The Viking debuted in 1965 as a new ultra-high end archtop electric from Gretsch, featuring the latest in their proprietary hardware. The Viking was equipped with the new Super'Tron humbuckers, which had been introduced the year before, as well as their unique Floating Sound Unit, or "tuning fork" between the pickups and the bridge, as well as their "T-Zone Tempered Treble" treatment on the upper register of the guitar, meant to improve intonation. While these appointments were hot technology for 1965, they found little traction in the market, and were steadily jettisoned from the Viking's design until 1971, when Gretsch moved the bridge closer to the pickups (into the space where the Floating Sound Unit had occupied) and switched to a smaller format "tube arm" vibrato unit.