Blackbird’s New Ekoa Uke Is Indestructible

Uke makers converged on Anaheim, California, this week–along with makers of musical instruments of all kinds–for the annual Winter NAMM Show, and among the highlights this year will be San Francisco-based Blackbird Guitars’ new Farallon. It’s a tenor ukulele that looks like wood but is constructed from the company’s patented Ekoa, a material made of linen fiber and bio-resin.

According to Blackbird’s press release:

Unlike wood, Farallon’s ‘double top’ soundboard is lighter than conventional spruce and is tuned for a powerful vintage tone. The natural sound draws from the Ekoa renewable linen fiber. The rugged hollow neck unibody composite structure also enhances sustain, creating a worry-free, travel-ready ukulele…

Building on the success of the Clara concert ukulele, Farallon is Blackbird’s third Ekoa-crafted instrument, complementing Blackbird’s assortment of carbon fiber guitars and ukuleles. Blackbird builds guitars and ukuleles in their San Francisco facility using advanced composites and machining processes blended with traditional instrument craft. All instruments have patented hollow neck unibody construction for world-class resonance and superb durability. Blackbird’s instruments are unaffected by temperature and humidity changes, staying in tune and remaining easy to play for a lifetime.

Check it out from multiple angles: