Blackmachine Guitars?

[musopaul]

Anyone on here got any experience of a 7 string Blackmachine?!

Cant seem to find any info on reviews, prices, lead times or options.

Tried to contact them on the website with no joy!

Thanks,

[technomancer]

2-3 year backlog, not currently taking orders. I think that about sums it up

Oh and a ridiculously large cadre of fanbois who have never even seen one in person much less played one.

[Uncle Remus]

They have received mythical status amongst some people but I think it's getting a bit out of hand now

[Poho]

i've been on a waiting list to have a B2 made for over a year now, and i haven't heard from Doug since he put me on the list

EDIT: not to complain or anything. just noting that the demand for these is tremendous, and the poor dude makes all of them by hand by himself

[-Nolly-]

Originally Posted by technomancer

2-3 year backlog, not currently taking orders. I think that about sums it up

Oh and a ridiculously large cadre of fanbois who have never even seen one in person much less played one.

This.
But, they are awesome.

[FearFactoryDBCR]

Isn't there a dude on youtube with one?

It's a B7 or B8

Either way he can't play one. Best to check it out though to give you an idea on craftsmanship and tone.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Great reputation around here, awefully long wait list.

[Konfyouzd]

Originally Posted by technomancer

2-3 year backlog, not currently taking orders. I think that about sums it up

Oh and a ridiculously large cadre of fanbois who have never even seen one in person much less played one.

[iondestroyer1527]

i want one but am resigned to the fact that i'll never have one...they LOOK cool enough to pay the money to get one

[loktide]

Originally Posted by technomancer

2-3 year backlog, not currently taking orders. I think that about sums it up

Oh and a ridiculously large cadre of fanbois who have never even seen one in person much less played one.

this pretty much sums it up

[Meshugger]

The Blackmachines are slowly becoming the Stradivariuses of guitars. At least according to the hype that surrounds them.

And yes, i would love to try one out.

[leonardo7]

Ive heard of them on this site but thats about it. Other than here Ive never heard of them. They are not a very well known company really. So my question is, why such a long wait? Im not sure I can ever support a company that doesnt respond and takes nearly 3 years to produce a guitar.

[Customisbetter]

^Its not a company. its ONE guy, Doug. The only reason he has the Blackmachine name is ... actually i have no total idea, but i think its just so his guitars have a name. :

[Demeyes]

Originally Posted by leonardo7

Ive heard of them on this site but thats about it. Other than here Ive never heard of them. They are not a very well known company really. So my question is, why such a long wait? Im not sure I can ever support a company that doesnt respond and takes nearly 3 years to produce a guitar.

Well Blackmachine is just one guy, he makes the guitars and has to deal with people getting in touch about them too. He can only make so much by himself and with the hype about them that makes for a long wait time. Plus the more time he spends contacting people about the status of their build, the less time he can spend on working on the guitar itself.

[Meshugger]

Originally Posted by technomancer

2-3 year backlog, not currently taking orders. I think that about sums it up

Oh and a ridiculously large cadre of fanbois who have never even seen one in person much less played one.

Wait did you just mean that he doesn't take any orders for the next 2-3 years? So, if i would happen to save money for a B7 for the next 2-3 years, i would just be on the waiting list? Which in turn would mean that another 2-3 years to get one done for me? Ultimately, this would mean that i would have to wait 6 years in total?

If so, sign me up to batshitcrazyland, because i might have the 3500£ by then

[rebirth]

Originally Posted by Demeyes

Well Blackmachine is just one guy, he makes the guitars and has to deal with people getting in touch about them too. He can only make so much by himself and with the hype about them that makes for a long wait time. Plus the more time he spends contacting people about the status of their build, the less time he can spend on working on the guitar itself.

Correct however that being said you can order a black machine b6 anytime for 1600 pounds, however this is a really stripped down black machine guitar without all the stuff that makes them sooo desirable.
I would take my ESP mx 250 Explorer custom order over any black machine 6 string, although to be fair it cost's a lot more to make than a black machine lol.

[Deathbringer769]

What makes Blackmachines so much better/desirable than other top quality custom shops/luthiers? Is it because of their mythical rarity? Because Bulb has one? Or are they just that good?

