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I met Joe Luttwak of Blackbird Guitars at his first winter NAMM in 2009.
That was the year of carbon fiber. Seams like everybody and his brother was introducing a carbon fiber guitar that year – Rainsong, Composite Acoustics, XOX and Blackbird, among others. Now Blackbird has gone “organic” with the introduction of a guitar made from Ekoa – a proprietary composite based on flax fibers.
After a few years of prototyping Blackbird Guitars is excited to announce that their first guitar made of Ekoa, El Capitan, is finally available through dealers and the Blackbird custom shop. El Capitan is a world class instrument and the first made with Ekoa linen. To mark the occasion Balckbird has produced two launch videos for your enjoyment.
A Short Teaser Clip
Grammy Winner Henry Kaiser Playing the El Capitan Guitar and How It Is Made
El Capitan channels the sought after tone of prewar acoustics (WWII) with concert-level projection and vintage vibe, yet it’s made from highly durable Ekoa composite. The hollow-neck uni-body is made of linen fabric from the flax plant and bio-resin. The soundboard is lighter, but as stiff as wood – making for a louder and more dynamic instrument than traditionally-built guitars. The composite construction is also highly durable and humidity/temperature stable, so unlike wood it does not require humidification and babying. In an era when most high end instruments are still made from rainforest wood, El Capitan is environmentally and worker-friendly with both Ekoa and the instrument crafted in the San Francisco Bay Area. El Capitan is truly a game-changer offering world-class tone, and a classic vibe in a worry free package.
El Capitan – Slide Guitar – David Siegler
| Construction |
Ekoa® natural linen composite
|
|---|---|
| Top |
Ekoa® natural linen composite
|
| Fretboard Width at 12th Fret |
2.18 in (55.3mm)
|
| Fretboard Width at Nut |
1.75 in (44.45mm)
|
| Neck Material |
Ekoa® natural linen composite
|
| Fretboard Side Markers |
White Dots
|
| Bridge Material |
HPL
|
| Neck Shape |
Medium thickness Shallow V
|
| Neck Reinforcement : |
Carbon Profile + Single Action Truss Rod
|
| Bridge String Spacing |
2.18 in (55.3mm)
|
| Saddle |
Graphtech
|
| Nut Material |
Graphtech String-saver
|
| Fretboard Material |
HPL
|
| Tuning Machines |
Gotoh Premium Side Address
|
|---|---|
| Headstock |
Ekoa® Natural linen composite
|
| Recommended Strings |
Elixir Nano-web 80/20 Lights
|
| Headplate |
N/A
|
| Case |
Premium Soft Case
|
| Electronics |
Optional Mi-Si Rechargeable Pickup
|
| Scale Length |
25.5 in (647.70mm)
|
| Finish |
Front: Satin, Back: Semi-gloss
|
| Fretwire |
Stainless Steel
|
| Dimensions |
41 x 16 x 4.25 in. (104 x 41 x 11cm)
|
| Weight |
4.75 lbs (2.1 Kilos)
|
| Number of Frets Clear |
14
|
| Number of Frets Total |
20
|
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