Wood Violins Custom Viper Builder

Build your custom Viper by configuring the available options.

Important: purchasing this item constitutes a non-refundable deposit on a special-order instrument that is not in our current stock.

Allow 4 years for delivery. Due to demand and a large backlog of custom orders, Vipers can take more than 4 years to build and deliver. There is currently no guaranteed delivery window.

Note on new finish options: In order to reduce the build time on custom Viper orders, Wood Violins is requesting, whenever possible, that new customers choose from the available color and finish options listed in drop-down menu 2.), above.

As always, Wood Violins will build any Viper that you can imagine. That said, custom finishes other than those listed above will increase the lead time and cost of your Viper. The more elaborate your Viper's color and/or finish is, the longer the wait time will be. Prices for any colors and finishes not listed in the Custom Viper Builder will now be quoted on an individual basis.

Note: all finishes are hand-applied, so some variation in color will occur.

The basic finish option for the Viper violin is a hand-rubbed natural color transparent satin finish over the plain (non-figured) poplar wood body.

• Single-color painted and transparent finishes are considered a STANDARD custom finish.
• Metal flake, metallic, and pearlized/pearlescent colors, which are usually opaque. (i.e, no visible wood grain) are considered a DELUXE custom finish.
• All wood veneer "exotic top" finishes, such as quilted maple, tiger maple, etc. are considered a DELUXE custom finish.
• Exotic-top finishes are available in transparent colored stains that show the figure of the wood, with an ultra high-gloss clear coat to protect the finish.

Is a case included?

All Viper violins come with a custom TKL soft gig bag. To best protect your investment, we recommend adding a BAM Viper hard case. It is advisable to add this at the time of your purchase so that it may be reserved for your order. If you wait until your Viper is ready to ship, the BAM case may not be in stock to ship with it.

Pickup options:

The base Viper comes with the Wood Violins house bridge, a no-cost option. For an additional charge, you can upgrade your four or five-string Viper to a Barbera bridge. Six string Vipers are only available with the Barbera Hybrid bridge, while the only seven-string bridge option is the Barbera Standard Solid.

Fingerboard / fret options:

Choose between a fretless or fretted fingerboard. Fretless provides the familiar feel of a traditional violin, whereas frets help greatly with intonation when playing in high-volume performance settings (rock bands, etc.) where hearing yourself well can be difficult. Frets also provide a visual and tactile reference for the fingerboard and allow you use familiar finger patterns in any key without relying on traditional positional shifting.

There are two fret options available: 'fretted' and 'Phantom fretted'.

• The 'fretted option gives you raised frets that are planed flat, so as to be felt under your fingers. These are not designed to be fingered behind the fret as on a guitar, but rather as "locator" frets, where you're meant to place your finger over top of the fret, pressing down lightly. As such, you can still vibrato and glissando effectively over top of them.
• 'Phantom frets' are filed down completely flush with the surface of the fingerboard, so that they aren't felt at all. The playing experience is the same as with a non-fretted fingerboard, but you get the look and visual guide of frets.

How to configure and place a custom order:

To place your special order, make all custom option selections above, review the price, then 'Add to Cart.' The price shown here will be the full cost of your Viper as configured, however, your down payment due will be shown as only half (50%) once added to cart. You will not be charged for shipping at this time. Any applicable shipping fees, taxes, and duty will only be charged when we contact you to make your final payment.

What's next?

Once your order is placed and down payment paid you will enter the custom Viper queue. At this time the backlog is 3-4 years, however, once your Viper enters production it typically takes 4-6 months to complete.

Will I receive updates on my Viper's progress?

We don't provide status updates because, until that time which your Viper enters production, there is no information about which to update you. We will provide you with a status update anytime upon request, however, there is likely to be no new information within the first 2 years.

What happens when my Viper is finished?

When your Viper is ready we will notify you with link to the finished product where you can go to complete your final payment. Once payment is received in full, your violin will be shipped. Shipping charges, if applicable, will be applied to your final payment, so please select the appropriate shipping method when making your final payment. Please contact us if you need any assistance placing your custom Viper order.

Shipping cost is based on weight. Just add products to your cart and use the Shipping Calculator to see the shipping price.

We want you to be 100% satisfied with your purchase. Items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of delivery.