Hype Check: Gibson Robot Guitar
On December 7, guitar enthusiasts around the nation will be able to get their callused hands on the Gibson
Robot Guitar, a first-of-its-kind, self-tuning instrument packed with a computer and motorized tuners. This special edition Les Paul will initially only be available in limited quantities -- 10 guitars for each of 400 retailers across the nation.
What it does: The
Robot Guitar has a built-in tuner, a CPU, and
motorized tuners that turn to increase or decrease the pitch of each string individually until the whole guitar is in tune. The on board computer is also used to switch from standard tuning (EADGBe) to a host of alternate tunings and even set intonation.
What we like: The
preset alternate tunings such as DADGAD and Open D (DADF#AD) are great for the forgetful and impatient. The Robot Guitar switches to alternate tunings much quicker than a person could, and the user can even change the presets for custom tunings, in case your playing style is less
Son House and more
Sonic Youth. And the
intonation mode is a real cash saver. The computer guides you through adjusting the string saddles until you have perfect intonation, which guarantees pitch-perfect playing along the entire neck of the guitar. (With standard guitars, this adjustment is performed by a professional in a repair shop, which means parting ways with your instrument for a period of time and coughing up about $50 for the service.)
Then there is the
paint job, a gorgeous coat of super glossy "silver burst" that goes from a subtle silver in the center to a beautiful, bright blue around the edges. This particular color was designed specifically for the Robot Guitar and is sadly not available on any other instrument from Gibson, but we hope this changes soon. Most importantly, this ax maintains that classic
Les Paul tone -- thick, buttery, and smooth. In fact, it sounds so good, it almost feels like cheating. Even a novice can sound like
Jimmy Page with a Les Paul strapped on.
What we don't: There isn't much to dislike about this thing. The tuner occasionally had trouble picking out the last string or two when tuning, which slowed down the process, and if the guitar is just slightly out of tune, it's actually faster to adjust by hand in most cases. Our biggest worry with the device is the construction. The guitar feels solid enough, but pulling out and pushing back the tuning knobs for manual adjustment made us a little nervous. Repairing the guitar is also bound to be an expensive proposition should the tuner, computer, or motors fail. You won't be able to take this to your local music shop for repairs.
Does it live up to the hype: Surprisingly enough, yes.
When we first heard about it we were skeptical -- a guitar that tunes itself comes off as a bit of an unnecessary novelty, but Gibson's newest innovation proved its usefulness to us. Not to mention that playing '
War Pigs' on any Les Paul is a wonderfully satisfying experience.
Price and where to get it: $2,499 at select Gibson retailers across the nation. You can find the nearest one
here.
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