History of Doff's Russian seven-string guitars

[DoffGuitars]

From the very beginning, Russian guitar differs from the European one. The instrument differentiates itself from the great number of similar continental and American instruments by seven strings, free neck at the hitch-pin and springs, borrowed from the Vienna School.

Up to 50-60-ies of the XX century, Lunacharsky Factory’s guitars were famous for bright tone and a special appearance. After that, the industrialization came out on top and all federal standards became equal. Therefore, standardization has led to typicality: all guitars, produced in USSR, became similar to each other.

Lunacharky’s guitars were regulated too. First recognizable silhouette disappeared, after that, the neck was standardized, it became impossible to distinguish such kind of guitars neither from Samara, nor from Izhevsk one, and finally ("insurance" shot) the equal scale length was established across the whole country.

All guitars have become twins, enough horrible ones. Actually, at the beginning of the new century - seven-string guitar totally disappeared. It was replaced with a six-string guitar, to which seventh string was attached. Structurally, it was unacceptable, so the sound became awful and the instruments, which Lunacharsky Factory produced by 2000, can be described only in a horror film script style. No wonder that in 2005, the production was suspended. And no one wept over an onion.

Fortunately, a group of enthusiasts was remained in that time – they were crazy in love with guitars as much as gemologist loves precious stones and mathematician - abstractions. Someone sold that he or she had got, someone took the case-dough, and all together they bought the instruments which had not been stolen yet in a closed factory. New factory we called "Forest" - and during the first time, it worked mechanically. The guitars were of average quality, quite similar to the old Lunacharsky’s ones. Hereafter the crisis happened. In every crisis, someone dies and someone revives.

There was a question to our company - either we join to the united collective of lacquered guitars producers, which so successfully overran our country by China goods, or we start producing something, which has never been done in Russia before.

And for all of this it was necessary to create such models of instruments, at one glance of which our competitors have fallen away any desire to repeat or copy, and even try to do this.

At this time, the director of "Forest" found out the Zimmermann factory’s guitar of 1885. It was very small - about ¾ of modern standard. But how it sounded! And this guitar was not a master one! It was common factory guitar, like usual consumer goods. However, it was an amazing and almost unattainable level of sounding. Only putting high goals, you can achieve good results. Therefore, we decided to create such kind of guitars and to return to life that was lost in the XX century.

We have completely given up the plywood using. We returned to maple in guitar production. We no longer focus on the boring to all musicians westerns. And even we renamed the factory - we changed the name because of reason of previous associations with the old crafts. «D’OFF» appeared instead of "Forest", and instead of guitar layout - a real Russian guitar, which was completely changed structurally and visually.

We were not so self-confident to rely only on our own vision for a revitalized production. We studied social networks and began to ask opinions and advices there. We went to schools and colleges and consulted with the best teachers. Finally, we have worked for many years, and remodeled our instruments until we achieved excellent results.

It is no longer six-string guitar with the added seventh string. We've created the original seven-string guitar - one that was made in Muller and Zimmermann’s factories, one, which was used by Arhuzen and Krasnoshchekov. With crystal bright sound like nothing on earth. No one else produces such kind of guitars in Russia, and if someone wants to - we can share our experience. All our models made from solid woods. The bodies are made of maple, the deck either of spruce, or of Altai cedar.

There are only two lines of production. One of which is standard. It produces the excellent seven-string guitar Doff RG and Doff RGS with a rather affordable price. Economy achieves by means of ascetic finishing, and mainly - due to the lack of arrogance and greed from our side.
The second line produces the instruments like Doff Belle and Doff Renaissance - especially for vintage appearance lovers. These models are more expensive, but look much richer. We have decorated them with ebony, ivory, nacre and semi-precious stones. But regardless of the finishing, every buyer can be sure that buying a seven-string guitar Doff, - he or she becomes an owner of the instrument, which brought pleasure for many Russian musicians a century ago.
And we feel a double pleasure because of it.

eBay : Doff RG
Our contacts:
web-site: http://doffguitar.com/
e-mail :[email protected]

[Song]

Interesting. I thought you folks played Balalaika.
I'm a big Dr. Zhivago/Roof fiddler fan. I would love to visit!
Thanks for your sponsorship!

[DoffGuitars]

Originally Posted by We Walk in Song

Interesting. I thought you folks played Balalaika.
I'm a big Dr. Zhivago/Roof fiddler fan. I would love to visit!
Thanks for your sponsorship!

Wondefrul composition,right?
Our folk instrument not only Balalaika, there are also Russian seven-string guitar, Domra,Gusli and ect.
if you like Rossian-folk music, you'll find something interesting here (our YouTube channel)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/

You are always welcome!