Craftsmanship rooted in sustainability.

The Raven is the same guitar currently played by Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes on stages around the world, alongside his beloved Veronica V and his legendary collection of vintage instruments.

We are deeply honored that Rich has chosen Black Volt to be part of his musical journey, trusting our instruments night after night to deliver the tone, feel, and inspiration required at the highest level.

2 Different Models Available: 

Standard with 1 pickup and

Deluxe with 2 pickups, Brazilian Kingwood Headstock Overlay and more complex wood choices and construction.

Deluxe has a  traditional 7 piece center and body wood stack.

Each guitar comes with a hard case.

Each guitar will also come with a hand drawn commemorative tour poster created by legendary artist Tom Garner who has created multiple tour posters and art for BOB DYLAN. Each poster will be signed and serialized with the guitar serial number.

All Pickups custom wound by Gemini Pickups in New York.

Pickups in the Deluxe models will be 1 Firebird style in the neck and a mini humbucker or FB in the bridge. Both slightly overwound. This configuration was chosen to overcome the typical "thin tone" often found in Firebird bridge pickups.

Pickup in the single pickup model will be 1 mini humbucker, slightly overwound, in the bridge position.

The Raven is a purpose-built instrument designed for players who value vintage tone, timeless feel, and unmatched character.

Like all Black Volt guitars, The Raven is handcrafted using mostly reclaimed wood—some of it over a century old—salvaged from barns, factories, and forgotten buildings across the U.S. This naturally aged material offers a tone and resonance that only time can create.

Drawing inspiration from the legendary guitars of the 1950s to 1960s, The Raven delivers the complex harmonics, fast response, and soulful voice that defined the Golden Age of guitar making. The wood we use has spent decades drying and curing, resulting in a stable, acoustically rich platform that’s free from the movement and unpredictability found in modern or kiln-dried lumber

Pickups

The entire collection is being meticulously hand wound by Gemini Pickups New York. Rob makes some of the absolute best sounding pickups available anywhere.

From Gemini:

Gemini Pickups is super excited to collaborate with BVA on this project. These pickups represent our take on the legendary vintage Firebird and Mini-Humbucker pickups. 

The Mini-Humbucker is basically just that: a scaled down version of your traditional humbucker featuring a smaller magnet and smaller coils. Our Mini-Humbucker features a rough-cast A5 bar magnet just a little bit bigger than what you would find on the vintage Minis. The coils are the same 42awg plain enamel, but just a little bit bigger. The end result is a pickup that sits nicely between a vintage mini-humbucker and it's full-size brethren. 

The Firebird was a very unique pickup, especially for gibson, and probably their most Fender-y offering. Each coil was wound directly around a small alnico bar magnet. Both sat on a steel reflector plate which did several things including boosting the overall magnetic strength of the pickup. You end up with a bright, snappy humbucker.

The wildcard is an overwound Firebird pickup utilizing 43 awg wire instead of the traditional 42 awg. The finer coil wire allows for a lot more turns. Higher output, darker, grittier and more complex without being loose or too easily overdriven. 

Bridge Mini-Humbucker: 7.5k, 42awg Plain enamel, roughcast A5 bar magnet. 

Bridge Firebird: 11k, 43awg plain enamel, 2 roughcast A5 bar magnets

Neck Firebird: 6.8k 42awg plain enamel, 2 roughcast A5 bar magnets

All 3 pickups feature hand-wound, staggered coils and are flash potted in 50/50 beeswax/paraffin wax. The wax potting pretty much guarantees feedback suppression. The 50/50 mix and fairly heavy scatter on the coils creates a pickup that has a lot of the dynamics and breath of an unpotted pickup, but without the microphonics.

Bridge

Standard Model will have the period correct compensated Lightning / wraparound  tailpiece. 

Deluxe model will have either compensated Lightning / wraparound  tailpiece or  Vintage Correct Tailpiece and ABR-1 style bridge. If you own a vintage Les Paul, Reissue or Custom Shop model, you will most likely have an ABR style bridge installed. The bridge posts are 6-32 threaded rods and will be screwed directly into the body wood. The thumbwheel is a separate part of the post that the bridge sits on and moves up and down as the thumbwheel is turned. Many players gravitate towards this style bridge as it’s the typical configuration on vintage and vintage reissue style guitars both functionally and visually. Nashville style bridge by request. Nashville has a bridge post that screws into a metal body bushing, with an integrated thumbwheel. Height adjustment is carried out by turning the thumbwheel, which moves the entire assembly up or down as it screws into the metal body bushing. This is the more modern version.

