# BM clone new built



## Gango79 (Sep 14, 2014)

Hi everyone.
in this Thread I would like to introduce my new project guitar. I'd like to have a Blackmachine but at this time it's not possible. So I'll do it by myself. But "by myself" isn't completely correct. So the "dirty job" will be done by a luthier and a great friend Salvatore.
This are the spec:
-11mm thick quilted maple top
-25mm Kaya Mahohany chambered body
-Indian rosewood neck and headstock
-24 frets ebony fretboard
-ebony headstock top
-Ivoroid binding
-sperzel locking tuners
-Schaller hannes bridge
-Bkp Aftermath set

I don't know yet if use oil finish or satin finish. Doug uses tang oil as a finish and it probably helps resonance but satin finish is much more pratical and requires less maintenance.
My idea is to let the color of the top natural, but i accept suggestion


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## Gango79 (Sep 14, 2014)

These are the first pics.
I would like to thank turenkodenis that gave me the guitar plans


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## immortalx (Sep 14, 2014)

Looking great! I know it's just a personal opinion, but I wouldn't leave that beautiful top natural. It just screams for some nice stain!


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## Berti_smb (Sep 14, 2014)

That top screams for a some deep stain to pop up the 3d effect of maple tops!


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## JuliusJahn (Sep 14, 2014)

If it's black hardware, keep it natural but pore-fill it with oil. Chrome and gold looks gross on natural maple IMO. 

I can see this being very nice in trans-red though...


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## Gango79 (Sep 14, 2014)

Thank you for the suggestions. My purose is to do a model extremely close to the original. Doug is usually not use stain on the BM. Every timber is natural. I'll take some time to think about it but if i'll decide to use stain i'll try this


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## DaltonH (Sep 14, 2014)

Thats actually a black water guitar (basically the same thing)
but i think you couldnt go wrong with that finish in satin, only thing that would be better (imo) would be a blue fade


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## Neilzord (Sep 15, 2014)

Look forward to seeing some more progress on this, Looks like a sweet piece of maple you have there for the top!


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## WiseSplinter (Sep 15, 2014)

Wow that top looks awesome, and would really pop with a good stain 
Nice dude!


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## noj (Sep 15, 2014)

that top is lovely buddy, but i agree, some stain would really make that thing pop! Looking forward to seeing more!


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## turenkodenis (Sep 15, 2014)

looking really nice!!


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## Renkenstein (Sep 15, 2014)

Very clean work on that top. Beautiful piece of maple. I vote natural, with a contrasting binding.


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## DaltonH (Sep 15, 2014)

keep us updated!
im very interested as im about to doing exactly the same thing, lol


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## BlackMastodon (Sep 15, 2014)

If you do go with a natural finish on the top, I say you put some amber dye over it and sand back so it makes the figure stand out more. Do some test colours on the scrap pieces from the top and see what you like!


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## Gango79 (Sep 15, 2014)

Thank you guys.
I will update when I'll have more pics. I'm convincing myself to render it as the blackwater. It seems a orange/brown stain. I think he simply used this dye without sanding or doing other things.


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## Gango79 (Sep 20, 2014)




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## Gango79 (Sep 20, 2014)

These are new pics but the work proceeding slowly! This is how the top will be if i'll decide to let it natural! 
Question:
If i decide to use stain i'll have to do it before or after placing the binding?


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## S-O (Sep 20, 2014)

Loving this! I am a fan of natural, but that maple does have some nice figure to it and would take a stain really well. If you use tru-oil, it will generally get a little amber tint to it.


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## DaltonH (Sep 21, 2014)

Gango79 said:


> These are new pics but the work proceeding slowly! This is how the top will be if i'll decide to let it natural!
> Question:
> If i decide to use stain i'll have to do it before or after placing the binding?



Binding before stain, and you tape the binding to limit the amount of stain that gets onto your binding, if you get any on the binding, simply scrape it off with a razor blade.


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## Gango79 (Sep 27, 2014)

Binding time:




invia immagini





image share





hosting immagini


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## DaltonH (Sep 27, 2014)

Lookin great!
one thing i would change however...
is the rate at which you are making it!
lol, all jokes aside i personally would be spending all of my time on that because i wouldnt be able to wait for the finished product.


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## MikeK (Sep 27, 2014)

Nice looking work so far man!


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## Gango79 (Sep 27, 2014)

DaltonH said:


> Lookin great!
> one thing i would change however...
> is the rate at which you are making it!
> lol, all jokes aside i personally would be spending all of my time on that because i wouldnt be able to wait for the finished product.



Ahahah! Unfortunately i can work on it only on saturday! but I assure you that gluing binding was absolutely boring and interminable!! 


I love the way nitro cellulose binding catches fire!!!


