# NGD/Review: Blackat Leon D7 in Frost Ice Blue



## bulb (Nov 26, 2013)

Hey guys

This one is coming a bit late since I just got back from tour and have been exceptionally lazy whilst decompressing. Didn't even look at a guitar for a few days which was a shame since I had this waiting for me and had just received my gorgeous Vigier 7 (NGD/Review coming!)

Now I haven't had much experience with Blackat guitars apart from the fact that a few friends whose opinions I trust had told me the guitars were awesome. With that said, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the guitar. The fit and finish were great, very good attention to detail, and right off the bat it felt good and solid in my hands. 
Thanks to the basswood body (which pretty much is my goto wood when pairing with a bolt-on neck) it is lightweight and in my experience lightweight means that it will work well for my sound. 

The two things that set this apart from other guitars actually have to do with the neck itself. First off it is asymetrical with the thinner side being on the bass side. This is interesting because it actually fits the shape of your hand rather neatly. It was a bit foreign feeling at first because I have never played a neck with such a shape, but I have to admit I really like it now. That combined with the profile make for a nice combination. The second, and perhaps more important difference is that it has a rosewood neck with ebony fillets, not unlike my Blackmachine B2. 

I find that that specific kind of neck (meaning dense rosewood) tends to give the guitar a certain "directness" to the notes. There are 3 guitars that I own that share this quality, one is my Blackmachine B2, the next is my PRS Modern Eagle and the third is this one. Notes pop out immediately, and this is especially noticeable during hammer-ons. Very cool! It should be noted that this characteristic is something that you can hear on the guitar acoustically, and the effect is only further amplified (no pun intended) when plugged in.

It is probably no secret at this point that my signature BKP Juggernaut set is definitely the perfect set in my eyes, so obviously this has a set installed. When this guitar was ordered (before the pickup was announced) the covers were not available (due to their slightly different height) but they complement this guitar fantastically. The low mids are full, and seem to roll off at just the right point to allow the purr to ring fantastically, and the top end is rich and not overbearing. Notes and chords will sound even across the range, and picking hard will get you the attack you want without ever sounding harsh. Definitely one of the most balanced sounding 7s I have! 

All in all the guitar came out fantastic, and I highly recommend working with Tom at Blackat.

An interesting side note: At this point I have so many 7's with Juggs in them, and I have to say I am kind of amazed at how different these guitars can sound. They all share similar characteristics related to the pickup (full sound, dynamic, not harsh, fantastic on bridge leads and cleans, super tight) but comparing these instruments back to back, their unique character and overall eq curve completely shines through. Anyone who says that woods/construction on a guitar doesn't make a lick of difference is a difficult and potentially deaf moron.

And with that I give you pics:






























Specs:
BKP Juggernauts, rosewood/ebony neck, Basswood body, ivoroid binding on fretboard and headstock, natural on body, 5A flame maple top


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## narad (Nov 26, 2013)

Buy blackat stock now.


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## Watty (Nov 26, 2013)

With all the other guitars mentioned, I think we're due a group shot.


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## JoshuaVonFlash (Nov 26, 2013)

Been wanting one of these since I saw Ola playing one.


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## Khoi (Nov 26, 2013)

Amazing as always, Misha

I can certainly attest to your sentiments about the rosewood... it's become my favorite neck wood for the very description you give. All the rosewood necked guitars that I've played have this certain 'pop' to them, a particular articulation and clarity that just makes the notes jump out.


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## bulb (Nov 26, 2013)

Khoi said:


> Amazing as always, Misha
> 
> I can certainly attest to your sentiments about the rosewood... it's become my favorite neck wood for the very description you give. All the rosewood necked guitars that I've played have this certain 'pop' to them, a particular articulation and clarity that just makes the notes jump out.



Ah that's awesome, glad you know what I am talking about, I LOVE that sound. It is one of the things that first got me so turned on to Blackmachines!
 
I should clarify that I have played some rosewood necked guitars that don't have particularly dense rosewood (I would venture to guess less dense than a maple neck) and in those cases, they didn't share this characteristic and instead gave the guitar a deeper timbre (like my last BFR JP7) which was a cool albeit completely different character.


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## SilverEvolver (Nov 26, 2013)

Thanks for the write up! I learned a few things and solidified a few others with regards to my own thoughts. It's a beautiful guitar for sure!


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## Dawn of the Shred (Nov 26, 2013)

Nice!


