Introduction
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic guitar represents a major innovation in acoustic guitar technology. Unlike standard acoustic-electric guitars that require external amplification and effects, the LL-TA features built-in reverb and chorus effects that bring your acoustic tone to life.
With the flip of a switch, you can engage lush, immersive reverb that enhances the natural resonance and sustain of the guitar. Dial in shimmering chorus effects to add depth and movement to your playing. It’s all contained within the guitar itself, no amp or pedals required.
At its core, the LL-TA delivers the warm, organic tone that Yamaha’s L Series is known for. The solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides produce a rich, vibrant acoustic voice. Paired with the jumbo body style, the LL-TA projects with authority and maintains articulation even when strumming hard.
The LL-TA represents a new way to amplify your acoustic tone. No longer do you need to lug pedalboards and amps to gigs. The TransAcoustic technology gives you pro-level sound right from the guitar. It’s an incredibly versatile tool for guitarists who want great acoustic tone with built-in ambience.
TransAcoustic Technology
Yamaha’s proprietary TransAcoustic technology is what sets the LL-TA apart from standard acoustic-electric guitars. It allows you to get lush, immersive reverb and chorus effects without needing any external amplification or effects pedals.
The TransAcoustic system uses the guitar’s own body resonance to generate rich reverb that envelopes your playing. It utilizes actuators installed on the inner surface of the guitar back at strategic locations. These actuators vibrate in response to the frequencies of the strings to create a natural reverb effect. There are no digital effects or modeling – the guitar’s top and body work together with the actuators to produce an organic, spatial ambience.
For the chorus effect, the TransAcoustic system leverages a separate set of actuators along with Yamaha’s proprietary DSP technology. This adds subtle pitch and timing modulation to the string vibration. It thickens up the tone with a shimmering, animated chorus impact. The result is studio-quality reverb and chorus coming straight from the guitar itself.
This eliminates the need for bulky external amps, pedals, or effects processors to get pro-level ambience. The LL-TA provides an all-in-one solution with no setup required. Just grab it and play to enjoy lush reverbs and choruses at your fingertips. The TransAcoustic system takes the guitar way beyond standard amplified tones, opening up new creative possibilities.
Tonewoods
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic dreadnought features premium tonewoods that contribute to its full, resonant acoustic sound. The solid Engelmann spruce top is a key factor in the guitar’s clear, articulate tone and good volume. Engelmann spruce is known for its complexity and nuance, with sparkling highs balanced by warm lows and mids.
The rosewood back and sides also play an integral role in shaping the LL-TA’s tone. Rosewood produces a rich, deep bass response along with crisp, ringing overtones in the mid and treble registers. The combination of Engelmann spruce and rosewood creates an acoustic guitar that sounds great for both flatpicking and fingerstyle playing. The rosewood’s low-end punch blends with the spruce’s shimmering presence to offer a very balanced and responsive instrument.
Body Style
The Yamaha LL-TA features a jumbo concert body shape, which means it has a mix of attributes from both a jumbo and a concert acoustic. This hybrid body style provides excellent projection and volume while also being comfortable to play.
The jumbo aspects of the body shape allow the LL-TA to produce a loud, full-bodied tone. The larger lower bout and deeper body provide the bass response needed for rhythm playing and a strong foundation across various genres. Jumbos are known for their punchy low-end, which comes through nicely on the LL-TA.
At the same time, the narrowed waist and other concert-style contours make the LL-TA feel less bulky than a full jumbo. It’s well-balanced and easy to handle, even for smaller players. The concert influences help improve playability and comfort during longer practice or gigging sessions.
Overall, the jumbo concert shape hits a sweet spot between the booming projection of a jumbo and the cozy playability of a concert acoustic. It’s ideal for players who want robust acoustic tones and volume for live performances or recording scenarios, but also want a guitar body that’s enjoyable to play and practice on.
Neck and Playability
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic features a slim taper neck profile that provides excellent playability and comfort. The neck has a 25.6" scale length and a 20 fret rosewood fretboard with a 16" radius, which Yamaha describes as a "fat finger" radius designed for effortless chord changes and soloing.
The neck has a very smooth, slim feel that makes it easy to wrap your hand around for chords and scales across the fretboard. It’s a great neck profile for players with smaller hands who want the fuller tones of the dreadnought body without struggling with a clubby, overly thick neck. The slim taper design still provides rigidity and stability without feeling too thin or flimsy.
The fretwork from the 1st to the 20th fret is excellent with very smooth, rounded fret ends that don’t have any sharp edges to catch on your fingers during faster lead playing. The medium jumbo frets are easy to bend and provide clear note articulation.
Overall, the neck profile and fretboard of the LL-TA TransAcoustic provides an exceptionally comfortable and playable feel. It balances the rich, deep tones of the larger body with a fast, smooth neck that makes it easy to play complex chords and melodies across the entire fretboard. The slim taper neck and "fat finger" radius create an inviting playing experience for guitarists of all skill levels.
Effects Controls
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic guitar makes it easy to engage the built-in reverb and chorus effects right from the guitar itself without needing any external amplification or effects pedals.
