Vigier Guitars

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I recently bought online ,a  Vigier Expert Retro 54 Guitar.
and returned it back to the store for a refund.
I loved the neck, I loved the noiseless Dimarzio pick ups.
The finish was superb.The trem was tight and just right.
The whole guitar just oozed quality.
As a take on a Fender Strat it was great and imo much better.  

Why did I return it for a refund?
The volume control is in the wrong place.
The guitar I bought I or thought I was buying is in Pic 1   the antique violin model.
Please note where the volume control is.Same as a Fender Strat.See pic 1 below.
Easy for swells and easy access to roll the volume up and down.
Pic 1
http://www.vigierguitars.com/page/grande_couleur.php?img=5352.jpg&couleur=Antique%20Violin,%20maple%20fingerboard



When the guitar arrived the placement of the volume control can be seen in pic 2.
where the volume  control is  placed in a different position.See Pic 2 below
Pic2.
http://www.vigierguitars.com/page/grande_couleur.php?img=7268.jpg&couleur=%28Pearl%20White%29,%20maple%20fingerboard



Why was the layout changed I have no idea ?
I am not alone regarding the volume control positioning as awkwardly situated .
Myself and a few other guitarists were in the studio and every one of us agreed that the guitar finish,build quality, neck and action and playability is superb.
We are all on the wrong side of 40 with many many years  of experience in playing guitar  but we all agreed that Vigier have not made the guitar better by altering the placement of the volume control.
Vigier have produced a wonderful guitar in the Retro 54 absolutely stunning but imho they should  put the volume knob back where it should be as in pic1.
When that happens I will be 1st in line to buy a retro 54.

In the meantime I am afraid that it's back to the Fender Strat until Vigier alter the positioning of the volume control.

 Youri De Groote on this You Tube clip has his volume control in the correct place so they must be available .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byt8BK75a-w

 
Perhaps someone from Vigier could enlighten me as to why it was altered and if the guitar can be ordered with a re sited volume control.

Hi Luke,
I have replied with the reason this was changed back in 2007. I am sorry this is the only reason you have not continued to discover the delights of a Vigier.

Hi Ben I got your reply thanks.I've sent you a reply so check your spam folder.

It is a shame that you would return such an exquisite instrument because of something like that. I would remind you though that if it really does bother you that much, the Expert guitars are front routed and you could have a new pickguard made if you wanted to. My Surfreter is from 2004 and my Excalibur around 2006, both of those have the older position which I, like you, prefer. However my Excalibur 7 is from 2012 and has the newer layout. It doesn't affect the functionality of my instrument nor does it affect my ability to use the instrument so I don't worry about it. 
Keep in mind that these instruments are designed by a guitarist with guitarists in mind, and changes like this are often response to input from other players and/or efforts to improve the comfort and ergonomics of the playing experience. If you feel that the position of the volume control negatively affects your playing then there are ways to move it (like the one mentioned above) but as I had said previously it would be a shame to pass on such an instrument as a whole for such a small reason. 
-Jeremy
 

It is dilema...
We changed the original position because we had request for this. Until today we had no complain anymore.
We cannot offer, even if I love to, custom position for the volume knob.
I feel bad but I have no proposition to make

Why I brought this subject up was purely because the picture of the guitar I thought I was buying from what I am being told is 6 or 7 years out of date and is used on the Vigier website and in the Vigier catalogue.
It was also used on the website of the company I bought online from.
Had I been able to try the guitar at a dealer I wouldn't have bought it for the exact same reason I returned it to the online dealer,but Vigier dealers are thin on the ground in Scotland.
I fully expected that the antique violin Vigier 54 would be exactly as pictured where the volume control is in the same place as a Fender strat..
http://www.vigierguitars.com/page/grande_couleur.php?img=5352.jpg&couleur=Antique%20Violin,%20maple%20fingerboard
I was really disappointed when it turned out to be the post 2007 layout.
Perhaps you should get your marketing department to have that out of date picture removed from your website, catalogue and any online dealers.
 
I’m sorry Patrice that you have no inclination to offer volume control placement as an option. I would urge you to have a rethink on that. It would not a major task for your company. However for an individual like myself, going to the bother and extra expense to have the guitar modified is a big ask.  
 I am positive I am not the only dissenter to the new volume control placement but by the sound of it I am the first person to bring this to your attention.
Customer feedback is always necessary on any changes made to an existing product and I would have a word with your dealers about that.
All I can say is that perhaps all the other prospective customers of a 54 couldn’t be bothered to inform you that this was a problem for them either.
They probably just shrugged and moved on to buy another Fender.
 
Your 54 guitar is obviously meant to appeal to buyers who are Strat players and to hopefully tempt them away from the traditional higher end Fender stratocaster.
 You at Vigier have added innovative design features such as a carbon neck and tremolo using ball bearings and to be applauded.
Those innovations may make the 54 a desirable instrument but if it’s going to improve on the original Fender with these upgrades then imo and the other strat players who handled the guitar I bought then the Vigier 54 volume control layout should be the same as the Fender it’s supposed to improve.
Who these players who called to ask for a change were I have no idea but they have not increased the likelihood of tempting a Strat player away from Fender if the opinion of myself and the 4 others who tried the 54 are to be believed.   
 
 As for buying the guitar and having it modified Jeremy I could do this but spending approx £1800 on a guitar then spending another £* to modify it doesn’t make sense. If I am going to spend what is a substantial amount of money on a guitarI want it to be right from the outset.
 
 Had the guitar I ordered been the same as the old pre 2007 publicity picture on the Vigier Website, Vigier Catalogue and the online shop I purchased the guitar from , this post and discussion would never have happened.
Patrice would have sold his guitar to a satisfied customer and as everyone knows the best publicity is word of mouth and I would have been a staunch supporter.
As I previously stated I’m sorry Patrice that you have no inclination to offer volume control placement as an option. I would urge you to have a rethink on that as it could win you more customers.

hank wrote:On Jeremy’s post he stated he also preferred the old layout on his older Vigiers but I can only assume that he did not contact you to say he preferred the old layout.

Um excuse me, either quote what I actually said or do not quote me at all. Dissent? No. That's ridiculous. I was saying that I liked the old position but tha even on my personal instrument that is newer, it has the new position and that it DOESN'T HINDER MY PLAYING EXPERIENCE with the instrument at all. Do not quote me in attempt to build an argument, not a single move that is made in regards to the design of these instruments is made out of haste. I have these instruments to play and to use, not to reject because of the position of a volume knob. Please reread my post and seriously reconsider mentioning me in yours. And for the record the only reason I liked the old layout was because of how it looked...that was all...I'd have to be out of my mind to stop playing or return my guitar because of something like this. 

No need to shout and get all riled up Jeremy .
The paraphrased mis quote that has so incensed you is now deleted from the post.
I have however by posting here and remember I do not own a Vigier it was returned ,brought a valid case of customer feedback to the company by stating what not just I but 4 others thought of their product .So 5 strat players opinions on the 54  have been stated not just my own.
I also hope that by taking the time to do this I've managed to prompt the company to update their advertising
on their website, catalogue and their web dealers which will avoid any future disappointment to online buyers.