OPINION

"Today Rosetti is proud to announce Vision guitars, a new range of Japanese six strings (with bass to follow). The two basic types are known as the VS200 (featuring two humbuckers), and VS300 (with its three pickups). Both models come with a variety of optional extras, such as fine tuning bridges, locking nuts, and the like. The model on display today is the top of the VS200 range.

"We begin our tour of the VS200 at its single-sided angular peghead, with 'Vision' splashed in white across it. Note how head, neck, and body are finished in the same matching deep red.

"The strings are kept at an angle to the graphite nut by a large black and unhandsome retaining bar. Follow the strings down the fashionably flat neck, with its 22 stylishly fat elevated frets, and Mother Of Plastic dot markets. At the 14th fret we encounter the contoured body's upper cutaway, but it's not until the very penultimate fret that the lower cutout comes into view - a very handy design element that allows the player easy access to those dog-deafening ultrasonics.

"The body itself is the classic contoured Stratocaster-style shape (an attribute it shares with its more expensive sister model, the VS300). On the open expanses of the body we can begin to appreciate the glorious lustre of the finish. The two humbuckers, as you can see, are of the blade type, and they are controlled by smallish cylindrical knurled metal knobs, with a light positive feel to them. Observe how both pickups can be 'tapped', putting them into single coil mode, by lifting the tone control.

"Please note the bridge, which is a black unit with individually adjustable saddles, and it pivots on the bridge posts, pulling against springs reverse mounted in the back of the body, much like the Fender Vintage system.

"Leaving aside the cosmetic details, we turn to the player's reactions to the Vision: he finds that the VS200 is not a light instrument. However, it is well balanced and comfortable to wear".

DECISION

The neck is shallow in profile, and the fingerboard is spacious though a little dry in feel. The tremolo is a particularly vicious tool which will willingly spread the strings all over the neck. Now, shall we turn the amplifier up? Stop it, stop it... the VS200 is a very... er... lively guitar with plenty of luvverly sustain. Those humbuckers are loud, full, and warm - maybe a bit too much so at the bottom end, which tended towards muddiness; when in single-coil mode, they're quieter and much, much brighter, handy for those jangly rhythm passages before you hit the knob (and the fuzz pedal) and launch into that searing megadeath solo. Or not. They make a good noise however you use them though they're not distinguished by any particular character.

The action was high on the review guitar, and when I lowered it, the eighth fret caused some buzzing on the top two strings. The tuning difficulties caused by the tremolo were a mighty pain in the arse, though they're not insoluble, with due applications of graphite, more springs, etc.

Apart from these complaints, I wasn't disappointed with the Vision; it does the work required, without being exactly a star pupil. Both the VS200 and the more Strat-like VS300 are good, solid, playable guitars, evidently aimed at the top end of the Aria/Ibanez/Washburn market. And why not?