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## ExtendedRange (Nov 26, 2013)

Nice kitty. Much interest in the Vigier. I shall wait.


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## judgey1197 (Nov 26, 2013)

DAMN Thats nice. 
Also, do you have any tips on dialing in a periphery tone on a line 6 POD?


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## RickSchneider (Nov 26, 2013)

Very nice, glad to see you have another brilliant guitar in your ever expanding collection. Also back on the rosewood topic, I'm now so excited for my 7 string custom - i went with rosewood/ebony fillets just the same as this!


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## JoeyBTL (Nov 26, 2013)

Definitely a very nice looking guitar. I love the neck!

How would you say the basswood and rosewood compares mahogany and rosewood?


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## Discoqueen (Nov 26, 2013)

That's pretty! You should make a few comparisons between all your djug equipped 'tars, it'd be cool to see (hear).


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## Gram negative (Nov 26, 2013)

Cool Guitar, man. I have had my eye on these for quite a while. The neck profile sounds really appealing.

HNGD, Misha!


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## CloudAC (Nov 26, 2013)

Looks beautiful Misha, you always pick the best shades of blue! HNGD!


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## Shawn (Nov 26, 2013)

Beautiful guitar. Great review too!


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## AkiraSpectrum (Nov 26, 2013)

Damn Misha, you have great taste.
Congrats on that baby, she is beautiful!


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## lewstherin006 (Nov 26, 2013)

That's one sexy puss


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## HaloHat (Nov 27, 2013)

Shweet 

Cool head stock 

Not cool upper bout strap post lol

Overall massive guitar porn 

Ebony, its the ebony


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## Hollowway (Nov 27, 2013)

Count me among the difficult and potentially deaf morons, but not among the blind - that is one hot guitar! I like the shades of blue you pick for your guitars, and I really like this one with the white binding. It's good to see the Blackat guys getting recognition. And props to them for naming the model something that doesn't have to do with danger or destruction.


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Nov 27, 2013)

Damn man, that thing is sweet! Need clips!


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## MF_Kitten (Nov 27, 2013)

I love it! I'm really interested in an asymmetrical neck profile, which I've only tried once, in Fredrik Thordendal's 27" scale LACS "33" 7 string, and even then I didn't play that one for long enough to really get a feel for what it was like. It did feel dreamy as hell though, and I played it after Allen got to do a full setup on it, so it was like BUTTER.

How do you feel about neck carves now that you've got a bunch of different interesting ones in your collection? Any favourites sticking out, or any obvious trends in your neck preferences?


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## Stijnson (Nov 27, 2013)

Happy NGD Misha! She looks awesome. I've been considering a rosewood/walnut neck for my future custom (constantly planning you know ) and your description really convinced me. Do you have a preference considering a rosewood vs maple neck? Or as long as they are dense its ok? 
Either way, the rosewood neck looks absolutely stunning and gives a nice contrast to the body wood, sonically and visually.

Can't wait for the Vigier 7 review!


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## Daf57 (Nov 27, 2013)

Beautiful guitar, man! Just love it. Big congrats!


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## SeductionS (Nov 27, 2013)

That looks gorgeous!


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## manu80 (Nov 27, 2013)

So beautiful...


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## Fred the Shred (Nov 27, 2013)

Hollowway said:


> Count me among the difficult and potentially deaf morons, but not among the blind - that is one hot guitar! I like the shades of blue you pick for your guitars, and I really like this one with the white binding. It's good to see the Blackat guys getting recognition. And props to them for naming the model something that doesn't have to do with danger or destruction.



All the Blackat models are named after Tomek's cats.


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## s4tch (Nov 27, 2013)

Very nice images. You also have some photographic and photoshop skills.  I dig the same blue on the latest Jackson custom shop, too.

Studio shots on fb for those who haven't seen it yet:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.594264627298104.1073741859.272741076117129&type=1


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## JP Universe (Nov 27, 2013)

Hollowway said:


> Count me among the difficult and potentially deaf morons, but not among the blind - that is one hot guitar! I like the shades of blue you pick for your guitars, and I really like this one with the white binding. It's good to see the Blackat guys getting recognition. And props to them for naming the model something that doesn't have to do with danger or destruction.





There's a select few (Bulb & Alain come to mind) that I trust when it comes to posts about wood affecting tone. I think in order to make a judgment you really need to have gone through A LOT of guitars that are similar (wood combo being the only difference) and have judged them one after the other with the same setup. 

