PRODUCT REVIEW
niKita
Classic
By BEn FRIEdMAn
While on the prowl at Winter NAMM, tasked by PG editors to follow up
with some up-and-coming luthiers, I tracked down James Mellozzo, sole
proprietor of Nikita Guitars, in his booth with a handful of his artistically
inspired instruments. I spied a particularly interesting, dragon-themed
T-style guitar to check out, but it was swiftly liberated from my eager
paws by a notable artist who wanted to use it for a product demo at a
neighboring amplifier booth. It was a bittersweet moment: on one hand,
his incredible chops impressed me; on the other, I wouldn’t see the guitar
again—it made such an impression on him that he took it with him when
he left the show. That experience and subsequent conversations with
Mellozzo left me with the urge to review one of his handcarved instruments. I was pleased to find the Nikita Classic on my doorstep a couple
weeks after the show.
When Fine Art Meets Fine Tone
Mellozzo’s creative and artistically inspired approach to luthiery stems from a
family lineage rooted in the arts. His medium of choice is wood: he began
first as a trained master woodworker, designing and creating custom cabinets for 20 years. Then, 10 years ago, he felt a calling and began to
apply his woodworking skills to guitar building. After reverse-engi-neering countless project guitars acquired via eBay—combined
with his 30-plus years as a player—Mellozzo’s self education in
luthiery reached a level that led him to build his first Nikita.
Since then, he’s focused on building unique, signature guitars. True to his artistic roots, none are exactly replicated,
making each Nikita truly one of a kind.
The Nikita Classic, with its highly figured tonewood laminates, intricate inlays and triple humbuckers, appears at
first to give a nod to the creations of Alembic, Cripe and
Irwin. Looking closely at the degree of craftsmanship and
thoughtful design decisions that went into the guitar’s construction, it’s hard not to be impressed. Every design decision,
executed by hand, seems to blend together, creating a balanced
instrument that can stand on its own. The Classic features a body
