Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Nolly on March 08, 2012, 12:13:11 AM

Title: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Nolly on March 08, 2012, 12:13:11 AM

Hi guys,

I've actually had it since the end of January, but having been out on tour I wanted to wait until I was home to make the thread.

Let's get straight in with the pics, shall we? These are some assorted shots I got while on tour, not necessarily the best for showing off the whole guitar at once, but hopefully you'll get the idea :)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice1.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice5.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice2.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice4.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice6.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice7.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice24.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice22.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice23.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice21.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Caprice%20T/Caprice3.jpg)

and a shot of the back from when it was still being built since I don't seem to have any pics of my own!

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19744086/Caprice%20T%20Redwood%20Twins/28/IMG_1.JPG)


Next up, here are the specs -

ViK Caprice T 6-string
Fully hollowed body, set-neck construction
One-piece curly redwood top
One-piece Honduran mahogany back
Brazilian rosewood neck and fretboard
Flamed maple w/black stripe binding around body, neck and headstock
Flamed maple pickup rings
Cherry Blossom inlay
Bare Knuckle Mule humbucker in the bridge, Manhattan HSP90 in the neck, both unpotted
Gotoh 510 bridge and locking tuners
Recessed Dunlop straplocks
Gold EVO fretwire, 22 frets
Thin nitrocellulose-finished body - high gloss front, satin back and sides

For those interested, there is a full picture-diary of the build process here - ViK Guitars Caprice T Redwood Twins (http://vikguitars.com/en-us/forum/index.php?topic=64.0)

So, this is the second instrument I've ordered from ViK - after being completely blown away by my Duality 7-string, I decided to go to him for this exotic hollowbody build. Let's say right away that I'm equally as happy with the result as I was with the Duality!
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Vik himself in Poland and collecting the guitar from him in person - it was awesome to be able to meet and talk extensively with him over a massive sushi lunch, and it was obvious just how passionate about his instruments he is.

My initial reaction was sheer amazement at the beauty the design, timbers and luthiery. Believe me when I say it looks far better in person than in mere pictures! I had a fairly good idea what I wanted when I placed my deposit, and it's safe to say that Vik nailed what I was after, while also adding many of his own ideas and details to take it up several notches beyond my expectations. The redwood top is absolutely stunning in the flesh, the figure is very shimmery and deep as you look at it from different angles. The Brazilian rosewood neck is wonderfully tactile and smooth, and the inlay work is (to my eyes) extremely classy without being overbearing. The use of flamed maple binding unifies the body and neck while also providing contrast to the various darker timbers, and the gold hardware sets off the whole package. The guitar is extremely lightweight despite the solid rosewood of the neck, and despite the added depth of the body, the subtle but effective contouring of the back makes it more or less disappear when you play it. The craftsmanship is flawless, with attention to detail evident everywhere you look.

Unfortunately it would be another month before I got to hear her plugged-in, so my first experiences were purely unplugged. Nevertheless straight away I was struck by how easy it is to play. I'm used to having to fight a little with hollowbodies; despite being acoustically loud they often seem to lack sustain and the extra bulk of the body can make them feel unwieldy... Not the case here in any way - fretted notes bloom and sustain almost as though you're playing through a compressor, and with an extremely comfortable C-shaped neck (think of a comfy strat neck) and very low buzz-free action it is utterly shred-able. Additionally, Vik has sculpted the heel joint so that upper-fret access is a non-issue all the way up to the 22nd.
The unplugged sound is extremely satisfying with a surprising amount of low end, as well as a pleasing acoustic-y snap. It was a shame not to be able to plug it in right away but at the same time it is so enjoyable to play acoustically that it still saw a LOT of playing time! It was interesting to notice the acoustic tone change subtly as the guitar "bedded in" - the midrange became fatter and more detailed, the treble smoothed a little and it became noticeably louder and more resonant.

Having got back home I was finally able to plug it in and was amazed all over again. Describing tones in words is always frustrating, so here are a couple of audio snippets. Firstly, some clean(ish) noodling from the very first time I heard the amplified sound of my new guitar:

http://soundcloud.com/nolly/vik-caprice-t-clean (http://soundcloud.com/nolly/vik-caprice-t-clean)

Secondly I recorded a guest solo for my buddy Grant Cooper's prog-rock project "Nok Novum". Here's the raw guitar track, it might sound a little nonsensical without the backing but you can hear the tone a lot more clearly (plus the song is unreleased so it's not mine to give away!):

http://soundcloud.com/nolly/vik-caprice-t-lead (http://soundcloud.com/nolly/vik-caprice-t-lead)

To my ears, the guitar's clean tone is very detailed and responsive. It has a very natural sound, aided no doubt by the low output P90 in the neck. It's a real joy to noodle with, I can see this being my go-to guitar for all clean and low to mid-gain sounds!
The surprise for me is how well it can rock out! It wasn't my intention that this be a rock instrument by any means but it has truly blown me away with how rich and clear overdriven tones sound with this guitar. It has low output pickups but the resonance of the body seems to really bolster the projection of the notes in such a way that it feels like you are playing with much hotter pickups. The clip I posted above is lead playing but it can really deliver some righteous rock and even metal tones. It's going to see a lot of use in my recordings, that's for sure!

