Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 11:00:34 AM

Title: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 11:00:34 AM
There are no words.




(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0520.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0525.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0523.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0522.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0526.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0527.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0528.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0531.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0532.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Blackmachine%20B2%20Burl/IMG_0533.jpg)
(Not the final tuners - they will be black w/chrome buttons, nuts and washers)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2010, 11:08:49 AM
There are no words.

There are no numbers.... to express the amount you've spent on guitars this year!  :P


Looks a mighty impressive piece of work.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: bucketshred on December 13, 2010, 11:10:36 AM
Amazing workmanship on that. Not my thing at all but I hope you enjoy it. Happy Playing :)

Paddy
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 11:13:41 AM
There are no words.

There are no numbers.... to express the amount you've spent on guitars this year!  :P


Looks a mighty impressive piece of work.

Heh, the deposit on this one was put down 33 months ago, and the balance was paid off ~2 years ago ;)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Johnny Mac on December 13, 2010, 11:35:19 AM
Looks very nice. Lovely wood on the fingerboard
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: gordiji on December 13, 2010, 11:52:42 AM
congrats, it looks perfect in every way.play something nice on it (cough cough not toooo heavy) for the players section.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Dmoney on December 13, 2010, 11:54:57 AM
Amazing workmanship on that. Not my thing at all but I hope you enjoy it. Happy Playing :)

Paddy

I thought that about these... kind of still do... but I played one once when I bought my Pod. unplugged and through the pod. unplugged they sound really really nice and resonant. They actually feel awesome too. If you get the chance you play one defo have a go.

shame about the long waiting time.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Roobubba on December 13, 2010, 12:18:07 PM
utterly beautiful!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: tekbow on December 13, 2010, 12:24:02 PM
not my thing either, but absolutely cannot deny the beauty of the craftsmanship and materials. beautiful. happy NGD :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Antag on December 13, 2010, 12:24:25 PM
Damn, Nolly, you are accumulating an armoury to die for!  :lol: :drool: :mrgreen:  :crazy2:
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: AndyR on December 13, 2010, 01:18:24 PM
Not my thing neither, but that does look mighty fine :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: MrBump on December 13, 2010, 01:28:00 PM
^ Proof that "guitar racism" doesn't exist on this forum! 

So many "not my cup of tea, but awesome" comments.

Love it!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2010, 01:34:43 PM
^ Proof that "guitar racism" doesn't exist on this forum! 

So many "not my cup of tea, but awesome" comments.

Love it!

This is true - but I think we're less disposed to be critical when it actually belongs to someone on the forum!

I remember all those threads where we ripped the sh!t out of Gibson "Guitars of the Week", but I suspect if someone had actually bought a Reverse V or Holy Explorer we'd have been quite polite.  :)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Twinfan on December 13, 2010, 01:36:22 PM
Heh, the deposit on this one was put down 33 months ago, and the balance was paid off ~2 years ago ;)

That's just insane - there's no way I would do that.

Fair play to you though, enjoy the guitar!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Antag on December 13, 2010, 01:48:45 PM
Heh, the deposit on this one was put down 33 months ago, and the balance was paid off ~2 years ago ;)
That's just insane - there's no way I would do that.
Nor me, though it must have been oddly satisfying to receive a guitar that you paid for so long ago that you could almost have forgotten you did it :)

I looked at HairyChris' 2 BMs at the Croydon meetup, they looked unbelievably nice, almost too nice for my grubby mits, so I didn't pick them up...
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 01:58:11 PM
Heh, the deposit on this one was put down 33 months ago, and the balance was paid off ~2 years ago ;)

That's just insane - there's no way I would do that.

Fair play to you though, enjoy the guitar!


Thanks, I'm sure this will come across as me trying to justify the wait, but I am very glad I hadn't got the guitar until now. Since placing the deposit my knowledge, experience and taste have matured quite significantly, this guitar would have been extremely different if I had finalised the spec even 6 months ago :)

If anyone's interested - the pickups are Mules, unpotted neck. The tone is simply unbelievable.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Twinfan on December 13, 2010, 02:09:12 PM
I'm confused!  It's not something you would spec now, but you love it???  :?
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 02:10:19 PM
Nonono, the spec was only made final about 3 months ago.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: JacksonRR on December 13, 2010, 02:14:31 PM
The whole thing is gorgeous, but my favorite part is the fingerboard where it meets the body. I really love that high contrast in the wood grain. Congrats!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: tekbow on December 13, 2010, 02:15:48 PM
i'm confused too now..
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: dave_mc on December 13, 2010, 02:18:56 PM
awesome. those blackmachines are meant to be great. :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: fr33man1 on December 13, 2010, 03:23:41 PM
WORDs ! pickups ?, woods ? (bubinga or bastogne walnut ? :D) oh and very nice by the way ; this makes my super strat gas wake up, adding im fond of the tones you get from those babies. Im always amazed on how thick it sounds but how thin they are.  :lol:
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: nfe on December 13, 2010, 05:18:50 PM
There are no words.

There are no numbers.... to express the amount you've spent on guitars this year!  :P


Looks a mighty impressive piece of work.

Heh, the deposit on this one was put down 33 months ago, and the balance was paid off ~2 years ago ;)

You swine. Mine was ordered before that and I've still not got it. Hrmph.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: 38thBeatle on December 13, 2010, 08:24:46 PM
Very nice indeed. Congratulations.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 13, 2010, 10:20:31 PM
Thanks for the comments guys.

Instead of starting a new thread, I'll use this one to introduce my other new guitar:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0484.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0485.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0486.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0492.jpg)


It's a lovely Fender relic with a Brazilian rosewood board, from the special run featuring Bare Knuckles - the new '59 Slab Board set. However, I've had Tim wind me up an overwound bridge unit at around 13.5kΩ, bringing it squarely in line with a Dave Gilmour set that BKP do occasionally for customers that request it (Crazy Diamonds seems the most obvious name to give them). It's hot enough to stop things getting too trebly under heavy gain, but still classic enough to sit nicely alongside the 5.6kΩ middle and neck. With the RWRP middle providing lovely smooth and hollow tones in positions 2 & 4, there's not really a more versatile strat set out there!
However, for when I'm in need of a serious silly grin, I've got another prewired guard ready to slap in, loaded with Sinners. I asked Tim to leave the standard volume position empty so my picking hand doesn't end up scr@ping the volume knob when things get silly:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0497.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh76/Nollythegreat/Fender%20CS%20Strat/IMG_0495.jpg)

I've never come across a strat as "soulful" as this, it really does make you go weak at the knees when you play it. Absolutely overjoyed with it, and I owe Tim a debt of gratitude for helping me track it down :)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Ian Price on December 13, 2010, 10:25:14 PM
That's great - really nice indeed. I have a dressing gown just like that as well.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: lyonk55 on December 13, 2010, 10:36:36 PM
I don't like you anymore Nolly - every post you make makes me sad that I will almost certainly never have a guitar as nice as any of yours :(

/jeleousy

Looks lovely. How much do these Blackmachines cost?

Happy NGD!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: roland_rat on December 13, 2010, 10:44:48 PM
Congrats Nolly the blackmachine looks very very nice and the other one is tasty too.  Hope you enjoy them both.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Oli on December 13, 2010, 11:08:22 PM
I have a couple of questions:

What is your address?
and
Can you tell me at which times the house has no-one inside?

They both look fantastic!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Philly Q on December 13, 2010, 11:27:12 PM
Nice Blackmachine, gorgeous Strat!

