Hi, My name is Sergey,
I'm the one behind Adversary guitars, based in the Moscow, Russia.

I started making guitars in the summer of 2014 in my garage, with minimal tools and no serious, deep skills. All I had was quite an active live and studio experience of playing guitar (heavy styles) since 2003, my knowledge and needs for instruments developed over the years.

The first instruments were a couple of replicas, all of these instruments had a neck-through construction, expensive wood and hardware, let's just say 99.99% of builders would not choose such complex instruments as a start. After that, I began to invent my own models, develop my own style. Then the first customers came.

2018 was a pivotal year, kicking off the super successful Keto headless model. Keto has been thought out to the smallest detail, both in terms of ergonomics and appearance. Keto's design finally cemented the exterior style of the Adversary guitars. These design solutions became so successful that both small manufacturers from Russia and already serious guitar manufacturers from the US and Asia began to copy design solutions or the entire instrument. Most copy attempts were prevented. But, nevertheless, there are still quite a number of unscrupulous manufacturers who build their business on stealing other people's developments both in my country and abroad.

In 2022, together with partners, we began to develop our own hardware and pickups in order, firstly, to consolidate our identity, and secondly, to be less dependent on external factors in this constantly changing world. The updated Qayin model , and concurrently, the signature model of Dmitry Mamedov from Slaughter to Prevail became the first guitar to use both Adversary bridges and pickups. Further more.

Biggest wood collection

At the end of 2022, we had the opportunity to purchase wood from expatriate guitar builders, which, together with our stocks, form an impressive opportunity for making musical instruments. The largest collection of exotic guitar woods in the hands of one guitar builder in Russia / CIS countries. More about woods

Design

Why am I talking about design so much? In September 2021, I left my main job as Art Director of a creative agency. I have 20+ years of experience in various positions and various areas of design, both alone and managing a creative team. I have 7 international design awards. From product design and packaging of it to city identity.

Design is a big part of my conscious life, which is why I pay so much attention to the design of things. After all, design is not only appearance, but also ergonomics, usability and capabilities. The guitar is the interface of music and productivity.

I'm not lying when I say that Adversary guitars are handmade. These are truly completely handmade guitars. Yes, I do not have CNC, and it is not expected yet, there is simply no need. I only use my friends CNC for rare custom inlays on the fretboard. I make all contours, bevels, neck profiles with my hands, using hand plans, rasps, files, various cutters, chisels, scrapers etc. Of course, I use power tools, but mostly only for making blanks and removing a lot of material. All tricky cutouts and contours are cut by hand. I do not have a huge park of large machines, only the necessary minimum. These days, many refer to handcrafted guitars as completely robot/cnc carved, but hand sanded and hand finished. It's not enough for me. This is not my way. Handcrafted.