What do You Love About your Blackbird Lucky 13

vcyclist · #1 03-30-2016, 05:03 PM

What do you like about your Lucky 13 and what do you not like about it? What did you compare it to before you bought it? What style do you play?

Earl49 · #2 03-30-2016, 10:52 PM

I'm going to watch this thread. Been interested in the Lucky 13 for a while, but never got to play one.

I will be going to the Reno Uke Fest in a couple of weeks. I hope that Blackbird will bring one. Good chance I will buy it, assuming I like the sound.

jkwrpc · #3 03-31-2016, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

I'm going to watch this thread. Been interested in the Lucky 13 for a while, but never got to play one.

I will be going to the Reno Uke Fest in a couple of weeks. I hope that Blackbird will bring one. Good chance I will buy it, assuming I like the sound.

Which Blackbird Uke are you wanting? I have wanted one of the CF tenors for some time. I have tried the eKoa concert model but never bonded with it. I would be curious what you learn though it may need another thread so as to not hijack this one.

As far as the Lucky 13 I do not have one. If I were looking at a guitar it would be on my short list. For me it is the right size guitar and those that have played it seem to have good things to say. Its just I am in a uke/mandolin phase right now.

sirwhale · #4 03-31-2016, 10:19 AM

I play folk, blues and Santaolalla stuff

The curves are prettier than most guitars.
It's such a nice comfortable size.
String spacing is nice at both ends.
It has good projection.
The bass is very good for a smaller body.
It sounds great with 11-50s, no need for 12s.
Always in tune, neck relief is good and stays that way, whatever the strings.
Slotted bridge.

My changes:
Ebony pins (really made a difference, the tusq pins could sound brittle on the high E is played to hard and with fret slap. With the slotted bridge I just swapped them in and out while at pitch and it was easy to notice).
Bone saddle
Strings that are either nickel or have silk, currently using Newtone double-wound nickels, nice and warm.

This is my first high end instrument and although I GAS about eKoa, there isn't any real chance I'll be buying a new guitar or selling this one; I'm sure kids will be along in a couple of years and that will keep me and my L13 together for a long time.

Earl49 · #5 03-31-2016, 11:11 AM

I am not actually looking for a Blackbird ukulele. I've played them and they are quite nice (and so are the eKoa ukulele) but I already have several really nice solid koa and mango ukes. It just happens that Blackbird will be an exhibitor at the Reno Uke Fest in two weeks, and I'm hoping that they bring some of their guitars along too so I can try them.

I am in the process of selling off most of my wood guitars and slimming down to only a select group of low-maintenance CF guitars. Lucky 13 would fill the small blues box (aka Gibson L00) niche for me. I play a lot of Piedmont and ragtime fingerstyle, so it seems like a natural fit. But I've never been able to actually see or play one. Talking to Joe L (Blackbird owner) at last year's uke festival in Reno, they have a really good trial period and return policy, and only get back a tiny fraction of guitars that go out on trial (less than 1%). Still I'd prefer to get my grubby fingerprints on one first.

Sirwhale, thanks for your comments. They didn't have an eKoa guitar last year either. I will give a full report here when I get back from the festival on April 18. Maybe I'll even have a Lucky 13 of my own.....

mot · #6 03-31-2016, 08:00 PM

Earl,

Do you live in the Reno area? It's a short train ride to SF from there although the train often runs late.

mot · #7 03-31-2016, 08:21 PM

The L13 is really fun to play. I have a 2014 model and chose to get it without electronics. I use it mostly for finger style as my X20 is a great strummer. I like the size and the volume that comes out of that little guitar. I would describe it as something like a small Gibson in sound and size but yet nothing like one. The three sound ports give it a soundscape that I have never heard on another acoustic. I mostly get a blast from the port on the side, but the hollow neck lets the treble notes come out in interesting ways. It's definitely a keeper. I am playing other guitars (and other instruments), but I don't intend to part with my L13. My 10 year old already wants to take it on tour as his acoustic guitar when he puts his band together.

I went by the shop a few years ago and checked out everything that was available there as I was considering a uke at the time. Joe's instruments are all amazing, but the L13 is my top choice though I really would still like to take their uke home with me too.

tdq · #8 03-31-2016, 08:25 PM

I don't have one, but would like to - I've mentioned this before, but if they were around when I first got interested in CF it probably would have been my choice. (I have a pre-peavey CA-GX)
I did have one for a week, twice - once with the original voicing and then one with the newer 2013 voicing when MacNichol was doing the roadtrips. I like to play blues/rags etc too and it was a great fit for that, and I do like 00 sized guitars and it was very comfortable. Although it's not a "travel" guitar, for me it is a good travel size and nice and light. In fact it went camping with me for a few days the week I had it and was easy to throw in the back in it's gig bag.
I set the later one up for lap slide playing at one stage (with a nut extender) and it was great for that, too! The only thing I didn't really like about it was the plastic-y tuning buttons. I think it would work great, or probably even better, in ekoa.

Earl49 · #9 03-31-2016, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mot

Do you live in the Reno area? It's a short train ride to SF from there although the train often runs late.

I'm in Boise and will be driving down (7 hours). Wish there was a train option.... I don't get to SF often. It would be cool to visit Blackbird.

GrandDadgad · #10 04-01-2016, 01:32 PM

Mine is a 2014 model from McNichol's. I purchased it used from another AGF member. It has the K&K pick up and mother of pearl bridge as well as the original tusq. Neck is Gibson-like full C shape. Easy to hold, play and size travels well. I have fit it easily in an airline overhead. Living in central FL the humidity issues with wood are gone. First time I had someone else play it I liked the sound even more. I am a fan!