Blackbird Savoy for the Win!

[Wuchak]

After over a decade of trying different acoustics on the quest for "the one" it has arrived in the form of the Blackbird Savoy.

A decade ago I had a Seagull S6 acoustic and set out on a quest to find my perfect acoustic guitar. I went through Westerly Guilds, Breedlove Root series, Martin: D-28p, OM-28v, OM-21 sunburst, DC-16GTE-Premium, Taylor: mini, GS8, 810, Alvarez-Yairi WY-80, Eastman AJ-16CE (carved spruce back jumbo), Baden A Style, Recording King: Greenwich Village (13 fret 00 deep body), RP1-16c, Blackbird Rider, Blackbird Super OM, and lots of others.

I realized after a few years that the dread was not for me and that I preferred the comfort of the OM and smaller sizes. For a while the OM-28v was the tops until the OM-21 sunburst came along. Then came the Blackbird Super OM. Then the Recording King RP1-16c for around the house use. Which was their single 0, 12 fret, cutaway, with torrefied (baked) spruce top. It was their Schoenberg model after they stopped making the 0 and 00 Schoenbergs.

The little Recording King is just super comfortable to play and had all the acoustic volume I need. If I needed it louder I just plugged it into the Fishman. When the size 0 was introduced in 1854 it was the large size "concert model" guitar. Meant to provide the volume to accompany a singer, which it does, and then some. With it's compact body, cutaway, and 25.4" scale length Eric's design is really sublime. Comfortable to play in front of the computer taking lessons for hours. Easy to navigate around the house with it on. It became permanently parked on the stand to get grabbed and played every day.


The last several years have seen nothing but the Blackbird Super OM and the Recording King RP1-16c get played. When I saw Blackbird release the Savoy I wanted one as it combined the best of the two guitars that I loved the most. The wait time put me off ordering one and besides, I had the pair I was already enjoying. Then a few weeks ago I found a dealer with a Savoy with pickup in stock and couldn't resist.

I am pleased to say that it was everything I was hoping it would be and more. Plays like butter, sounds like angels singing, and is as comfortable as a hug from a koala bear.

I'll keep four wooden acoustics: two heirlooms, the two small bodied Recording Kings. They won't get much playing time but they fit neatly in a corner with the couple of unplayed electrics.

I won't say the Savoy is the last guitar I'll ever buy as I have my eye on a Journey carbon fiber, removable neck, as a travel guitar. I'd prefer to keep the Savoy and Super OM home where they are safe. The furthest they will go is to a local open mic or jam. I'd never risk either on a plane. So a Journey might be my last, but the Savoy is now and will remain the Queen of the stables.

If you are on your own quest, keep going, enjoy the nice instruments you get to spend time with along the way, and when you find "the one", you'll know it.

The Savoy is staring at me from its stand, telling me my fingers belong on it, not the keyboard. So it's time to go. : )

Wuchak;

Good questing! I've shared some of the turf you've covered; I've had several of the wooden instruments you mention and the Black bird Super OM (all in nylon strung versions). And now I am paying a lot of attention to the Journey.

This forum seems marked by curious and experimental travelers.

[domen]

really like Blackbird's guitars...

[Tøf]

I had a Savoy, and while I never managed to find a comfortable playing position it sounded absolutely fantastic for such a small instrument. I still want an El Capitan at some point!

Be prepared for a much quiter guitar with the Journey. It has a nice warm tone but really lacks projection in my opinion… but then there’s no equivalent if you want a worry-free guitar that fits in a backpack.
I had an OF660 and went for a Furch Little Jane instead. No it’s not made of carbon (except a bit in the neck), but the Furch is the best travel guitar I’ve played to date by far, and proved to be quite robust as well.

[Methos1979]

Congrats on the Savoy! I've always wanted to try one to see how it stacks up against the many other CF guitars I've owned over the years. I have been searching and I have found 'The One' so many times now that I know for me at least there's no such thing! But I've also definitely slowed way down in the speed that they come and go.

I'm down to three (my sweet spot) and each one covers a very specific spot in the lineup with a bit of crossover between them. One is of course a carbon fiber (RainSong) which is just so handy. We played a two-hour show today in 90 degree heat with high humidity and the guitar never went out of tune. And I didn't worry about the sweat dripping off me onto the guitar!

As for the Journey OF660, I've owned two and they are great little guitars. If you travel by plane or just need something super small to carry around but puts together to a playable guitar then you can't do better. Even the SBT pickup system in the OF660 is really good.

What pickup system came in your Savoy? Is that something stock from the factory or did the dealer install it?

[Acousticado]

Wuchak, I’m glad you like the Savoy and that it works for you. I had one. Didn’t like it. The tone was ok, but the body ergonomics associated with Blackbird’s 12 fret design just didn’t “fit” my playing style while seated well at all.

[tbeltrans]

Dang! There is apparently one over at Willie's in St. Paul. I might have to go check it out someday.

Tony

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Dang! There is apparently one over at Willie's in St. Paul. I might have to go check it out someday.

Tony

Looks like it’s already gone, Tony - showing as ‘out of stock’.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

Looks like it’s already gone, Tony - showing as ‘out of stock’.

Well, that saves me a trip over to St. Paul and a discussion with my wife.

Tony

Tony;

And you've saved some money. Now you are free to look at other options and engage in future conversations with your wife.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Tony;

And you've saved some money. Now you are free to look at other options and engage in future conversations with your wife.

Well, there is that too.

Tony

[bsman]

bsman;

That's downright scary.

[Wuchak]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Congrats on the Savoy! I've always wanted to try one to see how it stacks up against the many other CF guitars I've owned over the years. I have been searching and I have found 'The One' so many times now that I know for me at least there's no such thing! But I've also definitely slowed way down in the speed that they come and go.

I'm down to three (my sweet spot) and each one covers a very specific spot in the lineup with a bit of crossover between them. One is of course a carbon fiber (RainSong) which is just so handy. We played a two-hour show today in 90 degree heat with high humidity and the guitar never went out of tune. And I didn't worry about the sweat dripping off me onto the guitar!

As for the Journey OF660, I've owned two and they are great little guitars. If you travel by plane or just need something super small to carry around but puts together to a playable guitar then you can't do better. Even the SBT pickup system in the OF660 is really good.

What pickup system came in your Savoy? Is that something stock from the factory or did the dealer install it?

Thank-you! Not having to worry about sweat dripping on them is just one of the great thing about composites.

It came with the factory installed Mi-Si pickup. One minute of charge for 20 hours of playing time. It sounds fantastic. The pickups I prefer are the under bridge K&K Pure and the JJB 330, which are the same thing. Pure acoustic sound with no piezo squawk, which I am overly sensitive too. That squawk is like nails on a chalkboard, it sends shivers down my spine. The Mi-Si has none. It's up there in sound with the under bridge one and has a very usable mid-EQ scooping tone control. Lets me push the mids out or pull them back as needed.

[Wuchak]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

Dang! There is apparently one over at Willie's in St. Paul. I might have to go check it out someday.

Tony

There "was" one at Willie's. : ) Status is now out of stock because I have it right next to me. That's the one that I couldn't resist. No 10 week wait. Now I get to enjoy it all summer with it's "Honey Badger don't care" attitude towards humidity and temperature.