There are many occasions I find myself reluctant to carry my high-end ukes with me for a jam or outdoor event. Call me paranoid but I just don't want anything to happen to them especially by someone elses "accident" or environmental changes. As many of you are aware, Blackbird Guitars recently announced a new concert to be released in November 2013 and I saw it as a perfect opportunity to add a go anywhere, sound really good uke to my collection and the rest, as they say, is history.
Joe Luttwak, CMO at Blackbird says, "We have spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments sporting world class tone. With the Clara, musicians get what was previously unobtainable -- the experience of a vintage old-growth wood instrument in a lightweight, durable, and sustainable package."
Joe Luttwak at the release party - 19 November 2013
The Making of the Blackbird Clara (concert) Ukulele
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MJrqP9fnLQ
I am indeed enjoying this uke. It fits my purposes precisely. With my other hobby (hand rolled cigars) I am banished to the out-of-doors to smoke and I wanted to multi-task the hour spent enjoying a cigar with a little uke practice as well. Now I can without fear of damage to my uke (smoke or temp/humidity). Without the strings I think this thing may be dishwasher safe (just kidding)!
I have a/b'd my Kanile'a concert (only other concert I have) and the Blackbird Clara.
Sound
As expected, the Kanile'a sounds better but surprisingly, the Clara has a nice woody sound, full and rich. Nothing plastic about it. In fact, the hype about vintage tone is true. A nice mature wood sound. Sustain is excellent. I have mine strung with Oasis strings in lowG (wound) and the bass is awesome. Joe, very kindly, included a highG string for me in case I changed my mind which I will try before long. Volume and projection acoustically are very good. Intonation is not quite perfect especially above the 12th fret but, in fairness, the strings are still stretching so the verdict is still out on that but it seems to be getting better with each passing day. And unique to the Clara, the neck is hollow so sound comes out of the headstock (where a TRC would be). Unusual to say the least. good_uke_boy also received his Clara and recorded these two sound clips. Thanks Kevin for saving me from embarrassment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_2t6ysC9Xc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTrpTxqOEs
Corey Fujimoto of HMS
Playability
Physically, the uke is nicely balanced, light (1.2 lbs) and easy to hold. I like the feel of the C shaped neck but the Richlite fretboard looks to be flat (no radius) and barre chords are a little harder to get smoothly ... just a little. 12 frets to the body make it a little more difficult to get to the 15th fret. I'm not in that territory very often (yet).
Specs
Model: Blackbird Clara
Top: Ekoa natural composite
Neck Material: Ekoa natural composite
Neck Shape: C shape
Neck Reinforcement: Composite assembly
Nut Material: Graphtech Tusq
Headstock: Ekoa natural composite
Fretboard Material: Richlite
Scale Length: 15"
Fretwire: Nickel silver
Number of Frets to the Body: 12
Number of Frets Total: 17
Fretboard Width at Nut: 1.4"
Fretboard Width 12th Fret: 1 3/4"
Fretboard Side Markers: 5, 7, 10, 12
Bridge: Richlite
Bridge String Spacing: 1.6"
Saddle: Graphtech
Tuning Machines: Gotoh
Case: Access soft case
Electronics: Optional Mi-Si Pickup
Finish: Natural matte
Dimensions: 24" x 7.75" x 3"
Weight: 1.2 lbs
Joe Luttwak, CMO at Blackbird says, "We have spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments sporting world class tone. With the Clara, musicians get what was previously unobtainable -- the experience of a vintage old-growth wood instrument in a lightweight, durable, and sustainable package."
Joe Luttwak at the release party - 19 November 2013
The Making of the Blackbird Clara (concert) Ukulele
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MJrqP9fnLQ
I am indeed enjoying this uke. It fits my purposes precisely. With my other hobby (hand rolled cigars) I am banished to the out-of-doors to smoke and I wanted to multi-task the hour spent enjoying a cigar with a little uke practice as well. Now I can without fear of damage to my uke (smoke or temp/humidity). Without the strings I think this thing may be dishwasher safe (just kidding)!
I have a/b'd my Kanile'a concert (only other concert I have) and the Blackbird Clara.
Sound
As expected, the Kanile'a sounds better but surprisingly, the Clara has a nice woody sound, full and rich. Nothing plastic about it. In fact, the hype about vintage tone is true. A nice mature wood sound. Sustain is excellent. I have mine strung with Oasis strings in lowG (wound) and the bass is awesome. Joe, very kindly, included a highG string for me in case I changed my mind which I will try before long. Volume and projection acoustically are very good. Intonation is not quite perfect especially above the 12th fret but, in fairness, the strings are still stretching so the verdict is still out on that but it seems to be getting better with each passing day. And unique to the Clara, the neck is hollow so sound comes out of the headstock (where a TRC would be). Unusual to say the least. good_uke_boy also received his Clara and recorded these two sound clips. Thanks Kevin for saving me from embarrassment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_2t6ysC9Xc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiTrpTxqOEs
Corey Fujimoto of HMS
Playability
Physically, the uke is nicely balanced, light (1.2 lbs) and easy to hold. I like the feel of the C shaped neck but the Richlite fretboard looks to be flat (no radius) and barre chords are a little harder to get smoothly ... just a little. 12 frets to the body make it a little more difficult to get to the 15th fret. I'm not in that territory very often (yet).
Specs
Model: Blackbird Clara
Top: Ekoa natural composite
Neck Material: Ekoa natural composite
Neck Shape: C shape
Neck Reinforcement: Composite assembly
Nut Material: Graphtech Tusq
Headstock: Ekoa natural composite
Fretboard Material: Richlite
Scale Length: 15"
Fretwire: Nickel silver
Number of Frets to the Body: 12
Number of Frets Total: 17
Fretboard Width at Nut: 1.4"
Fretboard Width 12th Fret: 1 3/4"
Fretboard Side Markers: 5, 7, 10, 12
Bridge: Richlite
Bridge String Spacing: 1.6"
Saddle: Graphtech
Tuning Machines: Gotoh
Case: Access soft case
Electronics: Optional Mi-Si Pickup
Finish: Natural matte
Dimensions: 24" x 7.75" x 3"
Weight: 1.2 lbs
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