[ViK]

Hi, everybody!

I'm sure many of you have alredy heard about ViK Guitars, at least from ss.org.
I'm ViK, VG CS owner and luthier.

So I decided to start this thread here to give you, guys, some idea what's it all about and also to have an apportunity to directly communicate with my possible customers and VG players in case to make ViK Guitars even stronger by listening to your thoughts, opinions and ideas.

Check VG web-site ViK Guitars - Home. It contains tons of info (pics, audio, video, etc.) on every VG model as well as projects progress reports and articles. But I'm all here to answer your possible questions about every aspect of what I'm doing.

This is not gonna be a build thread though I'll be posting some news on projects from the shop sometimes.

I'll also be posting all models pics, new audio and video samples updates, and just my thoughts about being a luthier, guitarcrafter and a member of guitar community.

I hope we'll be having nice time here communicating. The first bunch of info is on its way. So everybody welcomed.

 

[eelblack2]

Very nice looking stuff. Welcome aboard!

Would you mind telling us a little more about the guitar you are pictured with? I like the look of that one a lot.

 

[Lucky Seven]

Man, some beautiful guitars! I like how even though your designs aren't exactly standard shapes, they actually look good as opposed to weird like so many other luthiers' designs.

 

[ViK]

Sure I will.

This is my Duality 7 model.

This particular guitar was designed and crafted by me for a customer from St.Petersburg. It finally turned that brilliant so I decided to include it into VG models line.

Here're the stock specs:

* · 24 frets, 652mm, 25.66"
* · Honduran mahogany with curly maple top
* · 5 pieces flame maple/amarant neck
* · ViK reversed "split-design" 7 head plate
* · Ebony/Curly maple fingerboard with compound radius
* · Custom H+S pickups
* · Gotoh SGS510Z tuners with plactic knobs (18:1 gear ratio)
* · Hipshot 7 fixed bridge
* · German fretwire
* · Gotoh 2 way truss rod
* · 2 CTS 500K pot
* · 5 way super-switch
* · Switchcraft long type input jack
* · Buffalo bone nut
* · White MOP side dots inlays
* · Nitro-cellulouse high gloss natural finish

The guitar in pics has some differences from the stock model. I'm now crafting it with 2 (vol/tone) controls and 5 way switch placed before the controls rather that after.

Talking about Duality 7's main features I should mention split maple/ebony fingerboard. I did it that way to grab the best highs of maple on the first 3 strings but also keep all the details and density of wounded strings which really helps on highgain settings.
The neck is deeply set-in with my development - ISNC system. It makes the guitar be extremely sensitive and responsive to picking while remaining the attack sharp and fast.
Due to the ability of maple in the constraction Duality is a very bright guitar. It feels like a very good strat especially when playing on the maple part of the fretboard. But still very powerful and strong and extreme music friendly.

 

[ViK]

Man, some beautiful guitars! I like how even though your designs aren't exactly standard shapes, they actually look good as opposed to weird like so many other luthiers' designs.

Thanks! I'm constantly working on that. Even though I understand quite well that it's impossible to fit everyones tastes, with each new guitar being built I'm trying to make it look more perfect.

 

[1]

Welcome! Your work looks great amigo. :yesway:

 

[technomancer]

Very nice looking stuff. Welcome aboard!

Would you mind telling us a little more about the guitar you are pictured with? I like the look of that one a lot.

Lee you should buy one and let us all know how it is

That semihollow looks absolutely awesome...

 

[ohio_eric]

The Duality 7 is just sexy. Where did you get the pickups from and what sounds does the five way switch have?

 

[playstopause]

VERY good looking instruments you have there. Wow. :yesway:

 

[146]

The top on this one is awesome.

 

[ViK]

Thanks! Nice to hear that!

The Duality 7 is just sexy. Where did you get the pickups from and what sounds does the five way switch have?

The pickups choice for this guitar was a mess by itself. Especially the single coil.
We were considering a number of options, like Q-sound, few custom pups but the customer finally decided to go on with Rio Grande Muy Grande. The ordering from them was a nightmare but we finally got the pickups. And removed them after a few tests as those were defenitly not the right choice. So we finally place an order for custom pickups by one great guy in Moscow. He did all fast and nice. And the result was almost perfect (especially the neck single).
So for now I have a kind of contract with the "manufacter" in Moscow for producing this set for next stock Dualities 7.
In future I'm planning to place custom order for development and production PUs for almost all ViK guitars models to some of major manufacters like SD, etc.
BTW, I now have an order for another Duality from the same original customer and he has already ordered S/S/S set from that guy in Moscow.

 

[ViK]

... what sounds does the five way switch have?

Currently is
1. H
2. H in Parallel
3. H+S
4. H (split coil) +S
5. S

 

[ohio_eric]

That five way switch sounds pretty versatile. :yesway:

Also small pickup winders are sometimes the way to go for less common stuff like seven string single coils.

The Duality with a tremolo would be pure win.

 

[ViK]

That five way switch sounds pretty versatile. :yesway:

Also small pickup winders are sometimes the way to go for less common stuff like seven string single coils.

I contacted some, like Lundgren, BKP, etc. but all they passed.

The Duality with a tremolo would be pure win.

That's an option. I offer OFR7 for sevenstrings or Gotoh GE1996T for 6. For 8+ strings there's no tremolo option.
BTW, one Duality 6 with FR is already sсheduled on the end of this summer.

 

[ViK]

And there's one more thing i'd like to share right now.
I have 2 prototypes models in progress now - Black Lotus SL-8 Baritone and Caprice S7.
Yesterday was the day when the first one (8 strings) 's finally got the shape. Here're some pics of the result.

This is how it looked at the very beginng of the day

First raw stage of shaping with chiesels

Then details on shaping took part and after that I sanded the body. All handwork due to the shape complicity

It looks fantastic and fits the body quite well.

And it's also a kind of magic. Much like sculpturing when you create (not just do or craft) smth with your hands. This is my favorite part of the job.

After a coffe break all exсited and inspired I did the back side

White ash is pretty dense wood and very hard to carve, much more hard than mahogany.
And this is what you actually pay for...

And in my personal and professional opinion this is the only way how the REAL thing is born. You put love, skills, experience and sweat in what you do and then get it back as a master-piece...

And then sanded the back side so it look like this

The "heal"... there is actually NO heal! :metal:
Goddamn that thing is mega-comfortable! :yesway:

So the body is almost done. Some routing and sanding is left before sealing.

 

[Randy]

That two-tone/two-material headstock and neck is insane. :yesway:

 

[Gearwhore20]

Anything for the symmetrical-V-only guys like myself?

 

[ViK]

Anything for the symmetrical-V-only guys like myself?

That was probably the most extreme shape I was ever considering as a model for ViK Guitars.
But there's always a chance to create custom V-design from a scratch for you. This is actually the way most of my designs were born.

 

[Lucky Seven]

I really like your Infinity! Hmmm, I need money....

 

[budda]

beautiful guitars