NTM Blackbird Rider Nylon
 

I've been looking for the ideal solution for a climate durable classical to take between the boat and the desert. I have a Soloette and recently a Yamaha SLG200NW which are a compromise at best, I don't like the wires and you can't play out loud. I tried a Journey OC660M but returned it, the tonal qualities and dynamics weren't close enough to a real classical, and it has a crossover neck. The advice here was to try a Blackbird, which is "as good as it gets".

It took awhile but one popped up on eBay, and turned out to be right here in my home town! Very fair price, nearly new condition, original owner, and now it is mine.

I am greatly surprised by this little thing. The volume and dynamic balance across the strings is impressive. Tonal quality a bit different than my K Yairi to be sure, but not objectionable - perhaps a little simpler and somewhat brighter. It is as loud as the K Yairi. The dynamics are a little harder to control, the difference between a loud and softly played note is noticeably less than any guitar I have tried.

The nut is 50mm, string spacing is about 8.5mm so a little narrow compared to the classical tradition. Also the radiused fingerboard. All of that I'm getting used to, much easier for me to adapt to that than the narrow neck of the Journey. It is a little fiddly to restring since the head is closed from the back.

I'm finding the ergonomics challenging, the little thing wants to slide onto the floor (traditional classical position) no matter how high the footstool. It came with a Neck Up, that works quite well except it keeps wanting to come off as the suction cups release. When that is working, everything works well. Maybe I need new suction cups.

I took the strings off, they may have been the originals from 2008. Replaced them with Salvarez 520P1 which is what I have and use on the other guitars. These strings have a fairly brilliant sound and combined with the Rider's brilliance it sounds almost electric. I need to find some strings that tone that down some - the originals weren't bad sounding (but were quite corroded). If anyone has one, what are you using for strings that you like? I'm trying to get as close to a traditional wood sound as possible.

Hi,
If you want the NeckUp to work better clean the cups with soap and water and clean the surface of the guitar the same way. Once both surfaces are clean the cups will stick well until they get dirty.

I use the NeckUp on my Nylon Rider.
Barb

Question on your Neck Up: the one I have may have been from the build date of the guitar (2008) and has two small suction cups. What happens is the one furthest from me lets go, as the guitar body is tilted more towards me. The two barely fit across the side of the body. I notice that everything they sell now seems to have one large suction cup - which might eliminate that problem. Their new narrow body one has two small ones, but they are in line, not side-by-side. Does yours have two small or one large suction cup?

Maybe I need the new model....

Maybe check out a Sagework support which uses magnets and is removable. I use the Sagework on my Sable and the Neckup on my Emerald. While the Neckup works well, it does come off from time to time. The Sagework is simply better and more stable (albeit more costly too)

Sagework is great.

You do need to have the ability to apply the magnets to the inside of the guitar to match those on the leg rest.

That could be tricky to do with the Blackbird.

I don't think I have the ability to install the magnets in the Rider. You'd either need some endoscopic surgical tools or a very small arm.

DDW said “the difference between a loud and softly played note is noticeably less than any guitar I have tried.”

I have commented on the limited dynamic range in all three of the Emerald nylon string guitars that I have owned. My best guess is that carbon fiber is stiffer than wood, and wood has more of a honeycombed texture than carbon fiber, and therefore carbon fiber guitars require much higher tension strings to get a wider dynamic range? My limited (only Emerald) experience with carbon fiber guitars is that steel string carbon fiber guitars have a wider dynamic range than nylon string carbon fiber guitars.

My experience so far is that the dynamic range is as great as the wood guitar - only that the control of it is narrower on the input side. On the wood, it feels like a linear progression from a lightly plucked string to a heavily plucked one. On the Rider, the output is somewhat concentrated on the middle of the range of plucking, if that makes sense. It takes more care and finesse to control. I noticed this a little bit on the Journey, except it varied so much across the strings that it wasn't as clear. Low strings were much louder than the high strings. The Rider is pretty balanced in that way, to my ear.

Further experiments on the Neck Up:

It appears that all of the new models they sell have suction cups in line with the strap, and none with them across the strap like mine. So I punched some new holes to put them on centerline as the new ones are. Much better! I guess there was a reason they changed. It allows the strap and guitar to rock across the cups without peeling them off.

DDW,
I have both models and find the same problem with the two small suction cups. Most of the time i use the model with the large cup.
Barb

Barb,
Is the one you have with the large suction cup the mini with the 2" wide strap or the regular with the 3"? I seem to have the mini, but wonder if the 3" will be too wide for the body.

DDW,
The NeckUp I own with the large suction cup is 3" wide. The 3"size works fine with the body and feels more stable to me but both work fine.
Barb

Thanks, think I will order the wider one!

Great find, DDW.
I rarely see these hit the used market.
I’m curious as to what strings you decide are right for this instrument. I’m sure it will take some experimentation. Keep us posted!
Best,
Tom

I will keep experimenting with strings. If anyone has one, maybe you could mention what you use or have tried.

As I said the originals were unknown, I put on Savarez 520P1, these are high tension and all six are wound. I like them on the wood guitar but it seems to make the the Rider a bit twangy and electric, on the 3 trebles. I quickly changed #1 to a 520P, this is a monofilament nylon. Sounds a little better but still not quite right. I'm also tuning one whole note down, which may be a mistake. I'll try going up to standard. I note that in the Legacy section of Blackbird's website, they say high tension strings are recommended.

I'm also getting a little bit of fret buzzing, the action is set quite low on this guitar. Probably my down tuning isn't helping there.