# NGD: Black Water Double I (mountains and ziricote!)



## Polythoral (Mar 10, 2013)

This actually arrived a few days back but I haven't had time to make an actual NGD thread until now (work sucks).

First, specs...

Body: Black Walnut
Neck: Neckthrough, 5 piece wenge with flamed maple stringers
Top: Bookmatched ziricote
Binding: Flamed maple
Fretboard: Flamed maple with ziricote mountain inlay

25.5" scale
Bare Knuckle Blackhawk pickups
Maple knobs
Hipshot Baby Grand bridge
Hipshot locking tuners
Stainless steel frets
Luminlay side dots

Now, the pictures I took...

A BOX. At least USPS sure takes care of things marked fragile... -___- (the other side actually had a huge tear in it that packing peanuts were falling out everywhere...)






A case...





well hello there sexy. (*note: I broke that string tuning up after just getting it when it was still Wisconsin-cold. figured I should note that.)*





fu USPS, jesus. (Aaron said that after seeing this he is going to pack way better from now on, so no one freak out or anything)















Nice and thin. 





flameyflame and mountains.





knobs.





Baby Grand!















Angled jack is nice.





Headstock (fakku, I will always love these headstocks)





dat ass, dat heel.





GOOOOOLD.





graingraingrain










dat access







Now, bit of review.

First thing I want to say is that this guitar sounds AMAZING. I don't have clips or anything yet (haven't even had time to tone search for it yet, just using old patches) but believe me, the Blackhawks in this thing sound phenomenal for everything thus far, cleans, leads, and rhythm. It has TONS of clarity, very good sustain, and a pretty snappy sounding attack.

Aesthetically, I really couldn't be happier. Aaron did quite a few really awesome things by his own will that I would never have thought of that really make a few parts pop even better, and the inlay was done extremely well. There are a couple slight imperfections around including some spots in the binding (to be fair, Aaron didn't have much experience doing binding before, and had never done wood binding) and the side dots are a little sloppy at some points (this should probably bother me more than it does because it shouldn't happen, but it's such a minor thing I won't let it get me down at all). Disregarding those things though (which you wouldn't notice without some scrutiny, which I definitely put this guitar through, haha) everything else seems very well done.

Playability-wise, again, this guitar is fantastic. The neck is probably one of the nicest I've ever played, both in feel (I've played some rosewood necks and think I prefer this.) and shape (I opt'd to gamble and just go with Aaron's default shape. Turns out (to me at least) it's sorta like a slightly thinner EBMM JP neck in feel, which is literally about exactly what I could want). I do need to get a proper set-up done for it since it went from Texas to Wisconsin, but I don't trust myself at the moment and can't seem to locate a decent local tech. ._. As is already though, it's really easy to play aside from the action being a tad high for my taste. The bridge actually feels really good to me, though I'm known to be rather indifferent to the feel of different bridges. It definitely does feel like a lower profile TOM bridge as a lot of people who have played them describe them. The only problem I have with the guitar in the playability side is that even though the fretwork is pretty fantastic overall, the 17th fret on the high E is very slightly high (slightly killing the 15th and 16th frets when played) and the 24th fret on the high E is actually really low. After I received it me and Aaron talked for a while and when I mentioned the frets to him he did offer to do whatever to make it right by me, but I decided not to just because shipping back and forth, and because Aaron already did tons for me in ratio to what I actually paid, in my opinion. I'll just wait until I find a tech that can fix the frets for me, especially since as is the 17th fret doesn't entirely cause any other frets to die and the 24th is playable with some extra effort. 

So yeah, I'm generally ecstatic by how it turned out and have zero regrets about the purchase/order. It's not perfect, nonetheless I'm perfectly happy because it is still a fantastic instrument and more or less exactly what I was looking for. 

Also, even if some of the flaws I've listed in my build scare you, don't let them entirely scare you off. Aaron's a great guy to work with, and he's always learning and striving to be better and better, and if you are unhappy with what you get he will do right by you!


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## Polythoral (Mar 10, 2013)

Some more pics...


























Ziricote!










Baby grand again.


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## axxessdenied (Mar 10, 2013)

Beautiful guitar! Great, honest review. Nice write up, Josh. ENJOY THAT FUCKING AXE


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## Nile (Mar 10, 2013)

I really really really like the look of that bridge on the guitar.


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## Chocopuppet (Mar 10, 2013)

Baby grands are some beautiful bridges! That gold goes well with the grain. Gives it a really nice "warm" look. Happy NGD!


