Is this Carbon Fiber Guitar a step TOO FAR?
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- Опубліковано 7 січ 2022
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I've had the guitar for about two months. I bought it myself, so I wasn't as biased as some reviewers that were given guitars. If you're interested here's my pros & Cons:
Pros:
Guitar does sound great. it is a decent electric/acoustic, but really shines in being able to get on board effects without amplification
The guitar has nice finish & feel, however I'm used to playing a well set-up Taylor 614 so the action is just a smidge high for my taste. I may shave the bridge a bit eventually.
FX are great. Playing un-amped they add a good flavor. Forget about the distortion setting unless you're running through an amp.
Case is nice and solid and protects the guitar well. More on the case below.
Charger cradles the guitar snuggly and automatically charges the guitar. It's USB-C and doesn't come with a charger, so you may need an adapter for the cable.
Other than that, most reviews give a far better report on the capabilities of the instrument, so check them out like I did.
Cons. These are things no reviewer seems to be addressing:
My lava has a nice blue metallic finish. Looks very cool. While the guitar is made of carbon fiber, I'm not sure how well the finish will hold up. I'm pretty careful with all my guitars and most I've owned for decades and they still look almost showroom. My lava has a couple of minor scratches already that I have no idea where they came from.
ELECTRONICS. The touch screen is very sensitive and at the same time has a bit more of a lag than you would be used to on a smart phone. Most notable is the absence of any home button. You'll have to page back to get there. Additionally, due to the rounded shape, I have a tendency to lean over the body when I'm sitting and playing and my chest triggers the screen. I can tell when that happens, because the most annoying loud click accompanies any changes. If you're playing out, be prepared to settle on a set sound or template for the whole song. Shifting to another one is not as easy as hitting a button on a pedal.
I mentioned my chest activating the touch screen. Usually that would not be a problem. What is a problem is the Lava uses a nice machined strap peg THAT DOESN'T FIT ANY STRAP. If you like any kind of strap lock, forget about using it. Dimensionally the strap pegs are larger than the throat of any standard peg. I would have bought the Lava strap, but they have been out of stock. I use d'Addario straps with locking ends and it would take major modifications. So I broke down and bought a ice leather strap which I now have to ream out the hole to make it fit. I'm not sure if you could even swap out the stap pegs as they have no screw and I'm not ready to twist them off and create another problem.
CASE: It's amazing that you can drop a thousand bucks on a guitar and have to pay extra for a proprietary case, but hey, I'm made of money so I went for it. Case fits very well and is form fitting. It doesn't leave room for a strap (If I finally get one to fit) The case has nice padded shoulder pads, and looks like the type that a Japanese school girl would have. I personally don't care to strap a guitar on my back unless I'm trail hiking. The straps do not come off so love them or live with them. The case has a nice soft handle, but is nowhere near the center of balance and like a Gibson SG, suffers from severe neck dive. Seriously walk with this case for twenty steps and you'll opt for the school girl straps.
MOST DISSAPOINTING FEATURE: Support, period. Guitar came with no instructions other than to turn it on. The web site is absolutely no help. As I mentioned, being intrigued by the novelty of the guitar, I had to rely on reviewers, most of which were given the guitar. I do wonder what will happen when the rechargable battery goes south, or worse the electonic module. As far as I can see there's no parts support on the website.
CONCLUSION:With all this, I bought the guitar for the FX novelty and more importantly for the Carbon Fiber construction. I bought it so that I could have a guitar I could leave out in my studio and grab as I needed to practice or work out asome inspiration. My studio is in my basement and although it's dry, the winter requires me to fill a 5 gallon humidifier to keep optimum moisture levels. So it's a guitar that is not subject to temperature and humidity. That said,I'll keep it for what I intended. I doubt it will ever play out unless it's a barbeque or around a camp fire.
It's a neat idea. My main concern would be the same issue with things like refrigerators with touch screens. Tech obsolescence is an issue, so what do you do when the device powering the touchscreen isn't able to handle updates anymore? That said, it's absolutely a neat concept for a self-contained unit.
