# Corona Aphrodite APE: Multiscale headless for under $700



## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 24, 2016)

Was browsing my usual Korean guitar dealer sites, and came across this:















Body	Swamp Ash & Quilted Maple Top
Body Finish	Gloss
Body shape	Aphrodite APE
Color	Trans Red
Neck	5-Piece Maple
Neck Finish	Natural
Neck Shape	C
Scale Length	25.5" ~ 25" Fanned Fret
Fingerboard	Ebony
Fingerboard Radius	9.5"
Frets	24F Medium
Nut	42mm, Zero Fret
Inlay	X
Neck Plate Neck Thru
Bridge Pickup	EMG81
Middle Pickup 
Neck Pickup	EMG85
Controls	1Volume, 1Tone
Pickup Configuration	H-H
Bridge	Aphrodite
Hardware Finish	Black
Tuning Machines	Headless
Pickguard	X
String	010-046

link: ½ºÄð¹ÂÁ÷ - ¾à¼ÓÀ» ÁöÅ°´Â »ç¶÷µé

The price is 763,000KRW, which at today's rates comes out to just udner $618.

If you're unfamiliar with the brand, Corona is a Korean brand that pretty much caters to the beginner market here in Korea, with a few mid-range models on top of the beginner stuff. As far as I know, their MIK stuff is made in the same factory as Schecter, Strandberg OS, and Chapman's stuff.

This line, however, isn't MIK. It's made at another factory in Vietnam, where several Korean companies have their more affordable guitars made. I've never tried an MIV (lol) guitar, so I don't know anything about the quality, but I imagine they opted to have these made there to keep the costs down and put them into a market segment pretty much by themselves.

Oh, there's also a straight scale version available in more colors, and for about $493:














link: ½ºÄð¹ÂÁ÷ - ¾à¼ÓÀ» ÁöÅ°´Â »ç¶÷µé

...And there's one with a trem (straight scale) for $665:






link: ½ºÄð¹ÂÁ÷ - ¾à¼ÓÀ» ÁöÅ°´Â »ç¶÷µé

I have no idea about the availability of these in other markets, but I thought it was an interesting thing to share with you guys. It's at very least an encouraging sign that other companies are looking into making this sort of guitar, so the options might open up a bit.


Oh, and since I know you're going to ask: So far it seems to only be available in 6 string. That isn't too surprising, since 7 and 8 aren't really popular here, and even most of the Strandberg OSs I see on Korean sites are just sixers.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 24, 2016)

Wow, the shape's actually kinda cool. I think I prefer it over Strandys. 

Dat denim blue.


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## kevdes93 (Feb 24, 2016)

Don't like the shape but I dig the finishes. Interesting to see guitars being made in Vietnam, I don't think I've ever seen that before


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## Emperor Guillotine (Feb 24, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> Interesting to see guitars being made in Vietnam, I don't think I've ever seen that before


A few companies have done that. (Traben for example.) Really poor quality control every time.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 24, 2016)

ESP has MiV guitars, and they're good quality.


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## setsuna7 (Feb 24, 2016)

Tim, are there any 7 FF models?


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 24, 2016)

setsuna7 said:


> Tim, are there any 7 FF models?





Grand Moff Tim said:


> Oh, and since I know you're going to ask: So far it seems to only be available in 6 string. That isn't too surprising, since 7 and 8 aren't really popular here, and even most of the Strandberg OSs I see on Korean sites are just sixers.


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## Nlelith (Feb 25, 2016)

Kinda weird move to make a multiscale with parallel zero fret, but I like the shape and finishes of these guitars.


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## oremus91 (Feb 25, 2016)

Probably too good to be true at that price range but if I had a way to get my hands on the straight scale I would definitely pick one up.


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## BucketheadRules (Feb 25, 2016)

Those are pretty cool.


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## starkill (Feb 25, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> ESP has MiV guitars, and they're good quality.


I had two MIV LTD'S and a buddy of mine too. Worst quality I've ever seen in mylife for that money.


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## Forkface (Feb 25, 2016)

So, Tim, Do you wanna buy one, or should I?  (for the sake of the community bruh)

in all seriousness tho, im sad since Iron the korean strandberg guy literally just told me the OS7 in black rosewood is out of stock. I'm guitarless atm and im tryin to fix that asap, but idk, feels risky to just go all-in and buy this. 
i need to pay a visit to Nakwon asap.


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## dr_game0ver (Feb 25, 2016)

the LTD EC 256 is made in Vietnam...


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 25, 2016)

Forkface said:


> So, Tim, Do you wanna buy one, or should I?  (for the sake of the community bruh)
> 
> in all seriousness tho, im sad since Iron the korean strandberg guy literally just told me the OS7 in black rosewood is out of stock. I'm guitarless atm and im tryin to fix that asap, but idk, feels risky to just go all-in and buy this.
> i need to pay a visit to Nakwon asap.



I'll sell you an Ibby UV70P cheap .


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## Forkface (Feb 25, 2016)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> I'll sell you an Ibby UV70P cheap .



how much is cheap? 

i dont do trems at all tho, i would have to think hard about this one.


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## canuck brian (Feb 25, 2016)

One look at the alignment of the tuning pegs should tell you all you really need to know about these.


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 25, 2016)

canuck brian said:


> One look at the alignment of the tuning pegs should tell you all you really need to know about these.



Some of them are ... passable, but the ones on that first green straight scale!


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## shredfreak (Feb 25, 2016)

It looks pretty good & all the hardware seems interchangable as far as i can tell off of the measurements.


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## Emperor Guillotine (Feb 25, 2016)

If those single-saddle bridges operate like Strandberg's bridges or ABM's single-saddle bridges, (sliding the entire thing back and forth to adjust intonation,) then all you would have to do is properly setup and intonate the guitar and you should be good. (The red one looks about right.)


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## xzacx (Feb 25, 2016)

Nlelith said:


> Kinda weird move to make a multiscale with parallel zero fret, but I like the shape and finishes of these guitars.




That's how Boden 6s are. I do agree though, and find multiscales more comfortable when the neutral fret is further up the neck.


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## A-Branger (Feb 25, 2016)

dr_game0ver said:


> the LTD EC 256 is made in Vietnam...



I got one of those, and I have no complains at all about it. 
only a minor spill of the finish on the neck binding, but honestly for the $ I paid who cares. Playability it compared to higher LTDs 400,1000,signature ECs I tried at the store. I notice nothing between guitars


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 25, 2016)

starkill said:


> I had two MIV LTD'S and a buddy of mine too. Worst quality I've ever seen in mylife for that money.



Different experience for me. I've tried the EC-256s and ST series stuff, and they were extremely solid.


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## Forkface (Feb 25, 2016)

yeah, the only experience i have with MIV guitars is a EC256, and i was pleasantly surprised.
def. not WMI level, but still.


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## marcwormjim (Feb 25, 2016)

oremus91 said:


> Probably too good to be true at that price range



I'm sure they can be persuaded to mark it up to a Strandberg OS price, in your case.


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## rewihendrix (Feb 26, 2016)

I don't understand why they made it with a 9.5 inch radius


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## Forkface (Feb 26, 2016)

rewihendrix said:


> I don't understand why they made it with a 9.5 inch radius


yeah thats probably the only spec i straight-up hate.


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## diagrammatiks (May 2, 2016)

Has anyone bought any of these?
Can anyone comment on the fret radius. Is it really 9.5? why??


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