Throwing traditionalism out the window in favor of a fully foldable, future-minded 'one-man band' design, the newly innovated Mogabi V3 smart guitar has proven to be a hit with guitarists – and it's laid its Kickstarter goal to waste.
Its makers, Mogabi AMT Inc, were chasing $5,000 to get a production run off the ground, and with 31 days still to go at the time of writing, it has already smashed that target, with 21 backers pledging a total of $22,783.
We covered an earlier iteration of the design, but this time round its maker has said to expect “20% improved sound” – as well as a completely overhauled functionality.
So, what is the Mogabi V3? Described as the “perfect companion for capturing life's most beautiful moments through music”, it's a foldable electric guitar (its hinge rotates 180 degrees) with a 10-watt speaker, effects, recording capabilities, and a preamp built in. And that's just scratching its surface.
The guitar showcases two magnetic pickup sets: 1960s-style twin single-coils 580 Strat pickups, and 648 Moderns, which pair a single-coil with a humbucker. They both come with three-way switches.
It's assembled with ABS plastic and walnut/metallic frames, and strung up with sealed Mogabi tuners.
Elsewhere, a 40mm speaker delivers “deep beautiful bass tones”. The Mogabi V3 is also compatible with dynamic microphones, allowing players to record guitars and vocals simultaneously.
There's also the ability to layer multiple tracks on top of one another, which opens up a whole world of soundscaping possibilities. Its in-built effects only stretch to a reverb, which is a shame, but the luthier says recording with pedals is a doozy.
A USB Type-C port allows recordings to be shared on smartphones and laptops. This can also be done via Bluetooth – another nifty feature that can come in handy for playing or jamming along to music.
Meanwhile, a 32GB internal memory should be enough for 1,300 recordings. Oh, and there's also a Mix Mode that also allows for backing tracks and the guitar's sound to play together.
There’s certainly a lot to unfold with this out-there build, which Mogabi is calling an “electric guitar game-changer” that will “redefine what it means to be a versatile instrument”.
And while cynics may deride it as a mere gimmick, the fact this third generation guitar has already so effortlessly raised nearly five times as much as the firm needed to get it off the ground says otherwise.
The Mogabi V3 is priced at $940 and is set to rival other recent smart guitar innovations from budget favorites Harley Benton and Enya’s carbon fiber Nova Go.
Head to Kickstarter to explore the guitar in more detail, as there's plenty to take in.