Well i suppose it's the same thing as how car main displays are like. They don't usually detoriate that bad, they're usually kinda crappy from the get go though. They don't have the same function of a smart mobile device, maybe that's why, and if that's the case i would think this is a similar case.
Someone will figure out how to load an alternate OS on it, or point the current system to a different server. Highly unlikely that it would ever fall into obsolescence, but perhaps unsupported by the original manufacturer.
IMO if the basic construction is solid (as an acoustic), sound is good, then you don't really need the added electronics, right? Seems more for making practice fun, not for replacing Martins
Play the guitar instead of playing with it? 🤷
That's one of the reasons I want my guitar to focus on aspects of being a guitar and providing versatility within a general set of parameters. One current example are some of the new Ibanez guitars with a 5-way selector switch and alt switch, providing 9-10 pickup configurations to provide different tonal characteristics.
Other than active pickups, I really don't want active electronics in my guitar that will become obsolete; in this case, the company should provide future upgrades through software or updating the touchscreen or internal module to allow existing guitars to be easily upgraded as technology changes and improves, instead of having to replace the entire guitar.
I keep my guitars for a long time, and a few of my tube amps; and I change some of my effects more frequently as I find new and interesting options. A few weeks ago I finally retired my Source Audio Soundblox Pro Multiwave Distortion that's been on my board for at least 8+ years with a Source Audio UltraWave. I plan to upgrade my Boss GT-100 to a GT-1000 as well, and also added a SY-1000 to retire my GT-1 + SY-300. I still keep my old gear, as I may find a use for it again in the future; my old G-System comes out of retirement every few years for awhile...
The touch screen didn't surprise me that much since I'm used to seeing Matt Bellamy of Muse use it, although for a different thing (Kaoss Pad, Mason Guitar MB-1). It would be actually super cool hearing you play Matt's guitar lsince I recall from one of your videos that you really enjoyed Muse at one point. Nevertheless, these Lava guitars seem so interesting to play and get song ideas quick and they sound pretty good :)
I don't think you could classify kaoss pad as touch screen. For once, it's not functional as a screen. It's a one-way interface, really.
I think it's fun and cool but it seems a bit too expensive for the target customer, over a grand seems too expensive for the hobbyist and too gimmicky for the semi-pro and pro. That being said I love these startups that are pushing the technology envelope with music and tech!
I agree with everything John said. An advanced/pro guitar player would rather go for a Martin or the likes, and most begginer/intermediate players are not willing to make such an investment. Even if you add up the costs of a better guitar and a better pedalboard, it is not worth it.
I still think it might find its niche, like buskers or live performers who want an all-in-one solution with a twist. However, I doubt this product is made for the masses
@@ECoRubik I think it’s more of a busker guitar, because you don’t need to bring all of your pedals and amps to busk
@@InAtlasAtLast But it doesn't offer any real advantages over the ME 2, which is $300 cheaper and a way better busker guitar. John summed it up best when he said "too gimmicky". If you like this guitar, then save your money and buy the ME 2 version of it.
@@SergeantExtreme good point
Thanks for sharing Mary. This is a very interesting concept that I might be interested in for re-learning the guitar given the handy applications like the metronome. You are certainly able to make it sing.
I bought a Lava Me 2 primarily based upon your review. I couldn’t possibly be happier. It is an incredible guitar and produces such a rich (and loud) sound unplugged. The delay feature is the best and produces a gorgeous wall of sound. ❤️🙏🎸
I luv that you get excited about new guitar technology - please continue to inspire and share w/ us out here in a pandemic slump.
Thanks Mary a great start to 2022 your beautiful voice 🤍🤍 more songs please 🎸🎸🎤🎶
A must have. Great video!
Very cool! Thank you for showing them to us ... gotta love a guitar charger!
It's a pretty cool idea. Carbon fibre is a neat way to go, especially for an acoustic as it's not weather dependent. The big one for me would be, how long you get from a single charge, and the lifetime of the battery.
Interesting concept. Nice execution. It would take a little getting used to for me, but it seems well thought out. Props to Yamaha for starting this with the Transacoustic. Nice video Mary!
Mary's vids always make me feel mellow and ok with everything.
I just love your channel !
Cool New Years treat!
Thanks for the demo - I'm for anything that gets more people to pick up a guitar!
I think it's great! I'm very interested in high tech guitars. Will it play a shuffle? How about a 12/8 groove? These are things that I've found lacking in other high tech guitar add ons. But even if it won't do those, it still seems pretty awesome. Thanks for the demo.
Amazing review! I’m definitely sold. I’m gonna wait for the Mary Spender signature model though. Great video!
I'm loving my Lava Me 3! Didnt expect to be at the top of hits! never expected to be in a Mary Spender video! At 3:27
Your channel is like a breath of fresh air for me. Your talent in playing the guitar, the way you sing, and the way you make your vids are top notch!!! I’m glad I found your channel. Keep it up!!!❤
Just found your channel because of this guitar video. What a cool voice and style you have. So much fun… so cool. Instant subscriber!
Loved seeing you use a pick for a change although I envy how well you play with or without one. I feel like I did my part in making your first LAVA Me video your most popular. I could listen to you play like that all day.
Always a pleasure watching your Videos
After 40+ years of playing, I have dozens and dozens of guitars, and I love this. Seems like a well-executed next step. Like anything with an OS and hardware supporting it, one marvels at when the upgrade cycles lead to obsolescence, but the heck with it. Looks worth a shot at a little bit of self-contained fun.
In 2 years when the electronics and OS fail, it will be as useful as a PS2. If you just get a normal guitar, 50 years later it will be still usable.
@@carlmcgregor2707 Ha, I'm closing on on having 50 year-old guitars I bought NEW. Plenty of those. The tech just intrigues me... After all, things that bring joy are worth a fling. To me. :-)
I can only imagine how faster wold learning be for a begginer in full use of this guitar.
@@carlmcgregor2707 - In 2 years (or in 50 years for that matter) this will still be an acoustic guitar like the other Lava Me models, no? :)
@@carlmcgregor2707lmaoo its still can use it without the all these electronic features. And if the battery dies you can replace it by sending it to them. Also, their past guitars seem to last pretty long without any issues. And end of the day if it bring happiness to you even for 2 years i’m fine spending that money for it 🙂
You're too adorable Mary! Every company in the world should send you their products so you can unbox/review them and delight us with your wonderful creativity and sunshine personality. Keep on grooving sista!
You Are Amazing!
What a great demo vid, song, playing, voice! Wow!!!!
From 1 Brit muso 2 another!
Flippin awesome 🙏❤️🙏
brilliant! couldn't have a better musician to review these guitars
cool guitar, sweet unboxing or parceling
It can be a tremendous tool for practicing and experimentation, I kinda dig it.
Thanks for the unboxing
I played an earlier one in a music shop and I thought the acoustic sound of the guitar itself was very synthetic but at the same time felt very usable. You could of course slap a tonewoodamp on any nice guitar for onboard effects, so I guess all the gimmicks are to set it apart. It’s a bit like the Spark Amp or Waza Air headphones in that it will appeal to some and offer opportunity to be creative anywhere. I think that is where the value comes in, inspiration at the flick of a switch. Great review and your songs and singing are a breath of fresh air in the land of gear reviews.
Loved it and I think this would be a great guitar for doing little venues in the park or small gatherings just because you wouldn't need a lot of gear! It sounded great but of course you were playing it but I would get one if I had the money just because it would fit so many of the places that I play in! Thank you for the videos and your beautiful voice and wonderful guitar playing and style !
I have to admit that I’m intrigued, because I’m a bit of a geek, but I also can’t help being reminded of the Bond Electraglide. It was an electric guitar released in the mid ‘80s, that was very high tech and very ahead of its time, but as a result, was largely ignored and quickly forgotten.
I just ordered mine after seeing your review. Great job!
Those may be the very first smart guitars I've ever seen.
You look like a kid in a candy shop, opening up the packages.
Brilliant video, Mary! Thanks for posting 🙂.
thanks Mary.... I just ordered this because of you...
it's all about where you find your joy and inspiration. find the tunes that live inside these instruments. they are always in there. ciao!!
Seems like this is a great learning tool. I always find myself balancing my phone on my knee to read some tabs or watch a video etc...
Hi Mary, I've just bought the 38" model and I really like it, the strings were a bit heavy for me so I've changed them and its now much nicer to play.
The effects are a bit gimmicky but as something that is structurally very stable in all weathers, its a good instrument for me as I like to play outside and around campfires quite a bit.
the looper function is good, but I'm still getting used to it. I like the tuitional features too.
The reverb and delay sounds are good once you tame them a bit, I haven't found out how to lock the screen fully and if I lean over too far i can change it accidentally but other than that I really like it,.
Great review as always!!
Garry
I was waiting for this video !!!!
So if you remove all the tech gimmicks, is this a good GUITAR? Noticed you didn't talk about tuning stability, fret work, action, the fit and finish of the guitar itself, its tone, or any of the things that make a guitar... a guitar. Sorry, it's just that every single review I've seen of these looks like an ad, everyone got theirs free from the company, and I just want to see someone talk about this guitar completely unbiased and honest. And the guitar itself is definitely important. I'm impressed by the tech features, but if I'm paying $1500+ for a guitar that feels no better than the beat up old cheap Yamaha I got for free, all the tech in the world is meaningless.
Well said!
I’ve played one and it’s PLEK set up so intonation is rich and it sounds like a 1000 buck guitar. I love it and will be buying one
Ain't no $1,500 guitar, very affordable.....
I’m tending to agree with you. Of more interest to me is how it plays and sounds “unplugged “.. it’s cool but when the gizmos stop working or you don’t have WiFi or Bluetooth, it’s a good travel guitar.
I totally agree. I also haven't yet found an actual review of the guitar.
And my main question is also for how long does the battery work?
Because if it goes out quickly and it's "just" a carbon fiber guitar an actual review is even more important.
And what about all that electronics, the carbon fiber seems great because it's more durable and does better in harsh environments that would affect a normal guitar, but with all that technology on it I'm no sure if I would be comfortable in bringing this guitar, for example, on a beach.
I love this,, I want one ,,, I've always wanted a carbon fiber guitar for the durability, the tech here is kind of more than you might ever use but theoretically you could take this and a laptop with a cord to plug into the pa and use the Bluetooth Wi-Fi connection and have an extremely adaptable portable professional rig. This would be great for singer songwriter use and in conjunction with a laptop and the onboard tech you could even create a multimedia experience!
That guitar is as technologically neat as it is beautiful - very clean, elegant device.
Good vid.
Thank you for sharing such an interesting instrument. The evolution of the guitar has hit a wall for the past decades; with certain exceptions. I welcome any innovation that makes people to learn and continue playing music.
Way cool. I want to hear what Rick Beato and Keith Williams think about it. I would love to see Rick play around with it.
Beautiful, and the guitar too!
drummer goes: „1,2,3,4“ - guitarist: „whats the password?“
Happy new year and gear ;-)
I ve just asked for a video like this two weeks ago:
Thank you 2022 and more times!
Maybe a test outside, I was skeptical about the technology inside.
Or a comparison with the HyVibe system from LAG?
Only the charging station looks like a travel toilet or something at first glance ;-)
Nice gear; perfect video, Thanks ! ! !
I first ran into you on frog leap studios but that doesn't matter. I have learned alot from you, extremely talented and very beautiful.
I bought a Lava guitar because of you and ended up with the pro, didn't think I would ever want or need another lava guitar but this changes everything...
great playing and singing
awesome! I want one now
Emaj? Interesting choice. Very cool concept! I always enjoy your videos.
Wonderful video as usual Mary.
Lava's are cool & at their price point, they make really good travel guitars with much better durability potential than anything made of wood.
However the old saying "ya get what ya pay for" still holds true...
As Mary pointed out in her review of the X7, when it came to me laying my dollars down, I went with Emerald.
Mary you look amazing!!! I've been watching you for more than a couple of years and you sound and look better than ever. Lovely. Wishing you more success and health. Cheers.
Touchscreen looks easy enough to replace if it breaks or upgrade as necessary.
The only thing bugging me is the lack of easy adjustment at the saddles. Just put a strat hardtail on there and it would be about perfect.
