Blackbird Super OM

[CobaltBlue]

I see a lot of love for Rainsongs, one reason being, I would think, that their marketing is more high-powered than is Blackbird's.

I'm disenchanted w/ Blackbird's marketing, BTW, because
(1) I know of no Blackbird vendors who--and I can understand this--encourage returns
(2) Ordering a Blackbird means at least a month's wait
(3) One cannot get a discount off list, which means that, if one doesn't like the guitar, one is definitely going to take a huge(!) when selling it used.

All that being said, I like the looks of the Super OM. I like very much that, design-wise, it's not another just peanut-shaped box with a soundhole in the center.

So, please, those of you who have owned/played the Super OM, what are your opinions?

[AndyFrank]

The way I hear it is Blackbird, like Santa Cruz, Goodall, Collings and a few others set sale prices for their dealer to protect their brand but it' more complicated than that. I once took a friend of mine in to Ted's shop on Sunset to purchase a very expensive Santa Cruz dreadnaught priced over $7000. My friend pulled out a wad of cash and asked for a 15% discount. Ted told him he would never insult Richard Hoover by discounting his guitars. A week later the guitar sold for full price and netting Ted an extra $1000

The builders mentioned above don't build very many guitars so discounting them makes no sense at all, I mean only a fool would do it, but you can order a Super OM from Ted and have three days to decide if you like or not, and he has one in stock.

http://www.laguitarsales.com/pages/3...d_Super_OM.htm

[Kindness]

And Ted only seems to have the Super OM. I travel a lot, and really want to bring a travel guitar. The Blackbird Steel Rider would be a good fit, but I never buy until I try a guitar.

[ac]

Doesn't Ted have a 3 day return policy?

That would be like a 3 day road trip for the price of shipping if you really, really didn't like it.

[CobaltBlue]

Originally Posted by ac

Doesn't Ted have a 3 day return policy?

That would be like a 3 day road trip for the price of shipping if you really, really didn't like it.

Yes, I didn't realize that there was a three-day policy until last evening, but, three days is an almost negligible amount of time, really (though from any seller's point of view I can understand completely the need to have such a policy).
But when a guitar arrives, I leave it unpackaged for a day so it can become acclimated to the temps here. That makes it two days. And if it's a crazy week, I might not have too many hours in those two days to actually to try the guitar.
Again, I understand completely the policy, but it provides an extremely miniscule window in which to operate.

[MikeVB]

I think Blackbird themselves have a very generous audition period of like 10 or 14 days or something.

I was shocked how long they told me it was in email communications.

[ac]

Originally Posted by CobaltBlue

Yes, I didn't realize that there was a three-day policy until last evening, but, three days is an almost negligible amount of time, really (though from any seller's point of view I can understand completely the need to have such a policy).
But when a guitar arrives, I leave it unpackaged for a day so it can become acclimated to the temps here. That makes it two days. And if it's a crazy week, I might not have too many hours in those two days to actually to try the guitar.
Again, I understand completely the policy, but it provides an extremely miniscule window in which to operate.

Since it's carbon fiber, there is no need at all for any acclimation at any time ever. Open and play and likely on opening, it will already be in tune. Wood? Yes, I can see the need to go slow there.

[CobaltBlue]

Originally Posted by ac

Since it's carbon fiber, there is no need at all for any acclimation at any time ever. Open and play and likely on opening, it will already be in tune. Wood? Yes, I can see the need to go slow there.

Ahh, yes, I hadn't thought of that. Thank you.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by CobaltBlue

Yes, I didn't realize that there was a three-day policy until last evening, but, three days is an almost negligible amount of time, really (though from any seller's point of view I can understand completely the need to have such a policy).
But when a guitar arrives, I leave it unpackaged for a day so it can become acclimated to the temps here. That makes it two days. And if it's a crazy week, I might not have too many hours in those two days to actually to try the guitar.
Again, I understand completely the policy, but it provides an extremely miniscule window in which to operate.

