The founder of Blackbird Guitars – Joe shares his thoughts on music, travel, sustainability and the future of natural composites
20.07.2016
Joseph Luttwak – the owner and founder of Blackbird Guitars and Lingrove Natural Composites is based in San Francisco Bay area, however, while traveling in Europe with both leisure and business purposes, he agreed to have a little chat with Bcomp and share his experiences, future goals and thoughts about the world to come.
Blackbird guitar is not only an instrument – it’s Joe’s passion and legacy. “It is a first travel guitar with high performance and resilience. It is also sustainable as it’s not made out of wood” – Joe comments, while holding El Capitan in his hands – the very first Blackbird guitar made entirely out of natural composite material. While winking to his wife he also adds, that this guitar is made as finely as a race car – “It’s neck is hollow and natural composites are the only material to enable it.”
When asked about the benefits of such instruments, Joe explains that they are louder, more dynamic, strong and flexible at the same time. He also mentions that notes ring out longer and the instrument itself is more resistant to the temperature changes making it the perfect companion to take on long trips no matter if it’s snowing or unbearably hot and humid. “The product’s quality is always the same – it’s consistent, while wooden instruments are always different in one way or another. However, natural composite materials also allow authentic and traditional woody look, whilst carbon cannot do so” – adds Joe.
He then reveals the mystery of El Capitan and it’s name origins. “El Capitan is a significant game changing instrument. Just like the monolithic rock giant in Yosemite, this instrument looks massive and powerful. It is a first guitar made of natural composite materials, which challenges all the existing market”. Clara – the Blackbird made ukulele has another type of significance to Joe though. It’s named after his grandmother while also signaling clarity – a musical term describing clear sound. Clara is the first EKOA instrument meaning that it is made only out of natural materials concerning both composites and resins. It has now become a brand and many other EKOA products follow the path of once unclear but now already promising path of Clara.
Joe points out that music is very much interconnected with hobbies such as surfing. “Hawaiian lifestyle includes surfing and music, freedom and nature altogether. As surfing and ukuleles both come from there, we are able to extend this ideology by creating not only music instruments but also laying the ground for green and sustainable surfing experience.” Joe adds that natural composite boards are long lasting and guarantee equal or better performance, making it very attractive to the market. However, Joe highlights that the most potential for composites he still sees in transportation industry, concerning automotive, boating and aviation. That is why he continuously develops various projects in these fields.
“Greening is happening” – lastly pinpoints Joe. “And California is the state, which sets the agenda for the rest of the country and the world too”. Brand of Blackbird guitars follows American ideals – “It’s the US type of product”. However, Joseph stresses, that his products are not only popular in United States. “The whole planet is our the market” – closes the chat Joe and says BYE to us while leaving Bcomp in order to further conquer the world and make it a greener and better place to live. Just like we all wish it to be.