(I hate to be such a traditionalist!)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Telerocker on December 14, 2010, 12:47:29 AM
Ohhhh, what a beautiful strat. Instant GAS. And for the Blackmachine there are words: woodorgasm.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 14, 2010, 08:31:27 AM
Thanks dudes :)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: tekbow on December 14, 2010, 08:34:08 AM
Ohhhh, what a beautiful strat. Instant GAS. And for the Blackmachine there are words: woodorgasm.

a woodgasm?
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: AndyR on December 14, 2010, 08:36:09 AM
You should have put the strat in a new thread :lol:

The blackmachine is cute, I see it, I understand it, etc...

but the strat...  :o ... very, VERY, nice :D

As I looked at the pics, I was thinking "Ian..." and, quite rightly so, the very next post was his.

Ian, you managed to hide your emotions extremely well. A superbly understated "I have a dressing gown just like that..." :)

But we all understand, we do know what typing that sentence must have cost you ... ("OMIGOD, I must sell something quick... the car, the wife, a testicle... can I get that much for a testicle? er... who cares, I WANT that geetar... :(") :lol:


Gorgeous guitars Nolly :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: bucketshred on December 14, 2010, 10:04:14 AM
That Strat has made me go weak at the knees. I must get another someday...

Gorgeous.

Paddy
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 14, 2010, 11:17:06 AM
Thanks for the comments guys, I've made a thread in the User's Gallery for the strat, with lots of new pics in there:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=23028.msg305820#new

:)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: kevinr on December 14, 2010, 11:25:54 AM
That Blackmachine is really a beautiful piece of work, however I can't get excited about the Strat! just another plank, two bits of wood screwed together (not a Fender fan)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 14, 2010, 11:38:24 AM
I can't get excited about the Strat! just another plank, two bits of wood screwed together (not a Fender fan)

Ah, but when you find a good one it completely transcends that.
Thankfully the Blackmachine is "a good one" too :)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: ratspeak on December 14, 2010, 12:39:06 PM
Yeah, Fenders are hit and miss. Not even just model to model. I find the QC and even the general feel very inconsistent even with two of the same model. Once one plays "a good one", their perception of the guitar will undoubtedly shift.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: JDC on December 14, 2010, 12:57:33 PM
"I have a dressing gown just like that..."

I think it's new too, I'm sure he has another one
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: dave_mc on December 14, 2010, 01:18:22 PM
nice strat too :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: shobet on December 14, 2010, 01:24:19 PM
I do like that strat. Not sure if goes with the dressing gown though!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: PhilKing on December 14, 2010, 02:04:34 PM
I can appreciate the black machine and know they are great to play (I played them at LGS when Tim and Doug were looking at an SG style one he had - and some with great looking snakewood fingerboards).  However I'm not sold on the looks.  The strat on the other hand looks great.  I have the 69 custom/DG set in a guitar and love the sounds you can get from it.  The interesting thing is how the bridge almost doesn't let you know that it is more than twice the DC of the middle & neck, but just gives some great tones.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 14, 2010, 02:11:14 PM
I have the 69 custom/DG set in a guitar and love the sounds you can get from it.  The interesting thing is how the bridge almost doesn't let you know that it is more than twice the DC of the middle & neck, but just gives some great tones.

YES, exactly! I know they're 2/3rds of the '59 set but I feel like that as an overall combination they're different enough to warrant being an official set.. though maybe it's just because I want to be able to say I named one of the models :lol:
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: 38thBeatle on December 14, 2010, 07:40:11 PM
I have just seen the Strat- you know I am warming to this relic thing- at least I am when I see that.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Zaned on December 14, 2010, 08:01:25 PM
Amazing looking woods on the Blackmachine  :) And I always have a soft spot for strats, that looks awesome too.

What are the pickups on the Blackmachine?

-Zaned
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 14, 2010, 08:14:31 PM
Thanks Zaned, the Blackmachine has a set of Mules with the neck pickup left unpotted.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: FernandoDuarte on December 14, 2010, 10:12:28 PM
Both look gorgeous!

I was thinking Doug was "off" from Blackmachine as have seen people telling difficulty to get in touch with him, good that he is still building these guitars... :)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: MDV on December 15, 2010, 02:18:07 PM
Both look great.

