Is THIS the FUTURE of GUITARS? - "Lava Me 3" Unboxing and Review

[@fastelder]

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.

[@mickaelroyet48]

c'est sur que quand on a une Taylor 614 jouer sur une lava ça doit faire bizarre quand même, merci pour votre retour en tout cas ;-)

[@JenandJohn]

Superb and honest review and you kind of answered all my reservations. Nice novelty guitar but I'll think I'll give it a miss

[@jchill5787]

Its my dream guitar, even back when it was Lava 2. 3 is even much better sheeeesh 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@BastienNax]

What a brilliant voice and groove you have Carl. You are blessed.

[@director2bob]

I just turned 60 and looking to get my MOJO back after quitting guitar 5 plus years ago. For me at this stage in my life the best guitar for me is the one that will inspire me to play again. This seems like the perfect guitar to go sit in a park and practice scales, chords, looping etc with ability to record your ideas and share with the world. What's there not to like about this guitar? I realize it will not sound like a Taylor which I recently sold because I was ready to quit music permanently but this little gem will keep me excited again to start playing again. Thanks for the video and inspiration🙏

[@johndardi1334]

I’m 51 and your story is almost exactly like mine. I quit about 5 years ago. Sold my Taylor 12 string and was ready to quit for good till I ran across this. I’m not sure if “the bug” really ever leaves you.

[@wordsmith451]

That's great! If you're looking for a versatile practice/portable amp with a similar philosophy, check out the Spark Mini. And if you'd like to try portable electrics, I'd strongly recommend the Traveler brand - they have a great Strat style model for about $350.

[@VacationQuest24]

i just ordered a Blue Lava, and as I’m FINALLY taking lessons (at 60) hoping the lesson features, built-in metronome and smaller scale ( I currently have a Yamaha FG700S) will help. I’ll be doing a review from a beginner’s standpoint when it arrives. Stay tuned.

[@The_Creative_Workshop]

how is the guitar im thinking about one but all the reviews are day one of receiving it

[@jayritchie2785]

yup - same - how are you getting on?

[@VacationQuest24]

After having it for a bit, I found that the location of the touchscreen was inconvenient. I kept hitting it with either my shirt or arm and disrupting the presets I may have been using. it was a gimmick I wasn't really ready for. returned it while I could.@@jayritchie2785

[@ozzieflan2367]

Ive ordered one in blue just waiting for delivery!

[@sammyday3341]

Enjoy! The blue is beautiful.

[@pauljames9527]

I live in Thailand and play a Fender semi acoustic 12 string, it’s a nightmare to keep in tune especially in the rainy season so I’ve been watching Lava for a couple of years. With your excellent review you’ve made up my mind, thanks!

[@UnofficialHaze]

I might actually buy one of these. Really cool concept. Awesome looping at the end btw! 🙌🏻

[@Osamormusic]

Fhis has to be the best review of this guitar i have seen so far

[@im58woody]

The guitar matches your eye glasses! Fun video I will have to suscribe!

[@bdeleon9708]

You are not good but the BEST! My son watched your videos n he is fully convinced to buy the lava me3. Keep posting ! You're outstanding!

[@SKOVDEPETE]

Thank You so much for a very enjoyable visit. I have a Lava Me2 I enjoy playing very much. Temperature and humidity shifts as well as being ”strong” and easy to take ”with”… and the fancy electronics on board make it a verrry nice tool in any manś music/guitar arsenal. Making guitar playing fun… and the ”help” to any guitar beginner is the fact that it STAYS IN TUNE7thatś carbon 😊😊😊

[@londonsweeps]

Wow, nice job dude! That sounded awesome.

[@Dlogreen]

with a minimalist looper setup and those onboard fx, I could see someone really stripping it back if they have all their presets easily accessible on the fly. the bass track sounded pretty cool, and that chorusey synth vibe could be useful when you want a track to stand out. all in all, solid review, and cool to see the functionality and real world application.

[@whearts]

Yea, it looked like it could be used in a talent contest.

