Video: Hands-on with Gibson's Robot Guitar

Sure, it's been out for a little while, but considering how many Engadget editors play guitar (and the fact that Pete just started RCRD LBL), we figured we had to stop by Gibson's booth-bus complex and give the Robot Guitar a shot. The self-tuning axe actually weighs a little less than a regular Les Paul, even though it has gigantic motorized tuners and all that extra circuitry. To activate the system, you pull out a special tone knob and select one of the eight or so presets, and then simply strum until the lights flash blue three times. It's really fast, and undeniably cool, but for nine hundred extra bucks, we'll stick with our trusty TU-12. Video's after the break -- and make sure to check out the gallery for a shot of the weirdest thing we've seen in a while: eight dudes all plugged into Line6 Pods and headphones, rocking out quietly in a circle.

Gallery: Hands-on with Gibson's Robot Guitar

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[Brendon S @ Jan 11th 2008 5:57PM]

go steal one so u can do a giveaway, and i can win it

[fuma @ Jan 11th 2008 6:15PM]

The marketing team should be shot. No where on earth should the term "robot" be used on products. It completely cheapens a brand that's been well established and respected for over 50 years!

What's wrong with "Gibson's Self-Tune Guitar"?

[Eric @ Jan 11th 2008 6:18PM]

Over 50 years?

I suppose 110 is "over 50."

[fuma @ Jan 11th 2008 7:13PM]

yea... 1951 is when they started creating the les paul, and that was arguably the guitar that made them what they are today. My point taking issue with a cheapened brand over the coveted les paul design.

[fuma @ Jan 11th 2008 7:17PM]

...just so you know, "les paul"=brand, "gibson"=company.

They fakucked up a brand

[Eric @ Jan 11th 2008 7:28PM]

That certainly is arguable. I claim the jazz boxes (especially the L-5) as the key to Gibson's success.

[Marcus @ Jan 11th 2008 9:30PM]

Robot Guitar... When I first heard this, I thought it was literally a guitar that played itself, and you could download new rifts and upload them. That would be cool..

[J Ozer @ Jan 12th 2008 12:03AM]

@Marcus

Its called an MIDI synth. You can download software versions free online.

[Eric @ Jan 11th 2008 6:17PM]

I was surprised that it only costs $2100. That's less than a Les Paul Standard.

I'm a little bit upset, however, that the blue silverburst finish (or whatever it's called) is only available on the first-run Robot Guitars.

I'd kind of like it on a non-Robotic guitar that's not sold-out everywhere.

[JPL @ Jan 11th 2008 6:41PM]

This seems pretty cool if it is accurate in its tunings. It would make drop-D and other alternative tunings easier. When this technology appears on a Strat or Tele, I'm sold.Uh, Gibson product-naming department: "Robot Guitar"? Could you have spent any less time on that name? I hope that's just temporary.

[matt @ Jan 12th 2008 4:00AM]

If you can't handle a change to drop D tuning by yourself, I'd stop a little short of a $2K guitar.

[MIke @ Jan 11th 2008 7:00PM]

No guitar player I know would ever go for this. You carve out a hole in the body for electronics and crap, it affects the tone. Why spend thousands of dollars on a Les Paul for inferior tone?

[someguy @ Jan 11th 2008 7:25PM]

Have you ever even looked at the back of an electric guitar? There is always a hole for the electronics. And by the looks of it they havnt even added a new one but fitted the new electronics in to the already existing hole without making it any bigger.

[123jns @ Jan 16th 2008 10:11AM]

Just in response to the comment that "No guitar player I know would ever go for this. You carve out a hole in the body for electronics and crap, it affects the tone. Why spend thousands of dollars on a Les Paul for inferior tone?"

I've been playing for years, and without showing-off (yes that's rare for a guitarist!) I'm not bad and have played in some high profile and flashy places with some well known people!

The reason I mention this is that I bought one of these limited edition robot guitars and I have nothing but good things to say about them! They play great, sound great, the technology works. I think they are excellent value and as far as tone goes they are in no way inferior!

