HyVibe Audio Smart Acoustic Guitar: A brave new world for acoustic instruments?

04 Dec 2017 by Jef |

4,0 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

HyVibe - The World's First Smart Acoustic Guitar · Source: HyVibe/YouTube

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HyVibe Audio’s Smart Acoustic Guitar is an acoustic instrument with a difference, bringing modern technology to the simple acoustic guitar format and adding effects, amplification and recording.

HyVibe Smart Acoustic Guitar controls

Purists

This new Smart Acoustic Guitar uses a system of algorithms and actuators to turn the acoustic vibrations from the soundboard of the guitar into effects that are applied to the sound in real-time. A clever use of these technologies allows the instrument to be made to sound as though it has reverb applied or perhaps a chorus and even a distortion effect. You can also record your whole performance and use an App to control effects settings and EQ curves as well.

The HyVibe Smart Acoustic Guitar features a dreadnought shape with AA solid spruce top, laminate mahogany back and sides and a blackwood fretboard.

Crowd Funding

Currently, the guitar is on Indiegogo and is looking to reach a $40,000 target to go into production in early 2018. Currently its makers are half way towards reaching that goal.

It’s use of Bluetooth and an App should make it easy to set up and use hopefully, plus I can see it being really popular with songwriters. All of this, of course, will be dependent on it being a good quality acoustic guitar in the first place, or it will all be for nothing.

Yamaha is the only other acoustic guitar builder I can think of that has recently attempted anything similar with their TransAcoustic range from last year. But, they really know how to build great acoustic guitars already, maybe they should go into partnership with HyVibe?

By melding an acoustic guitar with modern technology, HyVibe is exploiting the simple acoustic guitar in ways you might not expect. This blending of old and new will, more than likely, piss off the purists – but should also entice new players to the guitar.

RRP – USD 499 introductory pricing for early backers and then USD 750 – due 2018