Zivix launched a compact digital guitar called the JamStik in 2013 that allowed pickers to keep their calluses nice and hard while traveling by chording on real strings. It only had five frets though, and the company announced new models last year with seven and 12 frets for more playing possibilities. Well now the latest JamStik is less of a “Stik” and more like a grown up travel guitar.
Coming out of the successful side of an Indiegogo campaign, engineers decided to abandon development of the 12 fret JamStik and concentrate on a more powerful, bigger instrument instead. Indiegogo backers who plumped for the JamStik 12 won’t be left wanting though, as they’ll get the new Studio MIDI Guitar flagship instead when it’s released.
The Studio features a headless wooden neck sporting 24 frets with a 25.5-inch scale length. The body is bigger too, and looks more like a traditional electric guitar – rocking a modern doublecut design – than the other members of the JamStik family. Zivix reckons that it’s still mighty portable though, coming in at about three quarters of the size of a standard electric.
“When Jamstik was founded in 2009, our goals were to educate the next generation of guitar players, and open up the creative potential of MIDI compatibility to the world of guitarists,” said the company’s Matt Cannon. “While we’ve made strides in both areas with our existing Jamstik portable guitar controllers, the Studio is a product we’ve wanted to launch since the beginning; and one we know many customers and partners are equally excited for.”
Like the most recent JamStiks, the Studio can connect to a device running music production apps over Bluetooth, but there’s also USB-C for MIDI and battery charging, and a 3.5 mm TRS MIDI out jack. As with a standard electric guitar, there’s an analog instrument out jack too.
Zivix says that it will work with all MIDI-capable digital audio workstation software suites and plugins out of the box, and a custom-built VST is being developed that will include a curated library of Studio sounds. And players will be able to record audio, track MIDI or perform both tasks simultaneously.
And that’s about as much as we know for the moment. The instrument is still in development as of writing, and no further information has been made available. Players are currently being asked to sign up to be informed when pre-ordering will start. When that happens, the suggested retail price for the Studio MIDI Guitar is US$799.99. You can see a demo in the video below.
Compact digital guitar gets bigger and better brother [New Atlas]