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## DaltonH (Sep 27, 2014)

Gango79 said:


> Ahahah! Unfortunately i can work on it only on saturday! but I assure you that gluing binding was absolutely boring and interminable!!
> 
> 
> I love the way nitro cellulose binding catches fire!!!



no clue that happens lol, gonna have to watch out for that

looking awesome though


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## Renkenstein (Oct 8, 2014)

That is a bizarre strategy, finishing up the top before gluing it to the body. Not bad by any means, it's just the first time I've seen that done. Interesting.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Oct 8, 2014)

really nice so far! I'm interested to see this thing finished!


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## ThtOthrPrsn (Oct 9, 2014)

Consider me subscribed!! Looks great so far!


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## Gango79 (Oct 11, 2014)

Renkenstein said:


> That is a bizarre strategy, finishing up the top before gluing it to the body. Not bad by any means, it's just the first time I've seen that done. Interesting.



First you have to know that i've decided to let the top natural as Doug does in his guitars! The maple i've used wasn't too much clear, so i've decided to bring it white using a mix of hydrogen peroxide and muriatic acid! It became white as the snow! Than i sanded the top in order to bring it back to a more natural color! This increased the contrast! 
if I had glued the top, I would have risked to whiten even the mahogany ..forced choice


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## Gango79 (Oct 11, 2014)

The work is proceeding! The body is almost finished...i'll post pics of this at the end of the next week! Meanwhile it's neck time


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## DaltonH (Oct 17, 2014)

more pics pronto!

looking GREAT


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## Renkenstein (Oct 17, 2014)

Gango79 said:


> First you have to know that i've decided to let the top natural as Doug does in his guitars! The maple i've used wasn't too much clear, so i've decided to bring it white using a mix of hydrogen peroxide and muriatic acid! It became white as the snow! Than i sanded the top in order to bring it back to a more natural color! This increased the contrast!
> if I had glued the top, I would have risked to whiten even the mahogany ..forced choice


 

So there's a method to that madness! Very nice. Cool idea.


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## Gango79 (Oct 25, 2014)

New updates: 
-top glued to mahogany body.
- binding on headstock
- aluminium cover for the jack recess


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## immortalx (Oct 25, 2014)

Excellent work! It's so clean that it looks like it came out fresh from a CNC!


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## pondman (Oct 25, 2014)

Bloody hell, that top


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## BlackMastodon (Oct 25, 2014)

I'm itching like a crack fiend to see that top with some mineral spirits on it.


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## vick1000 (Oct 26, 2014)

That has got to be one of the deepest quilts I have ever seen. I swear it looks carved out in those pics.


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## HRC51 (Oct 26, 2014)

Can't wait to see how this turns out.


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## Neilzord (Oct 27, 2014)

Waiting for more updates with bated breath!! Looks awesome.


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## Gango79 (Jan 25, 2015)

Hi Dudes! Too much time no see!!!!
unfortunately I was forced to stop work on the body. After a few days from gluing the body began to bend ... the mahogany was little seasoned and who sold it to me magically forgot to inform me!!!
The body is bent a few millimeters, but I wanted the result to be perfect so I decided to start a new body ... I'm sorry for the beautiful quilted top !!! I'll try to sell it!
Anyway, I spent this time finding good wood, and finally I found a beautiful Honduran Mahogany billet( very difficult to find in europe)..and a 5a quilted maple! 
After that I was able to restart!
The top is a bit less thick...7mm!
For this body I made 4 chambers!
























The next step is to apply binding!
The neck is almost done! It need to be fretted!

stay Tuned !


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## DredFul (Jan 25, 2015)

I love this build


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## kevdes93 (Jan 25, 2015)

glad to see the wheels turning again on this build!


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## ElysianGuitars (Jan 25, 2015)

That top is fantastic.


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## Gango79 (Jan 25, 2015)

ElysianGuitars said:


> That top is fantastic.



Thank you! I would let it natural...no stain! Is incredibly white!!!


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## Gango79 (Jan 25, 2015)

This was the original billet


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## MikeK (Jan 25, 2015)

This is really turning out nicely. Solid work man!


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## Watty (Jan 29, 2015)

Naptha! Naptha! Naptha!


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## immortalx (Jan 29, 2015)

Awesome top and very clean work! Keep it up man


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## Gango79 (Jan 31, 2015)

Ok! New updates of the week! Binding applied and sanded!


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## pettymusic (Jan 31, 2015)

Nice come back!

Man, I gotta learn binding!


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## Nichrin (Jan 31, 2015)

Beautiful work! 
May I ask where you get your 5A quilted maple from, I can't find other european suppliers than Holzfascination?
Thanks!
-Nichrin


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## Gango79 (Jan 31, 2015)

Nichrin said:


> Beautiful work!
> May I ask where you get your 5A quilted maple from, I can't find other european suppliers than Holzfascination?
> Thanks!
> -Nichrin



Thanks!!
I usually don't buy woods from european suppliers! This time i've found this billet on ebay...rwoodson is a good ebayseller for quilt and flame maple!every week he is auctioning new woods!


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## Renkenstein (Jan 31, 2015)

That top is not of this world. Flippin fantastic.


