Vault EA-20CE AUS-EA20CE-SB-COMBO-DLX Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

Vault guitars are a newer brand that focuses on providing high-quality, affordable acoustic and acoustic-electric guitars. Based in Australia, Vault has become known for its value-oriented instruments that rival more expensive models from bigger brands. The Vault EA-20CE is a compact-sized acoustic-electric that delivers impressive tone and playability at a budget price point.

With its smaller concert body size, the EA-20CE is ideal for players looking for comfort and portability. The spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide balanced, articulate sound across the tonal spectrum. The built-in electronics make it easy to plug in and amplify your sound at gigs or jam sessions. Overall, the Vault EA-20CE punches above its weight, offering versatile acoustic performance and flexible plugged-in potential.

Appearance

The Vault EA-20CE Acoustic-Electric guitar has an attractive, stylish appearance featuring a dreadnought cutaway body shape. This guitar comes in an eye-catching sunburst finish that beautifully shows off the solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides.

The sunburst finish gradients from a warm honey brown in the center to a darker brown along the edges. This gives the guitar a unique and elegant look. The spruce and mahogany woods are smoothly finished with a semi-gloss that enhances their natural grain patterns.

Overall, the Vault EA-20CE has a refined and classy aesthetic that looks great on stage. The sunburst finish and cutaway dreadnought body shape give this acoustic-electric guitar visual flair while retaining a traditional design.

The stylish appearance of the Vault EA-20CE acoustic-electric guitar makes it an attractive option for guitarists looking for a quality instrument with eye-catching looks. The sunburst finish is particularly notable, with its gradual shift from light to dark brown adding depth and interest to the guitar's appearance.

This sunburst finish pairs nicely with the solid spruce top, which has an attractive grain pattern. The mahogany back and sides also feature a rich, dark wood grain that complements the spruce top. The semi-gloss finish allows these grain patterns to shine through, showcasing the natural beauty of the wood.

While the Vault EA-20CE has ornate visual appeal, it retains a classic dreadnought body shape. This traditional acoustic guitar silhouette lends a timeless quality to its looks. The cutaway adds a modern touch, giving players easier access to higher frets while still maintaining vintage styling.

Guitarists looking for aesthetically pleasing acoustic-electric models should consider the Vault EA-20CE. Its refined appearance will look superb on stage under the lights. The sunburst finish and high-quality wood construction give this guitar an irresistible beauty.

For guitarists seeking another acoustic-electric model with attractive visuals, check out the Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric Guitar. This affordable guitar features a black finish with white binding and pickguard for a stylish, elegant look.

Like the Vault EA-20CE, the CD-60SCE has a traditional dreadnought body with a cutaway. However, its black finish provides an appealing alternative to the sunburst look. The solid spruce top has an attractive wood grain, which is highlighted by the black finish and white binding.

The black body not only looks sleek, but also minimizes visible scratches and wear. The white binding adds to the refined appearance, preventing the top and back from blending together into one black mass. It gives the guitar definition.

The Fender CD-60SCE's stylish aesthetics, quality woods, and slick finish make it another excellent choice for guitarists wanting an acoustic-electric that looks as good as it sounds. Between the Vault EA-20CE and the CD-60SCE, players have two gorgeous options that deliver both beauty and acoustic resonance.

Body & Neck

The Vault EA-20CE features a classic dreadnought body shape made from solid spruce on top and mahogany back and sides. This tonewood combination produces a nicely balanced tone, with the crispness of spruce complementing the warmth of mahogany.

The neck is also made from mahogany, adding to the guitar's overall tonal character. It has a slim taper profile that makes it comfortable and easy to play, even for those with smaller hands. The fretboard is rosewood, which enhances note definition and clarity.

Overall the materials used in the Vault EA-20CE's body and neck construction allow it to produce rich, nuanced acoustic tones and make for a very playable instrument. The traditional tonewoods and classic body shape come together to offer familiar, pleasing sound.