Happy New year 🎉🎉🎉
I don’t play my guitar that much, but I want this ! Maybe it will make me want to play more and moreover help me practice more efficiently !
Thanks Mary. why didn't you tell me this was coming before I bought the Lave Me Pro! I can only blame you for my purchase. :) I should have seen this coming because as soon as I got it I realized it could have had a tuner, a metronome and other effects. But that is so cool to have backup. I didn't see that coming.
Thanks for sharing! I'm back and forth...I'm all about the tech and trying new things...but that charger?!
Thank you Mary for this in depth review and also for the excellent putting to the test.
One question: I suppose there is a lithium battery somewhere to power all this stuff. Is it replaceable by the user? Because, you know, lithium battery life is more or less 5 years, then they start dying. I have the lava me 2 (and I have to say that it is very good in many ways) but, with my great disappointment , I have discovered that the battery is not replaceable by the user.
Mary,
I guess I shouldn't be surprised this is where guitar technology is heading like everything else but that Lava guitar is amazing. Your voice is always terrific. Love ya girl. Thanks for the preview
The loop effect is cool
Hi Mary. Cool video. I would enjoy playing one of those, and can definitely see the creative potential there. On another note, I am wondering whether you ever use the Tom Petty “trick” in your lyrics writing-using the third person, even when the song might be largely autobiographical. Ex There’s something about “She grew up in an Indiana town, had a good lookin’ momma who never was around, but she grew up tall and she grew up right…” compared to “I grew up up in an Indiana town etc”. I realize Tom Petty did not grow up in Indiana, and he does put “I was introduced and we both started groovin’”, but still…”She was an American girl” somehow sounds so much more engaging to this Canadian guy than “I am an American boy” ever could have. Just a thought.
Really enjoy your videos and will keep an open mind about those fun guitars you demonstrated here!
yup... bout time too... wish it had a cut out... and a full electric version with more build in effects!
Just like a guitar in a apple way I loved the guitar very much and the way you presented the guitar
Pretty amazing technology, really.
Not sure if I would invest in it, currently.
Thank you, Mary 🙏
That's pretty cool!
The guitars sound and look absolutely beautiful..... just like you, Mary :)
It’s to the point now that a touch screen is actually cheaper than adding switches, sliders, potentiometers etc etc. Expect to see more of it.
This guitar will be perfect for me! I only do music for myself. To create songs or just make a loop and play over it will be great for me.
Greetings from Germany and thank you for all your music und NERD-content beyond! Alex
Your amazing! How does it feel? And if you play loud can the speaker get loud enough to still hear playing the drums? And can you plug it into an amp if you want too?
Awesome!!!
Good god I wish I had enough for one of those. They look absolutely gorgeous.
Welp time to start saving up lol.
LOVE IT...
That was fun!
Obsessed 😍 new subscriber🤗
I would mix this Lava guitar with the Fender Acoustasonic. I would enjoy it with a magnetic pickup and some more tonal options. like guitar body type effects, distortion, also switching pickups with the touch screen would be cool. but damn that is a sick guitar
Happily watched your take on this, after having seen about 12 others, a couple of which were very good, in-depth reviews covering all the bases. Obviously your sponsored video is more of a personal (and charming) take on the guitars, rather than an actual review. As such, it doesn‘t really say that much about the desireabilty of these instruments, or at least not as much as many other videos now out there. Also would have enjoyed your doing a direct sound comparison between the two sizes, just mic‘d up with no effects on. But enjoyable to watch all the same. As for me, I was really hyped on buying a 3 after about 10 videos…and decided after yours to forego that purchase. Not because of your presentation of it, but because I finally noticed I had been drawn in by the Novelty Factor, but actually now feel annoyed by many of the (slightly flawed) features that previously attracted me. Won‘t bore everyone with details unless desired.
Lovely!
I love your voice 😍
Seems very cool, my Taylor isn't going anywhere soon though . I don't think it sounds particularly good. Your playing and voice are delightful
If it was cheaper it would sell like hot cakes but @£1400 for the biggy top of range its a shame it a bit too much for a xmas pressy, luckily you keep us busy..thanks for all you do your stories, you honesty which is so popular & integral to those who love to see you here..