The only negs are:

1. The name sucks! They should have called it the Les Paul "Tunemaster" or something more creative.

2. The guitar (aside from the technology) is essentially a Les Paul Studio, with Les Paul Standard Hardware and a few Les Paul Custom features like the ebony fretboard and the binding on the head.

Any instrument is a personal interaction and just like music, not everyone likes the same things.
So, I understand why this guitar might be anathema to a "purist" who only wants late 50's or 60's instruments.

For the rest of us, this tech will be on most instruments in the years to come.

[Ed @ Jan 11th 2008 7:33PM]

Wow that could come in handy at times,but then..it's probably more of a conversation piece than anything.I wonder if Gibson will make a retro-fit kit or keep it on robot only?

[Zadillo @ Jan 11th 2008 8:19PM]

It's a different technology, but you may be interested in Fender's VG Strat, which is combined with Roland technology; it basically simulates a variety of guitar models (strat, tele, acoustic, 12-string, humbucker, etc.), but it also has different tunings you can switch to on the fly; in this case it's not actually changing the tuning of the strings, but it's a sort of similar effect.

[Neebs @ Jan 11th 2008 8:20PM]

I don't really get this. Most new guitar players won't be buying a $2100 Gibson, most go for a cheaper no-name brand, where they'd learn to tune using an auto-tuner, and eventually on their own.

[Zorque @ Jan 11th 2008 8:47PM]

It would probably be used when people are doing shows where they would want to reduce the time it takes to re-tune the guitar. At least that's what I'd use it for.

[jeff Lorber @ Jan 11th 2008 8:46PM]

this is at least 7 year old technology. the bad part its calling it "robot guitar" yuk. but the technology is cool i guess

[TwoToneMurder @ Jan 11th 2008 10:16PM]

I work at Musician's Friend, so here's the skinny;

The first run is limited to 1000.

A bunch of stores got 10 of them at first (our store did too). Our store sold them in 3 days.

YESTERDAY, we get 107 in. On the 14th we're getting 112 in. On February 14th we're getting 113 in, and that's it.

We have already Pre-Sold 150 (give or take), and they don't go on sale until the 14th.


I saw one in the store, and I must say; the finish is amazing, too bad it won't get made again, but cool for those who buy them.

For those saying stuff about "Carving holes in the body for the electronics blah blah", sorry but no.
The "Robot" part is 3 parts;
- TUNERS
- BRIDGE
- TAILPIECE

I might get one since they're so limited, the color rocks, and the discount price is amazing.

[Bob_C_NJ @ Jan 11th 2008 11:05PM]

Is that Dwight from the office standing in the back of picture 16?

[Pretol @ Jan 12th 2008 4:30AM]

If you can't tune your guitar, you definitely shouldn't play it. It's just one of those things: you either get it or you don't. The only possible use for this is tuning in a loud environment, but I doubt the "robot" would get it spot on anyway (most tuners I've messed with simply DON'T)...

[obn4uticus @ Jan 12th 2008 4:20PM]

This guy must not know what the hell he's doing or play an instrument at all. I can tune a guitar or any stringed instrument other than piano way faster than that.

[mike @ Jan 13th 2008 1:10AM]

Transperformance has been making a computer controlled, self-tuning guitar for more than a decade - I know Dave Beegle, a great guitarist from northern Colorado, who has been performing with one of their instruments since the last 1980s, in fact. Check out http://transperformance.com - their implementation is much faster than the Gibson and also far more flexible. Cool stuff

[JustinM @ Jan 14th 2008 11:05AM]

At almost twice the price, and you have to supply the guitar on top of it. I'll grant you, though, their implementation does look far superior, and I'm jealous of those who can afford it. :)

[David @ Jan 14th 2008 1:18AM]

"RCRD LBL". CHRIST I hate hipsters.

[JustinM @ Jan 14th 2008 10:56AM]

It's probably mutual.

[fenderdood @ Mar 31st 2008 11:07AM]

ha ha, pretty cool though. But seriously, cant you just see it? Some guy playing one at a HUGE venue (like bonaroo or warped tour) on a wireless system and some hacker out in the crowd tapping ont the setting and screwin with the guitar? That would be great...