When looking for a quality acoustic-electric guitar, it's important to consider the body shape, tonewoods used, and neck profile. These factors all contribute to the instrument's sound, feel, and playability. Models like the Fender 0970722008 feature traditional dreadnought bodies with spruce and mahogany construction that deliver balanced, versatile tone. The slim neck profile provides comfort and easy playability. Carefully selecting an acoustic-electric guitar based on design and materials will ensure you get an instrument well-suited to your needs and playing style.

Beyond body, neck and tonewoods, also look at the onboard electronics when choosing an acoustic-electric guitar. The preamp and pickup system will determine how faithfully your acoustic tone is translated when plugging into an amplifier or PA system. Simple undersaddle pickups retain the guitar's natural sound well, while soundhole pickups and preamps with EQ controls allow for shaping your amplified tone. Testing different acoustic-electric guitars to hear the amplified sound will help decide which electronics best match your acoustic tone.

When evaluating acoustic-electric guitars, don't forget to consider aesthetics too. While not as crucial as construction, you want an instrument that inspires you and you enjoy looking at. Glossy, colorful finishes have visual pop while natural wood grains have an elegant beauty. The right look and style is a matter of personal taste. Finding that perfect blend of great sound, easy playability and attractive appearance will lead you to your dream acoustic-electric.

Electronics

The Vault EA-20CE features a Fishman Presys Blend pickup and preamp system, designed to accurately capture the true acoustic tone of the instrument. It has an undersaddle piezo pickup paired with a discreet mic, allowing you to blend the direct and amplified sounds.

The preamp has volume, tone and blend controls. The volume knob controls the overall output level. The tone knob lets you shape the EQ, adding more bass or treble as desired. The blend knob mixes between the piezo pickup and microphone, so you can get the perfect balance between direct and ambient tones.

There is also a built-in tuner, engaged by a discreet button just below the controls. The tuner is convenient for quick tuning checks on stage or in practice. Overall the electronics offer a versatile tonal palette while retaining the authentic acoustic character of the guitar.

Sound

The Vault EA-20CE produces excellent acoustic tone with rich lows, crisp mids, and bright highs. The solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide a balanced and full sound.

When playing acoustically, the guitar projects well and has plenty of volume to hold its own in jam sessions or small gigs. Notes ring out with sustain thanks to the quality tonewoods. The body shape produces a bright yet warm tone.

Plugging into an amp or PA system, the onboard electronics accurately convey the acoustic tone. The EQ is flexible enough to boost treble or bass as needed. The guitar remains lively and resonant when plugged in.

Overall, the Vault EA-20CE offers versatile acoustic-electric tones in both unplugged and amplified settings. Players who need a guitar that sounds great completely acoustic or plugged in will appreciate the EA-20CE.

Playability

The Vault EA-20CE features smooth playability thanks to its comfortable neck profile, rosewood fingerboard, and adjustable truss rod.

The neck has a standard 25.3" scale length and a slim "C" profile that fits nicely in the hand. It's not too chunky or too thin, providing a feel that both beginners and experienced players will enjoy. The slim taper neck allows easy access to the upper frets too.

The fingerboard is made of rosewood which is a dense, oily wood that has a smooth feel under the fingers. It helps notes ring out clearly. The rosewood fingerboard has 20 medium frets and pearloid dot inlays for easy positioning.

The adjustable truss rod allows players to fine tune the amount of neck relief and action to suit their playing style. Simply use the truss rod nut at the headstock to adjust bow in the neck until the strings are a comfortable distance above the frets.

Overall the design of the neck, fingerboard, and adjustable truss rod allow for very comfortable and playable performance on the Vault EA-20CE. Both beginners and experienced acoustic players will find it easy to fret notes cleanly and accurately during practice and performance.

