See that headline that says “What the hell is this?” Well, what the hell is it. “It” is the newly launched VP-1 Dark Fang from Taras Guitars, and it’s wild. I don’t know how useable it is as I’ve never seen one in person, but wild nonetheless.
The VP-1 is the brainchild of Taras Kovaliv, founder of Taras Guitars, who calls his creations “Outward String Bend Super Guitars.” At the heart of the VP-1 is the aptly named Wide Tonal Fretboard (W.T.F.), a bold experiment that gives players access to new “pitch points” and previously unreachable bends.
Kovaliv designed the Wide Tonal Fretboard around what he calls a Convex Arc Formula, mathematically shaping the board to allow strings to be bent outward, away from their neighboring strings. This has surprising applications:
- The low E string can be pulled outward, creating more space between itself and the A string, which leads to unconventional riffing shapes.
- The high E string can also be bent outward, avoiding collisions with the B and G strings, opening up fresh possibilities for double-stop harmonies.
Inspiration came from traditional world instruments like the Indian sitar and Chinese pipa, both of which employ unconventional bending techniques as part of their musical DNA.
Visually, the VP-1 Dark Fang is just as radical. With oversized cutaways designed to accommodate the sprawling fretboard and maximize upper-fret access, the guitar looks like it could belong to Batman or an alien rock band. Kovaliv admits his instruments are designed to “look and act like they were built in a dream — or in a far-off sci-fi garage.”
Kovaliv has posted demo videos that showcase the Dark Fang’s unusual approach to bending and phrasing. While he insists he’s “an engineer, not the player,” the clips highlight the VP-1’s potential. He sees the guitar as a canvas for progressive players and sonic visionaries who might be able to push its unorthodox design into entirely new musical territory.
“It’s not about copying the classics,” Kovaliv says. “These instruments tell a story before you even play a note.”
For more, check out demo videos and details at Taras Guitars. Honestly, I think I want one.
