Gibson Announces Robot Guitar

Press release
Source: Gibson Guitar

Gibson Guitar, the world's premier musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology announced yesterday the limited availability of the world's first guitar with robotic technology, the Gibson Robot Guitar. True to the spirit of innovation that inspired Gibson to invent the legendary Tune-o-matic bridge, the powerful humbucker and the revolutionary HD.6X Pro digital Les Paul guitar, the Gibson Robot Guitar is set to make music industry history.

1. The Gibson Robot Guitar eliminates tuning problems for guitarists. It automatically tunes to standard A440 tuning.
2. It also allows players to access six commonly used altered tuning presets at the push of a button. These tunings were used on many well known hit songs, giving players easy access for the very first time.
3. The Gibson Robot Guitar allows the guitar to be intonated in seconds after string changes, truss rod adjustments or change in weather conditions.
4. Finally, with the locking tuner, single string changes or changing the entire set of strings are an automated breeze.

The system consists of five high technology components which are extremely light and do not change the instrument in any way. A control knob (which also serves at the volume knob) enables the tuning with a simple push or pull. Each tuner is equipped with specialized servo motors. As the motorized tuners adjust the pitch of the strings they are monitored by means of a Tune-Control Bridge.

The world’s 1st run limited edition version of Gibson Les Paul Robot Guitars will go on sale at 5 p.m. on December 7, 2007 at 400 dealers throughout the world. Each store will only have 10 instruments. This highly collectible piece of history will be available in an exclusive Blue Silverburst Les Paul model.

To find the list of exclusive Robot Guitar dealers go to www.gibson.com/robotguitar.

The user interface of the Gibson Robot Guitar is the Master Control Knob (MCK). The Master Control Knob has all operating and control functionality contained in 11 different positions. The Powerhead-Locking tuners are constructed with a lightweight alloy housing and are not heavier than common tuning keys. They represent a revolution in guitar technology. Each Powerhead has a motorized high-performance gearbox controlled by signals from the Neck CPU mounted on the back of the headstock.

The Tune-Control Bridge , Tune Core-Controller, Data-Transmitting Tailpiece and Neck CPU work as the command center of the entire Gibson Robot Guitar. The strings carry the control signal and the power supply from the Data-Transmitting Tailpiece to the Neck CPU operating each of the Powerhead Locking Tuners individually. The Gibson Robot Guitar is the first production instrument offering robotic ability and is exclusive to Gibson Guitar.

“We are very excited about making the world's first Robot Guitar available to our customers and its ability to offer our customers a remarkable musical experience,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “Gibson has always been known for innovation. From the HD.6X-Pro Guitar System to this Robot Guitar, we will continue to produce unique and affordable systems for all Gibson guitar enthusiasts worldwide. We expect the Gibson Robot Guitar to sell out within hours on December 7th, and have been taking reservations for orders as fast as we can answer the phone lines.”

On Monday, December 3rd, 2007 in select locations several of the world's greatest musicians will appear in special demonstrations and press events produced by Gibson Guitar as part of the launch of the Gibson Robot Guitar. This will be the very first time the press and industry insiders can see the Gibson Robot Guitar in action prior to it becoming available for sale on Friday, December 7, 2007. The list of events are available at www.gibson.com/robotguitar.

Since the dawn of the instrument, musicians have come to accept the guitar’s imperfections and lack of tonal precision as necessary evils. Guitar players without guitar techs have shied away from the use of alternate tuning due to the time and difficulty require to tune and retune the guitar. The result is the guitar player and the music listener often suffers out of tune instruments. In the studio, or at home, imprecise intonation throws the guitar in and out of tune, up and down the neck, as the instrument requires tweaking with each season and at times with each string change. This all changes with the introduction of the Gibson Robot Guitar, the world's first robotic guitar.

About Gibson Guitar:
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar and the Gibson Robot Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.

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