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## Captain Butterscotch (Mar 10, 2013)

It's odd because...because somehow he has captured sex in the shape of a guitar. Fascinating.


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## IbanezDaemon (Mar 10, 2013)

Beautiful. That is one great looking guitar!!


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## F0rte (Mar 10, 2013)

Fucking GAS.


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## Lagtastic (Mar 10, 2013)

Loving that inlay.


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## gunch (Mar 10, 2013)

I love that bridge

I love that inlay

That's a really nice peice


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## eight_strings_bro (Mar 10, 2013)

LolWotGuitar said:


> Fucking GAS.



EXACTLY.

And DUDE I SAW THIS ON BWGC'S FACEBOOK WUTTT o:


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## iRaiseTheDead (Mar 10, 2013)

Dude. Everything about this piece.


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## flypap3r (Mar 10, 2013)

That is spectacular! Very classy fretboard. HNGD!


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## Aghasura (Mar 10, 2013)

gorgeous guitar man. Sorry to hear about the issues you found, but good to hear you're very pleased overall.


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## Fluxx (Mar 10, 2013)

Cool, I read on the warmoth website that the baby grand bridge doesn't work well on guitars that aren't carved tops. Having any issues getting good action on the 3rd and 4th strings at all?

Either way, HNGD! She's a real looker!


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## engage757 (Mar 10, 2013)

I have been watching this one on Facebook! Always had the idea to put the mountain range in COlorado where I grew up silohuetted (or however you spell that) on a fretboard. What range did you model this after?

Freaking beautiful bro!


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## mphsc (Mar 10, 2013)

looks great, love the inlay idea.


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## engage757 (Mar 10, 2013)

Aaron is quickly becoming a luthier of interest for me. Hmmmm...


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## Gram negative (Mar 10, 2013)

Thats a really pretty guitar! I love the inlay...


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## Robtheripper (Mar 10, 2013)

OMG....All i can say is you lucky bastard and WOW what a beautiful instrument


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## Lagtastic (Mar 10, 2013)

engage757 said:


> Aaron is quickly becoming a luthier of interest for me. Hmmmm...




Same here Z. I've already got a couple customs with a deposit down and another cool one showing up within a month, but every time I see a Blackwater NGD I like these guitars more and more. If I wasn't changing jobs and possibly moving cross country in the coming months I would have already been in contact. Fkn GAS!


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## Khoi (Mar 10, 2013)

Fantastic.

The classiest guitar I've ever seen!


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## Black Mamba (Mar 10, 2013)

Stunning! HNGD!


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## Jzbass25 (Mar 10, 2013)

One of the classiest guitars I have ever seen, there is so much beauty in this thing without being gaudy at all. 

I have been wanting to get a blackwater for about a year now and this might just set me over the edge... how much are blue pretty good condition '05 1527s selling for nowadays? =P


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## WaffleTheEpic (Mar 11, 2013)

That's it.
When I have enough money, I'm ordering a VERY SIMILAR fanned fret seven string from him.


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## Adrenaline (Mar 11, 2013)

This very well may be one of the most pretty geetars i done have seen in my day. I normally hate gold on guitars but hot diggity damn that is perdy


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## Depressed_Oracle (Mar 11, 2013)

That is absolutely mind blowing, wow, beautiful. Congrats, man!


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## Polythoral (Mar 11, 2013)

Fluxx said:


> Cool, I read on the warmoth website that the baby grand bridge doesn't work well on guitars that aren't carved tops. Having any issues getting good action on the 3rd and 4th strings at all?
> 
> Either way, HNGD! She's a real looker!


Not sure honestly as of yet. Like I said, I haven't set it up myself. Going to try to find an experienced tech around a bit more, but if my searches fail, I'll do it myself, just figured to get it professionally set-up the first time would be best.



engage757 said:


> I have been watching this one on Facebook! Always had the idea to put the mountain range in COlorado where I grew up silhouetted (or however you spell that) on a fretboard. What range did you model this after?
> 
> Freaking beautiful bro!



Nothing specific actually, sadly, haha. As a person from Wisconsin I haven't even experienced much time around mountains aside from 2 trips out around Wyoming. It sort of more just had an aim at representing my love for the outdoors, nature, traveling/exploring/wandering, and such. 

If you didn't notice, this is actually set up so the peaks on this fictional range mark the typically marked frets when it comes to inlays, so it is attractive and functional! ;o


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## Given To Fly (Mar 11, 2013)

That is a fantastic looking guitar! I think your choice of woods, hardware, and pickups go uniquely well together.