[@kimandrew8763]

Very informative very enjoyable watch here and that little tune with the added layers sounded sooo coool! 😎👍🏻

[@MePlusWorld]

thanks for the amazing video and your great energy and vibe. i love the guitar im ordering right now

[@JDUBSGUITAR]

Great review Carl! Honestly you might need to add some more of these videos to your list of to-do's haha. Easy to watch and you did a good break down of the guitar and its features. I would agree that it's probably not geared towards gigging and live shows but more for getting the creative juices flowing at home and noodling around. Really any instrument can be a good instrument in the right hands! Again nice video man and keep on rocking!

[@StevenToddScholl]

when he said beatbox I wasn’t quite emotionally prepared for what happened next 😂

[@StevenToddScholl]

I am honestly still torn between the lava blue touch and the me 3 .. Hilava for sure

[@elbanner1]

i like the looper stuff at the end of the vid . love from the netherlands !

[@909Twodogs]

I definately want one but please convince my wife that I "need" one. Great review BTW!

[@machitect]

Awesome review… you made it sound so great im planning on getting one

[@focusandcreatenow]

i want one!!! for fun and learning. Amazing what you created, I need to learn!!

[@DripBoi2024]

I would love to rap over that riff bro frfr fam

[@billieschwartz636]

I would definitely use it for writing and it would be nice to have as a travel guitar maybe even for Busking!!🎸✌️

[@MrAquatoad]

An IR on that pickup would get you a lot closer. Seems like the guitar you leave out all the time, for noodling, conversation, art piece and guest enjoyment. You'd hate to put a scratch on your Maton 😛 Edit: Kudos to Lava for matching your glasses.

[@tziron]

Its like you already knew the color, sunglasses match

[@maomao180]

You could easily use an EQ with bass boost and high cut to match your main guitar.

[@tonyzuccaro2764]

What a fantastic review. Thank you.

[@maxhenley1824]

Am I the only one that was getting John Mayer vibes when he was playing the chord progression @9:31

[@thatdiyguyraymondmonk1225]

I sometimes play for my students to sing their songs, and I think it would be great…

[@rixtervidz]

As an Ovation user, yes it does sound like one haha!!!

[@NioSebez]

Very good man, and amazing guitar!

[@JedidiahRudnick]

Got a lava me 2 a few months ago, should've waited😭

[@ibrewalot]

Great review of the guitar, but even better I hadn't heard of you before and I loved the song at the end...heading to iTunes now!

[@existinthenow7443]

Wow dude that was awesome!

[@dukeofearl4117]

It’s super cool. I can see me getting one.

[@powercascade]

WAOUH vraiment incroyable je te suis depuis quelques mois et tu as un dons vraiment bravo à toi pour tes prestations mec, si un jour tu viens en France dans le sud je suis présent pour une session :p

[@gennasaxe1815]

I love this! Thank you!

[@aminjwahab9507]

Pretty cool nice review on the guitar not a bad sound has a lot of features on it I might want one ,

[@awidikor2821]

I'll call this LAVAME STUDIO MASTER 3. What a technological masterpiece ! Lova me 💙🇬🇭💛👍

[@tomthomasin3928]

I just like the low end I get too much on Old aged guitars like my Yamaha eterna, but that would be cool to have something like that that wouldn't warp, and you could have that cool reverb effect without being attached to any equipment, it might be a zen-like experience

[@me.roderick]

Smoken! you some stuff dog.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@maverick0832000]

Really cool vlog. Thank you!!!)

[@dathyr1]

Maybe, but this guitar seems too limited to me. I have a MIDI guitar that I can essentially do the same thing and much much more far as sounds, effects, looping, individual string assignments, etc. Yes, i am tied to a computer, but I do just studio work with my MIDI guitar anyway. There is always new Tech that comes out to try and simplify things. Thanks for your video.

[@dragonf1092]

It would be cool if they made a lava me 3 that was a sky blue color.

[@PRVWph]

Cool man!

[@Blinkers2007GameDev]

amazing.

[@tjakkahify]

The guitar is ok for the price but Ooh man what a voice comes from your own body.

