Solar Guitars VAR1.6FRVC+

Solar Guitars VAR1.6FRVC+ review

The Solar Guitars VAR1.6FRVC+ is a purple V-style electric guitar built around a familiar high-gain setup: a pair of humbuckers, a locking tremolo, and 24 stainless steel frets. Its listed price is 1333, and the package includes a case. For players drawn to the V shape and Floyd Rose-style hardware, the specification sheet looks substantial. The supplied owner feedback, however, points to a distinction between what this guitar offers on paper and how some of its hardware and pickups feel in use.

The body is alder, with no separate top, and the maple neck is set into the body. An ebony fingerboard carries a Solar logo inlay at the 12th fret. The finish is named Vacillator, while the listed color is purple. The neck has a C profile, a 350 mm (13.78-inch) fingerboard radius, and a 43 mm (1.69-inch) locking nut. Scale length is 648 mm (25.5 inches), a full-length format suited to standard electric guitar string tension.

Neck, hardware, and ergonomics

The 24 stainless steel frets are a practical feature for frequent players. Stainless steel is valued for its wear resistance, and the count gives access to a full two-octave range on each string. The supplied description does not specify fret size, so players who care about fret height or width should inspect the instrument in person before buying.

The guitar uses a Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo with a locking nut and Solar locking tuning machines. One owner reported that the tremolo held tuning, but described its fine tuners as stiff and less precise than those on a Gotoh unit. That is useful feedback for players who make frequent tuning adjustments at the bridge. A system can stay in tune under tremolo use and still feel less smooth during setup or fine tuning. Individual examples can vary, but the reported resistance is worth checking before purchase.

There are ergonomic positives in the owner feedback. The headstock is not reversed, and the body has a beveled arm contour. The owner found that contour more comfortable against the body. That detail can matter on a V-shaped guitar, where playing position often differs from that of a conventional double-cutaway. The black hardware keeps the visual treatment consistent with the purple finish.

Pickups and controls

Solar fits two Duncan Solar+ humbuckers, one at the neck and one at the bridge. They are passive pickups, not active units. The controls are deliberately simple: one volume control and a three-way toggle switch. No separate tone control is listed, so players who rely on rolling off the guitar's tone knob should account for that limitation.

The owner described the pickups as strong in the midrange, with a sterile character associated with ceramic pickups. They felt most at home with high-gain tones and were less appealing for clean playing. That feedback suggests a focused voice rather than a broadly versatile one. The guitar may suit players who want a direct, assertive sound for heavier rock, but clean, funk, or more dynamic styles may call for a pickup set with a more open response. This is a personal assessment, not a measured frequency test, so auditioning the guitar through a familiar amplifier remains the best way to judge its sound.

Who should consider it?

The VAR1.6FRVC+ makes the strongest case for a player seeking a V-style guitar with a full-length scale, stainless steel frets, locking hardware, and a case included. The set maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and 24-fret layout give it a straightforward performance-oriented specification. The arm bevel also earned a favorable mention from the owner, who found it useful for comfort.

Its compromises are just as clear. The reported tremolo feel may frustrate players who expect smooth, precise fine tuning, and the pickups may not cover clean or nuanced sounds as convincingly as heavier tones. The single volume control also keeps onboard tone shaping minimal. The available field feedback came from an owner who ultimately returned the guitar because they wanted greater range beyond high-gain playing. That experience will not predict every player's reaction, but it gives prospective buyers a concrete set of questions to test.

At a listed price of 1333, the Solar Guitars VAR1.6FRVC+ is best approached as a specialized rock guitar rather than an all-purpose instrument. Check the fine tuners under tension, try the pickups clean and overdriven, and see whether the beveled arm contour suits your playing position. If its focused sound and V-shaped ergonomics fit your needs, its hardware and fret specification offer plenty to explore. If broad tonal flexibility is the priority, try other pickup options before committing.