Made in Italy by Crucianelli, the original Vox Bobcats of the '60s were intended to compete with Gibson's ES line. These Italian imports were less consistent in quality than their Kalamazoo-built competition, but you can't argue with the style! Like a lot of '60s Italian products, they were perhaps too much form over function. They also produce a distinct, chimney single-coil tone that vintage guitar connoisseur always associate with the Vox name.
The new Bobcat reissues are made in Korea, and the quality is a lot seems more substantial than the '60s originals. But still, they have the same double-cutaway, and the style is 100% Vox. Nice parts though—open-back tuners, a tune-o-matic bridge, and a heavy duty tailpiece. The body is semi-hollow with a centerblock to tame feedback at high volumes. But they're not heavy guitars—this 2021 Vox Bobcat V90 weighs in at 6 lbs 15 oz. It has a pretty three-tone sunburst with white plastic pickup covers and pickguard that are the perfect accents. Also, dig the cool '60s radio knobs! There's plenty of retro Vox vibe.
For pickups, this 2021 Bobcat is rigged up with Vox V90s. This pickup is a lot like a soapbar P90 pickup, but it has a little more treble bite. They can be powerful like a P90, but they sound articulate and clear at cleaner levels, almost like a Fender single coil. They nail the '60s jangle, which fits the vibe perfectly.
This 2021 Vox Bobcat V90 is about as clean as you could ask a used guitar to be. No dings, no repairs, no issues—just a good playing, semi-hollow Vox. The setup his low and fast, and the pickups and controls lend a wide range of versatility. This 2021 Vox Bobcat V90 includes its original hardshell case and manual.