NGD (x2). New toys for ME!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Now and then one of the guitars I get to build I make for myself rather than to sell.
Recently this has happened twice - so I get to have a double NGD

Here they are in all their glory:


Some of you may have partially seen this coming as one of them is one of the 20th anniversary Lions, whilst the other is one of the Blackmachine B6s that we build with Doug.

Here is the 20th anniversary guitar
(we made 13 rather than 12 so I could keep one for posterity and still sell 12 to the public)

It's loaded with Cold Sweat Pickups, and has all my favourite components which are extensively listed on the thread about the 20th anniversary Lions

As ever has our all access neck joint on the back



Here is the Blackmachine B6



This is a slightly quirky version of the Blackmachine B6 that I make with Doug.
Yes - Blackmachine are alive and well  - he just needed a helping hand to keep a flow of B6s going out the door

It is both a throwback to things we did together in the past and a chance to test a few things out for myself.

This project will enable me to test out the new Graph Tech Ratio Tuners and get to grips with the Scahller Hannes bridge too, which I hadn't had the opportunity to fit previously.
The tuners have a different ratio for each string in an attempt to make each turn of the knob raise the pitch by the same amount on each string.
The pickups are a Bare Knuckle Pickups Cold Sweat Set.
The colour choice is a throwback to a Pink/blue zebra Seymour Duncan Custom pickup that Doug from Blackmachine and I used to trade back and forth in the early 1990s.

In a way it ties in aspects of our ongoing collaboration on the B6 line.

[darkbluemurder]

Those are beautiful guitars, even though those colored pickups are not my thing at all. I think the Tygyr covers would have looked great on that.

Cheers Stephan

[littleredguitars2]

Whoa mama

[FELINEGUITARS]

Those are beautiful guitars, even though those colored pickups are not my thing at all. I think the Tygyr covers would have looked great on that.

Cheers Stephan

I have a spare pair of Cold Sweats in Tyger finish for just that purpose in case i fancy the change

[darkbluemurder]

Looks like Cold Sweats are your favorites ...

[Kiichi]

Saw them on FB already and man are those beautys. Love the figuring on the B6. If they play half as good as they look...

[Telerocker]

Two beauties! I particularly like the Lion. Looks amazing!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Looks like Cold Sweats are your favorites ...

Yes - Mules, Cold Sweats, Rebel Yells and Miracle Man are my most used....and Mississippi Queens

the thin bodied Lion special on the left has a mule bridge (A5) and a Cold Sweat neck whilst the 20th has a pair of Cold Sweats (although I would equally enjoy it with A4 mules)

[dave_mc]

sweet :D

[James C]

I've got to say Jon, they look amazing!!

The figuring on the B6, pickup colours and the non-reverse headstock* must make it one of the most unique Blackmachines ever.

*is it still non-reverse if they come with a "reversed" headstock as standard

[JDC]

Any particular reason why you don't have a reverse headstock on the B6?

That's a lovely looking piece of swampash, are future B6s going to stick with the hannes? Saw the recent one's with the old bridge, much prefer the hannes myself

[FELINEGUITARS]

Originally B6s had the headstock this way round, but more and more got made/requested as reverse headstocks.
I do like the look of reverse headstocks, although they can have their own complications:
Reverse headstocks are more prone to open resonating strings behind the nut that vibrate in a frequency that is more easily excited by notes you'd play on the playing section of the neck - and carry on ringing after that note is played - hence the need for a hairband to dampen the string behind the nut you see on so many reverse headstocks.

Main reason though for the "normal headstock" is that I wanted to try the new ratio tuners (which seem awesome!) and each tuner is numbered and needs to be used for a specific string
Unfortunately they haven't made any sets for left handed guitars which is what you need for a right handed reverse headstock guitar.

We do have lots of these tuners in stock so yell if you want some.

Here is a shot of the parts I wanted to use for this guitar.

[littleredguitars2]

that bridge looks really cool.

[FELINEGUITARS]

The last 14 have had the Hipshot bridge and it's proved to be excellent.
Before that Doug had been using the Gotoh hardtail strat or similar bridges.

We are hoping to offer the Hannes as standard - maybe from the next batch onwards.

It is one of the reasons that I used my own build to get acclimatised to installing it.

So yes - Hannes will be seen more in the future

I have completed 14 Blackmachines so far this year and 6 more to make up the 20 I promised I'd help Doug get done during this year.

Here is a sight you don't see everyday (unless you work here that is)

[38thBeatle]

Asalways, stunning guitars Jonathan.