So, apologies for the obsequious wall of text, I'm off to play some more!

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Kiichi on March 08, 2012, 12:58:14 AM

First of all: Welcome back, hope you had fun on the tour. Shame I did not play close enough for me to go to a show.

Then: I see a lot of guitars on here that look stunning and some really blow me away. Still, this is right up there at the top, no doubt.
Generall style amazing, looks very thought through (it just works as a whole) and that inlay...one of the best I have ever, ever seen (if not the best). Also nice photos! Damn I wanne rob you right now.

Interresting choice with the neck PU. I just thought about getting a Manhattan for a Feline Headless custom (second hand) with only a neck PU to play folk stuff (Young, Dylan, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver) with, but after not finding a lot on the MH I asked  Ben and he said it was very Jazz voiced and I probably should go with the MQ, so I ordered it two days ago.
What I am trying to say is: Why a MH for you? I mean this is no metal axe, but still, I did not have you figured for a guy who would go for a MH with the info I got on it.

Oh yes, and generally congrats!

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: viking on March 08, 2012, 01:58:16 AM

WOW !Congrats!

First of all, what a beautiful clean tone/voice !Gorgeous guitar !Seeing it on your knees,i can see it's very well thought out design-wise. The inlay,even if it's not necessarily my taste,is really stunning !The Braz neck is very much my taste  :) like most everything...!It surely deserves a YouTube video  8)!

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Nolly on March 08, 2012, 01:59:54 AM

Cheers! I chose the Manhattan because, with it being a hollowbody, I wanted a very pure and natural sounding pickup that would really translate the guitar's character. Also, the Mississippi Queen packs a fair amount of punch and I didn't want it to overpower the Mule in the bridge spot. The "jazz voicing" description of the MH comes from its fairly soft bass response and smooth treble. Since hollowbodies tend to be brighter than solidbodies I felt confident that that wouldn't be an issue, but perhaps if I was choosing for a solidbody I would go for the MQ.

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: 38thBeatle on March 08, 2012, 06:55:38 AM

Stunning in every way. I love that clean tone. That time of being only able to play unplugged must of been frustrating in some ways but as you say, you get the real feel of the guitar in the raw state. I love that inlay. Normally I like really simple stuff but that looks amazing. The whole thing is staggering.The body shape is fresh ( certainly to me) and yet traditional.
Congratulations.
Amazing solo btw- very melodic.

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Mr. Air on March 08, 2012, 06:59:20 AM

What a superb looking guitar. A bit on the blingy side, but it suits the guitar well.

Really lovely clean sounds from the Manhattan. I would love to hear some soundclips especially some classic rock tones  :D

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Philly Q on March 08, 2012, 08:40:36 AM

Ah, now we can see the whole guitar!  I love the headstock, and the inlay is much prettier than I realised from your other thread.  :D


(I've been wondering about those Gotoh bridges - do the main height adjustment studs "lock" it in any way, like TonePros?  I know there's some kind of little spring device on the underside of the bridge.)

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: psy on March 08, 2012, 08:52:39 AM

That's truly stunning, I love the neck inlay.  This isn't giving me GAS at all, no Sir :D

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: darkbluemurder on March 08, 2012, 08:56:01 AM

That's so beautiful. Congrats and enjoy!

Cheers Stephan

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Andrew W on March 08, 2012, 09:17:08 AM

That's a really pretty guitar, the overall shape and the detailing is superb. Well done, sir.

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Sifu Ben on March 08, 2012, 12:08:22 PM

That is simply stunning.

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Mr. Air on March 08, 2012, 05:46:52 PM

I just visited Vik's homepage. Pretty cool that you made their front page, Nolly. And even cooler that it says: Nolly's signature Duality 7  :D

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: gordiji on March 08, 2012, 07:20:48 PM

stunning & original. i love the floral inlays although i'd find myself lost without my dots or whatever.great pup choice too.both soundclips sound great.(how much?)

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: dave_mc on March 08, 2012, 08:32:49 PM

woah that's awesome

killer playing as usual   :o

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Nolly on March 09, 2012, 01:51:36 PM

Awesome, cheers lads!

Quote from: Mr. Air on March 08, 2012, 05:46:52 PM

I just visited Vik's homepage. Pretty cool that you made their front page, Nolly. And even cooler that it says: Nolly's signature Duality 7  :D

Indeed, I guess my Duality 7 got a lot of interest and Vik has enough enquiries to decide to take orders for a limited run of them with my name attached. I'm sure the people that have bought them have done so because they like the spec rather than wanting my signature guitar but I am very happy with the fact that it's a no-expense-spared instrument that I would heartily endorse to others :)

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: Mr. Air on March 09, 2012, 04:42:30 PM

Your very first signature model I take it. Congrats!!! Pretty darn cool to have a guitar released with your name on.

Title: Re: NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody - Curly Redwood, BRW, BKP (of course)
Post by: roland_rat on March 10, 2012, 07:44:27 PM

That is one lovely looking guitar.  Love the manhattan in there too. Souds lovely :D