Skervesen or Blackat 2017, the choice of my life! :D

[Vehuel]

Hello guys,

I see the prices of the two brands are increasing since few years but I'd like to buy one.

The question is what brand should I take, because the price is almost similar, but Skervesen is always more expensive than Blackat. I heard the finishes of the Blackat to be slightly less good, but I can't jugde because I never owned a Skervesen but I had a Blackat.

Blackat doesn't use abalone for inlays, I like luminlays, but I prefer abalone, it s really classy and beautiful on their woods!

I also need your advices about the Fanned frets. I really want an 8 string model, but I never tried fanned frets. I play blues/pop/rock but also (i try) djent or some more aggressive stuff.

I think it can be good for djent, but for rythmic playing, I heard that the position of frets could be tricky sometimes for complex chords... Any thoughts?

Thank's a lot, and I apologize for my english...

God bless you all bro's!

 

[KnightBrolaire]

can't speak as to which brand is preferable for you but I can say that fanned frets (provided the fan isn't too extreme) are quite comfortable for complex chords. Most people on here (myself included) seem to prefer fans around 1-1.5" since that seems to be a mild fan which doesn't impact chording or soloing much.

 

[jephjacques]

Skervesen are a more proven builder, I can attest to the quality of their recent stuff. KnightBrolaire is right, a 1-1.5" fan is perfectly comfortable for weird chords anywhere on the neck. I have an Aristedes that's 28-26.5" and I don't even notice the fan.

 

[coreypla]

just buy both and sell a kidney and only eat Ramen.

I'd say go Skervesen (or RAN) over BK. But in all honesty, any of those Polish Luthiers will get you set up for good. They are amazing!

Full disclosure: I have not played either. I do own a RAN, and would love to own a Skervesen.

 

[Vehuel]

Hey guys,

I update this topic, it's been a year since I didn't add anything
I have actually a Skervesen built, thank's to the Viper Run, with fanned frets, so it will allow me to try these beasts, and keep it i hope!

I'd like to have a Skervesen full custom but their prices are now too high. It's so incredible to see that the prices risen in a year, tottaly mad..

I'm gasing at a blackat too, the prices are increasing again, but it's correct compared to Skervesen. They have a lot of nice woods and interesting options such as wenge/thick maple stripes, or pau ferro neck, or COLORED flamed maple neck! That could be awesome...

What about you guys, still here after a year?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

skervesen's prices are insane now. i looked into building a shoggie or 4ap a year ago and it was like 3-3.5k for the options i wanted. now it's 4-4.5k for the same options.
at that pricepoint i'd rather get a waghorn or daemoness or carillion

 

[diagrammatiks]

skervesen's prices are insane now. i looked into building a shoggie or 4ap a year ago and it was like 3-3.5k for the options i wanted. now it's 4-4.5k for the same options.
at that pricepoint i'd rather get a waghorn or daemoness or carillion

ya what happened. 6 months ago there were tons of used skervesens sitting at around 2k not moving on reverb.

not it's all new guitars over 3.5k

 

[narad]

Well if they didn't move at $2k, certainly they'll have more luck at $3.5k+. If anything everyone's exhausted by blackmachine copies and poplar skittle burst...not sure how they're going to survive charging even more money...

 

[diagrammatiks]

Well if they didn't move at $2k, certainly they'll have more luck at $3.5k+. If anything everyone's exhausted by blackmachine copies and poplar skittle burst...not sure how they're going to survive charging even more money...

I'm assuming all the used ones sold. but definitely lack of movement on their used market right now

 

[narad]

I'm assuming all the used ones sold. but definitely lack of movement on their used market right now

Popped over to the FB exchange, 10 were for sale. Popped over to Reverb, 15 used for sale. Every time I put something up for sale I get a million skervesen trade offers. I don't know, maybe there's not a ton of used skervesens compared to last year -- I don't really pay attention -- but there's still a lot of used skervesens up for grabs.

The new prices there have risen, but ..a lot of these are dealer for sale, from places like Pitbull or DAG. Previously I think it was just the distributor selling, so one less middleman. I think you might just be seeing the US dealer markup in effect.

