The dawn of a new era in guitar history

Dec 4, 2008 09:27 GMT  ·  By

For hundreds of years, the acoustic guitars have remained pretty much unchanged, as far as their principle was concerned, but also in terms of looks and construction. Yet, it seems that the time of change has come upon them as well, as Joe Luttwak of Blackbird Guitars released his two new creations: the Blackbird Rider Steel and Rider Nylon. We're pleased to introduce to you two acoustic guitars with a completely new shape and a different construction, and with a carefully engineered sound made to stand out from the crowd.

 

The first thing you'll notice at the Blackbird guitars is their uncanny shape: no more hourglass-shaped bodies and by all means, no wood at all. These pieces sport a 100% carbon fiber body and have been designed using computers.

 

First of all, fiber carbon is one material that can be used in pretty much any shape, no matter how rounded or intricate it would be. The layered construction of the boards ensures a tremendous rigidity and strength, surpassing by far that of any wood essence. At the same time, the Blackbird guitars have an incredibly lightweight profile, weighing in at a mere 3 lb (1.36 kg) a piece.

 

The neck of these instruments is also hollow and sports a sound port at its end for a stronger sonic character and a wider acoustic dispersion resulting in a fuller, richer sound. The carbon fiber board used for these guitars is only 1mm thick and this adds to their overall resonance, while the glossy and smooth finish breathes elegance and a stylish look.

 

As their very names say, these Blackbird guitars come equipped with either the classic nylon strings or with the more modern steel ones, to suit the taste of any player. The scale of the neck measures a full 25.6" (650mm) while the 2" neck width and careful construction make them both comfortable and good-looking. The Blackbird Riders also sport side-address tuners and can be fitted with optional RMC electronics for each string. The price tags are even more serious than these odd guitars themselves, though: $1,899 for the Rider Nylon and $1,599 for the Rider Steel. Not exactly the first position on the Christmas gift list.

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A modern shape for the guitar of tomorrow
100% carbon fiber constructionThe traditional rounded back
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