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## sojorel (Mar 11, 2013)

I've always liked the landscape effect that can be achieved with ziricote sometimes. This is the logical conclusion and looks great


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## maruzen (Mar 11, 2013)

absolutely stunning 

this just smashed my standard of beautiful for a guitar...

congratulations!


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## Pikka Bird (Mar 11, 2013)

Polythoral said:


> If you didn't notice, this is actually set up so the peaks on this fictional range mark the typically marked frets when it comes to inlays, so it is attractive and functional! ;o



That is completely brilliant!

All in all this is a jaw-droppingly awesome build, even with the minor flaws.

Now, about the side dots- it looks like he installed them and then radiused the board, correct? That's too bad, but perhaps it was necessitated by a miscalculation somewhere else, who knows?

And what are the springs in the bridge actually for? To me it looks like they'd be in the way if you wanted to move a saddle almost fully forward...


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## will_shred (Mar 11, 2013)

Super classy and super metal... wow. that's so fucking awesome


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## ShadyDavey (Mar 11, 2013)

That's astonishingly beautiful - I particularly love the inlays


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## TIBrent (Mar 11, 2013)

Polythoral said:


>


Seriously, how slick is that chamfer, dang! This is an exquisite build, all around. Down to the very last detail. Be very stoked, you have one of the nicest new guitars the world has seen in quite a while (in my opinion). LOVE THIS AX!


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## Konfyouzd (Mar 11, 2013)

WOW... That is some good looking work.


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## Dawn of the Shred (Mar 11, 2013)

Congrats.... Beautiful man just beautiful


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## ghostred7 (Mar 11, 2013)

Gorgeous! HNGD!


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## JPMike (Mar 11, 2013)

F M L!!!


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## Experimorph (Mar 11, 2013)

Absolutely stunning! Enjoy her.


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## Ocara-Jacob (Mar 11, 2013)

Sweet guitar, nice review, and awesome pics too.


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## ThePhilosopher (Mar 11, 2013)

That's just ridiculous; now for clips.


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## baptizedinblood (Mar 11, 2013)




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## FAiRLiGHT (Mar 11, 2013)

HNGD !

I love that fretboard inlay !


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## technomancer (Mar 11, 2013)

Aesthetically I love that, everything just flows together really well.

That said seeing some of the flaws I'd definitely let him get some more experience in before I'd consider ordering something from him


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## Steinmetzify (Mar 12, 2013)

HNGD man......I'm starting to get seriously interested in this company for a build...


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## Idontpersonally (Mar 12, 2013)

Would wife. Good job.


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## Dayviewer (Mar 12, 2013)

One of the best looking guitars I have ever seen, absolutely gorgeous, love it man, HNGD!


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## Mister-Tux (Mar 12, 2013)

Lovely guitar, these woods are very nice!


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## Aghasura (Mar 12, 2013)

hey, poly, I got to wondering: given the big shift in temp, did you have to do anything to let it acclimate?


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## LolloBlaskhyrt (Mar 12, 2013)

G.A.S. !! HNGD man


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## rifft (Mar 12, 2013)

That guitar is so classy! HNGD!


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## ExtendedRange (Mar 12, 2013)

God damn I want BW. Aaron is based.


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## tmfrank (Mar 12, 2013)

Good god man! That thing is wonderful, congrats!


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## SavM (Mar 13, 2013)

I fucking LOVE IT! Good God that is one sexy beast.


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## Tommy (Mar 13, 2013)

Everything about that guitar is simply amazing. Congrats!!


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## jeleopard (Mar 13, 2013)

MMMMMMMMMM.

50 Shades of WANT.


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## MetalBuddah (Mar 13, 2013)

Never would have thought mountains would make such a cool inlay!!! Happy NGD


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## BobbyBaja (Mar 14, 2013)

So much class...
That bridge is sick, and the mountains tie everything together.
Happy NGD for sure!


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## MAJ Meadows SF (Mar 16, 2013)

Wow. Blackwater is definitely in my short list for absolutely must have guitars. Amazing amount of detail and beauty. Congrats, everything on this guitar is excellent!


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## onetake-jam (Apr 10, 2013)

VERY beautiful. Looks so gorgeous and natural. The little thing I don't really like is the head. But the grain of the woods forgive this detail


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## skeels (Apr 10, 2013)

I think the inlay and fretwork look very fine. I imagine his binding work will reflect that level of detail soon enough.

Congrats meng!


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## fr4nci2c0 (Apr 11, 2013)

mother of boobs that is an amazing instrument. Great inlay choice!


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