Vantage's own brand (at least
    they have a "V" inset into the back) but they tune like Schallers.
    In fact, the Vantage stays in tune when put back in it's case,
    the Les Paul doesn't - and it has real Schallers.  Not bad a cheap
    rice guitar.  I'd love to find another one.  The one described in
    .0 sounds nice.  If you ever want to sell it, let me know.  And
    if anyone out there sees one for sale somewhere, please let me (and
    everyone else out there) know so we can fight over it.
    
    	Well, enough said...
    					Brad Karrfalt

I was in Daddy's Junky Music store (Peobody, MA) last night, and they
had a Vantage LP copy selling for $99. It was a little battered, but
overall looked pretty good....

Alan S.

                    
                    
    I started cleaning the guitar over the weekend.  I removed all the
    strings and binned 'em (got a nice new set of DiAddrio's).  I 
    tightened up various loose screws, dismantled the bridge.  I started 
    cleaning the headstock, neck and body.  
    
    Er....the guitar no longer has black lines on!!! Upon cleaning it the 
    lines came off - it turns out the guy I bought it off drew them on
    with a marker pen and a ruler!!! (can you believe this jerk!) anyway, 
    it looks MUCH better without them.
                                                                    
    Anyway, after fun and games reassembling the bridge the guitar is now 
    immaculate, and is singing like a bird.
                                                                    
    -Tony
    

    I had a Vantage Avenger a few years back and liked it alot.
    
    It had a black satin finish on the body and a blonde neck.
    Action was fantastic, very easy to play.
    
    I bought it about 6-7 years ago for $100 plus trade-in of
    a beatup cosmetically Washburn Bass that I paid $50 for.
    
    I sold the Vantage about 3 years ago to a singer who was picking
    up guitar.  Think I sold it to him for $150, same that it cost me.
    
    Enjoy...   Mark.

    I had a Vantage 345 (their version of Gibson's 335) a few years
    back.  It had a real nice finish on it, and the electronics sounded
    pretty good for stock stuff.  Also a plus was the neck on the thing..
    real nice.  One of those guitars I'm sorry I sold.  :^(
    
    Buck

    
    
    	A friend of mine has an Avenger x77 I am thinking about
    	buying if the price is right.
    
    	Can you guys tell me what sounds fair, dollar wize?
    
    	He bought it 8 years ago and it probably seen 4hrs of
    	playing time.
    
        Also has case and strap.
    
    
    	

    >	A friend of mine has an Avenger x77 I am thinking about
    >	buying if the price is right.
    >
    >	Can you guys tell me what sounds fair, dollar wize?
    
    Well, seeing that this line of guitars have been discontinued, and that
    they were a low-line guitar to begin with (under $400 for their best
    instrument), I would offer $175.00 for it now.

    Has anyone owned/played the Vantage acoustic guitars?
    
    I was checking out 2 models.
    
    First one is a narrow body 12 string cut-away, price is $399.  It is a
    plug in, and has a small eq board on it powered by a 9 volt battery in
    the guitar body.  Blond/natural finish. The sound and action is just
    incredible great.
    
    Second one is a standard body 6 string cut-away, price is $279.  It is
    also a plug in with the eq.  Sunburst finish.  Action is high/bad.
    I asked the store owner to lower the action, neck may need adjustment
    also.  If he can get this one to play as well as the 12 string, I may
    buy it.
    
    As much as I prefer the 12 string, I'd rather buy a 6 string as I find
    12 strings limited in the variety of music that can be played, whereas
    a 6 string offers more of a range of playing.  IMO anyways.
    
    Both of these are new.  Anyone have any comments???  Thanks, Mark