Hardware

The Acoustic-Electric Vault EA20CE features chrome die-cast tuning machines and a rosewood bridge with compensated saddle. The tuning machines operate smoothly for accurate and stable tuning, while the compensated saddle helps produce the optimal intonation across the fretboard.

The chrome die-cast tuning machines are a modern upgrade from vintage style open gears, providing a higher gear ratio for more precise tuning and better stability. The buttons are easy to turn to accurately tune each string to pitch.

The rosewood bridge suits the warm, resonant tone of the solid spruce top. The compensated saddle is engineered so that the strings remain in tune even when bending notes during expressive playing. The intonation is balanced and consistent up the neck.

Overall, the hardware components on the EA20CE are well-chosen to keep the guitar sounding its best and most in-tune during practice and performance. The modern tuning machines and compensated bridge optimize playability and tuning stability.

Pros & Cons

Overall, the Acoustic-Electric Guitar Vault EA-20CE has both positive and negative attributes that are important to consider.

Pros

• Attractive design with natural stain finish and arched spruce top
• Solid construction with spruce wood top, mahogany back and sides
• Slim neck profile is comfortable and easy to play
• Onboard preamp and pickup provide plug-and-play functionality
• Balanced tone across treble, mids and bass
• Good volume and projection unplugged
• Comes with gig bag for protection and portability

Cons

• Electronics can feed back at higher volumes
• Intonation may need adjusting out of the box
• Mid-range focus means less emphasis on lows and highs
• Not as loud acoustically as a larger dreadnought
• Bridge and nut may need upgrading for best playability
• Only available in one color option

This gives you a good sense of the key pros such as the attractive design, solid wood construction, and onboard electronics. As well as the potential drawbacks like feedback, intonation, and lack of tonal variety compared to other styles. Considering both the positives and negatives will help determine if this is the right acoustic-electric for your needs.

Comparable Models

When considering the Vault EA-20CE, it's worth comparing it to other acoustic-electric guitars in a similar price range and category. Here are some alternatives guitarists may want to check out:

Fender FA-115CE - Fender's affordable concert-sized acoustic-electric model has a nice balanced tone and comes with a built-in tuner. The top is laminate though, unlike the Vault's solid top. The Fender has a slimmer neck profile that some find more comfortable.

Epiphone AJ-100CE - This jumbo sized acoustic-electric from Epiphone has a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. It has a smooth rounded neck profile. The tone is bright and balanced. The AJ-100CE lacks the cutaway that the Vault EA-20CE has.

Yamaha FG-TA - Yamaha's FG-TA is a high quality dreadnought acoustic-electric with solid Sitka spruce top. It has a more mid-focused tone compared to the Vault. The Yamaha also has a slimmer neck profile. It's a great guitar for the price.

Seagull Coastline S12 - For those looking for a wider nut width, the Seagull S12 has a 1.8" nut. It produces a warm, balanced tone with its cedar top. The neck is not as refined though. Still an excellent option in this price point.

Testing and comparing these and other models can help players determine which acoustic-electric is the right fit for their needs and budget. The Vault EA-20CE stands as a quality choice among its peers.

Conclusion

The Vault EA-20CE is a quality acoustic-electric guitar for entry-level players and experienced guitarists alike. This guitar offers excellent value and solid playability at an affordable price point.

The spruce top and mahogany back and sides produce a balanced and resonant tone when played acoustically. The built-in EQ and tuner allow you to easily shape your amplified tone and stay in tune. The cutaway body provides easy upper fret access while the slim neck profile and low action facilitate smooth playing.

Overall, the EA-20CE is an excellent choice for a starter acoustic-electric or a dependable gigging guitar. The onboard electronics offer stage-ready amplified tones that sound great whether plugged into an amp or PA system. While not a high-end instrument, the EA-20CE punches above its weight class and provides impressive performance.

If you're looking for your first electro-acoustic or a reliable workhorse guitar, the Vault EA-20CE is highly recommended. It provides versatile acoustic and electric tones in an affordable and playable package.