What happened to the excitement about Blackbird savoys

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by NoodleFingers

I don't know anything about Martin HPL. Is it as resistant to changes in temperature and humidity as carbon fiber composite and Ekoa? Do they make whole guitars out of it?

HPL is much the same as Formica. It’s pretty much completely impervious to temperature and humidity, and yes, Martin does make whole guitars out of it.

Biggest differences between HPL and CF (and, presumably eKoa) are price and purpose. Martin uses HPL on its lower-end models, and there’s no pretense that they have anything magical from a sound point-of-view - purely used to make decent-sounding, playable and durable instruments for the lower end of the market. Clearly not what Rainsong, Emerald, Blackbird and others are doing with composites.

I had a Martin LX1 for a while - travel-size guitar with HPL back and sides, and a solid spruce top. It was a sweet-sounding and playing little thing, but I could never quite get comfortable with it, so I moved it on.

HPL has its place, but it’s by no means a CF equivalent.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by NoodleFingers

I was really excited about the Savoy until I found out how small the body really was. If they made a version with a full-sized GC/OM body, I would be interested again.

I am very interested in the idea of using plant-derived fibers in composite materials like Ekoa. I've been hoping someone would try something similar with bamboo fibers, or hemp, or even cotton. Or some combination thereof. The sonic possibilities seem very exciting to me.

I know the El Capitan is not that much bigger than a GC/OM, but I also want the cutaway, shorter scale length and 12-fret neck. Guess I'm just picky.

Plant-derived fibers for building guitars reminds me of a scene from Cheech and Chong and their plant-derived van:



Tony

[Captain Jim]

HPL is High Pressure Laminate. As Eatswodo said, like a countertop. It isn't awful sounding to my ear, but it doesn't have the ring of a nice guitar. With a piezo pickup in it, it's functional and can be played outdoors or in high/low humidity without much concern. I've often seen black Martin guitars made from HPL, and once had a sales guy in Guitar Center tell me, "It's just as good as carbon fiber, but costs less." He was half right. To my ear, there is a reason Martin uses it on their lesser expensive line.

I haven't checked into those in a while, but I remember being told that the top on their HPL guitars wasn't a veneer, but rather "a picture" of wood. I never confirmed that. If I was in the market for something in that price range, I'd be looking at a Taylor GSmini or a 114, both laminate back and sides, but solid wood tops.

[Juliussharpe]

Bought a Savoy a few months ago. Great tone and projection to my ear, especially for its size. Liked it so much I immediately consigned my Wee Lowden. I’ve never tried an Emerald.

[NoodleFingers]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Plant-derived fibers for building guitars reminds me of a scene from Cheech and Chong and their plant-derived van.

I wonder if they're on the waiting list for one of these airplanes.

[Juliussharpe]

I just bought one and immediately consigned my Lowden airplane.

[Aspiring]

I think part of it is production volume and very little marketing by BlackBird. I have an El Capitan that I picked up last summer. They are not at all easy to find used and they are pretty pricey new.

On top of that there isn't much news about them. They are basically the same as when they came out and without the custom options there is not much differentiating one BlackBird from another

Overall I like the tone and playability but I do notice the ergo difference compared to other instruments with bevels. They are a great instrument though.

[rdamato]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

I think part of it is production volume and very little marketing by BlackBird. I have an El Capitan that I picked up last summer. They are not at all easy to find used and they are pretty pricey new.

On top of that there isn't much news about them. They are basically the same as when they came out and without the custom options there is not much differentiating one BlackBird from another

Overall I like the tone and playability but I do notice the ergo difference compared to other instruments with bevels. They are a great instrument though.

Are the Blackbirds solely best for fingers or do they strum well??

Thanks
Ron

[Aspiring]

My BlackBird is one of the loudest guitars I've played. It holds up well to what for me is a pretty heavy attack. That said I am not much of a heavy strummer so I am not the best to judge them in that regard.

However it seems to me they do well with strumming.

Originally Posted by rdamato

Are the Blackbirds solely best for fingers or do they strum well??

Thanks
Ron

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by NoodleFingers

I wonder if they're on the waiting list for one of these airplanes.

From the linked article:

HEMP/Cannabis, in addition to being one of the world’s healthiest, and most versatile plants on earth, HEMP is pound for pound 10 times stronger than steel. This means that it can withstand a lot more weight before and breaks, and it can bend way further than metal.

So the next guitar craze to replace CF will be hemp. Instead of selling the guitar when you get tired of it ... smoke it!

Tony

There once was a long forum discussion of a hemp-product guitar being made in Holland. Turned out to be the same product being used with concrete (if I remember correctly). the guitar was quite beautiful and I made contact but ended up backing off for fear of its brittleness...I just remembered, it was called a Canna.

[esimms86]

Check out luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz's shop in Providence, Rhode Island. Fast forward to around 6:45 for some of her more unusual design ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CTGcshFDpw

Interesting, strange, compelling.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by esimms86

Check out luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz's shop in Providence, Rhode Island. Fast forward to around 6:45 for some of her more unusual design ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CTGcshFDpw

Absolutely fascinating. The ceramic 3D-printed upper bout for her resonator is extraordinary.

[esimms86]

And if you're into paper mache:

https://www.fredcarlsoncreativeluthi.../jomama-1993#/

Seriously though, Fred Carlson is a genius instrument builder. Alex DeGrassi has purchased at least one of his multi-string builds with sympathetic strings resonating underneath the fretboard(!).