Neck Construction

Neck through body construction just like the originals were made in the 1960's Mahogany , Korina , Pine, White Mahogany Laminated wood stack. Can vary from one guitar to the next. The neck is shaped to reflect a mix of the pre-war V shaped design and the chunky 50's Gibson profile. They normally fall under the soft V profile. The natural oil finish provides a comfortable playing surface and feels instantly familiar and effortless in hand. Feel free to give us your exact neck specs if you would like the neck customized to your liking.

Joinery

All joints are assembled using traditional hide glue, the same adhesive used in fine instruments for centuries. Hide glue creates a tighter, more resonant bond between components, allowing vibration to transfer more efficiently throughout the body—enhancing sustain, warmth, and tonal complexity.

Built straight and true, ready for the rigors of the road or the precision of the studio. It’s not just a guitar—it’s a finely tuned machine built to inspire, endure, and evolve with you.

Specifications:

Body

• Body Type: Solid Body Wings / Center Neck Through Body
• Body wood: Pine, Mahogany, Korina or Sequoia Redwood

Neck

• Neck shape: 1958 / chunky / Soft V / Custom specs on request
• Neck wood: 1 piece in Standard / Laminated 7 Piece wood stack in Deluxe model
• Neck Through Body
• Scale length: 24.75"
• Truss rod: Dual action / Headstock Accessible

Fingerboard

• Material: Rosewood on standard or Ebony on Deluxe
• Number of frets: 22
• Inlays: Real Mother of Pearl or Abalone Dot
• Hand cut Bone or Deer Antler Nut approximate width: 1.687"

Electronics

• Neck: Deluxe model only-  Gemini Hand wound - Firebird / Slightly overwound
• Bridge: Gemini Hand wound Firebird or Mini Humbucker / Slightly Overwound
• Control layout: Deluxe - Individual volume, Individual volume, tone- tone
• Standard Model: Bridge PU. 1 Volume - 1 Tone
• All pickups are being built as per original 1960's specs to bring a magic and lively sound to these beautiful instruments. They will be wax or lacquer potted to eliminate the squealing and microphonics found in some of the originals.

Hardware

• Bridge type: 

  compensated Lightning / wraparound  tailpiece. 

  or: Fixed /  ABR-1 bridge - Stop Tailpiece
• Tuning machines : Banjo style / Steinberger on Deluxe Model /   Grover 18:1 on Standard model
• Color: Nickel or Gold

Dreamed up with Doug Myer, a lifelong vintage collector and dealer at Mountain Cat Guitars in upstate New York, to create this limited edition guitar!

Every Black Volt Guitar is custom-built by hand in our Woodstock, New York workshop. Please allow approximately 3–5 months for your amplifier to be completed.

Choose your custom options below.

If you'd prefer not to pay the full balance at the time of ordering, we're happy to help. Contact us to arrange a deposit or a flexible payment plan that works for you. We believe the most important thing is getting the right gear into your hands, and we're always happy to work with our customers on an individual basis.

If you have any customizations, questions or experience any issues during checkout, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Phone: (213) 840-7364
Email: gio@blackvoltamplification.com

Old Pine (No Upcharge) - $ 5,599.00 USD African Mahogany (No Upcharge) - $ 5,599.00 USD Sequoia Redwood (No Upcharge) - $ 5,599.00 USD Korina (No Upcharge) - $ 5,599.00 USD Separate Top and Body Wood ($500. Upcharge) - $ 6,099.00 USD

Body :

Old Pine (No Upcharge) Old Pine (No Upcharge)

African Mahogany (No Upcharge) African Mahogany (No Upcharge)

Sequoia Redwood (No Upcharge) Sequoia Redwood (No Upcharge)

Korina (No Upcharge) Korina (No Upcharge)

Separate Top and Body Wood ($500. Upcharge) Separate Top and Body Wood ($500. Upcharge)

Total

$ 5,599.00

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