The First Savoy!

[J.R. Rogers]

Good looking guitar! Glad to see this one moving forward. Sound on the video is good so I can't wait to play one.

JR

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by Mkel12

"Headed down to Ted at LA Guitar Sales". Sweet, Ted! Unit #1 to the #1 dealer.

FYI, I'm told this one was hard for the team to let go, and I'm sure it will be just as hard for me to let go when I receive it today.

Originally Posted by EvanB

Another innovative winner from Blackbird! Congratulations Joe.

And so, will there be a nylon string version?

I doubt there will be a nylon version anytime soon, Evan. My guess is it will take Joe and his team several years to get to a point where these are not severally backordered. But hey, you never know.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Good looking guitar! Glad to see this one moving forward. Sound on the video is good so I can't wait to play one.

JR

JR, the one I played at NAMM was crazy good, but Joe tells me this one is even better. I was hoping to add one to my personal stable before the end of summer, but my name keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list. If/when I get mine I will be happy to let you try it.

[Mkel12]

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

FYI, I'm told this one was hard for the team to let go, and I'm sure it will be just as hard for me to let go when I receive it today.

But I am sure you have a tremendously loyal customer who has been waiting patiently, and lobbying Joe to get that first unit to you!

Really Ted, relax. Each maker comes into its own with different products and has fans. When I look at this forum I see stunning product lines being developed and produced by a stunning body of creative thinkers, and each make gets its time in the sun. The high ground is sticking to the positives of such wonderments as Joe's Savoy.

[Earl49]

Now I'm extra sorry that I did not make it to the Reno Uke Fest back at the beginning of the month. That would have been my opportunity to play this very Savoy and share some impressions. But illness prevented the road trip.

I don't know when the supply pipeline will be "filled", but Joe has admitted that they have trouble even keeping a demo unit of most models in stock at Blackbird HQ. All their production seems to sell out as quickly as they get built, if not pre-sold during the build. They must be doing something very right.....

[mot]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I don't know when the supply pipeline will be "filled", but Joe has admitted that they have trouble even keeping a demo unit of most models in stock at Blackbird HQ. All their production seems to sell out as quickly as they get built, if not pre-sold during the build. They must be doing something very right.....

All I have to go on concerning Blackbird is my 2 plus years of experience with a Lucky 13 that I was lucky enough to get in 2014. I have messed around with the Clara a little too but I don't have one. Based on either of those instruments I would say Blackbird definitely has been doing something right and I would like to test some of the other offerings when the opportunity presents itself.

[Earl49]

Mot, in April 2016 I went to the Reno Uke Fest where Blackbird had a booth. I got to play nearly everything in the product line then, which verified my prospective love for the Lucky 13. But I nearly got sidetracked and went for the El Capitan demo unit. El Capitan is incredibly nice, but there was too much overlap with my Rainsong WS-1000 and my various Taylor GA's.

I've always been impressed with their ukulele, going back to the first CF tenor that I played at the 2010 NAMM show.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by Mkel12

But I am sure you have a tremendously loyal customer who has been waiting patiently, and lobbying Joe to get that first unit to you!

That, and my name always ends up at the bottom of our waiting lists.


So, the guitar arrived from Frisco in fine shape, and I now understand why the gang had such a hard time letting it go. First of all, it looks amazing! Fit and finish are top notch, and I love the look of the Ekoa. The guitar has a nice warm vintage tone, it's very responsive, has tons of headroom and it has projection you just don't expect from anything this size. Yea, I liked it right away.

I only had a short time with it before Helene took it from me so it can be shipped off to it's new home, but it was enough time to realize that Joe has something very special here. As I did with the first El Capitan we got in, I decided to play it alongside a number of guitars in the store, and as with the El Cap, I quickly realized that I would need to compare it to wood guitars, and wood guitars that were bigger than the Savoy. After eliminating some of my favorites, I found that the SCGC OM and the Martin OM-42 came close, but in the end it was the Rosewood/Cedar Lowden S25 that sounded the most like the Savoy. For those of you not familiar with the S25, the guitar is somewhere between a 00 and 000 in size, but with a deeper body, and with more projection than a standard Rosewood/Spruce 000/OM.

So what we have here is a guitar that fits in to the same case as the Cargo, can be left in my car indefinitely, looks a little like it's made of Koa, and plays and sounds like a $4000 Lowden! Not too shabby, Joe!

Now to figure out how to get my name to the top of that waiting list.

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

That, and my name always ends up at the bottom of our waiting lists.

So what we have here is a guitar that fits in to the same case as the Cargo, can be left in my car indefinitely, looks a little like it's made of Koa, and plays and sounds like a $4000 Lowden! Not too shabby, Joe!

Now to figure out how to get my name to the top of that waiting list.

That is high praise indeed, Ted, and I believe every word of it. My experience with test driving the El Capitan is that it held its own with any of my wood Taylor's, with all the benefits of composite construction.

I suspect that the right bribe (jewelry or......) might influence Helene into moving you up the waiting list. It won't be a cheap solution, however.

Ted;

Wow! Now you have me salivating. But I think you are right, it may be a while before I see a nylon version. Darn! Joe has been a big player in my interest in nylon string cf instruments. I've had his Rider, his uke, and his Super OMN. He is gifted luthier.

But I can hope. Five people indicated interest in a nylon string Super OMN and Joe made 5. Maybe he would do the same for the Savoy? My hope is weak since I believe that he is setting a new bar for the acoustic guitar and will be busy filling new orders. Your review substantiates the belief.

But somewhere down the line I suspect Joe will go to nylon. If I am still here, I will be there.

[Captain Jim]

So, a question about the Ekoa production: how long does it take to make a Savoy, from laying up the first bit to tuning up the strings and checking it? Can they only make one at a time? (Assuming only one mold)

I understand boat building, and know that small production manufacturers have one hull mold per model. Is that the same with CF/Ekoa builders? If the demand is great, do they invest in additional molds?

With boats, the molds have a definite lifespan before they wear to the point they need to be replaced... same with guitar molds?

This inquiring mind wants to know.

[TheChicagoTodd]

The Savoy looks great. I FINALLY changed strings for the first time on my El Cap and am blown away again how good it sounds. I replaced the Cleartones that Joe shipped her with, with a set of Cleartone Ex's.

Cheers...

Todd in Chicago

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk

[Steve Christens]

I haven't had the opportunity to play an El Capitan yet, but I do own a Blackbird Farallon Tenor Uke, also made from Ekoa. And based on the Farallon, I can well imagine that the Savoy is very special.

But I won't hold my breath waiting for my turn to get one.

[Mr. Jelly]

This is the first time I have looked at a carbon fiber guitar. I am impressed. The sound has got my attention. I'm not so thrilled with the shiny plastic looking back and head stock though. I will be looking into carbon fiber guitars now.