Guitar Noize - guitar news, crazy guitar designs and cool guitar videos

I received this press release the other day about Blackbird guitars which I found pretty interesting not only because I think Carbon Fiber Acoustics look and sound cool, but also because the Blackbird’s compact design make it ideal as a travel guitar and the Carbon Fiber construction means you don’t have to worry about damage and warping caused by changes in humidity and temperature normally associated with Acoustic guitars. The other thing that caught my attention was the photo of Filipe Massa playing the Ferrari branded Blackbird Rider as I am a big F1 fan. This isn’t the first time Ferrari have teamed up with a company for a limited edition product but I’m pretty sure it is the first time they have teamed up with a guitar company and obviously working with a company who use composite materials is a natural fit with Ferrari or any other F1 team.

Here is some info from the press release:

The ultra-rare Ferrari Blackbird guitars were sold at Ferrari Stores worldwide and signed by F1 drivers Philipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen. Based on Blackbird Guitars’ high-performance Rider travel guitar, it is the first instrument fit for the Ferrari namesake. Like Ferrari, it is a study in superlatives - among the most resonant, durable and lightest guitars in the world. The Rider travel guitar is compact enough to fit in the trunk of a sports car, but it plays and sounds like a much bigger instrument. It looks like nothing else on the market: sleek, black carbon fiber speaks to the high-tech materials and construction while the exclusive Maranello Red interior, accented red A string, and Ferrari Scuderia emblem highlights the passion of world-class Italian motoring.

The high-performance Ferrari pedigree is more than just show—designer and Blackbird founder Joe Luttwak worked for the storied car manufacturer in Maranello, Italy. This experience laid the foundation for this thoroughbred of a guitar, inspired by Ferrari’s unque commitment to technology, style, and performance.  “Great acoustic guitar construction, like great race car construction, benefits from stiff and ultra light materials. Using carbon fiber, like Ferrari’s Formula 1 race cars, for the guitar’s uni-body design produces an instrument that sounds better and is much more durable than any travel guitar available today. Many ideas for Blackbird Guitar’s models were inspired by my time at Ferrari, and it’s wonderful to make a model that honors their unparalleled technology, ingenuity and success.”

The first run of the exlusive Ferrari guitar series is now sold out, but Blackbird Guitars is accepting special, custom orders on the Rider model. Blackbird Guitars are made in San Francisco by a small team of luthiers by the Bay. The world’s best travel guitars, the Rider steel and Rider Nylon, now start at $1499. The Blackbird family also includes the larger Super OM.
To learn more visit http://www.blackbirdguitars.com

Key Features of the Blackbird Rider:
Exceptional Carbon Fiber strength and environmental stability
Hollow neck with Stereo Sound Port® in head of the guitar
Asymmetric Acoustic Design® with off-set sound-hole
Ultralight for enhanced sound, comfort and balance
Full scale length (24.5”)
3D sculpted back for improved ergonomics, playability & durability
Optional electronics for amazing amplified tone

Here is the Blackbird Rider in action:

Last friday I featured Emerald Guitars’ new creation. Well aside from Emerald Guitars’ Custom Shop creations they also make a travel guitar that was “...born out of a need for a guitar that was small enough to take anywhere, Strong enough to endure anything and with a sound that would make you want to play it all the time rather than just when you are travelling.” The result of this desire is the X5, an acoustic guitar made from a one piece carbon composite body and neck and carbon fibre fretboard. The neck is apparently so stiff and strong that it doesn’t even need a truss rod. The nut and saddle are by Graphtech as are the bridge pins.

To see just how robust this guitar is check out what the Emerald crew put the poor X5 Life through! It survived being submersed in the Atlantic, climbing a mountain and being used as a canoe paddle!

“...a neat wah wah effect could be created by swishing the water around the inside of the guitar.”

YIKES! Don’t worry apparently it was still in tune after its ordeal. Check out the guitar specs page to hear some samples of the guitar in action. And if you fancy owning one of these robust guitars, you can buy one through their online shop for £545 with a pickup or knock off 80 quid without.

How about this for one of the most unique solutions to travel guitar design? The Stow-Away™ looks like a cross between a Fender Stratocaster and a Steinberger when not packed in a suitcase with a few classic Strat finish variations available, red, black, sunburst and the Deluxe model which has an Amber finish with Figured Maple over an Alder body, a Maple neck with a 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard and 2 Seymour Duncan Humbuckers as opposed to the standard version which has 3 Alnico Pole Single Coil pickups but these can be upgraded before the guitar is shipped should you wish. Both versions have Graph-Tech Saddles.

The key design element of this guitar stems from Stewart Guitars’ trademark ‘Clip Joint Neck Connector’ which allows the neck to be quickly removed (without tools) for easy travel or compact storage. When disassembled, the neck of the Stow-Away™ can be stored in a diagonal storage cavity in the back of the guitar body.  (See photo above.)  The Stow-Away™ can then be discretely stored and in a well padded carrying case (included).

Check out this video to see just how quickly and easily the Stow-Away can be disassembled! This guitar is available from $400 via the Stewart Guitars’ website and they also run a “Loaner Program” so that you can try before you buy.

After a recent comment thread on my Shredneck post I have been looking at alternatives for this device such as travel guitars, after all it would seem that the idea is to have a guitar or guitar substitute that can be carried around easily. At first I found the Traveler guitar which look great but are still pretty big, then I found the Soloette again, looks great especially with all the add-ons to make it a fully shaped guitar but still a bit on the large side to carry around. The same goes for the Martin Backpacker Acoustic.

Well today I came across another guitar that is not only revolutionary in its design but at its smallest, is only the length of the neck. The DeVillain Centrefold Guitar actually has a neck that unlocks and folds back onto the body, the strings are wound around the rotating bridge and apparently tuning is not affected during this whole process. Make sure you click on the continue button on the homepage and then the “Fold/Unfold the guitar” link which is rather stupidly hidden away thanks to the web designers deciding stupid javascript effects were more necessary than usability. If you don’t manage to find the link click on this link to go to the press room photos.