Blackbird Guitars Brand Book by Brendan Smith
This book was designed and printed by Brendan Smith (2016) This book’s 52 pages were printed on #70 Standard White Kraft Tone Paper The headline font used is Farray The body copy font used is Brandon Grotesque (Light)
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All photos belong to their original owner
Blackbird Guitars The road from my workshop in a historic, haunted Annapolis garret to a state-of-the-art factory was a tough one. Fact is, I always loved working with my hands. Why else would a high school kid sign up for three or four shop classes at a time? My first guitar was built as a challenge to my college music professor for some credits. I got an “A” and decided to pursue my dream of making guitars for a living. There were a lot of late night brainstorms. I was lucky if I finished a guitar a month. Once a guitar was completed, I’d play it at a gig — field testing in the purest sense. Every design change taught me something new. The next change was built on what I had learned or on feedback from other players test driving the equipment. Over ten years we went through three headstocks, several renditions of body shapes, many tremolo designs, and many experiments with woods and construction methods to get the right mix. I remember hanging out at the local concert arenas for six or seven hours before a show to make friends with the roadies. With a backstage pass in hand, I’d peddle my guitars to the stars. One night in ten I’d make a sale. Carlos Santana, Al Di Meola, Howard Leese, and other well known players agreed to check one out. I made deals. If someone gave me an order, made a deposit, and then didn’t love the finished guitar, I’d give them their deposit back even if I couldn’t make my rent the next day. After getting a small following and orders for more than 50 guitars, we built two prototypes. I popped them in the back seat of my truck and cranked it up, calling on guitar dealers up and down the East Coast. After many days and many miles I came back with enough orders to start a company. With the support of my wife, skilled assistants, engineers, lawyers, top salesmen, artists, machinists, and friends who emptied their bank accounts to help me get started, we developed a strong team. We’ve come a long way, with steady growth in factory capacity, employees, distribution, and the number of prominent artists using our instruments. We’re not stopping here. Every inch of your Blackbird guitar is based on decades of testing, rethinking, and reinventing. We continue to push the curve beyond what others would consider perfection. With experts to make sure the technology is unsurpassed, and dedicated craftspeople who guarantee a finished product you can’t keep your hands off of, we make no compromises. That’s the story of the beginning of the journey. Not so short, but very sweet. The moral? Believe in your dreams. -Paul Reed Smith
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Table of Contents
Key product Problem statement Mission statement Vision statement Values Attributes Audience Brand essence Logo Black and White Logo Logo Sizing Logo Space What not to do Headline Font Subhead Font Call Out Font Body Copy Font Colors Background Guitar Pick Image Photographic Style Wood Pattern Guitar Pattern Sound Pattern Show Room Wall Wood blocks branding Guitar Order Form Custom Guitar Cards Signature Artist Promo Video Business Cards
5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49
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Key Product
We make custom
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high quality guitars
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Problem Statement
The problem in the market is that custom high quality guitars are not truly customizable or made from high quality materials. Most guitar players are forced to choose one or the other; sacrificing looks for sound or vice versa.
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O ric ur v h gu he ision ita rit is rs ag to t e ha hat wh be ve no ile de an t o co vot un nly mm ed be lo it to at ok ted th ab g e le oo to gu so d cre ita un bu at r’s d. t a in lso g
Vision Statement
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Mission Statement
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With that in mind we set out to make that happen by building the best guitars as possible that do not sacrifice sound for looks.
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ble iza m to us ec ak
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ith sw ial er at ym lit ua tq es igh eh th
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Attributes
. ne to
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Values
All the while maintaining great customer service, overall performance and unbeatable craftsmanship.
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Audience
We want to sell high end custom guitars to people that want a custom guitar made from the highest quality materials and a guitar that has the best sound possible on the market.
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Brand Essence
Everything we do is
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Custom 14
Logo
Blackbird Guitars Logotype
Logo Mark
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Black and White Logo
Blackbird Guitars
Blackbird Guitars
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Logo Sizing
Blackbird Guitars 3 in
2 in W
Blackbird Guitars 2 in
1 in W Blackbird Guitars
1.5 in
Blackbird Guitars
1 in (Minimum Size)
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.5 in W (Minimum Size)
Logo Space
Blackbird Guitars
=B
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What not to do
Blackbird Guitars Do not use drop a shadow
Blackbird Guitars Do not squeeze
Black
bird G uitars Do not tilt
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Blackbird Guitars Do not use alternative colors
Blackbird Guitars Do not change logo lock up
Blackbird Guitars Do not use non-brand colors
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Headline Font
A Headline treatment Farray 30pt Minimum size headline treatment Farray 12pt abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
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Subhead Font
Aa Subhead Treatment Brandon Grotesque (Black) 18pt Minimum size subhead treatment Brandon Grotesque (Black) 10pt ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
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Call Out Font
Aa Call Out Treatment Brandon Grotesque (Bold) 16pt Minimum size subhead treatment Brandon Grotesque (Bold) 10pt ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
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Body Font
Aa Body Copy Treatment Brandon Grotesque (Light) 14pt Minimum size subhead treatment Brandon Grotesque (Light) 8pt ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
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Colors
#444545 C : 67 M : 60 Y : 59 K : 44
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#F1E97E C:7 M: 2 Y : 63 K :9
#626369 C : 62 M : 54 Y : 47 K : 20
#292530 C : 75 M : 73 Y : 55 K : 63
#F9F9ED C:2 M: 1 Y :7 K :0
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Background Guitar Pick Image
50% Opacity
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25% Opacity
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Photographic Style
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*Black and white rock concert photos only
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Photographic Style
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Wood Pattern
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*Use to show off wood choices
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Guitar Pattern
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*Use to show off different finishes
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Sound Pattern
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*Use to show different tone possibilities
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Show Room Wall
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Wood blocks branding
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*After the wood has been inspected, it gets branded on the side
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Guitar Order Form
Blackbird Guitars CUSTOM GUITARS AND ACCESSORIES WITH THE SOUND AND QUALITY TO MATCH
380 Log Canoe Circle Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 425-643-9970 Fax: 425-643-9980 www.blackbirdguitars.com
Name
Date
Phone
Street Adress
Fax
City
State
Zip
Salesman
Order #
Date Started
Date Completed
Body shape
Hardware color
Body wood
Machine head
Body cut
Nut
Body finish
Nut width
Headstock
Strap button
Neck wood
Jack & plate
Finger board wood
Pick - ups
Finger board R� Number of frets
F
Pickupguard
Fret
Knobs
Grip shape
Pots
Poistion markers
Switches
Neck finish
Bridge
Note
Strings Tuning Case Price
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1:19/32
1:5/8
1:11/16
Neck:
Middle:
Bridge:
Other:
1:3/4
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Custom Guitar Cards
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Signature Artist Guitar Promo Video
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-This video promotes Mark Tremonti’s custom signature guitar model -The Blackbird logo builds in the beginning, and breaks to Mark playing the guitar -Using multiple clips of him playing the guitar from different angles, to keep with the pacing of the music -The video dissolves to a picture of the guitar and basic information about the guitar being promoted -This video would be used Online and on social media -This formula could be used for other signature artist -The pacing of the video should differ based on the artists style -Always use black and white videos of artists
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Business Cards
Blackbird Guitars
Paul Reed Smith - CEO 425-643-9970 paulsmith@blackbirdguitars.com 380Log Canoe Circle Seattle, WA 98101
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Blackbird Guitars
Paul Reed Smith - CEO 425-643-9970 paulsmith@blackbirdguitars.com 380Log Canoe Circle Seattle, WA 98101
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