The Blackbird Rider Nylon String is a carbon fiber unibody acoustic classical guitar. The deviations from the classical design are immediately obivious: the carbon fiber construction, the body shape and the location of the sound hole. The top side of the oblong body attaches to the neck at the tenth fret, where the "Soundscoop" soundhole is also located. This arrangement is said to increase the volume of the instrument.

The headstock has the open slots of a classical guitar, but only at the front. Because the neck is hollow, this headstock acts as a second soundhole, projecting sound that travels from the soundbox.

The hollow neck has a classical style profile with a 19 fret micarta (phenolic) fretboard and 25.6 inch scale length. The strings travel from a set of Gilbert machine heads over a Graphtech graphite nut to a micarta bridge with compensated Graphtech saddles. An RMC Acoustic Gold pickup is available as an option. The use of carbon fiber keeps the weight down to 3.25 pounds, it also allows for an extremely thin (1mm thick) sound board.

Overall dimensions are 36.75 inches by 12 inches by 4.5 inches (its larger than the Blackbird Rider steel string acoustic but smaller than a conventional classical guitar).

Prices start at $1899

Photos from www.blackbirdguitars.com