March 27, 2024

Guitar made from bed and table covers – the Blackbird El Capitan

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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.

Screen shot 2015-09-18 at 9.08.19 PMAfter 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

El Capitan Deluxe

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
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

 blackbirdguitar.com

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