Just what exactly is carbon fiber? The material seems to be popping up in more places than Paris Hilton these days (for example, the exterior of the new Lamborghini Reventón and the interior of the Nike Hyperdunk). Now, carbon fiber is even making its way into rock n’ roll as a major selling point of the Blackbird Rider.
The Blackbird Rider is a small, oddly shaped guitar made almost entirely of carbon fiber. The idea behind this inventive guitar is to give musicians a guitar that’s easy to travel with and transport - without sacrificing sound quality. The Blackbird features a patent-pending construction that relies on the incredibly strong and stiff properties of carbon fiber as well as plenty of unique design features to create what the makers call the “strongest, most resonant small-bodied guitar available anywhere”. Despite its diminutive size, the Blackbird Rider still produces full-size guitar volume. The Blackbird Rider's proportions, materials, and hollow body result in a strong, clear and distinctive sound with unparalleled sustain. The main benefit of the hollow design (the whole thing – neck included - is hollow) is that the entire guitar becomes the sound box contributing to its loud and full-bodied tone. And because it’s made from carbon fiber, it’s both light (weighing in at around 3 pounds) and durable enough to withstand a fall on concrete without breaking.
An avid backpacker and songwriter, one of Blackbird Guitars founders, Joe Luttwak (who co-founded the company and invented the guitar with Kyle Wolfe), spent years looking for an ideal travel guitar that still sounded good. After his search proved fruitless, Luttwak used some of the knowledge he attained while working at Ferrari to invent his own. Using three-dimensional CAD (computer-aided design), computer controlled laser cutters and routers as well as advanced materials such as carbon fiber, and structural foams, Luttwak and Wolfe began producing prototypes to try to find the right combination of weight, size and sound. The final result, as the inventors describe it, is “part mountain dulcimer and part F1 race car that harmoniously balances technology with traditional craftsmanship”. And, so far, the Blackbird Rider has been a hit with most musicians. Comments on the customer feedback page of the Blackbird Web site note not only the convenience of the small, lightweight guitar, but also how good it sounds.
Largely, the benefits of the Blackbird Rider are the result of carbon fiber. So, getting back to our initial question: just what exactly is carbon fiber? Carbon fiber is a material consisting of extremely thin fibers (about 0.0002–0.0004 inches in diameter) composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals, which are aligned in a way that makes the fiber incredibly strong for its small size. Carbon fibers can be twisted together to form an ultra-strong yarn or combined with a plastic resin and wound or molded to form composite materials such as carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. The density of carbon fiber is also considerably lower than the density of steel, making it an ideal replacement in certain applications.Over the years, the high-strength/low-weight properties of carbon fiber have popularized the material in the aerospace and military sectors – where many innovative components tend to get their start. And, now, as they say in show business, carbon fiber “has arrived”.
Blackbird Riders are currently being sold to the public one at a time as they are produced (at a cost of $1,599 per guitar). Interested individuals can visit the Blackbird sales page for more information.