There's far too much bullshit on the internet with folk that have played a handful of guitars (often different guitar makers with different pickups) in their lifetime with 'oh yeah, I really like the mids in the *Insert zomg wood combo of the moment* and it's the best etc etc.... reminds me of 'neck through guitars have more sustain' argument....

I've owned 30 different guitars and played over 50 easily... I dedicated countless hours working on my tone and honing my ear and I've played for 15 years. I STILL don't feel comfortable recommending quoting wood combos for tone to anyone that asks me... I tell them to go for what looks aesthetically the best and look at the characteristic of that wood, then decide on pickups that balance out the tone that they are after. 

TL;DR - I believe that wood affects tone but nowhere near what the internet suggests and most of it is keyboard warriors jumping on bandwagons.... If that makes me 'difficult and a potentially deaf moron' then so be it 

Oh and congrats Bulb, gorgeous guitar as always!!! Blackat just received 20 orders in the time I wrote this


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## matisq (Nov 27, 2013)

Nice score bro!
Good that here in Poland we have so great guitar manufacture as Blackat.


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## hairychris (Nov 27, 2013)

Very nice.

Big fan of the snap that rosewood gives too, and of course the pr0nzy feel!


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## ramses (Nov 27, 2013)

Are those CNC dots?? Beautiful regardless.


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## NickVicious24 (Nov 27, 2013)

Very impressed  Too bad the new site from Blackat still aint working


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## ElRay (Nov 27, 2013)

JP Universe said:


> There's a select few (Bulb & Alain come to mind) that I trust when it comes to posts about wood affecting tone.


But it's still anecdotal, and from the perspective of somebody making a decision about a guitar that they're playing and know the composition of. Show my some double-blind studies, and I'll agree.


JP Universe said:


> ... I've owned 30 different guitars and played over 50 easily... I dedicated countless hours working on my tone and honing my ear and I've played for 15 years. I STILL don't feel comfortable recommending quoting wood combos for tone to anyone that asks me...


And I think there's another piece of evidence for tone wood voodoo.

I won't argue that a particular piece of wood will affect the sound differently than another piece of wood, especially to the person playing the instrument, but the "this species of wood has this specific, identifiable, consistent, tonal characteristics" or other "toan voodoo" claims, especially given the frequency characteristics of pick-ups, effects, amps, cabs, speakers, mics, PA's, recording, mixing, mastering, digital sampling, speakers/headphones/monitors/earbuds is mostly observational/conformational bias.

That said, she's still a beauty.

Ray


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## Cowboyfromhell (Nov 27, 2013)

Looks amazing ! I like the colors and combination of woods you use for your guitars but i think that the neck is the real deal here  .


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## beerybobb (Nov 27, 2013)

Sexy. My Skervesens have those same type of necks and they're amazingly comfortable.


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## bulb (Nov 27, 2013)

ElRay said:


> But it's still anecdotal, and from the perspective of somebody making a decision about a guitar that they're playing and know the composition of. Show my some double-blind studies, and I'll agree.And I think there's another piece of evidence for tone wood voodoo.
> 
> I won't argue that a particular piece of wood will affect the sound differently than another piece of wood, especially to the person playing the instrument, but the "this species of wood has this specific, identifiable, consistent, tonal characteristics" or other "toan voodoo" claims, especially given the frequency characteristics of pick-ups, effects, amps, cabs, speakers, mics, PA's, recording, mixing, mastering, digital sampling, speakers/headphones/monitors/earbuds is mostly observational/conformational bias.
> 
> ...



I have always argued that wood density/consistency is really what makes a difference as opposed to wood type. For example ash and mahogany can be anywhere from dense to relatively light, so the wood type alone would be too broad to assign a "tone" to. However I have found that guitars that have light density bodies, very dense necks and bolt-on or set neck construction tend to yield certain characteristics that I like. And regardless of all of this, my 7 string guitars that all have bolt-on construction and Juggernaut pickups all sound notably different from one another, more than I think most people would realize. I think it is in part the pickup being a very dynamic one and allowing the wood and construction to shine through as opposed to a super compressed pickup with an active circuit like an EMG 81 or something. But there is undeniably a difference in the tone and timbre of those instruments.


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## Kullerbytta (Nov 27, 2013)

Wow, that's real nice, Misha!
I've been GASing for a Blackat for so long now... Same kind of blue on a poplar top on their super tele-model


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## Skullet (Nov 27, 2013)

Welcome to the club - love my blackat and saving as we speak for my custom


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## narad (Nov 27, 2013)

bulb said:


> And regardless of all of this, my 7 string guitars that all have bolt-on construction and Juggernaut pickups all sound notably different from one another, more than I think most people would realize. I think it is in part the pickup being a very dynamic one and allowing the wood and construction to shine through as opposed to a super compressed pickup with an active circuit like an EMG 81 or something. But there is undeniably a difference in the tone and timbre of those instruments.



I pretty much agree with all of this, but what people then do with this information is where the crazy comes in. You have guys seeking out very particular combinations of wood, pieces of wood, specific weights, etc. all thinking that it's going to make a significant difference in their enjoyment of the instrument or the recorded sound. If sitting in front of me are cans of Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Dr. Pepper Zero, and Dr. Pepper with cane sugar, in a scenario where you can immediately A/B them, I can easily taste the difference. However, hand one to me out of the blue when I'm thirsty, and I'd be hard pressed. 

If you're in the studio and you have a dozen guitars all there with Juggernauts, I'm sure they're all slightly different and there's naturally one that stands out as the right tool for the job, but you can tell from the comments on this board that some guys read what you say and the gears start turning... "neeed basswood body...neeed rosewood neck...."


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## caskettheclown (Nov 27, 2013)

Never heard of Blackat before but now that i have i'll definitely keep an eye out for them.

That guitar looks orgasmic


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## serch777 (Nov 28, 2013)

I've heard nothing but good things about Blackat; I'll need to get one of those next year.


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## jephjacques (Nov 28, 2013)

ElRay said:


> Show me some double-blind studies, and I'll agree.



The trouble is that there is basically no way to do a proper, scientifically rigorous study of this. Different planks of wood sound different even if they're from the same species, maybe even the same TREE. Add to that all the other variables (humidity, time spent curing, age of the wood, how the guitar is built, whether elves were involved, unicorn blood in the wood glue, did Bulb say nice things about it on an internet forum , etc) and it's impossible to have any sort of consistency.

I like Bulb's ideas about it because he's speaking in generalities, and generalities are more plausible to me than "flamed maple from Michigan sounds different than flamed maple from Vermont."


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## ihunda (Nov 28, 2013)

Congrats Bulb, that's an amazing looking feral guitar!

Loled hard @ the guy who asked for pod settings a few posts earlier


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## Musiscience (Nov 28, 2013)

Happy NGD, this looks fantastic!

My  about the wood question : while wood is relatively important in any instrument, it is way more of a priority, and noticeable, in an acoustic than a pickup equipped guitar. Especially when the signal is highly transformed in the process, going through a large amount of gain and effects, being blended into the mix with other instruments and being toyed with in production after it has been tracked. I really think the pickups will shine through a lot more in the end. I think that in an electric instrument, build quality, good/appropriate pickups and comfort (weight and feel of neck) should be more of a concern than wood choice for tonal reasons. 

Then again I have a lot less experience than bulb toying with combinations of wood and production. It is just what I have subjectively experienced for myself. 

In the end, it's all about what inspires you to create


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## jephjacques (Nov 28, 2013)

Wood definitely makes a difference, it's just hard to quantify exactly what that difference is!


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## jemfloral (Nov 28, 2013)

Another beauty, Misha, happy NGD!


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## Charvel7string (Nov 28, 2013)

Question now that they make rosewood necks could they make ebony Necks? i know that guitar would cost like 50 grand from all that ebonyXD


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## jephjacques (Nov 28, 2013)

Ebony is much more prone to cracking, so it's not the best choice for a solid neck. It can be done, but it's prohibitively expensive, and difficult to find a large enough stable piece of wood.


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## Charvel7string (Nov 29, 2013)

wouldnt it sound like a maple neck basicly


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## Lorcan Ward (Nov 29, 2013)

I'm a firm believer in tone wood but I can never tell on an old recording if I used my Swamp Ash, Mahogany or basswood 7. I can tell straight away if it was Amp sims/Kemper/Axe-fx/Engl E530/POD HD etc though.

Awesome guitar! The ones I tried at Messe were great.


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## Charvel7string (Mar 28, 2014)

I want one so bad!! Gas!!!


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