$ 5,599.00
/
Limited Edition of 12 Instruments Total
2 Different Models Available:
Standard with 1 pickup and Deluxe with 2 pickups and more complex wood choices and construction.
Note: we now have a slightly more modified body shape than the pics shown here. Both options are available and pics can be emailed directly to you if interested.
Each guitar will come with a custom built G & G Hard case with custom Black Volt embroidery on the top cover interior panel
Pick Guards will be engraved with unique Raven logo (not yet finished)
All Pickups will be 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 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 1940s 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, kiln-dried lumber
Pickups
The entire collection will be 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 43awg wire instead of the traditional 42awg. The finer coil wire allows for a lot more turns. Higher output, darker, grittier and nastier.
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 Lightning stop tailpiece.
Deluxe model will have Vintage Correct Tailpiece and ABR 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.
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, 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 Nut approximate width: 1.687"
Electronics
- Neck: Gemini Hand wound - Firebird / Slightly overwound
- Bridge: Gemini Hand wound Mini Humbucker / Slightly Overwound
- Control layout: Deluxe - Individual volume, Individual volume, tone- tone
- Standard Model: Bridge PU. 1 Volume - 1 Tone
Hardware
- Bridge type: Fixed / ABR-1 bridge
- Stop Tailpiece
- Tuning machines : Banjo style / Steinberger on Deluxe Model / Typical on Standard
- Color: Nickel or Gold
Case
- Custom made G & G case built exclusively for this collection.
Back Story -
We’re thrilled to team up with Doug Myer, a lifelong vintage collector and dealer at Mountain Cat Guitars in upstate New York, to create this limited edition guitar!
With over 30 years of experience in the vintage gear world, including managing Chelsea Guitars in NYC and running his own shop, Doug is a true expert on vintage guitars and amps. He’s also a co-founder of “The Guitar Shop” in Brooklyn.
Doug and Gio have shared a friendship for more than a decade, and Mountain Cat was the first dealer to buy and resell Black Volt Amplifiers when Gio began his amplifier journey. They’ve had countless conversations about tone, guitars, amps, PAFs and so much more.
Now, after all those great talks and years of camaraderie, Gio and Doug are excited to put together this Limited Edition Raven collection. Trust us, these guitars are going to be super inspiring and true gems!
Doug has reserved a handful of these guitars.
All guitars are custom built in our Los Angeles workshop. Please allow a 3 month build time.
