Active Band Man Chats - High-Performance, High-Functionality

Alright, so what’s the theme this time?

The opposite of last time!

Huh? So... the opposite of simple?

Exactly!

So, complicated?

Yeah!

But not quite... More like something with a variety of features!

Bingo! High-performance, high-functionality!

There are so many convenient options available these days. Let’s dive in!

Let’s do it! First up:

Pignose / PGG-200FM SBL

Pignose?

With a built-in amp!

High-functionality, or... what would you call it?

It’s high-functionality! I was blown away the first time I saw the ZO-3!

Oh, I see. A multi-functional guitar. The iconic model from Fernandes. I was surprised too when I first saw it. Nowadays, other manufacturers also make guitars with built-in amp speakers, but this one was likely a pioneer.

Exactly! Oh, and when you turn the volume all the way up, it gives you a nice drive sound!

Interesting!

Alright, next up...

Mooer / GTRS W800 Pearl Black

Mooer? Like the budget-friendly effects pedal brand?

Looks like it! True to their roots, this guitar can handle a variety of effects.

Not just that—it also offers a wide range of amp models and has a built-in tuner.

Amazing! So convenient! On top of that, “It allows various settings to be adjusted via an app connected to your smartphone through Bluetooth, and during play, you can switch between various sound presets using just the GTRS control knob.”

It’s just like the NUX amp we own; more and more gear with fine-tuning via apps has been popping up in recent years. Once you try it, you realize how incredibly handy it is. Adjusting settings on your smartphone? It’s so easy to do right at your fingertips.

Totally!

And this Mooer being headless is such a bonus!

That’s definitely your thing, isn’t it?

Looking at the specs, though we haven’t tried it firsthand, it seems like they’re using solid components. It looks like a great value for the price. As expected from Mooer.

Exactly. Plus, with the wireless footswitch, you can even switch presets. It’s got everything you could want. Although the footswitch is sold separately. Alright, next up!

VOX / VOX VGA-5TD PO Pearl Orange

An F-hole and a classic, almost orthodox look, but...?

Nope! It’s ultra-modern on the inside!

Ultra-modern, huh?

“It features the AREOS-D digital modeling system, delivering 18 high-quality modeled sounds. These include standard electric guitar tones as well as various types of acoustic guitars, banjos, sitars, and even guitar synthesizer sounds!”

That’s just incredible... There were guitars with built-in effects back in the day, but this is on a completely different level. I’m too old to keep up.

Right? It can function as a full hollow body, distortion guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic, banjo, sitar—you name it!

It’s so versatile that the idea of this classic-looking guitar producing sitar or synth sounds feels... surreal, almost like there’s a disconnect.

Maybe. While the Mooer we discussed earlier emphasizes versatility through effects, this one takes a modeling and synthesizer-inspired approach to sound creation, right?

Exactly. While both focus on offering a variety of sounds, their underlying concepts are different. You’d really need to think about how you intend to use it before deciding.

I really want one of these...

It might offer so much that it’s overwhelming, though.

Alright! Moving on to acoustic guitars now!

Wait, acoustic guitars can be high-tech too?

First up!

Yamaha / LL-TA VT

Huh, this one looks like a pretty standard acoustic guitar, doesn’t it?

“Yamaha’s new technology allows effects to resonate through the body top itself, even with unplugged sound!” How’s that for impressive!

You’re proud of it, but let’s give the credit to Yamaha.

Fair enough!

Still, effects with unplugged sound? I’ve read the explanation, but I can’t quite wrap my head around it...

I’ve actually played a guitar with this TransAcoustic system before, and it really does add chorus and reverb directly to the natural acoustic sound!

Oh yeah, I remember that. It was so weird hearing effects without plugging it into an amp.

I don’t fully understand how it works, but it feels amazing!

Good for you! And while the technology is impressive, the craftsmanship of the guitar itself seems solid too.

Absolutely. It gave the impression of being really well-built. A rich acoustic sound with just the right amount of reverb—it almost made me feel like I was playing better than I actually am!

That’s classic Yamaha, right? High performance built on top of a solid instrument.

Exactly! If they made an electro-classical version of this, I’d want one in a heartbeat.

So, what’s next? More high-performance guitars?

Here’s the last one!

Lava Music / 2020 Limited Lava Me 2 X Chemist Creations White

Wow... This one is definitely unique-looking. A pure white body with the kanji for “chemical product”?

Bold design, isn’t it? True to the name, the body and neck are made of carbon!

Oh, and that white fingerboard really stands out.

The fingerboard, nut, and bridge are made from wood fiber!

Wait, what’s that?

I’m not entirely sure, but probably... a chemical product?

So you don’t know either. No wood at all, then? There was some sad news recently about instrument manufacturers going out of business due to skyrocketing wood prices... In that sense, this could represent the future of instruments.

Yeah! And just like the Yamaha we mentioned earlier, this one also applies effects to the unplugged sound!

It does?

Yep! Things like delay and chorus.

Is it a similar system? Then again, with a look like this, no sound it makes could really surprise me!

True. It’s more surprising to hear such effective sounds coming from a more traditional-looking guitar like the Yamaha.

Exactly.

Ah, I have a high-tech one in my collection! This might be the ultimate!

What’s that?

Here it is!

It’s our beloved Steinberger!

Yep! It’s already a super convenient guitar for portability and sound variation, but I had it further customized with a guitar synth pickup!

Amazing...

It already has a piezo pickup, and with it, you can get:
- Powerful and clean guitar sounds from the EMG pickup
- Acoustic sounds from the piezo
- Mystical sounds from the guitar synth
It can do so many things!

Wow... And, if I’m not mistaken, it also has a capo?

It comes with one by default! You can change the pitch freely!

It’s almost too much! It’s like a robot that transforms!

That’s it for today!

That’s enough, I feel like I might get heartburn. This time was mainly about guitars, but there was quite a lot. Still, it’s amazing how many instruments have been developed with different concepts.

Yeah, it seems like there are a lot more options now, especially in terms of producing different sounds. But the way you use them will determine how you choose, so with all these new choices, it might be harder to pick.

True. When I think about how things used to be, it’s a nice problem to have. Oh, doesn’t your main guitar, the Teisco, also have a bunch of switches and can produce different sounds?

I’m glad you asked! Yep, it has those colorful switches, and they’re so cute.

So, how do they work?

I don’t really know!

You don’t know!?

What I’m using now has been modified for live performances, so it’s different, and the functionality changes with the reissues. But with the switch, you can select pickup combinations, or even produce phase-out sounds. There were also models with a mono-stereo switch that splits the output between strings 1-3 and 4-6.

I see...

But, well, I’m more of a broad strokes person! I don’t really use the finer functions that often.

You just ruined the theme of this conversation!

Well, well, we’ve introduced two extremes this time and last time, so...

Let’s choose something that fits our style, whether it’s simple or high-tech.

You summed that up perfectly! Because everything is?

For love!