[kj] OT: Gibson introduces world's first "robot guitar" line that tunes itself

[B. Oliver Sheppard]

First "robot" electric guitar tunes itself

By Jill SerjeantTue Nov 13, 10:44 PM ET

Ever get mad trying to figure out why your version of "Voodoo Child" 
doesn't sound like Jimi Hendrix?

Help is at hand from what is described as the world's first robot guitar 
-- an electric guitar that not only keeps itself in tune even after 
string changes but also allows players to access six nonstandard tunings 
at the push of a button.

After 15 years of research, Gibson Guitar is launching a limited edition 
Les Paul Robot Guitar next month that has set players abuzz with both 
enthusiasm and skepticism.

"It will not make you a better guitar player but it will allow the 
average player to access some very sophisticated tunings," Gibson Guitar 
Chief Executive Henry Juszkiewicz told Reuters on Tuesday.

The six nonstandard preset tunings were used on hits ranging from "Honky 
Tonk Women" by The Rolling Stones and Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" to Led 
Zeppelin's "Going to California" and Joni Mitchell's "The Circle Game."

Gibson says the robot guitar is aimed at amateurs who have a hard time 
keeping their guitars in tune, as well as professionals who now use 
technicians during concerts to keep about 100 guitars tuned to different 
keys.

"Professional guitar players use a lot of different tuning and people 
who listen to the stars wonder why they can't reproduce the same sound 
themselves," Juszkiewicz said.

Temperature variations, changing strings and simply playing the 
instrument have long been tuning challenges for guitarists with even the 
best musical ear.

But some have already poured scorn on the robot guitar.

"I'm sorry, this is just lazy. With stuff like this, tuning is going to 
be a lost skill," wrote LettheBassPlay on the www.ultimate-guitar.com 
Web site forum.

Gibson said the robot guitar is the biggest advance in electric guitar 
design in more than 70 years.

"It's very addictive," Juszkiewicz said.

Gibson will launch 4,000 limited edition, blue silverburst Les Gibson 
Robot Guitars around the world on December 7 at a price in the region of 
$2,500. It expects to roll out a standard robot edition starting in 
January 2008.

(Editing by John O'Callaghan)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071114/tc_nm/robotguitar_dc