French Guitar Manufacturer Lâg Guitars today announce the addition of 3 new models in the new Travel Sauvage Series. Continuing the Lâg tradition of innovation, the Travel Sauvage Guitars feature FSC Certified Brankowood and a newly developed eco-friendly varnishing process to minimize the impact on the environment. The Sauvage Series features the Iconic Lâg French Headstock design as well as a rough-sawn look on the back and sides which reflects the character of the guitar – a tough traveler ready for adventure. The rounded back of the Sauvage Series produces a full-bodied tone that is unrivaled in its class and as you would expect from a Travel Guitar, a rugged, road-ready case is included with the guitar.
All three of the new Sauvage Travel guitars share the rough-sawn look Smoked Eucalyptus back and sides with 3 options for tops: Canadian Red Cedar, Canadian Spruce, or Pale Brankowood. The fingerboard, bridge, and headstock on all models are Brankowood.
A Technological Breakthrough With Tropicalized Wood
As part of the Lâg commitment to the preservation of rare woods in the world, the invention of an Australian scientist came at the right time to allow Lâg to implement a strategy to replace precious woods which have become both rare and expensive. It took Branko Hermescee two decades of research to come up with a revolutionary process that began with the planting of short-cycle pine forests in New Zealand (radiata pine), which comply with the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The wood is first dried to only contain 10% moisture and then impregnated in pressure vessels with catalytic and pigmenting agents. The wood is then dried again to reduce its moisture content by 2 or 3% before being impregnated again under pressure, this time with natural resin. The wood is then compressed to the density of spruce for Pale BrankoWood, rosewood for Brown BrankoWood, or ebony for Black BrankoWood, to achieve the same acoustic characteristics. Branko Hermescee’s tropicalization process also replaces the roasting process by giving the Oceania Pine the wonderful sound qualities characteristic of the natural aging of several decades. The final step is a fine sanding to give it a perfect look and feel, enhanced by the subtle oiled look on the headstock, fingerboard, and bridge trio, specific to Lâg, which can be found on a large part of the range. All the products used for this treatment are of organic origin, without plastic, phenol, or petroleum components. The result is a stable wood (5% constant humidity) that is not only perfectly resistant to changes in humidity and temperature but also UV radiation and even termites.
ABOUT LAG GUITARS
Lâg Guitars started life as a small electric guitar manufacturer in Southern France in the early 80s under the leadership of Michel Lâg Chavarria but it burst on the international scene when the company was purchased by pan-European musical instrument distributor, Algam. Under new management, the company switched from producing electric guitars to acoustic guitars and established its factory in the Far East with over 130 skilled luthiers.
