stevepetergal
Well-known member
After I posted a review (which I thought was very favorable, almost glowing) Blackbird decided to ship the traveling Clara ukulele home for restringing and set-up work. They then sent it back around.
You can read my original review here: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?99080-Blackbird-Clara-Concert-Review
Here are my thoughts upon further review:
Fit and Finish - 7
When the Clara arrived the second time, Blackbird had apparently done something with the top, either polished it or added a finish of some kind. So, it was less "dry/sand-papery" feeling. New Fit and Finish rating -7. This is up from 5, but not higher because I know it has the potential to deteriorate.
Sound -9 (Up from 3.5!)
Here's where I must rethink the entire instrument. After Blackbird serviced the instrument and strung it with different strings (fluorocarbon according to them) with a wound low G, the instrument was very different. The sudden, initial decay of the sound that I describe in my original review is utterly gone. It SINGS. The banjo-like "boing" is also a thing of the past. With these two, little issues so effectively resolved, the sound is enormously improved. The Clara is a serious musical instrument and the sound is up to the professional level of anything on the market. It does not really sound like your custom, wooden instrument. The discerning listener can tell it's made of alternate materials, but that's not a bad thing. It's just a bit different. Does it sound like a plastic ukulele? Maybe, sort of. But, not like any other. It is a very robust, full sound. No cheap sound here. In fact the Clara is a loud instrument. Usually I don't think of "loud" as a very important characteristic, but this ukulele, being so very well-designed and built, utilizes its volume wonderfully. The player can easily play a very nice pianissimo without losing the really lovely, round sound of the instrument. This makes the dynamic range very wide indeed. And, the fortissimo you can get from the Clara is not only bigger than any ukulele I've played, it's still a nice sound. Beat it all you want and it will not sound harsh. The Clara has most exceptional sound capabilities.
Add to this the sustain capability of the Clara which, without the initial decay experienced with the D'Addario strings, is as great as my custom instrument. So, at higher volume, the sustain actually seems even longer. (The low G also may give one the false impression of more sustain than is really there, but even taking this into account, the Clara is superior.)
Overall Rating - 9.1
This instrument plays as well as any ukulele. With the initial-sound-decay issue resolved, the Blackbird Clara is much more what I had hoped. It is capable of every dynamic an ukulele player can ever expect and then some. It can play the beautiful loud and soft sounds needed for the musician's every possible need, and sound beautiful at both ends of its dynamic range. Strum it, pick it, caress or beat the music, and it's still musical. The legato (which I found impossible the first time around) is as good as I am able to get from any ukulele. It does sound sort of "plastic", but I say that only to point out that it doesn't quite sound like your custom wooden ukulele. It sounds every bit as good as anything I've played. Please, disregard all that business I posted about "value rating". Although I am very happy with the ukuleles I currently own, if I was buying my first performance ukulele, I would have trouble not buying a Clara. Or if I was planning to go to one instrument only, the Clara would be up there with any professional-quality instrument, and above most. (Maybe the top of the heap!) Plus, the Carbon fiber material should last nearly forever with no concern for the constant care necessary with wooden ukuleles. Surely worth every penny. I get it, now.
Who knows, perhaps one day the tonewoods we now love will be so scarce that we won't be buying wooden ukuleles. This may become the new standard in every way.
You can read my original review here: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?99080-Blackbird-Clara-Concert-Review
Here are my thoughts upon further review:
Fit and Finish - 7
When the Clara arrived the second time, Blackbird had apparently done something with the top, either polished it or added a finish of some kind. So, it was less "dry/sand-papery" feeling. New Fit and Finish rating -7. This is up from 5, but not higher because I know it has the potential to deteriorate.
Sound -9 (Up from 3.5!)
Here's where I must rethink the entire instrument. After Blackbird serviced the instrument and strung it with different strings (fluorocarbon according to them) with a wound low G, the instrument was very different. The sudden, initial decay of the sound that I describe in my original review is utterly gone. It SINGS. The banjo-like "boing" is also a thing of the past. With these two, little issues so effectively resolved, the sound is enormously improved. The Clara is a serious musical instrument and the sound is up to the professional level of anything on the market. It does not really sound like your custom, wooden instrument. The discerning listener can tell it's made of alternate materials, but that's not a bad thing. It's just a bit different. Does it sound like a plastic ukulele? Maybe, sort of. But, not like any other. It is a very robust, full sound. No cheap sound here. In fact the Clara is a loud instrument. Usually I don't think of "loud" as a very important characteristic, but this ukulele, being so very well-designed and built, utilizes its volume wonderfully. The player can easily play a very nice pianissimo without losing the really lovely, round sound of the instrument. This makes the dynamic range very wide indeed. And, the fortissimo you can get from the Clara is not only bigger than any ukulele I've played, it's still a nice sound. Beat it all you want and it will not sound harsh. The Clara has most exceptional sound capabilities.
Add to this the sustain capability of the Clara which, without the initial decay experienced with the D'Addario strings, is as great as my custom instrument. So, at higher volume, the sustain actually seems even longer. (The low G also may give one the false impression of more sustain than is really there, but even taking this into account, the Clara is superior.)
Overall Rating - 9.1
This instrument plays as well as any ukulele. With the initial-sound-decay issue resolved, the Blackbird Clara is much more what I had hoped. It is capable of every dynamic an ukulele player can ever expect and then some. It can play the beautiful loud and soft sounds needed for the musician's every possible need, and sound beautiful at both ends of its dynamic range. Strum it, pick it, caress or beat the music, and it's still musical. The legato (which I found impossible the first time around) is as good as I am able to get from any ukulele. It does sound sort of "plastic", but I say that only to point out that it doesn't quite sound like your custom wooden ukulele. It sounds every bit as good as anything I've played. Please, disregard all that business I posted about "value rating". Although I am very happy with the ukuleles I currently own, if I was buying my first performance ukulele, I would have trouble not buying a Clara. Or if I was planning to go to one instrument only, the Clara would be up there with any professional-quality instrument, and above most. (Maybe the top of the heap!) Plus, the Carbon fiber material should last nearly forever with no concern for the constant care necessary with wooden ukuleles. Surely worth every penny. I get it, now.
Who knows, perhaps one day the tonewoods we now love will be so scarce that we won't be buying wooden ukuleles. This may become the new standard in every way.
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