CB, there would be no acclimation period with a carbon fiber guitar but even with a wood guitar it shouldn't be more than a few hours so the only commitment you would need to make is to make sure you set up delivery for a time when you are available for a few hours a day to play the guitar during the three days. BTW, I limit inspection periods to three days because I think three days is more than enough time to figure out if a guitar works for you or not, and three days is also the maximum amount of time a new guitar should spend at a customers house being subjected to hostile temperature and humidity, and smells from pets, food, cologne and smoke.

As noted above Blackbird does sell direct and will give you a few weeks to play the guitars which is enough time to take a Rider on vacation then return it as one of my clients did a year or so ago. True story.

[CobaltBlue]

Ted, yes, I do understand--I promise you--completely.

As I have said before, I really don't like returning items (unless there is a defect of some kind). It just makes me feel uncomfortable. And to be honest, it makes me even more uncomfortable when I've purchased an item from an independent seller--you know...a non-Bain Capital-type meg-outlet.

I have a lot of thinking to do.

[Barb1]

CB,
I own a Blackbird Super OM. It is a fantastic guitar. Playing the Super OM is like sitting in a room with surround sound. The sound is rich and full and loud. It plays like a dream, is light weigh and is absolutely stunning visually. Joe Luttwak is not only a master at his craft but he is also the nicest fellow to deal with. I am totally happy with my Super OM, so much so that I bought a Lucky 13 and a Steel Rider from him. All are terrific guitars.

I brought the Super OM to a gathering a few months ago. After hearing it people (all musicians) came up to me and had to play it and experience it first hand. The things they said about the guitar were all on the more than positive to wow it's amazing side of reviews.

Barb

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by CobaltBlue

Ted, yes, I do understand--I promise you--completely.

As I have said before, I really don't like returning items (unless there is a defect of some kind). It just makes me feel uncomfortable. And to be honest, it makes me even more uncomfortable when I've purchased an item from an independent seller--you know...a non-Bain Capital-type meg-outlet.

I have a lot of thinking to do.

It's obvious you understand both sides but I wanted to point out our reasoning. Fact is most added services provided by retailers to compete with each other can only hurt them, but a long inspection period hurts everyone. For instance a dried up guitar may not appear that way but the irreversible damage may have already been done and it's not something that will be covered by any warranty.

As far as feeling more comfortable about returning a guitar to a large chain, that just nonsense. Every business has their terms and conditions based on what they are able to provide, if I gave you three days and you are ok with three days than you don't need to feel guilty about returning the guitar to me. If however you prefer to try a guitar for a month at a time even though you know you are taking advantage of the chain financially, and possibly returning a guitar that shouldn't be sold as new, than that's another matter all together. IMO it's not an option that you will have to consider for long.

[Kindness]

Is the Micarta fretboard a cause for having to humidify any of the blackbird guitars?

[CobaltBlue]

Let me make this clear: I feel less uncomfortable returning an item to a conglomerate vendor, but I never--let me repeat, NEVER--take advantage of any seller, no matter how large that seller might be.

If I receive a guitar, and I know that it is not for me, I contact the seller, and I tell them that I want to return it as soon as possible so as to make certain that it is in the same pristine condition it was in when I received it

And I never lie in order to take advantage of a generous return policy: I never pretend, for example, that there is a defect when there is none just so as to get free return shipping. If I don't like something, I return it as quickly as humanly possible, and I willingly pay for the return.

When I say that I find it even more difficult to consider returning an item that is without defect to an independent seller like yourself, I mean that I would probably not return it at all, no matter what.

And I'm not thrilled that you misinterpreted my comment to mean anything other than that.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by itself

Is the Micarta fretboard a cause for having to humidify any of the blackbird guitars?

Lisa, Micarta does not need to be humidified, in fact there is nothing on any current Blackbird that you would need to be worried about as far as humidity is concerned.