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## Neilzord (Feb 2, 2015)

Coming along amazingly. Such a nice new top and the rest of the build looks very well done! 

How come you've gone for individual holes for the Hannes instead of the supplied bar?


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## Gango79 (Feb 2, 2015)

Neilzord said:


> Coming along amazingly. Such a nice new top and the rest of the build looks very well done!
> 
> How come you've gone for individual holes for the Hannes instead of the supplied bar?



I prefer the classy string ferrules instead of the chrome bar supplied! I find them more appealing, but this is a personal view! Also Doug uses them instead in the misha's blackmachine model!!


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## Hywel (Feb 2, 2015)

Gango79 said:


> I prefer the classy string ferrules instead of the chrome bar supplied! I find them more appealing, but this is a personal view! Also Doug uses them instead in the misha's blackmachine model!!



Your build looks amazing! 

I'm sure you've thought of it already but just in case, make sure you have some way of grounding the strings as the saddles are non conductive and it's normally grounded through the ferrule bar.

Can't wait to see it finished


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## Gango79 (Feb 2, 2015)

Hywel said:


> Your build looks amazing!
> 
> I'm sure you've thought of it already but just in case, make sure you have some way of grounding the strings as the saddles are non conductive and it's normally grounded through the ferrule bar.
> 
> Can't wait to see it finished



I think ferrules works in the same way of the bar.


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## Gango79 (Feb 15, 2015)

Too much quilt for your eyes?????


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## SilentCartographer (Feb 15, 2015)

Solid top, looks like a sea of gold champange


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## pettymusic (Feb 15, 2015)

Too much quilt? Are you kidding?! I cant get enough!

Where did you get that top? And did you order 3A or 4A?


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## FIXXXER (Feb 15, 2015)

wow, just ....ing WOW!


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## Gango79 (Feb 15, 2015)

pettymusic said:


> Too much quilt? Are you kidding?! I cant get enough!
> 
> Where did you get that top? And did you order 3A or 4A?



It's a 5A top...rwoodson...see his auctions on ebay


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## Neilzord (Feb 16, 2015)

Holy mother of Quilt. 

Look forward to seeing more on this one!


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## superash (Mar 10, 2015)

that quilt looks amazing
can't wait to see this all together


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## Gango79 (Mar 14, 2015)

Hi Guys! FINALLY WE MADE IT!!!!
This is the first model of Heavymachine in all its beauty!!
Look at the pics ( sorry for the no professional, iPhone photos)


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## CircuitalPlacidity (Mar 14, 2015)

pretty classy.


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## immortalx (Mar 14, 2015)

Holy cow 
One helluva clean build! Congrats man, it's unbelievably beautiful!


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## Gango79 (Mar 14, 2015)

Oh thank you! And it sound incredible with chambered body!
So lets summarize the specs:

- 5A quilted maple top (8mm thick)
- chambered honduran mahogany body(28 mm thick)
- rosewood neck and headstock
- Ebony headplate ( 7mm thick)
- ebony fretboard ( 16"radius)
- 24 frets
- stainless steel jumbo frets
- ivoroid binding for body, neck, headstock
- bolt on neck
- satin finish
- schaller hannes bridge
- sperzel locking tuners black satin
- fishman jack
- BKP aftermath tyger set
- alluminium anodized Heavymachine plate


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## turenkodenis (Mar 14, 2015)

WOW!! glad to see amazing result!


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## Dust_to_Dust (Mar 14, 2015)

That looks flawless! Nice one!


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## Floppystrings (Mar 15, 2015)

Renkenstein said:


> That is a bizarre strategy, finishing up the top before gluing it to the body. Not bad by any means, it's just the first time I've seen that done. Interesting.



Ran does that with carved tops.


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## Floppystrings (Mar 15, 2015)

Gango79 said:


> Hi Guys! FINALLY WE MADE IT!!!!



Awesome.


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## SilentCartographer (Mar 15, 2015)

Stain FTW, clean build for sure


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## narad (Mar 15, 2015)

Beautiful.


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## Emil357 (Mar 15, 2015)

Awesome and very clean work. Looks stunning.


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## Stijnson (Mar 15, 2015)

Looks awesome dude, very clean!


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## loreweaver (Mar 16, 2015)

molto molto bella bravo!


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## Millul (Mar 16, 2015)

Davvero notevole!


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## Neilzord (Mar 16, 2015)

Holy Crap. 

Best looking guitar I've seen in a while, Seen alot similar obviously but this is just so simple and clean. Beautiful wood selection and very well built. 

Plus, I love the hannes & the flowing Black / Chrome theme going from the bridge / selector / volume / sperzels. all Very nice!

I want it. 

Post an NGD thread with plenty more pictures, maybe a video?!


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## Renkenstein (Mar 19, 2015)

That turned out gorgeous. I love that natural top...unnnngh. 

Fantastic contrast in woods.

...and don't apologize for iPhone pics...those things take better pics in the right hands than a DSLR camera in mine.


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