Topic: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I saw ads for this new guitar and was wondering if anyone had one. Also if it is as easy as it shows to tune and restring?

Edward

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I actually went down to the guitar center here in San Antonio (One of the few places that sold them) ... they started selling them on the date indicated and were sold out the first day (limited to 10 per store) ... I wanted to try it out and see how it handled, etc ... LOVED the demos on the Gibson site about them ... especially with the automatic drop tuning ...

Electric:  Gibson Les Paul Studio, Schecter Omen 6, PRS SE Custom
Acoustic:  Fender Talman, Yamaha
Amp:  Fender Super Champ XD/Line6 Spider III 75

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Anyone have the new Robotic Guitar?  I hope not.
Aside from the convenience of different tunings, I don't like the idea of robotic guitars. In my opinion, musical instruments have a long tradition and designing + playing them can be an art. Gibson is trying to come up with all kinds of gimmicks in order to stay competitive, I don't blame them. But here is a novel idea for the Gibson brand: Invent a sure-fire quality control when you build your instruments, which have a great history and tradition. How about "robotic quality control" that destroys the lemons before they hit the stores?

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Tennessee, I agree. Before judging this guitar, go to www.youtube.com, a great site to compare guitars. "Gibson robotic guitar", + enter, you'll see the guitar, and look to that guy who explains how this Gibson works. An amazing fact: your DETUNED guitar is automatically tuned, more she has also open tunings, "AUTOMATICALLY" no need to take 5 guitars with you pre-tuned in open tunings, as the guitar tunes in open E A dropped D.... To enjoy this guitar, you really need to "learn"how it works.
See FENDER VG too.
See for yourself. I will look for more information.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I wouldn't touch either one with a ten foot stick.

"You have to get over the love of power, and enjoy the power of love, in order to know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

ebigham, I hope you are not offended. Your the one who made this topic, and I wrote very clear YOUR NAME TOO, I was busy myself with a topic about Fender VG, a topic I removed after seeing yours, and I loved to work together on this.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I like innovation and think that Gibson has real vision in marketing this design.

Why not use available technology to further refine instrument design?

I'm sure when geared tuners were first invented, some people criticized them as being silly gizmos, but that innovation is now the standard.  Likewise, when metallic strings were first introduced for violins and guitars, I'm certain there were players who hated that 'bright' sound and so they kept on playing instruments strung with strings made out of animal guts.

Too many instrument makers merely make 'new' guitars with different styling but not with better music-making qualities.  It's sort of like how the American auto makers of the 1950's and 60's focused all their design efforts on elaborate tail fins and chrome doo-dads - meanwhile the Japanese auto makers were innovating ways to make cars that were more reliable and more useful.

I say, "Good for Gibson!"

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Hi James,
Innovation can be a good thing and I'm not against it categorically. The robotic tuners are not  real "innovation". They don't do anything to further music, just support the lazyness of the player. Robotic guitars seem to be the equivalent of so-called innovation in the American car industry: You get more cupholders and videoscreens, but the vehicle is the same old piece of junk. You mention Japanese car makers  and innovation -they didn't innovate by using gadgets, but delivered quality, longevity and usefulness for less money.

Play on! And if you do have robotic tuners, beware of the moment when your batteries run out, then you'll have learn how to hand-tune your $4,000 Gibson robotic guitar.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Hi Tennessee Strat - I see your point, but I think this innovation goes beyond styling and actually does improve the utility of the product.  An instrument that tunes itself does have a certain 'gizmo' appeal - but beyond that, an instrument that can re-tune itself to different tunings is very intriguing. 

I would love to see the same technology applied to other electric stringed instruments and eventually to acoustics also.  A self-tuning violin would be amazing.  A self-tuning banjo would be even better - the world might finally actually hear banjo music actually in tune!

In all seriousness though . . . back to the car/guitar idea - some folks really only want a standard transmission because they like manually shifting the gears.  Give me an automatic any day.

By the way - Tom Petty has been known to play Gibsons.
I'm guessing that he'll be playing a Gibson Robotic Guitar at the Super Bowl half time show.
Now that would be a product placement coup!

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

James, you are a marketing genius!
Your Superbowl/ Tom Petty playing a robotic Gibson idea is very innovative, no doubt. The perfect product placement.
But back to the tuning issue: I am guilty of having worshipped innovative music technology far too long. Proof: I own a Roland VG guitar system -it detunes on the fly as well. I also own some very sophisticated digital synthesizers + software.

