TECH EDUCATION

FOR MORE THAN four decades, Lloyd Baggs and his company, L.R. Baggs, have routinely upped the ante for acoustic-electric tone. Baggs began as a luthier working closely with Ry Cooder. Through a bizarre incident involving a guitar Baggs made for the guitarist, Takamine’s pickup system and Cooder’s disdain for his unwieldy road rig, Baggs became focused on acoustic amplification. He’s been an analog man all along, creating ever-improving pickup systems, preamps and direct boxes. More recently, Baggs released the Synapse Personal P.A. and a range of Align acoustic effects. Both earned Guitar Player Editors’ Pick awards and represented the company’s first wadings into the digital waters. Baggs’ newest innovation, the Voiceprint D.I. ($399 street) is a headlong dive into the deep end.

Voiceprint is a direct-input stompbox for acoustic-electric guitars that works in conjunction with Baggs’ new AcousticLive app on iPhone via Bluetooth.