Blackmachine B2 on eBay...

guitarfishbay

These must be Djent lawyers. 

Bucket

dindude said:

Bucket said:

dindude said:

That's a bit silly, still we shouldn't get out of our tree until it's sold - I mean I could put any of mine up for 18K, doesn't mean I'd sell them.

Believe me, this will sell. Probably soon.

Really?  I'm amazed by that. Although not my bag they are undoubtedly tidy guitars (I looked over a B6 at the guitar show and spoke to Doug & Jon at Feline about them), but that is the hype machine truly in action surely.

I'm sure I've heard of B2s selling for about the same or more.

I have no idea how much better it could be than a B6, I find it difficult to believe the B6 could be significantly improved upon. But whatever - I stand by my point that it's probably the best guitar available anywhere in this price bracket.

FelineGuitars

There was something of a frenzy over them a few years back and when demand far outstripped supply then the prices spiralled upwards. Highest I saw one sell for is $22k, but that might not have been the most.

Some people in America have surprisingly high levels of disposable income (and they probably vote Republican).

Is a Dumble or a Trainwreck amp worth so much when a nice fender or Marshall etc would possibly sound similar to most sets of ears.......to some people probably yes .

I'd suggest coming and buying a B6 and a Feline Lion and still having beer money left from £6k (£7k if you want a 25th Anniversary)

armitaan

Seems quite bizarre to me, I mean if the builder had died in a freak gardening accident and none were ever going to be made again then I get it, but unless the guy building them has suddenly forgotten how to make them as good as he used to seems a bit odd that people think they that much better than anything he's doing now. I profess to know less then nothing about these guitars so apologies if I've completely got the wrong end of the stick even more bizarre I guess he could churn some more out , label them as the old type and wait for an expert to tell him they are fake even though it's the same guy making them !

guitarfishbay

armitaan said:

Seems quite bizarre to me, I mean if the builder had died in a freak gardening accident and none were ever going to be made again then I get it, but unless the guy building them has suddenly forgotten how to make them as good as he used to seems a bit odd that people think they that much better than anything he's doing now. I profess to know less then nothing about these guitars so apologies if I've completely got the wrong end of the stick even more bizarre I guess he could churn some more out , label them as the old type and wait for an expert to tell him they are fake even though it's the same guy making them !

Demand far outstrips supply. This isn't a mass market brand, total opposite. Slow quality focused builds and restricted supply.

bingefeller

I've never heard of these guitars so what's so special about them?

armitaan

@guitarfishbay I get that but I thought same guy was still building these or equivalent guitars and new build prices much lower?

guitarfishbay

armitaan said:

@guitarfishbay I get that but I thought same guy was still building these or equivalent guitars and new build prices much lower?

Order book is currently closed. 

http://www.blackmachine.net/ordering.htm

You can only get the one Feline makes at the minute as far as I'm aware

octatonic

Seems the demand is there.
I'm wondering, perhaps naively, why Doug isn't going for it- scaling the business, hiring some staff, getting some investment.

WezV

octatonic said:

Seems the demand is there.
I'm wondering, perhaps naively, why Doug isn't going for it- scaling the business, hiring some staff, getting some investment.

There is a lot of stress and pressure that comes with that, why take it on if you don't need to.  Being in a position to build what you want, at your own pace, without worrying about customers might just be preferable


look at the other new builders that do go for it when they get a bit of hype, and soon find they have taken on more than they can realistically handle

bingefeller

bingefeller said:

I've never heard of these guitars so what's so special about them?

Someone lol'd me - I'm being serious though.   

octatonic

bingefeller said:

bingefeller said:

I've never heard of these guitars so what's so special about them?

Someone lol'd me - I'm being serious though.   

That was me- I thought you were joking.

WezV

bingefeller said:

bingefeller said:

I've never heard of these guitars so what's so special about them?

Someone lol'd me - I'm being serious though.   

They are very well built and spawned a hell of a lot of imitators

Stevepage

The special thing about them is that they really do sound/play/feel amazing. I've played the B6 model and hands down the best guitar I've had my hands on. 

Now because of their rarity they've reached God Level. People with more numbers in their bank accounts than others want 'the best' and to them a Blackmachine is seen as the Holy Grail of electric guitars. So because Blackmachine owners know just how desperate some people will be to have one, they exploit it and pull a figure out of the air because they know that there will definitely be some one out there that will snap it up. 

I would happily pay what Jonathan asks for the B6 (if I had the cash) as I think it's more than worth it considering how much goes into making one. 


Still, doesn't beat Jon Monteleone, his prices start at $39,000

earwighoney

Stevepage said:

Still, doesn't beat Jon Monteleone, his prices start at $39,000

His work is amazing, the Mandolin influenced features are stunning.   

I reckon Doug's Blackmachine guitars are a bit like Somogyi for electric guitars, in the matter they are really associated to a very specific guitar playing style (Djent for BM, percussive acoustic guitar for Somogyi) and both makers seem to be incredibly influential to their peers, and certain aspects of their designs are copied by their peers.  Somogyi's design features which seem to crop up in other makers include 'The Modified Dreadnaught' (something he didn't invent) and the segmented rosette.   A lot of 'Superstrat' builders seem to have aspects which seem to be heavily based in Blackmachine influences.  

Somogyi charges a sizeable amount ($34k) for his guitars and he's celebrated as a hero for his designs and innovation in his field.  

From a personal perspective I am quite proud to see someone from the British Isles (more so London!) like Doug be so influential to the peers of guitar making. 

armitaan

Impressed to see a builder from our shores who got that kind of following , and I bet he does it without a single drop of hot hide glue

Bucket

octatonic said:

Seems the demand is there.
I'm wondering, perhaps naively, why Doug isn't going for it- scaling the business, hiring some staff, getting some investment.

What Wez said - also, I think that opens up too much of a possibility of quality slipping, which I doubt is in the script.

professorben

I also am pretty unfamiliar with them, I don't understand the Feline connection. 
I read a guitarist review about 6 years ago ( maybe not) and it said they were a Telecaster for the metal player. 
I know that Misha from Periphery has/had one. 

dindude

professorben said:

I also am pretty unfamiliar with them, I don't understand the Feline connection. 
I read a guitarist review about 6 years ago ( maybe not) and it said they were a Telecaster for the metal player. 
I know that Misha from Periphery has/had one. 

Ha yes, that reminds me, when I was speaking to Doug at the Birmingham show, he underplayed the B6 beautifully by saying that it was basically a telecaster, I.e. Swamp ash body with bolt on maple neck.

Sporky

I remember seeing them at one of the London shows and thinking they looked pretty awesome, but everyone playing them on the stands was really good at guitar so I didn't dare try... I could probably have scraped the cash together, and Doug was taking orders back then. Doh etc.