ONCE IN A blue moon, a design so radically progressive appears that it commands attention, spurs discussion and often leads to imitation. Lava Music's singular acoustic/ electric guitar is just such a phenomenon.
To offer one mind-expanding element would be a breakthrough; two would be revelatory, and three revolutionary. In Lava's case, the company nails the trifecta by delivering on the guitar itself, the HILava operating system and the Lava+ social media sharing app.
Carbon-fiber guitars have been here for a while, but Lava Music uses a unique unibody design that's just big enough to deliver booming bass, yet small enough be very travel friendly. The offset ovular soundhole and overall high-tech aesthetic nods more toward Apple and Tesla than Martin or Gibson. We've seen onboard resonancebased effects that turn an acoustic into its own amplifier, but this Chinese manufacturer has integrated a wild and wonderful collection into a top-side digital graphic interface that's packed with awesome apps, including onboard looping and recording, plus a practice program. All that pairs to the Lava+ app for iPhone or Android, allowing the user to store and share songs and riffs with other Lava players from around the globe instantly.
CEO Lu Zitian is the Elon Musk/Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg kind of visionary behind Lava Music's quickly advancing awareness in the market, but he doesn't have their need to attach his face or name to every press release. Zitian prefers that his products get the attention. He founded Lava Music in 2013 and introduced its unibody carbon-fiber design on the first ME (pronounced "me") model in 2017, followed by the ME 2 and Pro.
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Guitar Player.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Guitar Player.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mother Folker
Dubbed the Queen of the Beatniks, Judy Henske ruled the roost on High Flying Bird.
An ES for Less
Offered by Silvertone and Harmony, the H63 Espanada was the poor-man's version of Gibson's ES-175.
DEATH BECOMES THEM
Tik Tok gave Mother Mother a second lease on life. Now they take on the Grim Reaper with Grief Chapter.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
West Coast luthier Ron Thorn took a trip to the Big Apple. He came back with his stunning new Florentine Empirial.
NEVER BE THE SAME
Four decades in with Crowded House's ever-changing lineup, Neil Finn takes a trial-and-error approach to music - and guitar. \"The mistakes make it interesting,” he says.
THEMES FOR IMAGINARY WESTERNS
Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez weave haunting guitar instrumentals evocative of spaghetti-western scores. With Sonido Cósmico, they show why they are the most exciting guitar duo of our time.
TIP SHEET
How did Peter Stroud become the right-hand man to Sheryl Crow, Don Henley and many others? It took talent - and these five rules.
MY CAREER IN FIVE SONGS
Four decades down the road with Winger, Reb Beach sheds his hair metal past with this quintet of metal and fusion cuts.
THE SESSION WHISPERER
Shred like the best of them with these 10 techniques gleaned from Steve Lukather, the legendary studio ace and Toto guitarist.
WONDER WOMEN
With her new solo acoustic One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley pays tribute to guitar's female trailblazers, from Elizabeth Cotten and Lydia Mendoza to Maybelle Carter and Charo.
