Photograph credit score: Lucy Robinson

The guitar world has, for a very long time, largely been designed round one physique sort. The typical full-size electrical guitar is a reasonably heavy, wide-bodied instrument that assumes a sure bodily construct within the participant holding it. Venus Guitars, a US-based firm out of Indiana, desires to problem that assumption. On this subject, I had the pleasure of spending a while with their flagship instrument, the Venus Revolution — and it is a genuinely attention-grabbing proposition.

The headline function right here is weight, or extra particularly, the dearth of it. The Revolution is available in at simply 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg), which for an electrical guitar is remarkably gentle. The physique is constructed from White Jabon, a tonewood that is not generally seen in mainstream guitar builds, however which clearly lends itself superbly to a light-weight end result with out the instrument feeling insubstantial within the fingers. There is not any sense that corners have been reduce right here — the guitar feels strong and nicely put-together. It simply does not really feel prefer it’s attempting to tug your shoulder out of its socket on the finish of an extended set, which for a lot of gamers is genuinely a game-changer.

The neck is roasted maple with a slim C profile, which feels quick and cozy proper from the off. Roasted maple is a good selection — it provides stability and offers the neck a stunning easy, barely grippy really feel that gamers are inclined to both love instantly or come round to in a short time. The fretboard is Indian Rosewood with a compound radius working from 12″ on the nut finish to 16″ towards the physique — a contemporary contact that makes chording within the decrease positions snug and bending up the dusty finish very clear and rattle-free. The dimensions size is 24 inches, which is notably shorter than a typical Strat or Les Paul. This reduces string stress significantly, making the guitar simpler to stress and bend, and opens the instrument as much as gamers with smaller fingers who’ve at all times discovered full-scale devices a little bit of a attain.

When it comes to electronics, now we have twin humbuckers with coil-splitting functionality. The bridge pickup is tight and punchy as you’d need — targeted sufficient for clear rhythms with actual definition, and it takes achieve nicely with out turning into woolly. The neck pickup has that hotter, extra rounded character that is very best for lead traces and melodic work. The coil-split perform opens up a variety of thinner, extra single-coil-esque tones, including real versatility to what would possibly in any other case be a reasonably simple tonal palette. Clear tones from this guitar are notably pleasing — there is a readability right here that punches above what you’d anticipate at this worth level.

The bridge is a set unit, which I recognize. It retains tuning rock strong and there is nothing to fret about when it comes to setup or upkeep. The guitar additionally options Venus’ “Fast-Swap” pickguard system, which lets you swap out the pickguard in seconds for a totally totally different aesthetic. It is a enjoyable thought and genuinely works — there are a variety of pickguard kinds out there individually, from traditional black and white to varied galaxy and celluloid-style finishes.

When writing these critiques, I at all times attempt to be conscious of who a bit of substances is definitely designed for, and Venus Guitars have been very clear about their target market — gamers who’ve been underserved by conventional guitar design. Whether or not that is smaller-framed gamers, these managing bodily limitations, or just anybody who has come off stage with a sore again and neck from lugging a heavy guitar round all night time, this instrument speaks on to these wants. And crucially, it does not compromise on tone or playability to get there.

The Venus Revolution retails at $749 (at the moment on sale from $899), and at that worth, it sits in genuinely aggressive territory. The construct high quality is strong, the tone is flexible, and the ergonomics are thoughtfully executed all through. Guitars like this are, I feel, lengthy overdue. When you’ve ever felt that the usual electrical guitar wasn’t fairly designed together with your physique in thoughts, the Venus Revolution is nicely value your consideration. Really helpful.