Zag, thanks for being so helpful!
I'm coming close ... I've tried them all and more ...
1. Parkwood with piezzo ... did not like it. It is solid in feel and everything, but does not ring with me. BTW, as per salesman, if I understood him correctly, Parkwood is kind of Cort's exclusive sub-brand, class above Cort (X) Custom.
2. Two other Corts, one of a LP kind, the other HM type ... maybe it was due set up, factory strings ... the salesman told me at least one of them was top of the custom line, the most expensive Cort(s) ... they were not bad, far from it, but something was not right there. even the binding on the neck was uneven and spotty.
3. Vox hdc77, was buzzing and fretting ... I could not be bothered ...
...
4. Vox SSC55, absolutely the best guitar of all mentioned in this post. Made well, plays well. It would be my choice, if only ... please read further...
5. Yamaha Revstar 420. Excellent little thing. It is smallish though. When I said I was after shorter scale it was based on my X-155, but this 420 feels even smaller. Nevertheless, I'm willing to adapt to it. The cost is approximately 75% of VOX
6. Yamaha Revstar 820, excellent thing. Like 420
with fatter/ chunkier neck. The appearance of quality is the same as of the VOX, maybe even better, + it's Yamaha, which is IMO way above VOX in the world of brands and reselling value. If it cost the same as 420, I'd buy it immediately, unfortunately it cost exactly 2x as much (that is 150% of a VOX).
7. Yamaha RGX 420 DZ II, very good guitar, much better feel than similarly looking and priced above mentioned HM Cort. BTW, Cort was on 20%-30% sale. Meaning, IMO, Yamaha is comparatively better than 30% more expensive Cort. The Price of RGX is about 90% of a VOX.
8. CHARVEL Desolation DC-1, well made, compound neck 12-16, whammy bar ... IMO, not any worse than RGX at 80% cost (90% of Yamaha 420, 70% of VOX).
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/charvel-desolation-double-cutaway-1-electric-guitar................................................
So, why am I not buying VOX, at least as per current state I am not?
Well, after some negotiation, my good wife actually said YES for letting digital drums into our flat. YEAH!!!
Yeah, yeah, YEAH!!!
Therefore, it will be either...
- Yamaha Revstar 420 + Alesis Compact Kit 7, or ...
- Charvel Desolation + Yamaha DD65, or ...
- Charvel + Alesis + a little more money for someone to do (re)fret(ing) job on my Squier Tele.
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! ...