Looking as if a Mosrite Ventures Model and a Fender Stratocaster went on holiday in Italy and mated, the Vox Bulldog was one of the first guitars designed and marketed in Italy for Vox by the Eko company. UK Vox could not keep up with the demand for their guitars, so in addition to the Phantom and Mark (tear drop shape), unique, ultra-mod designs such as this guitar were put into production.
While the body is beautifully carved ala Mosrite, the body wood itself seems to be balsa. While balsa is indeed a hardwood, it has a very negative stigma attached to it as being flimsy, cheap and disposable. Critics be damned, I think this guitar sounds fabulous (especially the neck pickup), balsa wood or not. My only complaint is that the wiring only allows for one pickup on at a time with no possibility of more than one at once.
The price for this guitar in 1966 was a whopping $399, which translates to $2700 in today's money; practically the price of a top end Fender or Gibson of the time. It's my speculation though that the marketing of these guitars was that of fine Italian fashion or exotic cars; an exotic guitar built in the land of high fashion just for the jet age! You gotta admit; it IS a sexy design.
images used courtesy of the author; c2012 Derek See.
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