The stork flew over San Francisco today and delivered a new baby to the workshop of Blackbird Guitars. Unlike its stablemates, such as the gorgeous Rider, the Clara concert-level ukulele is not made from carbon fiber. It's made from a newly-developed sustainable material called Ekoa, which is said to give the instrument the strength and durability of the company's usual material of choice and the tone of vintage wood.
The Clara marks the product debut for Ekoa, which is produced in partnership with fledgling sister company Lingrove. The new combination of plant-based fabrics and bio-based resins is claimed to give the Clara superior responsiveness, stability and strength, as well as the promise of room-filling vintage wood tone.
"Blackbird has spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments world class tone," Blackbird Guitar's co-founder Joe Luttwak said in a press statement. "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."
The second uke in Blackbird's line-up sports the company's patented hollow neck design, with a sound port in the head. The fingerboard and bridge are made from Richlite.
Pricing starts at US$1,150, and each model from the limited first production run will come supplied with a reinforced soft case. Buyers can also opt for a MiSi pickup with volume and tone control for an additional $200.
Have a look at the Clara promo video below.
Source: Blackbird Guitars