Blackbird Savoy for the Win!

[Wuchak]

Pictures from the listing at Willie's. Since it's my guitar now I think it's ok to use them. : ) Willie's was great to work with on a remote sale. I'd buy from them again without hesitation.

I love that deep cut on the neck to body joint. I can comfortably reach the full fretboard.

One trick to comfort with these size 0 guitars is to cross your legs while playing to give the guitar a bit of a lift. I play right handed and I find that crossing my left leg over my right puts in the perfect position. I do the same with OM's so I'm used to that seating position but I realize it's not for everyone.

Link to Willie's original listing. https://www.williesguitars.com/produ...ackbird-savoy/

A beautiful guitar. Very clean lines and sweet curves. A great find.

[Strumalot]

Wuchak, congrats on the purchase!

Just curious, do you plan on using it as a steel string, nylon, or both?

I've been using mine as a nylon for the past 3 years.

In case you're not aware, the Savoy's ability to be both a nylon and steel string is sort of an unadvertised bonus... almost like getting two guitars for the price of one.

For my purposes, the Savoy beats out the other nylons I've had including traditional classicals, Ovation cross overs, a Rainsong NP12, and an Emerald X10N (which I still have).

I use a CA GX as my steel string, so the nylon version of the Savoy is a nice compliment to that.

The local lizard likes it, too...

[David Eastwood]

That’s a really nice looking guitar. I remember seeing earlier photos where the instrument’s colour looked rather odd, with a greenish tinge to it - this one looks great! The cutaway is very well done, indeed.

I’ve heard good things about Willie’s too, but have never visited. I’m afraid I might find something I really like

[Wuchak]

Thank-you Strumalot! Now I need a chill lizard to hang out on mine!

I didn't know about the flexibility to use nylon strings. That's a pretty cool option. Thanks for clueing me in to it!

It came with Elixir lights which sounded fantastic on it. Now it has my go to strings on it, Martin Retro Monel MLJ13 Laurence Juber med / lights. I prefer med / light mixed gauge sets on everything and especially the size 0's. Plus I prefer the feel and tone of the Monels. Though the Elixers are not far behind. It's like a favorite flavor of ice-cream, the number two choice is still really good. Juber's set only adds about 12 pounds of tension over the lights. He bumped up the size of both E strings and the B and left the rest standard light. This gives a built in EQ scoop which I think works especially well on size 0's which can be a little forward in the mids.

I am always detuned one full step and the extra mass on the low E keeps it from ever feeling floppy when I drop the E down to C. Staying down a step is easier on the guitar and on my fingers. Lets me play for hours every day without any strain or discomfort. It gives me a nice six string D minor, turns my regular key of G shapes into F, and C into B flat. Both beautiful keys that are a PITA in standard tuning. Capo 1 gets me the classic 1/2 step down that everyone used in the 70's and 80's and capo 2 puts me at concert pitch, but in closer for a more comfortable playing position. Capo 5 is as high as I ever go in standard tuning, for Prine's Sam Stone, and that becomes Capo 7 which is very comfortable and sweet sounding on the Savoy.

Maybe someday I'll try some nylons. For now I love the ability to be able to make an individual note pop with a pick on steel. The sustain on the Savoy lets me really make use of ringing bass strings to pick single high notes on top of.

What nylon strings do you like on the Savoy? I'll add a set to my next string order so I have them here to throw on when the the mood strikes. : )

Strumalot has noted, in past threads, the use of nylon strings on this guitar. I've always taken the idea of a guitar that plays both steel and nylon as a bit of a stretch, but I also take Strumalot seriously for both his play and his experience with numerous nylon string guitars.

I've not jumped on a Savoy in part because I am also wary of the nut width (although my Rainsong parlor has a narrow nut width and worked out just fine).

So darn you folks, now I have to take another look and maybe change my plans.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Wuchak

Pictures from the listing at Willie's. Since it's my guitar now I think it's ok to use them. : ) Willie's was great to work with on a remote sale. I'd buy from them again without hesitation.

