Lava Studio

[ragingplatypi]

This product is hard to pin down because it looks like a response to the actual current market as opposed to a response to what any guitarist over the age of 30 would intuitively expect.

Specifically, I’m referring to the Spark 40 being the best selling amp of 2023 on Reverb, and the possibility that Postive Grid will become our grandchild’s Fender. Of course, Positive Grid is more likely to become our grandchild’s Peavey.

To get back on track, the reality of the MI market is that most musicians who buy things play at home 99% of the time. This truth is reflected in the explosion of practice amps and modelers. So from that perspective, this new thing from Lava makes perfect sense.

 

[Chocol8]

This truth is reflected in the explosion of practice amps and modelers.

People who play out also have practice amps at home (or the dressing room if big enough) and they also use modelers.

 

[ragingplatypi]

 

[luckymethod]

I think this thing makes total sense, you can do in one self contained box what I need my axe and my laptop to do, and I can control everything while standing up. Perfect for practicing by myself, writing or for having some fun with my son that plays electronic drums. I wouldn't buy it without trying it, but if it's well made and satisfying to play it's definitely the machine I needed to simplify my home setup, definitely not a gig device.

 

[Sleezy E]

“Most guitar players have thousands of pedals lying around” lmao man gtfo

 

[Lysander]

If one manages to ignore Leo's cringy chorus AI-vocals, those amp and effect tones are... ok, at best.



It's a weird product at a high price point, IMHO. From the demos, it looks a lot like an iPad docked to a Bluetooth speaker, running an older version of AmpliTube.

 

[laxu]

Still makes zero sense to me to have an integrated touchscreen when people have tablets and phones that will do the job. It's a weird product that I expect will be a failure.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Still makes zero sense to me to have an integrated touchscreen when people have tablets and phones that will do the job.

Well, yes.
I accept (and perhaps even sort of expect) touchscreens on live devices, when you don't want to expose your own tablets/phones and when they are doing highly dedicated stuff anyway. But neither is the case. This very clearly is no live tool and anything I've seen from the screen is every bit what you're used to from pretty much any app on pretty much any tablet/phone.
Also, let me add that I think it's utterly stupid to keep the screen (the most sensible part of the thing) exposed when you "close" the tablet.

It's a weird product that I expect will be a failure.

Might attract some newbies with too much money in their hands, but for all indended purposes, people who are already doing the things which seem to be possible with this, are sorted.
Sure, if you want to be able to carry your mobile "studio" (which this even isn't) anywhere as quickly as possible, this might seem attractive. But how often do you even need to do so? And how complicated is it to connect, say, a Yamaha THR (or similar) to an iPad?
In the end, I see this to be a fail, too.

 

[laxu]

Might attract some newbies with too much money in their hands, but for all indended purposes, people who are already doing the things which seem to be possible with this, are sorted.
Sure, if you want to be able to carry your mobile "studio" (which this even isn't) anywhere as quickly as possible, this might seem attractive. But how often do you even need to do so? And how complicated is it to connect, say, a Yamaha THR (or similar) to an iPad?
In the end, I see this to be a fail, too.

The intended userbase seems to be some sort of person who can afford this, wants to start playing guitar and loves Apple style design. I don't think it's even intended to be carried around but it's clearly meant to be a conversation piece in a fancy living room more than anything.

I don't think we live in a timeline where a Mac Studio looking box means rock n' roll.

 

[bigmenace]

Yeah, that's what I think of it. Call me a boomer or whatever - I can already see it becoming a huge flop (well idk how big they actually are).

 

[Mike M]

Just curious, anyone order this yet?

 

[Sascha Franck]

Just curious, anyone order this yet?

Of course not! We're sane people here. At least for the most part (err, wait...).
And welcome aboard!
We need to know your pickle preferences, though (Dill or sweet?). Don't have an idea why, but it's required.

 

[Mike M]

Of course not! We're sane people here. At least for the most part (err, wait...).
And welcome aboard!
We need to know your pickle preferences, though (Dill or sweet?). Don't have an idea why, but it's required.

I can go either way on pickles, and sometimes have gone BOTH ways.

 

[Dez]

sometimes have gone BOTH ways.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Seems to be just the right practising tool for any blues lawyer.
I'm sure there's a Mustang Sally version in their backing track catalog.

 

[Dez]

View attachment 52082

Seems to be just the right practising tool for any blues lawyer.
I'm sure there's a Mustang Sally version in their backing track catalog.

It looks like a consumer grade ink jet printer

 

[Lysander]

Lava Studio just got the Andertons treatment:



First impressions were not bad, but as Lee went on, it seemed to me like all models... sounded basically the same?

 

[Sascha Franck]

it seemed to me like all models... sounded basically the same?

I think it sounds very underwhelming. To put it carefully.

 

[Lysander]

Henning's not impressed.

 

[Sascha Franck]

The thing that would annoy me the most with this thing:
Either the tablet coming with it is of low quality. In that case, it'd be no joy to use.
Or the tablet is of nice quality. In that case, I'd be angry to waste it for just a guitar practise amp.
Lose-lose.