The VOX Bobcat and Lynx semi-hollow body guitars were produced in Italy during the mid-1960s. They featured unusual pickup configurations and a distinct look, which we have revived in the new Bobcat S66. As befitting their revival, we have kept the historic design of these guitars unchanged, but brought them up to date by improving their playability, controlling acoustic feedback, and raising the performance of the pickups.
With three original single coil pickups and largely improved playability, the Bobcat S66 provides glassy single-coil tones synonymous with the VOX sound while having a feel that modern guitarists can appreciate.
The pickups in the Bobcat are modeled after the original Italian-made pickups, but with improvements in the voicing. The Bobcat S66 is equipped with three of these single-coil pickups, and three individual volume knobs for each pickup. This allows players to shape a plethora of tones, ranging from aggressive and glassy iconic Vox-tones, to more mellow and warmer tones. This diverse sonic pallet and distinctive appearance sets the Bobcat S66 apart from other semi-hollow guitars.
The newest models feature a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece—a tailpiece loved by guitar players for many years—and come in two colours: a cool jet black and sapphire blue.
Unlike the original models which came with a bolt-on-neck, the neck joint of the Bobcat S66 uses a set neck method that makes it easy to play even on the higher frets. The fixed Tune-o-matic bridge allows the optimal neck angle for easy playing, significantly improving the playability when compared to the original.
The semi-hollow body structure uses a weight-relieved Spruce centre block, increasing sustain and dynamics, while being resistant to feedback even at high volume levels. This allows the guitar to pick up subtle and nuanced playing, without having to worry about feedback issues that semi-hollow body guitars are known to have. Furthermore, this construction of the centre block also factors into why the guitar is extremely light weight, making it an ideal tool for gigging.
These tuning pegs were specifically selected to improve tuning stability, clearly transfer string resonance to the headstock, and to minimise the weight of the headstock. This provides consistent and clear sounds and an amazingly balanced feel.
Features
- Semi-hollow structure
- Bigsby vibrato tailpiece
- New pickups with a retro sound and look
- Improved playability
- Laminated Maple construction
- Weight-relieved Spruce centre block
- 5-ply white top binding
- Single-ply white back binding
- 44mm (1 3/4?) rim thickness
- Mahogany
- Modern C-shape
- 43mm (1 11/16?) nut width
- Premium Macassar Ebony fingerboard
- Single-ply white binding
- 22 frets, 2.4 x 1.3mm (.095? x .050?)
- 635mm (25?) scale length
- Grover® Sta-Tite™ tuning keys
- 3 Vox S66 single coil pickups with Alnico magnets and vulcanized fiber construction
- 3 Volume, 1 Tone, with vintage-style knurled aluminium knobs
- Includes Hardshell case, Wrench for truss rod adjustments