I love that deep cut on the neck to body joint. I can comfortably reach the full fretboard.

One trick to comfort with these size 0 guitars is to cross your legs while playing to give the guitar a bit of a lift. I play right handed and I find that crossing my left leg over my right puts in the perfect position. I do the same with OM's so I'm used to that seating position but I realize it's not for everyone.

Link to Willie's original listing. https://www.williesguitars.com/produ...ackbird-savoy/

Congrats on your new Savoy. Since it sold, Willie's will likely order another at some point.

Willie's is a fun place. Lots of vintage (the good kind) amps and guitars. There is even a hamburger joint next door to round out the trip.

For small guitars, I always use a strap. I can position the guitar exactly how I want it and it holds that position whether sitting or standing.

Tony

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

That’s a really nice looking guitar. I remember seeing earlier photos where the instrument’s colour looked rather odd, with a greenish tinge to it - this one looks great! The cutaway is very well done, indeed.

I’ve heard good things about Willie’s too, but have never visited. I’m afraid I might find something I really like

It was at Willie's that I found my Huss & Dalton 00. I went there to try a Larivee P-09 since Larry Pattis spoke so highly of these around the forum at one time.

It turned out that I could not bond with the neck at all on that guitar. However, I noticed the Huss & Dalton, so I tried that and bought it on the spot.

When I got home, I checked the site because I couldn't understand how I missed that one with its 1 7/8" nut and short scale. On the site, it was listed as having a 1 11/16" nut, which is why I didn't pay any attention.

Later, I called Huss & Dalton because their current models all have a 1 3/4" nut, and found out that they changed nut width to the narrower width around 2007, so I got exactly what I wanted just by stumbling onto it.

That is a strong case for "try before you buy"!

Tony

[Wuchak]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

It was at Willie's that I found my Huss & Dalton 00. I went there to try a Larivee P-09 since Larry Pattis spoke so highly of these around the forum at one time.

It turned out that I could not bond with the neck at all on that guitar. However, I noticed the Huss & Dalton, so I tried that and bought it on the spot.

When I got home, I checked the site because I couldn't understand how I missed that one with its 1 7/8" nut and short scale. On the site, it was listed as having a 1 11/16" nut, which is why I didn't pay any attention.

Later, I called Huss & Dalton because their current models all have a 1 3/4" nut, and found out that they changed nut width to the narrower width around 2007, so I got exactly what I wanted just by stumbling onto it.

That is a strong case for "try before you buy"!

Tony

I don't think I have ever played a Huss & Dalton I wouldn't like to own.

[bsman]

Originally Posted by Wuchak

Pictures from the listing at Willie's. Since it's my guitar now I think it's ok to use them. : ) Willie's was great to work with on a remote sale. I'd buy from them again without hesitation.

I love that deep cut on the neck to body joint. I can comfortably reach the full fretboard.

One trick to comfort with these size 0 guitars is to cross your legs while playing to give the guitar a bit of a lift. I play right handed and I find that crossing my left leg over my right puts in the perfect position. I do the same with OM's so I'm used to that seating position but I realize it's not for everyone.

Link to Willie's original listing. https://www.williesguitars.com/produ...ackbird-savoy/

Wow - that Ekoa really looks nice!

Since it is linen based I wonder if it would possible to find a shirt or coat that would match??

[kramster]

I better go play my Savoy… forgot I had one.. thanks for reminder…lost the charger for the pickup …sigh…….

[kramster]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Since it is linen based I wonder if it would possible to find a shirt or coat that would match??

Still silly after all these years…I think we just might be related

[bsman]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Since it is linen based I wonder if it would possible to find a shirt or coat that would match??

Don't you mean: "Since it is linen based I wonder if it needs to be ironed every time you look at it?"

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by kramster

I better go play my Savoy… forgot I had one.. thanks for reminder…lost the charger for the pickup …sigh…….

I had a Mi-Si pickup once. I believe there’s some trickery you can do with a 9v battery and a guitar cable to recharge the supercapacitor. There’s some mention of it here (https://mi-si.com/resources/) close to the bottom of the page.