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A new breed of luthiers have come together to introduce Laguna Guitars -- instruments based on the philosophy that the best guitar designs flow from a single source: the needs of the player. It is a belief that drove them to set tradition aside, ignore the "but-that’s-how-it’s-always-been-done" approach, and instead listen to guitarists’ voices and watch their hands. Asking a thousand different questions, in a thousand different ways helped Laguna forge a new kind of guitar design philosophy--one that is "player-driven." The result is a comprehensive line of acoustic and electric guitars that guitarists help to create.
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Designed By Guitarists For Guitarists
In the development of Laguna guitars players said that the thumbscrews on the back of most locking-tuners are easy-to-lose, so Laguna developed uniquely designed lightweight, tuners that are self-locking from the front. Guitarists also expressed the desire for a tougher graphite nut, thus Laguna incorporates nuts that are Teflon-reinforced and self-lubricating. Instrument owners often find themselves frustrated with extreme back bowing that renders a guitar useless and unplayable, so the company spent extra research and development time designing a dual action truss rod to eliminate this problem -- at no extra cost.
In general guitarists want premium quality without premium pricing. Laguna comes through by including swamp ash bodies and thick dark Indian rosewood fretboards on comfortable Canadian hard rock maple necks, as well as strap locks that are inset into the guitar body -- all without the usual custom upgrade pricing.
Electricity In The Air
The Laguna line of solid-body electrics covers a wide-variety of the styles, sounds and price points favored by guitarists of all genres of music:
* The LE222 offers a smoothly contoured basswood body, premium hardware, and custom-wound ceramic pickups in an SSH configuration all for $299.99 (estimated street price).
* The LE322 is designed around a resonant, Louisiana swamp ash body. The custom-wound Alnico 5 pickups (SSH) with coil tap give plenty of mid-range punch to complement the rich low-end and snappy bite of the ash body. ($399.99 estimated street price).
* The LE422 ($499.99 estimated street price) adds a top-quality, AAA flamed maple veneer for a luxurious look, but leaves the natural tone of the Louisiana swamp ash untouched.
* The top-of-the-line LE524 ($599.99 estimated street price) features a thick rosewood flat-radius fretboard on a comfortable North American hard rock maple neck with 24 jumbo frets that beg for shredding. Its coil-tapped, custom-wound Alnico 5 humbuckers are perfect for an aggressive but warm high-output tone, while the Floyd Rose®-licensed locking tremolo system invites whammy bar abuse.
Also available are Laguna Ultimate Rock Packs that include a Laguna guitar and a Line6® amp.
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Hello, I have a quick “review” of the new Laguna Guitars. Here is all I know about them, but some of this is rumor and innuendo.
The guitars are an OEM product house brand for guitar center, it appears. Some on the web say the guitars are related to the Guitar Shoppe of Laguna Beach, but I have no confirmation of that. I’m in Northen Cal (San Francisco) so I can’t go check in person.
I saw the entire line of solid bodies in Guitar Center SF last week. To make a long story short, I fell so in love with them that I bought on THAT VERY DAY.
The line is stratified and that is very important. Here are some differentiators:
The low end LE 222 ($299) is a cheap beginner guitar no better or worse than a sub $300 Ibanez. Harware here is CHEAP (tuners and bridge are the lowest-end variety fit and finish). So i think maybe any negative comments on the line might grow out of seeing ONLY this model. Two Singles and one Humbucker on the pickups (low output). No one gigging should consider this guitar, it’s for starters only. Good for that I guess.
The next level up is the LE322 ($399) which adds a nice swamp ash body and nice hardware and Alnico High Output pickups in a Single Single, Single, Humbucker configuration. (My favorite setup). There is a pull pot to split the Humbucker so you have a virtual Single Single Single old-school setup. The hardware here is VERY NICE. Locking tuners, Wilkinson Vintage Trem Bridge. Solid colors only here.
The one I boought on the spot is the LE422 ($499) which has all the above, top of the line hardware, wilkinson bridge, alnico 5 pickups, 22 fret indian rosewood neck, AND a AAA black cherry flamed maple finish (honey was available but i never saw it). It has a satin champagne finish on the hardware (knobs and tuners) that is lush and unique. It has fret markers offset to the left side (Low E string side) and that gives it a custom look. The headstock on all these guitars looks like a shark to me and I like it. Think it drives the “Laguna” Beach theme home.
Move on up to the LE524 and you get transparent black on AA Flamed maple (don’t know the other finishes but there are some).
