Vik Custom Black Lotus build pic's

[fretninjadave]

After waiting long enough i finally got an ok by Master Vik to post my Black lotus builld story "mostly Pics"

Here're the specs we'll be following:

24 frets 652mm 25.66"
Honduran mahogany/ash body
Set-in bubinga/rosewood/maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard with compound radius (12-20")
German fretwire
OFR 7 tremolo
Gotoh tuners 4+3
DM D-Sonic 7/SD '59 7 pickups
CTS pots
Switchcraft input jack
3 way toggle switch
black plastic neck binding
Mop inlays
Natural finish
Strapbuttons
ViK Guitars Case

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Looking great so far man.

That thing is going to be a beast!

 

[fretninjadave]

Looking great so far man.

That thing is going to be a beast!

I'm practally busting at the seams . It will be my first non-used guitar that I dont feel remotely getto about.

 

[Sebastian]

Looks nice so far

 

[ViK-master]

Thanks, Dave, for sharing this. If you don't mind I'll be posting here from time to time with some comments and details on the progress.

 

[fretninjadave]

Thanks, Dave, for sharing this. If you don't mind I'll be posting here from time to time with some comments and details on the progress.

I would perfer it if you did bro. You can explain it better than me.

 

[lctdmf]

What are the holes for?

 

[ILuvPillows]

Glad to see the English website fully up a running (forgot how awesome the Caprice series looked )

 

[ViK-master]

What are the holes for?

I use only natural animal hide glue for all kind of joints on a guitar. This is absolutly the same glue as used for crafting violines, top-line acoustics, etc. In my personal opinion it's the most "musical" glue and unlike most synthetic glues or epoxy it does give the wood an opportunity to "breathe" and continuously dry through the years (wood never dries till the very end btw), as well as adopt well to any kind of humidity and temperature changes. But it has some minuses too. It needs to be applied hot on hot surface and that's why it dries very fast. So there's really a short time to press the joint. I previously fix both parts of the joint with screws, so after applying the glue I can easily and fast place them at exactly the right positions before I press them with clamps.

 

[ViK-master]

Glad to see the English website fully up a running (forgot how awesome the Caprice series looked )

Thanks!

And by the way newCaprice S7 prototype also looks HOT!

 

[vansinn]

Looking great so far, keep it coming..
I dig the headstock shape

 

[Ironbird]

Interesting build!

 

[ViK-master]

Thanks, guys!
This project runs really well. It's pretty easy and plesant to craft another Black Lotus 7 for Dave as he's really a nice guy!

Just for the record, ash, bubiga and maple used for this build are 20 years+ old (since milled) and air dried which is very rare these days.

The progress.
I prepared and glued the headstock today

Did most of the routing, including ViK ISNC set-neck system

And had a few hours of joy "sculpting" its "face"

This model has pretty a complicated carve, so most of the profiling and sanding made by hands. But that's definitely worth the time and effort, just look at the pics above.

 

[ILuvPillows]

Thanks!

And by the way newCaprice S7 prototype also looks HOT!

Trust me, i've been watching it like a hawk. Waiting for the full completion of neck to body...it's truly torture having to wait

The black lotus arm contour has really started to grow on me recently. Interesting stuff.

 

[fretninjadave]

Trust me, i've been watching it like a hawk. Waiting for the full completion of neck to body...it's truly torture having to wait

The black lotus arm contour has really started to grow on me recently. Interesting stuff.

I think it gives it its own look

 

[ViK-master]

I see Dave hasn't updated this thread yet so let it be me who does.

since the last time we had the headstock glued and rosewood headplate glued

And I also worked on the back side

Ready back side really affected the look of the front side

 

[fretninjadave]

Here we go

Rough cut

taking shape

lookin awesome

Hello fretboard

 

[technomancer]

Wow looking great! Looking forward to hearing what you think of this once it's finished

 

[Syrinx]

lookin awesome

Indeed

 

[fretninjadave]

Wow looking great! Looking forward to hearing what you think of this once it's finished

I will probobly try and make a vid after I get it .