 

[Vehuel]

Thank's for all your replies!

It s incredible and maybe "idiot", sorry, but I think that when you become famous and you can increase the prices and make extra bills... I can't believe that I waited too long before making my custom order.

I still have my order forms filled years ago, and yes, for the same specs the prices are not less than 1000€ more.

I think outside US you are lucky because you have not our f.kin 23% of additional fees!
Plus, due to CITIES, we have less choices and more taxes...

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Popped over to the FB exchange, 10 were for sale. Popped over to Reverb, 15 used for sale. Every time I put something up for sale I get a million skervesen trade offers. I don't know, maybe there's not a ton of used skervesens compared to last year -- I don't really pay attention -- but there's still a lot of used skervesens up for grabs.

The new prices there have risen, but ..a lot of these are dealer for sale, from places like Pitbull or DAG. Previously I think it was just the distributor selling, so one less middleman. I think you might just be seeing the US dealer markup in effect.

I've seen some direct from skervesen going for 4k+ on reverb.

 

[narad]

I've seen some direct from skervesen going for 4k+ on reverb.

I think this is a case to consider the exception and the rule. Years ago people still put new Skervesens up for $4k+ on reverb. I don't recall seeing a whole slew of new dealer Skervesen stock at those prices.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I think this is a case to consider the exception and the rule. Years ago people still put new Skervesens up for $4k+ on reverb. I don't recall seeing a whole slew of new dealer Skervesen stock at those prices.

Yeah I'm not talking dealers, I'm talking about buying direct from skervesen on reverb. They put some in-stock guitars up earlier this year and I didn't see a single one for less the 3.5k. Some of them were pushing 4.5k

 

[narad]

Yeah I'm not talking dealers, I'm talking about buying direct from skervesen on reverb. They put some in-stock guitars up earlier this year and I didn't see a single one for less the 3.5k. Some of them were pushing 4.5k

Yea, just saying 1.) there were some up there before, 2.) once you focus more on building a substantial dealer network, you're typically not allowed to undercut them. It becomes the same price regardless of dealer/direct, even though that's just extra profit.

 

[Slaeyer]

Hey guys,

I update this topic, it's been a year since I didn't add anything
I have actually a Skervesen built, thank's to the Viper Run, with fanned frets, so it will allow me to try these beasts, and keep it i hope!

I'd like to have a Skervesen full custom but their prices are now too high. It's so incredible to see that the prices risen in a year, tottaly mad..

I'm gasing at a blackat too, the prices are increasing again, but it's correct compared to Skervesen. They have a lot of nice woods and interesting options such as wenge/thick maple stripes, or pau ferro neck, or COLORED flamed maple neck! That could be awesome...

What about you guys, still here after a year?

I pulled the trigger on ordering a custom 4AP right in between them chaging prices. That caused me quite some headache, as I was trying to get a stained flamed maple fretboard and a certain blue stained on top of a quilted maple top. Additionally to the prices for these options they wanted to charge me for something like going "full custom", which was kind of strange.... I ended up changing the specs of my 4AP so I did not have to go "full custom".


When is the ETA of your Viper? and what are the specs?

 

[Lemonbaby]

Wow man! What an existenial thread title - sounds like a matter of life and death.

I might again get accused of refusing to give a “proper answer“, but I'm always a little worried if players absolutely want to order a custom guitar but don't have very precise idea of what they need.

My advice (that you probably don't want to hear): buy some stock guitars, maybe even used, just to narrow down what features you need and prefer. I'm obviously talking about functionality, not looks. There are enough players that never really adjust to a certain multiscale layout or neck profile and you should find out what suits you best before ordering a custom guitar for several thousand Euro/Dollars.

 

[Flappydoodle]

I suggest you talk to both companies and see which one sounds best to you

Also, playing guitars from both companies should be pretty essential. If you're really considering putting £4k+ into a guitar, you don't want to go in blind. Not knowing whether you want multi-scale or not is a bit crazy.

 

[MaxAidingAres]

If you are ordering a custom guitar of your dreams, you should know exactly what you want.

 

[Constructivist]

I thought that Skervesen is making the body blanks for Blackat. IS that right?