All this stuff was innovative musically, but in all honesty, this gear has not made me a better player. It took the tone of a Telecaster (invented in 1948) and a Fender tube amp (1956) to actually touch my heart and challenge me as a player. The more experienced I get, the more I appreciate quality, craftsmanship and even a little dose of musical history. At a time where anything seems possible, we lose the ability to focus on the fact that music is actually meant to be: a human expression. My innovative virtual guitar system and its digital modeling capabilities have done little to make me happy. Those sounds don't move me to tears. But my 1967 analog Vox Jaguar organ does that every time.

Robotic tuners are not the answer for this player - I prefer fewer robots in my life. And yes, everyone of our three cars has a manual transmission. I do admit to having electronic ignition...

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

James McCormick wrote:

Hi Tennessee Strat - I see your point, but I think this innovation goes beyond styling and actually does improve the utility of the product.  An instrument that tunes itself does have a certain 'gizmo' appeal - but beyond that, an instrument that can re-tune itself to different tunings is very intriguing. 

I would love to see the same technology applied to other electric stringed instruments and eventually to acoustics also.  A self-tuning violin would be amazing.  A self-tuning banjo would be even better - the world might finally actually hear banjo music actually in tune!

In all seriousness though . . . back to the car/guitar idea - some folks really only want a standard transmission because they like manually shifting the gears.  Give me an automatic any day.

By the way - Tom Petty has been known to play Gibsons.
I'm guessing that he'll be playing a Gibson Robotic Guitar at the Super Bowl half time show.
Now that would be a product placement coup!

Standard transmissions are about control, FWIW...

But I see your point. I still won't buy one, and I still will detest the sound of a Banjo even if it is in tune!:P

"You have to get over the love of power, and enjoy the power of love, in order to know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix.

12 (edited by Tennessee Strat 2008-02-04 01:32:42)

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Just saw Tom Petty& the Heartbreakers play the halftime show at the Superbowl. He played one of his Rickenbakers + aTele. Mike Campbell played a blue German-made Duesenberg semi-hollow electric and a Danny Ferrington double-neck. Great Show and an audience that ranged from young girls to their grandparents. An awesome musical performance.

But: no robotic Gibson Les Paul in sight. Tom knows better...
Play on!

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Well the one great thing that I see with a robot guitar is that it should be able to tune the guitar perfectly. I know that I get it close but sometimes it is off a little.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

My Fender Cybertwin amp gives you a lot of different amps (of course most of them are Fender amps), when going from 1 amp to another, the knobs turn automatic to the sound of THAT amp you selected. I compared a Fender Twin Reverb SOUND with the Cybertwin TWIN REVERB SOUND, NO DIFFERENCE.
Maybe you consider that the Robotic Gibson is for lazy people, your opinion will change if you play a Robotic Gibson. The most annoying fact is that you play a few songs, and you need to tune it again. Following this "track", tuning devices are also for lazy people, claiming that they tune by ear. the ROBOTIC GIBSON IS A 100% GIBSON LES PAUL, having the same pick-ups.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Ok, I give up.
This discussion about "Robotic Tuners" reminds me a lot of the old tube amps vs. transistor, or analog vs. digital, ceramic vs. Alnico pickups, or even single coils vs. humbuckers. After all, your own perception of the sound is the ultimate measure.

I understand how someone can get excited about new features, or innovative technoloy. But honestly, I would rather buy a top-of-the-line handcrafted guitar with simple features, than a techno-laden modeling thing that promises to do it all.

Call me old-fashioned, I deserve it.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I'm with ya Tennessee Strat! Interesting concepts and technology but it's not for me.

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

I still like simplicity. My rig has five knobs, total. Four of those are on the guitar.

"You have to get over the love of power, and enjoy the power of love, in order to know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix.

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

Hey, I just remembered that as a bloody beginner (14 years old), I had a German Framus electric -ouch. It only had one volume and one tone knob. That wasn't enough for me: I actually glued two more knobs on this beast. I honestly liked it better, even though there wasn't any improvement in tone...LOL

The last "modification" I made to that guitar (this was the year 1967): I disassembled it, cut two thin sheets of plywood with huge upper horns, and glued those to the guitar. The empty space between the top and bottom plywood was filled in with shaped Balsa wood. I painted it in garish colors. Still no improvement in tone.

Then I came to my senses: After seeing Pete Townshend of the Who smash his guitar, I did the same with the disfigured Framus. Never looked back, because it's too damn embarrassing.

Play on!

Re: Anyone have the new Robotic Gibson?

SGinCYQX wrote:

I wouldn't touch either one with a ten foot stick.

lol