It has a jumbo fret 24 fret monster solo neck and the standard rock-god dual Alnico 5 humbuckers as it should be and of course is the only model with a locking Floyd-Rose trem. Again fit and finish here are supendous. This guitar seemed noticeably heavier to me than the next one down, I don’t know why.
The guitars have incredible attention to player details, considering the price. I think that real players gigging out should only consider the top to , blues LE422 or shred (LE524) since these both have a wonderful AAA flame maple finish (real veneer not photo) and great souding louisiana swamp ash bodies. I’m using my LE422 to back up my Tom Anderson Drop Top which has the same SSH pickup config. The output of the Laguna is similar to the Anderson if not as sweet. These guitars will get you out of a jam and may even inspire you. Lastly, I have to reiterate how the guitar plays and sounds great as a guitar costing twice as much and also the fit finish and feel of the higher end models is stunning. People will be very interested in your new Laguna, should you get one.
Rock on!
There is an embryonic website called http://www.playlaguna.com which i hope will be filling out soon!
(I play in a rock and blues band and gig regularly. I play through a Mesa DC3 and way too many pedals.)
if you have questions, or your own Laguna experiences, you can email me diectly at rwserna@gmail.com
A little clarity to the history of these guitars…
Guitar Center’s current VP for guitars if Keith Brawley, a former Fender exec who broke away to develop his own line of guitars… Brawley. Long story short, Mars music took an order for the Brawley guitars and then went kaput, taking Brawley down with them. Upon joining Guitar Center, Brawley brought his guitar line with him… ultimately to be rebranded Laguna. Same look and build, however, my Brawley was built in Korea rather than Indonesia or China. I like it a lot (322 model) , and I only paid $125 for it at a pawn shop with a hard case and nice strap! Score!
I was checking out guitars that were around $500, and I took home an LE524 in black flame.
I took it because of the versatility. I had also been looking at HSS Fender strats (I guess they don’t use the term “fat” strat anymore), Schecters, Ibanez, and Jackson guitars.
For $499, nothing else came close.
You guys must work for GC. I looked at the entire line and didn’t find one original idea in the lot. This is just the typical Asian rehash of the super strat.
The real story is that a retailer is importing instruments sidestepping the cut they would normally have to pay to name importers like Dean or Washburn. This, of course, increases GC’s margin and makes the big boys at Bain Capital very happy.
I went to GC in Sacramento to look at an Epiphone G400 SG as a present to myself. They were plentiful in white at 299.00. Good deal so far. But I always like to take time to look at everything because there are often buried bargains, for example, 2 months ago I got a new white Gibson Firebird V for 1000.00. So here I am looking an see the Lagunas I have been reading about in the MF catalog. As I am looking I see a honeyburst LE422 for 299.00! I plug it in and surprisingly the intonation and action are spot on! I play it for awhile and did not yest discover the coil tap function. I was impressed. The price was 150.00 off the regular amount. I had my salesperson put it behind the counter as it was the only one in this color and price, and played a couple of G400′s. I bought the Laguna and have been playing it for a couple of days now. I can’t seem to put it down. I have a Firebird, 335 and Strat and I am playing this one. Through my Bugera 333 and Marshall cab the tone is insane. I would have paid 449.00 after playing it but 299.00 was good a deal to pass up. The finish is beautiful and the hardware is excellent. Before you listen to what the naysayers tell you, you owe it to yourself to play one and make up your own mind……just like anything!
I agree with all of the statements above. I too was looking at the Schecter’s (C-1′s), and Ibanez (SA260FM, ART400, ARX) etc,,,,,,, researched and played them all for WEEKS,,,,,,,,,,,,,, then saw the Laguna, tried it, fell immediately in love, the feel, the sound, the hardware and workmanship………… and NOTHING could touch it for the price LE422HBT (Honeyburst Top). $350 (2-day XMas Special) at Guitar Center.
Also bought a Line 6 Amp with a $50 rebate if purchased together! I walked out with the guitar, new hard-case, new cable and Amp that night!!!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to me
I’m loving it. So glad I found it! 12-16-08
i love my brawley 5-string bass so much so that i will check out the laguna series & see what they are like. a mate of mine bought another brawley 5-string as he liked mine so much…
I bought a Laguna guitar for $499 at west L.A about two months ago. I thought it was perfect. I’ve been traveling around with it and have had no troubles. But today while I was playing it I noticed the wood that holds the bridge had split! It looks as if the rest of it will split soon… I don’t know if anyone has had this problem before or if its just a one time thing.