[@seethowaikeng7826]

Damn.... the last loop original song is so addictive

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate:) it’s out! Called paint the air🤙🏼

[@govindamassaro7955]

Hey man Really enjoyed the video. I know what you mean by “fun guitar “ & “guitar guitar “ but yours sounds damn good! Thank you Govinda from Pearcedale Take care

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate! Im a huge fan of my Maton guitars - especially the pickups, glad you liked the video tho!

[@mikeshanermusic]

Excellent, informative and entertaining video. Other than the TonewoodAmp, I've not seen anything like this.

[@Mywers]

Would love to own one! Would be neat af!

[@Philc231]

Very cool

[@wordsmith451]

Got me a red 38 and a strap. Can't wait for it to get here! Can't imagine spending another 150 on the dock though - it's a cute novelty but not all that useful.

[@Sylidotde]

very cool :-) You are an awesome Guy, Thank you so much, for this review :)

[@LJLEEF1965]

Great review on this guitar and his (toilet)stand, by the way your looping course on Truefire is killer man !!!

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate❤️

[@habakkukacoustic9402]

awesome bruh!!

[@IExertio]

This was insane bro

[@TheHocmaster]

Great campfire guitar 🎸 👌

[@JustInCase_007]

What an awesome review and great video, man. I’ve watched the end 5 times already. Will the lava me 3 let you loop with just the guitar/display screen?

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate. You can loop with it - but pretty limited to the Fx and settings internally with the guitar etc… I don’t think it would suit looping for a live performance but definitely for at home or songwriting🤙🏼

[@armenchobanian3975]

So cool bro I also buy Blue lava guitar )) and really really my most important dream is mini mason Guitar so I really love this Guitar from all my live, thanks for your video u so talented !

[@PeterAcrat]

👍 That _Has to be_ the _Best_ guitar for a yacht by 100 cables to windward !⛵️ - great review btw. Thanks🇦🇺

[@patrickwakefield2297]

i have a lava me2 really like it to play, but wish it had on board eq, think i would have same thoughts about this one. has some nice tricks though.

[@jaredfrancis6816]

His singing voice is insane .

[@jeffreybabino8161]

What is this guitar never heard of it looks nice

[@jehergaming]

Carl this is amazing and you deserve alot more subscribers if you do not have any other channel already !

[@carlwockner]

thanks mate:)

[@victorbrousseau]

Hey man, nice review ! I don't know if you noticed but there's an Eq in the sound settings of the LAVA ME 3 ;)

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate, there is but it doesn’t do a whole lot. The sound is quite thin to start with. An acoustic IR would be perfect to try and fix the tone for live stuff but, for me I keep this in the house to jam on

[@machitect]

I wish you would do a review of the Lag travel guitar with the HyVibe system… almost same as this, but in a really good solid cedar top

[@KennethGonzalez]

1. I could see me using one for travel and knocking around. 2. I think being able to use this for building rough demos could be quite interesting. 3. Your idea of using it as a general purpose rig for songwriting and when inspiration hits is a good one too! 4. I agree with you about having too much top end. I currently have the same issue with my Yamaha. The only way I can fatten it up is to use the EQ and run the amp 5. I do like the fact that the one you're showing is a shorter scale. Great job on the review!! 👍🙂👍 /kengon

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate! Good points🤙🏼

[@patrickwakefield2297]

agree on top end, i have me2 surely they, could have included and on board eq. going to try a fishman and see how it is, using eq on mixer at the moment to tone it down apart from that i like my me2 a lot. nice to play.

[@Michealazih]

i'll will like it

[@95ducati916]

Great review .Love the helium voice !! I really like this Lava 3. I think i will just have to get one .Seems like a lot of fun to play with when im not using my Kiesel guitars .Mrs asking what do i want for my Birthday next month . :)))) Now what color ..Hmmmm.

[@MeTuLHeD]

Lag Guitars makes a series of smart acoustics that are made like traditional acoustic guitars.

