Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 12:56:12 PM

Title: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 12:56:12 PM
FINALLY.

Right, the wait has been a joke, the number of missed deadlines beyond imagining, so let's get that out the way. I wouldn't order one and go through that again, but I'm glad I did it once.

What a guitar. That's my weekend lost.

Normal B2, swamp ash body, ebony face, rosewood neck with ebony fingerboard. Painkillers and Hannes bridge.

I'll try and get the lady to take some photos that aren't awful with a proper camera when she's in later.

(http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h117/neilerskine/2011-06-24114004.jpg)

(http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h117/neilerskine/2011-06-24115927.jpg)

(http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h117/neilerskine/2011-06-24115935.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Telerocker on June 24, 2011, 01:15:33 PM
Very smart looker. Congrats!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Kiichi on June 24, 2011, 01:17:10 PM
Wow, that looks so freaking metal...one of the most metal guitars I´ve seen to be honoust.
Definetly needs more pics.

The headstock looks amazing and the body...that colour....the darkness, but with the wood structure shining through in such a way.....need more pics!! Really, I am baffled by the beauty of that bodycolour.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: dave_mc on June 24, 2011, 01:34:34 PM
awesome. those blackmachines are meant to be sweet.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: andi.j on June 24, 2011, 01:49:21 PM
congratulations!
that guitar is beautiful - some serious jealousy going on over here
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 02:55:19 PM
Cheers guys.

Incidentally, for the couple guys here who have black machines, what the hell do you do for a strap lock on that strap button/jack? It's super-wide!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 24, 2011, 03:27:07 PM
A couple of guys had recessed straplocks fitted just above the jack so they could use a regular strap if they wanted to

These are the ones - just the buttons
 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785)

Here is a picture:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/EBAY/dunlop%20strap%20buttons/dunlopbuttons3006.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: gordiji on June 24, 2011, 03:28:21 PM
congrats, very beautiful looking guitars
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: choucas09 on June 24, 2011, 04:04:54 PM
Not usually my cup of tea that style of guitar, but that looks extraordinary. I've never seen an ebony faced guitar before. Looks like loadsamoney to me.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FernandoDuarte on June 24, 2011, 04:05:43 PM
Very cool looking!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 04:11:19 PM
A couple of guys had recessed straplocks fitted just above the jack so they could use a regular strap if they wanted to

These are the ones - just the buttons
 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785)

Here is a picture:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/EBAY/dunlop%20strap%20buttons/dunlopbuttons3006.jpg)

Cheers mate! I'd really like to simply be able to use the one there but I'm not confident of anything staying put on it!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Dmoney on June 24, 2011, 04:15:29 PM
can you do the old stretching a grolsch rubber bung over the button? i used to do that on my non locking straps.
some pic i found online...

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/299874274_7ba4d4b32f.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 24, 2011, 05:16:56 PM
A couple of guys had recessed straplocks fitted just above the jack so they could use a regular strap if they wanted to

These are the ones - just the buttons
 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Straplock-buttons-recessed-flush-mount-type-/170658803376?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&var=&hash=item6d701dc785)

Here is a picture:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/EBAY/dunlop%20strap%20buttons/dunlopbuttons3006.jpg)

Cheers mate! I'd really like to simply be able to use the one there but I'm not confident of anything staying put on it!

Okay - the big problem as far as I can see it is that the opening in the strap will not close around the larger than normal jack socket endpin button properly and the split in the strap will be forced to stay open and this is where your guitar could fall off the strapbutton.
The strap button is about 10.8mm at it's thinnest point (I just measured one I have here)
What I would do is make the hole in the strap LARGER (yes you read that right) - maybe use a leather punch of 10mm and this will mean that once the strap has been put onto the button it will remain a tight but not overly stressed fit, but most importantly the slit in the strap will not be forced to stay open..
Useful tip - when punching out a larger hole - position the punch so that the extra leather removed is on the slit side - that way you are shortening the slit as well which will make it even tighter once all put together

This is what the hole punch might look like
(http://www.qfonic.com/images/products/9hpset/image01.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 05:23:57 PM
Ta. I will have a hunt!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Afghan Dave on June 24, 2011, 07:36:30 PM
can you do the old stretching a grolsch rubber bung over the button? i used to do that on my non locking straps.


Stretching your bung is one way to help finance the purchase as well...  :?

(lovely guitar, congrats)   :D
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: choucas09 on June 24, 2011, 09:02:50 PM
"Stretching your bung is one way to help finance the purchase as well..."

Brilliant.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Philly Q on June 24, 2011, 10:28:56 PM
Amazing looking guitar, as blackmachines always are!  Glad it was worth the wait.  :D


This is what the hole punch might look like
(http://www.qfonic.com/images/products/9hpset/image01.jpg)


I bought a set of those punches but couldn't for the life of me make a hole in the strap.  Maybe I didn't hit it hard enough, or maybe the quality was just cr@p.  :?
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Twinfan on June 24, 2011, 11:29:23 PM
FINALLY.

Right, the wait has been a joke, the number of missed deadlines beyond imagining, so let's get that out the way. I wouldn't order one and go through that again, but I'm glad I did it once.

That doesn't sound good...
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 24, 2011, 11:32:06 PM
It wasn't, it really did get absurd. It was order with a 12 month lead time in March 2008. The guitar is exceptional, but that obviously is ridiculous. So like I say, I'm really glad I held out when I was thinking of asking for my deposit back, but I probably wouldn't order another direct. In saying that, I think it's unlikely it'll be possible to do so again. Think he took too much on and just got miles behind and a period of illness didn't at all help.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Dmoney on June 24, 2011, 11:35:43 PM
WOW!

thats a pretty crazy lead time! you'd think if business had you that behind you could expand a little, somehow?
I played a blackmachine once when I went to pick up a pod i got second hand. I only played it through the pod, but just acoustically, it sounded amazing and very different to what I imagined it would sound like from looking at pictures.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: WezV on June 24, 2011, 11:46:39 PM

I played a blackmachine once when I went to pick up a pod i got second hand. I only played it through the pod, but just acoustically, it sounded amazing and very different to what I imagined it would sound like from looking at pictures.

yeah, oddly resonant aren't they - the thin body kind of goes against what you expect
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JDC on June 25, 2011, 12:04:48 AM
*FAINTS* So much for February!!!

Any idea if your's has chambering or not?

How's it compare to the parker fly?
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 25, 2011, 12:16:39 AM
It's different. But I'm so used to the Fly with it having been my main guitar for 7 or 8 years. It's instantly great, though. Certainly less forgiving! Which is something to get used to, though part of that is going to be the Painkillers as opposed to the ceramic Warpigs in the Fly. Notes jump out of it, little heavier but in feel it's really pretty similar. Really happy with it, also, having plumped for the tele style control layout, what a difference! All these years of not bothering to change pickups for solos for worry of fluffing it are gone!
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JDC on June 25, 2011, 02:58:32 AM

I played a blackmachine once when I went to pick up a pod i got second hand. I only played it through the pod, but just acoustically, it sounded amazing and very different to what I imagined it would sound like from looking at pictures.

yeah, oddly resonant aren't they - the thin body kind of goes against what you expect

How much of this can be put down to the neck? my memory remembers ebony being pretty stiff and bright while I'm guessing the rosewood balances it out
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 25, 2011, 10:58:34 AM

I played a blackmachine once when I went to pick up a pod i got second hand. I only played it through the pod, but just acoustically, it sounded amazing and very different to what I imagined it would sound like from looking at pictures.

yeah, oddly resonant aren't they - the thin body kind of goes against what you expect

How much of this can be put down to the neck? my memory remembers ebony being pretty stiff and bright while I'm guessing the rosewood balances it out

That is the whole point of what Doug was doing with Blackmachine
Guitars like the B2 are an example of all his theories on how certain carefully selected timbers cut and glued in a way that gives maximum tone and resonance can sound bigger and bolder than guitars that are thicker or heavier.

The B6 differs from that as it is a more conventional style guitar with the Blackmachine look
In some ways they are worlds apart, although both can be appreciated by the same player
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: dave_mc on June 25, 2011, 06:38:16 PM
That is the whole point of what Doug was doing with Blackmachine
Guitars like the B2 are an example of all his theories on how certain carefully selected timbers cut and glued in a way that gives maximum tone and resonance can sound bigger and bolder than guitars that are thicker or heavier.

Assuming that works (not saying it doesn't, just I've never tried one), that'd be cool. I'm not just as bad as philly but i prefer lighter guitars too.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: gwEm on June 25, 2011, 08:03:40 PM
well, congratulations! alot of thoughts clearly gone into her, and she looks like she means business. i don't think a blackmachine would be for me, but nevertheless, would definitely be up for giving one a try.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: shobet on June 25, 2011, 08:07:40 PM
I like that and I think it's very you NFE.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Madsakre on June 25, 2011, 09:38:31 PM
Thats one of my dream guitars. How much did it cost you?
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JacksonRR on June 25, 2011, 10:16:18 PM
OOOoooOOOoooOOOOooo VERY NICE! Sucks about the wait. That's a hell of a long time. Those Blackmachines are great looking pieces. Patrick Hufschmid crafts some equally thin and impressive pieces, but with a more woodsy artsy kind of a look. Has this distressed pine top available that, in my eyes, looks equally as killer as Blackmachine's ebony tops. I lust madly for a guitar that's right down the middle, but V shaped which neither will do. Of course no Floyd Rose on such a thin beast.......
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 26, 2011, 12:06:45 AM
OOOoooOOOoooOOOOooo VERY NICE! Sucks about the wait. That's a hell of a long time. Those Blackmachines are great looking pieces. Patrick Hufschmid crafts some equally thin and impressive pieces, but with a more woodsy artsy kind of a look. Has this distressed pine top available that, in my eyes, looks equally as killer as Blackmachine's ebony tops. I lust madly for a guitar that's right down the middle, but V shaped which neither will do. Of course no Floyd Rose on such a thin beast.......

You need to speak to a flying V obsessed guitar maker like ME!
There is a minimum thickness needed to take a floyd but you can certainly figure something out.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Madsakre on June 26, 2011, 12:29:32 AM
OR you can use a Steinberger trem system :D

i love those ^^
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JacksonRR on June 26, 2011, 01:20:41 AM
OOOoooOOOoooOOOOooo VERY NICE! Sucks about the wait. That's a hell of a long time. Those Blackmachines are great looking pieces. Patrick Hufschmid crafts some equally thin and impressive pieces, but with a more woodsy artsy kind of a look. Has this distressed pine top available that, in my eyes, looks equally as killer as Blackmachine's ebony tops. I lust madly for a guitar that's right down the middle, but V shaped which neither will do. Of course no Floyd Rose on such a thin beast.......

You need to speak to a flying V obsessed guitar maker like ME!
There is a minimum thickness needed to take a floyd but you can certainly figure something out.

I figured I use a Hannes bridge! They seem pretty damn sweet. I have another neck through neck coming to me in a few months and that's my plan anyways.

What is the minimum for a Floydish bridge? I've heard of people taking metal off the block, but it screws with the feel a lot.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 26, 2011, 12:23:44 PM
Thats one of my dream guitars. How much did it cost you?

£2240 all in once it had gotten to my door.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOOooo VERY NICE! Sucks about the wait. That's a hell of a long time. Those Blackmachines are great looking pieces. Patrick Hufschmid crafts some equally thin and impressive pieces, but with a more woodsy artsy kind of a look. Has this distressed pine top available that, in my eyes, looks equally as killer as Blackmachine's ebony tops. I lust madly for a guitar that's right down the middle, but V shaped which neither will do. Of course no Floyd Rose on such a thin beast.......

You need to speak to a flying V obsessed guitar maker like ME!
There is a minimum thickness needed to take a floyd but you can certainly figure something out.

I figured I use a Hannes bridge! They seem pretty damn sweet. I have another neck through neck coming to me in a few months and that's my plan anyways.

Obviously I can't compare this guitar with another without the Hannes, but it feels great certainly and I'm sure it has a fair influence on the liveliness and sustain - which is ridiculous.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Madsakre on June 26, 2011, 01:10:13 PM
Thats one of my dream guitars. How much did it cost you?

£2240 all in once it had gotten to my door.



Thats okay i guess. Cya when i come back from jail after an unsucceded attempt to rob a couple of gas stations.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JDC on June 26, 2011, 09:35:33 PM
What is the minimum for a Floydish bridge? I've heard of people taking metal off the block, but it screws with the feel a lot.

You can get custom floyd blocks, not sure what the minimum is but I'd certain look into a brass block
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JacksonRR on June 26, 2011, 10:25:13 PM
Prolly have to get a cam-based Kahler. You have 5/8 to 3/4 stud inserts on Floyd styles, which could be cut down, but not by much and certainly not in something soft like basswood. It's a 3/4 inch deep route on the back for the spring cavity. That's already having the studs poke out into the spring cavity on a Blackmachine. I suppose you could hang that sucker in the air as in not recessed at all, but then you're putting a lot of stress on the posts with that kind of a lever action, most likely leading to loose holes(go ahead with it Afghan) and problems with both tuning and intonation. The neck break would need some angle, too. You could fake it like the Ibanez S series do where it's only the body edges that are really that thin.

