Hunter Engel, better known as Agufish in the online music community, is no stranger to top-of-the-line guitars from around the globe.

His online following has grown exponentially over time, and for good reason. He has become a trusted voice when it comes to the intricacies of guitar builds, consistency of quality, and an overarching understanding of the current music market. Over the years, Hunter has been kind enough to test a variety of offerings from our catalog. From the OZ RV TNC and the Vasti to the extended range OZ 7T, each interaction he had with our instruments garnered an encouraging response. So, when the time came to seek an honest review of the JZ FRO, we knew exactly who to call.

Hunter received the JZ FRO in the Olympic White Gloss finish and went in-depth about its many attractive features. He described the overall appeal as offering “some of the best value for the super high-quality standards on the market.” Upon unboxing the guitar, the first thing that caught his eye was the flamed roasted maple neck, which he praised enthusiastically throughout the demo, describing it as “ridiculously well-defined.” He also spoke highly of the meticulous Japanese craftsmanship that goes into each build, all at an appealing price point that makes these guitars accessible to a wider audience. “Their guitars are traditionally inspired with a healthy dose of their signature modernized flair,” he remarked.

Diving into the specs, Hunter noted the “time-honored” combination of an alder body and maple neck, which is enhanced by features like a reverse headstock, luminlay side dots, Gotoh locking tuners, and other innovative additions. As a fan of stainless steel frets, he went into great detail about their benefits. A surprise reveal later in the video showed him unboxing yet another version of the JZ FRO, this time in the Sunburst Gloss finish. In the following section, he discussed the intricate electronics that tie together the Vola VFP90 and VS-I single coils.

After inspecting the guitar thoroughly, Hunter moved on to assess its overall sound. One admirable aspect of his reviews is his insistence on writing demos inspired by the instruments he covers. His effort to coax specific riffs and ideas from particular models is a creative approach that we truly appreciate. The song he composed was driving and energetic, showcasing the key tonal elements of the JZ. After finishing the song, he offered individual sound clips exploring different tones, including clean, singularly plucked notes with warm undertones, as well as rich, overdriven lead and rhythm tones.

All in all, Hunter had plenty of kind words for both guitars. His expertise and insightful thoughts on build quality, consistency, brand presence, vintage appeal, and modern functionality led us to believe that his seal of approval was well-earned. We highly recommend checking out the rest of his channel for more Vola guitar reviews and unique perspectives on the current state of the music industry.

Watch the whole in-depth video here: