LAVA ME 3

SMART GUITARS

- JIMMY LESLIE

THE ERA OF the smart acoustic-electric guitar is upon us, and Lava Music is developing some brilliant ideas on its first models. They include the carbon fiber ME 3, on review, here as well as the Blue Lava Touch, made with high-pressure laminate, which is up for review next month. Both models feature the HILava system (HI = Human Interface) with L3 smart preamp, and it's a game changer. The system is loaded with apps that offer everything from internally actuated effects (no amp required) to a practice program, onboard recording and looping, all of it accessed with a multitouch display that functions like a smart phone. Lava even created a social element to let users share original creations via the Lava+ app, which pairs the guitar with an actual smart phone and expands programmability. Traditionalists may sneer, but Lava is aiming squarely at progressive players, and it makes sense to merge their two primary obsessions: smart phones and guitars.

Lava Music was founded in 2013 and introduced its uni-body carbon fiber design on the first ME (pronounced "me") model in 2017, followed by the ME 2 and Pro. The ME 3 adds revolutionary smart technology with improved 4-Mass carbon fiber, designed for deeper bass and longer sustain.