 :cry: Help! BKP Luthiers! How do you get a Floyd on a thin body and have it work and feel correct?
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: WezV on June 26, 2011, 10:37:33 PM
well i guess your first issue would be convincing him he wants to make a trem equipped guitar

your second issue would be getting all floydy thoughts out of your head -   it aint going to happen on a super thin guitar
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Philly Q on June 26, 2011, 10:40:38 PM
Here's a Floyd on a Flying V, but the body's so thin you can see the bottom of the bridge pickup in the spring cavity:

(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/4.jpg)(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/3.jpg)

(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/8.jpg)
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 26, 2011, 10:53:04 PM
As I hinted at before ....

Here is one I made earlier

(http://www.felineguitars.com/Guitars/V/V%20-%20Tom%20Bates/V%20supreme%20726.jpg)

I do have a thing about flying Vs and will happily make them
The shortest floyd block that can be supplied as standard is 32mm and that should be fine
Any thinner and you end up with the issues that Philly Q poined out of the spring cavity breaking through into the back of the pickup cavities.
But you can still get away with the typical 70s V thickness of about 38mm (I know Blackmachines are only about 30mm  but the aforementioned issues with cavities for springs have tobe taken into account
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JacksonRR on June 27, 2011, 12:39:06 AM
That's good info guys and a hell of a V, Jonathon. Sorry NFE, bit of a hijack there. Your thin new masterpiece does get the gears turning though. It's just so beautiful that I want all guitar shapes to be that beautiful.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: AndyR on June 27, 2011, 06:25:05 PM
nfe, I don't usually go for that kind of guitar, but that looks utterly utterly gorgeous :D

Bummer on the wait, but that thing looks the business.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: JDC on June 27, 2011, 06:27:50 PM
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/8.jpg)

With so little wood it makes me wonder if there is any point to those neck through guitars with floyd bridges.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: K-Roll on June 28, 2011, 11:50:14 AM
greetings from Slovakia :) congrats, it definitely is one hell of an extraordinary instrument to get.. some time ago I was thinking of getting one but the lead times made me not to.. when I imagined the amount of money I'd need to pile and the total lead time I just thought it isn't worth those nerves :D pls make some clips if possible.. what amp are you running?
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Johnny Mac on June 28, 2011, 11:55:04 AM
Congrats! It does look very nice. I've had a couple of goes on a BM and they play and sound great.  :D
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Loomer on June 28, 2011, 12:15:31 PM
As I hinted at before ....

Here is one I made earlier

(http://www.felineguitars.com/Guitars/V/V%20-%20Tom%20Bates/V%20supreme%20726.jpg)

I do have a thing about flying Vs and will happily make them
The shortest floyd block that can be supplied as standard is 32mm and that should be fine
Any thinner and you end up with the issues that Philly Q poined out of the spring cavity breaking through into the back of the pickup cavities.
But you can still get away with the typical 70s V thickness of about 38mm (I know Blackmachines are only about 30mm  but the aforementioned issues with cavities for springs have tobe taken into account

Thatsound you hear off in the distance is the sound of Madsakre soiling himself and masturbating furiously at the same time.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 28, 2011, 12:34:01 PM
As I hinted at before ....

Here is one I made earlier

(http://www.felineguitars.com/Guitars/V/V%20-%20Tom%20Bates/V%20supreme%20726.jpg)

I do have a thing about flying Vs and will happily make them
The shortest floyd block that can be supplied as standard is 32mm and that should be fine
Any thinner and you end up with the issues that Philly Q poined out of the spring cavity breaking through into the back of the pickup cavities.
But you can still get away with the typical 70s V thickness of about 38mm (I know Blackmachines are only about 30mm  but the aforementioned issues with cavities for springs have tobe taken into account

Thatsound you hear off in the distance is the sound of Madsakre soiling himself and masturbating furiously at the same time.

ROFLMAO  :lol:
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: Loomer on June 28, 2011, 12:40:48 PM
That said, I think it's quite pretty too. Both nfe's Blackmachine and Feline's purdy lil' V.

Just too many pickups on 'em, I'm afraid.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on June 28, 2011, 01:24:50 PM
greetings from Slovakia :) congrats, it definitely is one hell of an extraordinary instrument to get.. some time ago I was thinking of getting one but the lead times made me not to.. when I imagined the amount of money I'd need to pile and the total lead time I just thought it isn't worth those nerves :D pls make some clips if possible.. what amp are you running?

I use a 6505+, though mostly record with Guitar Rig 3. I started recording a tune the other day when it arrived so I'll get round to finishing it soon and throwing it up.
Title: Re: NGD - Blackmachine
Post by: nfe on July 18, 2011, 02:56:24 PM
First thing I've recorded with this guitar. Sketch for a new tune, not happy tonally but it was just to throw something down with the new guitar, so it's settings I'd been recording with a different guitar.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/34431515/Epigraph.mp3