Blackmachine Guitars

[MDV]

Not sure I like the new guitar. The truth is in the playing of it, of course, but I'm not a huge fan of volutes, have no clue what idigbo sounds like, not so keen on the new body thickness and the maple neck is just so non-blackmachine  :?

Swamp ash body, indian rosewood neck B2 for me, I think. Maybe with a spalted top (subject to cost!)

[FELINEGUITARS]

The updated BM site is now up:

http://blackmachine.net/

Thanks for the heads up :)
I am disappointed with the changes he has made, particularily with the neck, but I am going to buy one anyway and then just hope it sounds as good as the B2.

Why disappointed?

All he has done is add an extra model...... that is different to the higher spec model, but at a greatly reduced price.

You can still get a B2 with its different construction , but the higher price reflects the extremely labour intensive nature of the build of the B2 as well as the high price of the materals.

The sound of the B6 is not as glassy and piano like as the B2- it is a bit warmer with a bit more midrange - more familiar to players of traditional brands.
In some ways it is an easier and more forgiving guitar to play - with the B2 there was nowhere to hide less than perfect technique.
I really liked it!

[QS-Nalle]

One of my customers got a Blackmachine custom built fanned fret 7- string.
And he bought the Diezel VH4 earlier, so that man is pretty much set for life ;).
The guitar he got was briefly the pic seen on Blackmachine's index page.
Fantastic looking guitar.

[noodleplugerine]

I need £1050.

Now.

[Ratrod]

I'm not into (super)strats but I'm digging this blackmachine Tele:

[temps]

The updated BM site is now up:

http://blackmachine.net/

Thanks for the heads up :)
I am disappointed with the changes he has made, particularily with the neck, but I am going to buy one anyway and then just hope it sounds as good as the B2.

Why disappointed?

All he has done is add an extra model...... that is different to the higher spec model, but at a greatly reduced price.

You can still get a B2 with its different construction , but the higher price reflects the extremely labour intensive nature of the build of the B2 as well as the high price of the materals.

The sound of the B6 is not as glassy and piano like as the B2- it is a bit warmer with a bit more midrange - more familiar to players of traditional brands.
In some ways it is an easier and more forgiving guitar to play - with the B2 there was nowhere to hide less than perfect technique.
I really liked it!

I really want the B2 for what people say it sounds like (the fat sound of a Les Paul with the note definition of a superstrat), and if the B6 sounds more familiar to players of traditional models, then why not just get a traditional model? Over here thanks to the exchange, I could get a USA Jackson SL2-MAH instead.

[WezV]

have no clue what idigbo sounds like

often interchangably sold as korina or limba or afara.  Personally i think the grain is slightly rougher than the black limba i have used but tonally they are pretty identical so think of it as warm, rich mahogany

The tree Idigbo comes from is Terminalia ivorensis  and only has light coloured wood, wheras the tree that produces white and black limba is Terminalia superba.  Sounds like it will be better because of the 'superba bit' but they really do sound the same and the price of the idigbo is much more reasonable for two almost identical woods

[FELINEGUITARS]

Not sure I like the new guitar. The truth is in the playing of it, of course, but I'm not a huge fan of volutes, have no clue what idigbo sounds like, not so keen on the new body thickness and the maple neck is just so non-blackmachine  :?

Swamp ash body, indian rosewood neck B2 for me, I think. Maybe with a spalted top (subject to cost!)

Idigbo - (Terminalia ivorensis - also called Black Afara)-is a similar wood to Limba-(Terminalia superba) and both are interchangably used under the name Korina by manufacturers.

My Korina V and Korina Lion (turquoise one ) are both Idigbo

Sound is quite acoustic played unplugged but nice and warm when plgged in.

Sound is not too dissimilar to Swamp ash

What is wrong with a volute - all it does is add strength to a neck at an otherwise weak point.
Is it the cosmetic appearance of it?
Or is it because Gibson started putting volutes on their necks (a good idea) in the early 70s at the same time that their quality control went to pieces (a bad idea) and for many years players avoided Gibsons with volutes just in case it was a bad one- it could just as easily have been a great one!

[FELINEGUITARS]

have no clue what idigbo sounds like

often interchangably sold as korina or limba or afara.  Personally i think the grain is slightly rougher than the black limba i have used but tonally they are pretty identical so think of it as warm, rich mahogany

The tree Idigbo comes from is Terminalia ivorensis  and only has light coloured wood, wheras the tree that produces white and black limba is Terminalia superba.  Sounds like it will be better because of the 'superba bit' but they really do sound the same and the price of the idigbo is much more reasonable for two almost identical woods

Ha ha - SNAP!

One other problem with Limba I have been told is that it can carry a parasite which can spoil the wood and some wood importers ont handle it as a result.

I have been really happy with Idigbo and i know that Fret King were using it too.

[WezV]

two minds working as one!!

dont know about nasty parasites but the worm holes in black limba create bright orange streaks

the only reason i would go for the black stuff is for the visual impact... and that adds a lot to the price.  I have beenusing a lot of idigbo recently but occasionally i need a black limba fix

worth it when it looks like this

[lepersmeesa]

Cheers temps!

noodleplugerine, I guess you werent coming to see us, which night was it?

I can't see why people are complaining about the b6. As already mentioned, the B2 is still available.

Think about this way. Would you rather an Ibanez prestige (factory made) or hand made B6....simple for me. Pickups alone.

[MDV]

Thanks Wez and Feline! I like the sound of the sound of idigbo. I do like korina and mahogany, so its a no-brainer really.

Feline, I dont like volutes because they feel weird to me! No real rational reason. No extreme hatred for them or anything, either: like I said, just not so keen. A volute on its own would never stop me buying an otherwise great playing, great sounding guitar.

The B2 being more "piano like" and the the B6 more conventional seals it for me though. B2 it is (probably!!)

[noodleplugerine]

Cheers temps!

noodleplugerine, I guess you werent coming to see us, which night was it?

I can't see why people are complaining about the b6. As already mentioned, the B2 is still available.

Think about this way. Would you rather an Ibanez prestige (factory made) or hand made B6....simple for me. Pickups alone.

I was there to see Halide - Mates of mine.

[blue]

What is wrong with a volute - all it does is add strength to a neck at an otherwise weak point.
Is it the cosmetic appearance of it?
Or is it because Gibson started putting volutes on their necks (a good idea) in the early 70s at the same time that their quality control went to pieces (a bad idea) and for many years players avoided Gibsons with volutes just in case it was a bad one- it could just as easily have been a great one!

i admit i had that mindset, "volutes must be bad and should be avoided". not quite sure where i heard it, but it WAS in relation to 70's Gibsons.  having since become the owner of several Patrick Eggles, which all have volutes, and indeed a 70's Gibson, i'm quite comfortable with them! in fact i quite like them, i've almost become paranoid about my non-volute Gibsons, feeling that they're more fragile.

not that i go around smacking the headstocks off walls or anything  :roll:

[FernandoDuarte]

I'm not into (super)strats but I'm digging this blackmachine Tele:

I like this Tele so much, too!