[@VacationQuest24]

Yeah and for $500 more than the Lava 3, you can get one. A Blue Lava is only $649, and if you’re not a performer or songwriter, $1,699 is a stretch for the Lag.

[@rahul5033]

It's my dream to buy guitar 🎸

[@dieselman7453]

Unreal bro don’t no if I’d have the balls to buy it 🤩🤩but it would be some craic at a house party fun times bro

[@jeanmarcos8334]

Este não é o violão do futuro e sim do presente! Para o futuro sempre vem outro melhor.

[@pauloneves4274]

É verdade. Esse violão é do presente e não do futuro.Aliás essa cor vermelha,achei muito feia. O violão é muito bom e muito feio. É uma pena que é muito caro.

[@vibesman584]

First time I plugged mine in,something came loose,now it won't charge up

[@ddgryphon]

I can see it as a busking instrument.

[@Rectitude4U]

Is it fun? What are the advantages? It looks like more versatility sitting on the porch, without cables… Why would I want to buy one?

[@proculusjulius7035]

Definitely gotta get me this for songwriting purposes. Taking it on stage would be a nightmare what with all the noise and feedback. Awesome review, just wish the demo song would have been a little longer, it's so sweet 🤤

[@MarcoAmadori]

You could disable internal mic via the menu when you line up.

[@andrewnathan7658]

That was awesome! Would you recommend this sort of guitar for a novice?

[@carlwockner]

Absolutely, I think the tech features give you something more fun to play with while you’re learning:) and you don’t need any external stuff

[@stuartmackinnon]

Great review Carl! You have a new subscriber. Thinking of pressing the button on one. What did you think of the action?

[@vishnusawant2952]

You cannot correct the intonation in this guitar within 3- 4 months of purchase all strings on 1st & 2nd fret start buzzing, not sure how to solve this.

[@geraldwhisenhunt7001]

What is the name of the song at the end???

[@carlwockner]

its called Paint the air - here's my full version of the song, kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIW8Z5aZqK6Dd68

[@eprohoda]

Carl-Yahoo-you hared top -=))

[@katejames507]

I would use this no end, would suit me down to 5he ground. Need to start saving!

[@Kevin-oz9fw]

Have you seen or tried the HyVibe guitar. Great reviews.

[@josephbadibanga2760]

Your are the best

[@jonathanfarver309]

damnnn i love your content!!!

[@carlwockner]

Thanks mate!

[@lucaslu9095]

Love your video! Do you play electric guitar?

[@machitect]

I wonder if you can mix the eq to make it sound warmer

[@ManojKumar-hi9km]

How much in Indian rupees and how can I buy it

[@SavyBajaBuster]

Did the space dock come with a charge lead and plug or just a lead?? I ask because i just bought the dock and there was no plug in the box just the lead, which if that is the case is a bit shocking considering the price... spot on review by the way and great track at the end.. New sub👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@winlagvlog491]

Nice Vocal

[@raymondfournier2477]

Where can you buy one?

[@joshuajamesmusic]

Carl what is the song called at the end of the video. Beautiful playing and singing man. Killer stuff 🔥

[@carlwockner]

It’s an original called “paint the air” out on all platforms:) hope u like it

[@WhyIMan-hh2tz]

Is there a left handed guitar?

[@1turdontherun]

Do you know if you got the 35" or 38" model? Do you know what the scale length is? Also for scale, how tall are you? Great unboxing and sweet tune at the end!

[@carlwockner]

I got the short scale, 36” version. And I’m 6’ tall🤙🏼

[@Henpywa]

@@carlwockner Do you mean 36 ?^

[@carlwockner]

@@Henpywa yessir🤙🏼

[@Henpywa]

@@carlwockner 🤙🏼

[@1turdontherun]

Just ordered the 38" version and dock. In red too. Thanks for the review. Happy birthday to me :)

[@jacobboinja7807]

I love this guitar soo much but didn't have money 😔 to buy..

[@babykenjie9040]

sana magkaroon din ako niyan.

[@ttothep1]

Lol man all the cool drums loops and effects are what makes this. The beat box your great but guess what the guitar has multiple drum beats!! 😂