Music lovers know there’s nothing like the sound of a guitar. You cannot beat the sound, whether it is coming from acoustic or electric guitars. Of course, with a guitar, other equipment comes along. Serious guitar players have all the accessories needed to achieve their best sound. This may include an amplifier, loop, metronome, a tuner, phaser – the length of the list depends on the audio and tone you want to achieve. The world of guitars can, therefore, be expensive.
However, with all the technological advancements that surround us, one has to wonder if guitars have the potential to evolve as well. Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore. The LÂG Tramontane HyVibe guitar is the world’s first smart guitar.
LÂG is a French music company that has been designing guitars since 1981. It is no surprise then that when the world-famous French luthier, Maurice Dupont, came aboard they were able to create the HyVibe system. This guitar, part of the Tramontane Acoustic series, will change how you think about guitar playing and allow you to create, learn, and practice on a whole new level. This review aims to be different from other reviews by giving you a complete breakdown of the LÂG Tramontane HyVibe guitar. You will be able to discover exactly how the smart guitar works, what it looks like, and all of its pros and cons. We’ll also cover if it lives up to LÂG guitars’ history and bold claim.
Overview of the Acoustic Smart Guitar
The French music company LÂG designed the Tramontane HyVibe guitar. It is part of the Tramontane HyVibe series. The brand has a solid reputation and has been trusted for many years for its impeccable guitars. Without any accessories, it can do everything you would expect an acoustic guitar to do. Therefore, it’s time to say goodbye to any extra cables, amps, and pedals you need with other guitars. It can develop effects and loops and works as a speaker for your backing tracks. This means that all you need is your smart guitar, and the HyVibe system will take care of the rest. This instrument even has its own app called the HyVibe mobile app that will allow you to control all the settings from your phone. How awesome is that?
With its smooth satin open pore finish, solid cedar top, and Brownwood neck, this guitar feels comfortable when you are holding it. This is something that LÂG guitars are known for. The tone and other settings are easy to navigate, making the HyVibe system user-friendly. The LÂG brand has an excellent intro video available on their website, not to mention many other videos available to watch on both YouTube and the LÂG website.
The overall design of the guitar and the connectivity of the LÂG Tramontane HyVibe system give acoustic guitar players the ability to practice, record and share their music with others. You can connect your acoustic smart guitar directly to a Bluetooth speaker and amplify your songs without cables. The best part is that it works both ways. The smart guitar can act as a Bluetooth speaker itself. This means that you can play your backing tracks on your guitar or transmit the music you are playing to a speaker. There are no other guitars that can do that. It has everything you want in a new guitar and more.
Physical Design of HyVibe Guitar
The design of the guitar itself is thanks to Maurice Dupont. This dreadnought has a mahogany back and sides complemented beautifully with a solid red cedar top. The entire guitar has a satin open-pore finish. Its slim neck, Brownwood fingerboard, and bridge plate are stylish and comfortable on the fingers. The guitar was specially designed to contain bracing within it. This allows the guitar to pick up every note that you play with ease. Likewise, every feature is part of its high-quality design.
The HyVibe system is built into the smart guitar seamlessly. The instrument itself looks no different from any other dreadnought guitar, and the only visible difference is the presence of a small processor on the guitar’s side. The sounds or audio produced by the guitar when you play it is still the same. When you start playing around with the HyVibe system itself, though, you can take your guitar playing to another level.
Features of the HyVibe Guitar
Now we get to the fun features that make this acoustic guitar stand out from the rest. The HyVibe System combines electronics and software to turn this acoustic guitar into something never seen in the guitar world before.
The Effect Processor
This processor allows the guitar to create its own effects. This includes reverb, chorus, distortion, phaser, and tremolo effects, just to name a few. You can also have fun with the looping capabilities to create your own unique music and sounds. Additionally, the effects processor is quite quick; it takes just 23 seconds to communicate signals between the sensor and actuators beneath the bridge plate at the guitar’s neck.
Bluetooth Speaker
The guitar can connect to any Bluetooth device and act as a speaker. This means you can play songs on your phone and play along with your guitar as it amplifies the sound. You don’t have to plug into anything.
Built-in Amplifier
The solid cedar top plate of the guitar acts as an amplifier thanks to the dual actuators present in the HyVibe system.
The HyVibe Mobile App
The HyVibe mobile app has all the controls you need to manage the quality of your effects. It also enables you to record audio while you are playing. Also, when you subscribe to the mobile app, software updates install easily when they are available.
Input/Output Jack
The guitar also has the ability to plug into an amp so that you can use your effects on stage. It’s the first smart guitar in the world to be able to connect directly to external amplification.
Built-in Tuner and Metronome
Both of these are valuable tools for guitar playing, and they are essential for assessing the quality of your sound and acoustic tone.
USB Charger
The entire system is powered by a battery with up to ten hours of battery life. You can recharge the battery via the USB port near the output jack.
These features are what bring the acoustic guitar to life. They allow the chords you play to come together in their own awesome blend so you can share with everyone. You don’t need to buy additional looping equipment or any other electronics because it is all present on one smart guitar.
How Does LAG HyVibe Work?
Now that you know enough about the HyVibe system, it’s time to fill you in on how it all comes together. The foundation of the entire system consists of three things: the piezo sensor, the processor, and the actuators. The piezo sensor is under the saddle. It is responsible for sending the signal from the strings to the processor. The processor then works on the signal it receives. It removes any feedback, adjusts the frequency, and then passes the signal to the actuators.
The actuators are near the bridge plate. They produce a vibration that is a combination of the natural resonance of the guitar and the vibration created by the processor. This produces both acoustic and electric audio for incredible sounds. When the entire system combines with the app, you can play around with the controls to take your audio into overdrive. You could have a sound that seems like it’s coming from one of Keith Richards’ guitars – and that’s saying a lot for an acoustic guitar.
Pros
- Cleverly integrated electronics
- Many built-in features, saving you from extra costs
- Can be used as an amp and Bluetooth speaker
- Mobile app to control guitar settings and software updates
- Effects such as distortion, tremolo, chorus, reverb, and acoustic boost through the processor
- Can create loops to be used as backing tracks
- Input/output jack allows direct connection to external devices
- Built-in tuner and metronome for added benefit
- Made of sustainable wood
- Easy to follow intro video available on YouTube
Cons
- A bit heavy for an acoustic guitar
- Can’t use the effects and looper at the same time
- Does not come with a case
Final Thoughts
The LÂG Tramontane HyVibe guitar is set to change the guitar world as you know it. Guitar playing has never been this simple before. It is one instrument but it does so much more. There are many YouTube videos already available for you to watch. People have easily played around with the settings to fill their needs and change the tone, sound, and quality of their songs. This will help if you are still unsure about guitars from the Tramontane acoustic series.
Our review has clearly outlined the savings and features you can enjoy from choosing this guitar. What more of a sign do you need that this smart guitar is the one to watch out for?
