The Gibson Dark Fire

[JouniL]

Here is the new Robot Guitar. Anyone played on this? I'm concerned about the tuning heads, I expect tuning heads on a high end guitar to work for at least 30+ years and to my knowledge no micro servos will even come close to that (if used frequently).

But it shure is a good looking guitar!

[MediaTechGuy]

You can assign a different sound to each string which is pretty cool as well. I wonder what Flexkill's quality control buddy at the Gibson plant would have to say about it?

[pooterpatty]

I'm sorry, but the Robot Guitar is the most gimmicky thing I've ever seen. Only in America would they invent a guitar for people who are too lazy to manually tune their instruments. As if a regular Les Paul wasn't overpriced enough!

And yea, I see those little servos dying two months after you buy it, and it probably won't work manually after that, making the instrument unplayable, and forcing you back to a Gibson authorized service center, where you can shell out more cash to get it replaced.

[28if]

If I ever get another Gibson, it may be something like this Axcess Les Paul.

The Dark Fire is a sweet looker...

[redbaron]

It's definitely one step closer to the guitar that plays itself...

I can't really imagine too many real-time purposes for this, though. When you're in a studio, you have all the sound gadgetry there in your racks and don't need it built into your guitar. On stage, well.... how often do you change the tuning of your guitar in mid-song?

I'm sure this guitar will blow you away if you write a song that explicitly showcases all its abilities. But I'd see that as a one-song freak show in a concert where you otherwise stick to your signature sound - which you can create with a regular Paula and a halfway versatile amp...

[pooterpatty]

Sorry Les, I just take any chance I can to be cynical because I'm a bitter bastard

[sinfreealex]

I feel that the Dark Fire and the Robot are the future, as far as tuning goes. It may take quite a while for technology for this to become mainstream, but it's inevitable. I'm not suggesting that this technology is for everyone or that all guitars will have it. We all know that the majority of the public loves convenience and these fit that need. I'm sure, years ago, there were players who were against digital tuners and felt that using them made people lazy. I won't speculate on how long the servos last in these things, but I'm sure that if they only last a few months there will be an outcry on the internet. I'm all for anything that lets the player get to playing sooner, who wouldn't want their own guitar tech? Yeah, I like to work on my own guitars and tune my guitar myself, but I'm not against something like the Dark Fire or Robot once they become more affordable.

[Alex003]

I think this is going to take years for gibson to master, they mass produce too much and miss all the small little mistakes

[Charvelguy]

Well, the day it stretches strings for me.. then I may be there. I see it as gimmick and typically overpriced Gibson marketing. Were looking at in some variants of this robot an offshoot of the studio or the BFG and putting little RC servos in 'em. I will say.. it does have it's appeal, instead of having several guitars for 'x' amount of alt tunings, one may use you can do it with one relatively quickly in the push of a button. Lifetime gaurantee? If it covers the servos, then why not consider it if you like it.

[gromitsdad]

The main benefit to me would be the ability to easily go to different tunings quickly. I have used open d quite a bit in the past, and knowing that the technology is out there that I could just 'hit a button' and have it tuned correctly in a snap is really exciting to me.

[sinfreealex]

The main benefit to me would be the ability to easily go to different tunings quickly. I have used open d quite a bit in the past, and knowing that the technology is out there that I could just 'hit a button' and have it tuned correctly in a snap is really exciting to me.

Exactly. That is the same draw for me.