But dude, its not a hubble deep space photo, there are plenty of words ;)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 15, 2010, 03:26:11 PM
But dude, its not a hubble deep space photo, there are plenty of words ;)

I'd like to see you try gathering your thoughts and expressing the feeling of being presented with the best guitar you've ever heard, played or seen after nearly 3 years of anticipation :lol:
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: MDV on December 15, 2010, 03:40:39 PM
Been there, done that.

Without the 3 year wait (just the thick end of a year), but that doesnt change the guitar you have in your hands, and you havent been expecting the same guitar for the whole time anyway. So ner :lol:

Whats it sound like?
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: viking on December 15, 2010, 03:44:52 PM
But dude, its not a hubble deep space photo, there are plenty of words ;)

I'd like to see you try gathering your thoughts and expressing the feeling of being presented with the best guitar you've ever heard, played or seen after nearly 3 years of anticipation :lol:
 Is it really THAT good ?The woods are beautiful,esp. the fretboard !If you play clean,isn't it a bit trebly or thin?How is the neck?Super-flat ?High radius with jumbo frets?Anyhow,I would love to try one! Congrats for your two beauties (now i have to look for infos about that BKP DG set and '59 DG !). PS:Is it 3 Sinners together on your other Strat-set?Is it good?
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 15, 2010, 03:54:34 PM
Been there, done that.

Without the 3 year wait (just the thick end of a year), but that doesnt change the guitar you have in your hands, and you havent been expecting the same guitar for the whole time anyway. So ner :lol:

Whats it sound like?

Oh you know, lots of qualitative statements with plenty of superlatives and favourable adjectives. I'm sure I'd mention clear, rich, organic etc a few times. :lol:

Viking: Yes it is. Why would you assume it's trebly or thin?
Yes, 3 Sinners in the spare guard, if you want to grin yourself silly there's nothing better out there.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: dheim on December 15, 2010, 03:54:42 PM
the Strat is... well... a worn strat. so nothing i'd die for.

BUT.

the black-fu**in'-machine.

is.

massively.

awesome.

really, i'm speechless even if i'm not the lucky one that will play it... :)
strange pickup choice, by the way... i'd have bet on Aftermaths or other hi-output units, but those mules surprised me!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: viking on December 15, 2010, 08:53:20 PM
Quote
Nolly quote : "Why would you assume it's trebly or thin?"
   No,it was just a question.With such a thin body,i was wondering if the cleans were.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 16, 2010, 12:20:19 AM
Fair enough, but no, it's really quite a fat sounding guitar. With such open-voiced pickups it almost sounds like a semi-hollow when played clean.
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: HairyChris on December 16, 2010, 02:17:23 PM
Doug always pulls them out of the bag for Nolly! Spalted burl - NEVER seen that before.

Envious. In a kinda good way.  :D

cr@p, reminds me, I haven't spoken to Doug in ages. Must wish him season's greetings. And congratulate him on this monster.

Regarding the delay and spec change, I did the same. Would have been a B6 instead of a B7 if I'd have had it quicker. I'm very glad that I didn't go that route, although I wouldn't have complained either!
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: JDC on December 16, 2010, 06:40:05 PM
I did wonder why you sold the B6, anyway I've had a thought, wasn't you suppose to be getting a BM fan fret 7!!!

What's that back body wood as it doesn't look like swamp ash to me?

Errr... 20 inches again? ;)
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 17, 2010, 09:57:24 AM
Yeah, I changed my mind on what the specs would be, for a while I was after a fanned 7 string but in the end went for the timeless 6-string format :)
The back is chambered black limba (ludicrously light).
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: JDC on December 17, 2010, 04:56:44 PM
any idea what the chambering does to the tone?
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: HairyChris on December 17, 2010, 05:38:28 PM
MOAR VIBRATION!  :D
Title: Re: New Blackmachine Day
Post by: Nolly on December 17, 2010, 11:15:53 PM
It's difficult to be absolutely sure since it's the first time Doug has used black limba, but on the mahogany-bodied instruments the chambering seems to give a brighter tone with a more open midrange.