Thanks Mary. From a playability standpoint, which do you prefer, the 36" or 38"?
I love the natural enthusiasm of the unboxing ... I love that none of us seems to lose that child-like joy of opening up cool things we enjoy! I checked out their site, and honestly for everything this does ~$1100 isn't too bad a price. If I hadn't just bought a new Tele and fretless Jazz Bass this past year I might grab one ... :D
I didt even want to open my Gibson Les Paul standard!!! Wanted that unboxing moment to last forever
at least a tele or jazz will be relevant forever, contrast to this guitar, which will be a relic of the past the moment the electronics either fail, or are no longer able to update
That looks like a whole lot of fun.... My question is, won't that charging base make it just a tad harder to travel with this guitar?
I have a related question, does it have a regular cable port for charging? And if so, what type? (USB, USB C, etc.)
@@johnpearson5000 at the top of Mary's description is a link to lava site with some info on this guitar. says it has usb-c port & battery has playtime of appx 9hrs so guessing don't need base since that's sold separately. couldn't find loop time limit
It comes with a cable charger. USB-C
I thought I would hate the sound of the guitar, but I can't lie it actually sounds great. I might get one myself.
@@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living ngl I think it's priced reasonably given that it's the only instrument that fills the niche that it has, especially if you take into account how much it would cost to buy pedals and everything, seems like a great busking/practice/travel guitar!. It's defo not for everyone, and I can't say it's for me atm either, but I have spent over a grand on my guitars so I can see how they priced it as it is.
Nice review. Looks fun to play and you make it sound good but I wasn’t inspired. Carbon fiber is stable but expensive and takes considerable energy to produce.
Hi, thank for the review. I saw your first review and bought the LAVA ME 2. I am very pleased with the Guitar. The LAVA ME 3 is good but it has just got added features and is way too expensive. Well you dont buy such Guitars on a daily basis. But I agree with you that it is very interesting. I use this Guitar for my Ministry in the Church in Germany. Cheers. God bless and bye. Ronald Dhason
Mary, I think you described it best as an "iPhone guitar". For me, I would probably spend more time playing with the gadgets than actually playing the guitar but I can see it's appeal. But the best part of this video were your expressions as you opened it up and then discovered all the bells and whistles! Thanks for sharing!
When she adjusted the volume it looked a lot like android, I bet it's nothing more than a modified version of Android running on that guitar, the sad truth is that if it is indeed android the guitar will probably be only get support for a few years like is typically case for Android phones, it definitely is a cool idea and I bet it's a fun guitar too, I wish they offered it in more shapes like om, 000 and maybe a jumbo, also the headtock look a little bit odd for my taste, but that is probably what they were going for making it somewhat futuristic looking.
I LOVE these!!!! Is it possible to plug these into a DAW to record in "normal means"?
I believe you are the best ambassador from lava anybody could have. I love your reactions and emotions so much that I became in love with the guitar and your performance. Thanks for your excellent presentation and your more amazing skills and voice. I cant wait to get one of these baby's.
Shouldn't the "best ambassador from lava" include a link to their product...?
Like an iPhone, it can probably grow, change and adapt, in terms of what it can do, over time with over the air updates. It is a guitar and more besides. Very interesting and thanks for sharing! :-)
Honestly the idea of a guitar that can also be your backing track is kind of awesome!
EDIT: Wait, Brendon?? The friendly SCSM from Night City?? I need this guitar.
Também quero uma ... :( Nice video / Nice guitars!
Love guitar generally, hate the technology. Can’t trust a touchscreen when trying to perform. Don’t want another thing to have to keep charged.
I wouldn't consider this a performance instrument - more like a training, exploring and/or composing tool, me thinks :-)
Very cool. Must hand it to them, unlike anything on the Market today. Plus it is not susceptible to moisture
Cool idea for newbies imo. Sadly I’ve been playing for a real long time and have too many guitars, amps, pedals, recording equipment, smart phones, etc. But I kinda like it still.
I have the Blackbird carbon guitar - great instrument run and buy. Carbon aint half bad really. Great singing dear - the guitar is not as overtone rich as my carbon guitar.
Are there other fees involved for the additional features for the training part or for song access? Thanks!