# NGD: ViK Caprice Hollowbody (Curly Redwood, BRW content)



## -Nolly- (Mar 7, 2012)

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 






























































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!







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

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

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

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!


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## mountainjam (Mar 7, 2012)

Holy vikness!


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## Ralyks (Mar 7, 2012)

Oh my gentle jebus, that is a beauty.


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## J0NNYBRAV0 (Mar 7, 2012)

Congrats man. It's amazing that this was once a tree. Can't beleive a human being created this. ViK is out of his mind.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Mar 7, 2012)




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## unclejemima218 (Mar 7, 2012)

shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaWING


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## vampiregenocide (Mar 7, 2012)

So nice. Even more beautiful than the Duality.


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## Winspear (Mar 7, 2012)

Been waiting for this for so long. Sounds even better than I expected


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## Captain Shoggoth (Mar 7, 2012)

Why do you torment us so with your gorgeous customs Nolly? Why? 

Also, this being in a subforum titled "Standard Guitars" is a great disservice to the instrument, we need an "Extraordinary Guitars" section


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## powerofze (Mar 7, 2012)

oh my...


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## Miek (Mar 7, 2012)

Manages to look understated even with the gold and the inlay.
Loved the solo and tone!

edit: I figured it out, it looks like bourbon


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## MED (Mar 7, 2012)

What an unbelievably classy axe! Congrats!


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## simonXsludge (Mar 7, 2012)

Nice guitar.


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## Hourglass1117 (Mar 7, 2012)

This is my face right now.


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## Lorcan Ward (Mar 7, 2012)

Viks attention detail is incredible. I'm very tempted to place an order for a Duality 7.


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## isispelican (Mar 7, 2012)

i almost cried hearing the clean sound!


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## sk3ks1s (Mar 7, 2012)

Dude. That thing oozes class from every orifice.
Seriously, it must be a bitch to play, having to wipe the class off your hands all the time. Does it come with some sort of rag or cloth to wipe up the all the class, or do you have one of your own?
Careful you don't get any of that class in your eye. Apparently it burns.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Mar 7, 2012)

sk3ks1s said:


> Dude. That thing oozes class from every orifice.
> Seriously, it must be a bitch to play, having to wipe the class off your hands all the time. Does it come with some sort of rag or cloth to wipe up the all the class, or do you have one of your own?
> Careful you don't get any of that class in your eye. Apparently it burns.



Nolly has a classy british accent, his eyes are always burning.


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## grantcooper2 (Mar 7, 2012)

beautiful guitar!!! 

I was going to post context but...

edit: official context coming very soon!


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Mar 7, 2012)

I think i speak for most of us when i say that is one of the most beautiful guitars i have EVER laid eyes on, it's just


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## JP Universe (Mar 7, 2012)

Mother of god....


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## technomancer (Mar 7, 2012)

That is absolutely freaking gorgeous


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## Stealthdjentstic (Mar 7, 2012)

technomancer said:


> That is absolutely freaking gorgeous



It takes after your mother in a way


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## signalgrey (Mar 7, 2012)

love the P-90 clean sound. Fabulous.


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## Churchie777 (Mar 7, 2012)

Yeah yeah its a work of art now put it away and stop making everyone gas lol


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## Djent (Mar 7, 2012)

Looks like a cross between a 10-top PRS Singlecut Hollowbody and an Iceman.

Still cool...


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## scherzo1928 (Mar 8, 2012)

speechless.


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## toiletstand (Mar 8, 2012)

the responsiveness of that clean tone is amazing. congrats nolly and props to vik for the always stellar work!


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## georg_f (Mar 8, 2012)

loooks extremely neat


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## kruneh (Mar 8, 2012)

Sweetness, that is nice.
I´m glad I´m on the list for a VIK


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## Papaoneil (Mar 8, 2012)

MMMMMM dear god


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## Hauschild (Mar 8, 2012)

Congrats, absolutely gorgeous! Just super classy and the tone! Holy shit man, I just can't believe how good, especially, that clean clip sounds


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## Rook (Mar 8, 2012)

How did you get Brazilian Rosewood?

I can't wait for my Vik slot to come up, his designs have really grown on me.


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## Quinny (Mar 8, 2012)

Can't beat a good hollow/semi with the right pickups in! That looks like a great spec - love the build thread on the Vik forum too.


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## -Nolly- (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks for all of the awesome comments guys 



Fun111 said:


> How did you get Brazilian Rosewood?
> 
> I can't wait for my Vik slot to come up, his designs have really grown on me.



This was a pre-CITES piece. BRW is rare but not impossible to get hold of if you know where to look and keep your eyes peeled.
Didn't realise you had a ViK order placed! What's the provisional spec?


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## Ayo7e (Mar 8, 2012)

I hate you, first the duality and now this?!


Congrats that clean tone is beautiful.


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## Shawn (Mar 8, 2012)

Wow. That is very nice and that inlay is beautiful. Great pictures too.


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## xeL (Mar 8, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> I can't wait for my Vik slot to come up, his designs have really grown on me.



You and me both 

Absolutely gorgeously looking and equally amazing sounding.


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## ikarus (Mar 8, 2012)

sexy axe, man!


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## Zado (Mar 8, 2012)

SO AMAZING.That inlay is one of the very best i've EVER seen.


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## Spamspam (Mar 8, 2012)

Can't say anything about that guitar that hasn't been said already... But is it weird that I also freaking love that CASE?


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## Hirschberger (Mar 8, 2012)

Holy crap man, your collection of amazing guitars just keeps expanding. Congrats!


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## MTech (Mar 8, 2012)

Looks absolutely incredible from the top to how the neck is sculpted into the body. 
I keep debating getting a semi hollow but I haven't decided exactly what to do. I was actually thinking about doing that for my 8 but was worried it may make the low notes too rounded as I notice Tosin doesn't seem to play his much.


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## DoomJazz (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm a huuuggeeee High Gain kind of guy BUTHOWTHEFUCKDOESONETOPTHATTONE?!


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## -42- (Mar 9, 2012)

Pretty sure Fred was born with three kidneys.


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## Rook (Mar 9, 2012)

-Nolly- said:


> Thanks for all of the awesome comments guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Duality, Swamp Ash Body, Rosewood neck, Ebony Board, Hipshot Hardtail and locking tuners, DiMarzio pickups (I'd like to get black or gold pole pieces), gold hardware, 24 med/jumbo frets (I've asked for Stainless Steel, can't remember if he got back), no inlay, no binding, glowy side dots. I like Sacha's angled neck pickup but I haven't asked about that.

I'm gunning for a figured Koa top but Vik thinks that could get mighty expensive, we'll see though. I'd settle for non figured Koa or maybe some figured walnut instead but we'll see... There's gunna be a nitro burst finish over it so I guess it doesn't need to be OMFGLOLZINCREDIBULZ. I'd like a natural back.

I haven't decided whether I'm going 7 or 8 string yet, at the moment I'd say 7 but as my slot's not til next year and I'm steadily getting into ERG's I could change my mind. It'll very likely be a 7, I just love the duality shape though and Vik is a top guy. He's spent more time with me than other builders I'm currently associated with who I've actually given money to haha.

I'm essentially going for this aesthetic:






Sorry for the thread derail haha.

Your caprice is beautiful, that Redwood top is just out of this world and I have to say, it was following that build that made me get in touch and get on the list. I'm expecting the Vik and potentially my .strandberg* next year. Apart from the brokeness aspect, I dunno what I'm gonna do with myself when these guitars start arriving. And you have 2! And 2 BM's, the Rico, the Daemonesses... I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves guitars _that_ much.


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## Goatchrist (Mar 9, 2012)

I hate you.


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## kostein (Mar 9, 2012)

Lacks ketchup! Still awesome though!


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## ihave27frets (Mar 9, 2012)

looks nice, I like that headstock shape.


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## IronGoliath (Mar 9, 2012)

I came.


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## Zado (Mar 9, 2012)

Better pics of that inlay are needed.


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## technomancer (Mar 9, 2012)

Zado said:


> Better pics of that inlay are needed.



+1


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## Hourglass1117 (Mar 9, 2012)

technomancer said:


> +1



+2


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## kcyrowolf (Mar 10, 2012)

My eyes are burning, this is phenomenal!

Would ViK be open to crafting a seven string Caprice T, or is it strictly six string only? Lovely guitar. I'm really in the mood for a hollow body now!


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## -Nolly- (Mar 10, 2012)

Thanks guys!
Here's a better shot of the inlay for you:







kcyrowolf - yep, Vik would be totally down to build you a 7-string Caprice T. He has actually made one already:


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## Nakon14 (Mar 10, 2012)

mother of god, nolly. you have the most elegant guitars, my jealousy is through the roof haha. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get one like yours haha


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## downburst82 (Mar 10, 2012)

WOWZA!! that is beautiful!! I love the headstock!


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## guy in latvia (Mar 12, 2012)

Congrats Nolly! You are one lucky sob!

Btw, you artist guys are killing the que, wait in line like the rest of us, I've been stuck as nr. 13 since November!

Now I just got to find some time and visit VIK in Minsk.


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## jeckert7 (Mar 21, 2012)

My my my...I always thought if I ever got a semi hollow it would be a Tele, but this has me thinking otherwise. How much do these cost approximately?


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## Koop (Mar 21, 2012)

Nolly, you have a fine taste in guitars


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## iRaiseTheDead (Mar 21, 2012)

Mmmm mmm mmm


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Mar 21, 2012)

you are one classy mother fucker


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