[-Nolly-]

Originally Posted by Deathbringer769

What makes Blackmachines so much better/desirable than other top quality custom shops/luthiers? Is it because of their mythical rarity? Because Bulb has one? Or are they just that good?

Aesthetics + mystique + scarcity + great instruments.

The hype has existed since long before Misha got his, though that surely hasn't helped.

[leonardo7]

A one man show huh? That makes sense as to the wait time. I guess its a case of if you want one bad enough and are willing to wait then its worth it. Id bet his guitars dont drop in value much do they! He should bust ass and make a short run of some popular specs. They would go fast from Ive heard.

[xwmucradiox]

Originally Posted by Deathbringer769

What makes Blackmachines so much better/desirable than other top quality custom shops/luthiers? Is it because of their mythical rarity? Because Bulb has one? Or are they just that good?

I think I have one of the first ones to show up in the western hemisphere. I got mine pretty much right after the Sikth dude started playing them but I dont think people were even that big into Sikth at that point. At that point they were pretty mysterious but there wasn't much hype. People just thought they looked cool. I waited about a year for mine and it is a really great instrument. Doug blatantly ignored my specs and built my guitar with a swamp ash body when I requested mahogany and he specifically said he had some one piece mahogany blanks in stock. After waiting a year I was pretty pissed since he indicated that he would take pretty much just as long to build a replacement if I wanted my order done right. I got free shipping and called it a day. Sort of soured me on the whole thing a little. Doesn't make the guitar any less great though. Its like a piano with strap buttons.

I would like to play one of his fanned-fret instruments as they look cool but I dont think I would order another after the issue with the body wood on my B2. I love all the ebony mine has though.

[7 Strings of Hate]

Originally Posted by xwmucradiox

I think I have one of the first ones to show up in the western hemisphere. I got mine pretty much right after the Sikth dude started playing them but I dont think people were even that big into Sikth at that point. At that point they were pretty mysterious but there wasn't much hype. People just thought they looked cool. I waited about a year for mine and it is a really great instrument. Doug blatantly ignored my specs and built my guitar with a swamp ash body when I requested mahogany and he specifically said he had some one piece mahogany blanks in stock. After waiting a year I was pretty pissed since he indicated that he would take pretty much just as long to build a replacement if I wanted my order done right. I got free shipping and called it a day. Sort of soured me on the whole thing a little. Doesn't make the guitar any less great though. Its like a piano with strap buttons.

I would like to play one of his fanned-fret instruments as they look cool but I dont think I would order another after the issue with the body wood on my B2. I love all the ebony mine has though.

thats one thing i do hear. Doug thinking he knows what the customers want more than the customers do. I understand not wanting to do certain methods i.e. neck through vs. bolt on because of your philosphy, but that wood issue is bs. and to correct it, you should have been first on the list.

[xwmucradiox]

Originally Posted by 7 Strings of Hate

thats one thing i do hear. Doug thinking he knows what the customers want more than the customers do. I understand not wanting to do certain methods i.e. neck through vs. bolt on because of your philosphy, but that wood issue is bs. and to correct it, you should have been first on the list.

Yeah he just didn't seem interested in making any serious effort to correct the issue. I understand the guy has a philosophy and I would have been fine if he said "look I only make these in swamp ash" but to say I have the wood in my hand for your build and then go in a completely different direction was really weak.

Oddly enough if I were to order another metal guitar custom I would probably get swamp ash.

[vampiregenocide]

Pretty sure the Blachmachine shop is based in Mount Olympus, the long waiting order is because he gets harpies to courier the order forms to him.

[Customisbetter]

Originally Posted by xwmucradiox

Oddly enough if I were to order another metal guitar custom I would probably get swamp ash.

Maybe he DID know what you wanted.

thats pretty annoying though. i don't give a shit about wood, but if he had changed something else like the bridge type or something like that, i would probably be pissed.

[CloudAC]

Originally Posted by Customisbetter

Maybe he DID know what you wanted.

thats pretty annoying though. i don't give a shit about wood, but if he had changed something else like the bridge type or something like that, i would probably be pissed.

but with Black Machine's most of the time it matters aethetics wise because of the natural finishes he uses to make them look so awesome.