There are two knobs located just inside the soundhole that allow you to control the reverb and chorus effects independently. The reverb knob activates and adjusts the level of reverb, while the chorus knob engages the chorus effect and controls parameters like depth and speed.
To activate reverb, simply turn the reverb knob clockwise. As you increase the knob setting, you’ll hear more pronounced and lush reverberation applied to the guitar’s natural acoustic tone. It’s great for dialing in anything from subtle ambience to cavernous, spacious reverb.
For the chorus effect, turn the chorus knob clockwise to engage it. You can then continue turning it higher to increase the depth and intensity of the chorus. This adds beautiful, shimmering modulation to the acoustic tone that sounds fantastic for fingerstyle playing or arpeggiated chords.
One of the great things about the LL-TA’s effects controls is that you can blend the reverb and chorus together. Try using just a touch of reverb to open up the sound, along with a medium chorus setting. This creates a rich, dimensional tone that enhances the natural resonance of the guitar.
The interface is intuitive and gives you a wide range of control over the effects. Whether you just want a touch of ambience or more prominent effects, the LL-TA TransAcoustic makes it easy to craft your ideal acoustic sound.
Sound Samples
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic really shines when you hear its lush acoustic tones and built-in effects in action. Here are some audio and video demos to showcase what this guitar is capable of:
Acoustic Tone
When played unplugged, the LL-TA produces a beautifully resonant and balanced tone thanks to its solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back/sides. The notes ring out with excellent sustain and warmth.
This example highlights the rich overtones in the LL-TA’s acoustic voice. The crisp highs, pronounced midrange, and deep low end work together to deliver a very dynamic unplugged sound.
Effects in Action
Engaging the built-in reverb and chorus effects adds new dimensions to the LL-TA’s acoustic tones. Here’s an example of how the reverb can provide a lush, spacious ambience:
The chorus effect also complements the guitar beautifully, providing movement and texture to chords and lead lines:
Being able to add professional-quality reverb and chorus without requiring any external gear makes the LL-TA incredibly versatile. These built-in effects let you easily craft lush acoustic tones well-suited for live gigs or studio work.
Appointments
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic dazzles not just with its built-in effects, but also with its aesthetic details and appointments that give it a truly premium look and feel.
It comes in two classic finish options – vintage tint or brown sunburst. Both finishes showcase the beautiful solid Engelmann spruce top, with the vintage tint providing a lighter, more resonant look while the sunburst offers a deeper, richer appearance. The back and sides also feature a complementing vintage-inspired burst finish.
The fretboard is bound with white binding and has beautiful abalone and mother-of-pearl fretboard inlays in an ornate vine pattern, providing a striking visual flair. The body binding, rosette, and other trim appointments also use abalone and mother-of-pearl for a high-end aesthetic.
Other premium details include the die-cast gold tuners, tortoise pickguard, and the Yamaha logo engraved on the headstock. Overall the look and feel is reminiscent of a vintage instrument but with modern playability and the unique built-in TransAcoustic effects. Players who appreciate fine visual details will love the appointments on the LL-TA.
Yamaha LL-TA vs Other Guitars
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic dreadnought stands out when compared to other acoustic-electric guitars in its class and price range. Here’s how it stacks up:
Vs Other TransAcoustic Models
Compared to smaller-bodied TransAcoustic models like the LS-TA and LJ-TA, the LL-TA’s larger jumbo dreadnought body produces louder volume and richer low-end. This makes the LL-TA a great choice for guitarists who need enhanced projection for live performances or recording. The built-in reverb and chorus effects are consistent across the TransAcoustic line, but the LL-TA’s bassier tone helps the effects shine.
Vs Acoustics with Built-In FX
Most acoustic-electrics rely on external amps or pedals to produce effects like reverb and chorus. The LL-TA has these effects built right into the guitar itself, eliminating the need for extra gear to get pro-level tones. This makes it more convenient for gigging musicians and recording artists. The LL-TA’s effects also seamlessly blend with the natural acoustic resonance thanks to the intelligent TransAcoustic technology.
Conclusion
The Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic is an excellent choice for players seeking top-notch acoustic tones with lush built-in effects in one convenient package. Its solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides provide rich resonance and projection, while the jumbo concert body offers excellent volume that carries in any performance setting.
The TransAcoustic technology shines by providing natural-sounding reverb and chorus effects right from the guitar itself, freeing you from relying on external amps and pedals. This makes the LL-TA ideal for gigging musicians and any player wanting great acoustic sound with effects versatility.
While it sits at the higher end of Yamaha’s acoustic lineup, the LL-TA offers solid value considering the quality materials, construction, and included accessories. The vintage tint and brown sunburst finishes also give it premium aesthetic appeal.
Overall, the Yamaha LL-TA TransAcoustic is best suited for intermediate to advanced players, performing singer-songwriters, and any guitarist wanting to level up their acoustic tone and effects options. It’s an inspiring and stage-ready instrument that can handle anything from rock and pop to country and folk styles with ease. For players seeking optimal acoustic sound and built-in effects in one package, the LL-TA is an excellent choice.