June 2009

Staying in tune is no longer a problem with the Gibson® Robot Guitar™. Released in late 2007, the Robot Guitar™ is the first guitar to feature robotic technology that automatically tunes the guitar as you play.

Invented by Chris Adams, the Gibson® Robot Guitar™ includes an auto-tuning system that tunes the guitar in just seconds based on a number of different tunings. Several robotic parts are included in the Robot Guitar™. Tuning is controlled by pushing one of the volume knobs. Mechanic tuning pegs located behind the headstock, tune the guitar.

The Robot Guitar™ makes tuning in between songs and playing out of tune a thing of the past. It also keeps itself perfectly intonated after string replacement and the automated tuning pegs make string changing easier.

Robotic Parts of the Gibson® Robot Guitar™

See Also
Gibson® Robot Guitar™ Website
Gibson® Dark Fire™

Gibson® Robot Guitar™ News

Monday, April 07, 2008
GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF THE GIBSON LES PAUL ROBOT LP STUDIO LTD. AND GIBSON ROBOT SG SPECIAL LTD. MODELS

Monday, November 12, 2007
Gibson Guitar Makes Music Industry History with Announcement of First Robot Guitar

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Gibson® introduced the Dark Fire™ guitar after the release of the first Gibson® Robot Guitars™. The Dark Fire™ is an improved Robot Guitar™ with faster and smaller tuning machines. The Dark Fire can tune itself fast enough to change tunings in the middle of a song – and still be perfectly intonated.

Equipped with a Burstbucker 3™ humbucker as the bridge pickup and a new P-90H™ pickup in the neck position, the Gibson® Dark Fire™ is very capable of producing a wide range of classic tonal posibilities.

The Dark Fire™ also features piezo bridge pickups for acoustic tones. Each string saddle of the Dark Fire’s™ bridge is equipped with its own piezo pickup that is run through studio quality active amplifier. The pickup switch is rotatable allowing you to mix electric and acoustic tones and widening the Dark Fire™ tone range.

The Dark Fire™ is controlled from the Master Control Knob (MCK) which contains a full color matrix display. The MCK allows you to select from 18 different guitar tunings, and change pickups, pickup coils and EQ settings.

Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig 3 and Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition and a computer interface to plug into are included with the Dark Fire™ allowing you to plug directly into your computer to record and access other features.

See Also
Gibson® Dark Fire™ Website
Gibson® Robot Guitar™

Gibson® Dark Fire™ News

Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Gibson Guitar Announces New Delivery Dates for Anticipated Dark Fire Guitar

Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Metal Rockers Steel Panther Join Gibson Guitar in Launch Event for Dark Fire at the Gibson Guitar Showroom in Beverly Hills For Exclusive Performance and Launch of the Official Dark Fire E-Card

Saturday, November 29, 2008
Gibson Guitar Launches Dark Fire – the most remarkable New Guitar in 50 years on Monday, December 15, 2008

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2009

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Jan. 6, 2009) – Some things just get cooler with age.  It’s especially true of electric guitars and basses—they develop an unmistakable mojo over time that makes them look cooler and feel even more comfortable than when they were brand new.

Fender Road Worn Series guitars and basses come with a head start on history and bring the player the best of both worlds—a killer aged design aesthetic that conjures up the ghosts of past music lives, paired perfectly with the modern functionality, playability and high-quality that players know to expect from Fender.

Based on classic Fender instruments of the 1950s and ’60s, and production methods invented at the world-renowned Fender Custom Shop, Road Worn instruments reflect the mystic quality of life on the road. The series consists of a ’50s Tele®, ’50s Strat®, ’60s Strat, ’50s Precision Bass® and ’60s Jazz Bass® guitars.

All models feature notably distressed nitrocellulose lacquer-finished bodies, as well as worn chrome hardware (nickel/chrome for basses), to create an aged appearance. Additionally, while the guitars have been designed with period-correct specifications, several modern upgrades have been built into each model, including Tex Mex™ single-coil pickups, larger 6105 frets, and five-way pickup switches (Strat models).

The ’50s Tele features an ash body, maple neck, vintage-style tuning machines and three-saddle strings-thru-body bridge, one-ply white pickguard, and is available in Two-Color Sunburst and Blonde. The ’50s Strat has an alder body, maple neck, vintage-style tuning machines and synchronized tremolo, one-ply pickguard, and is available in Two-Color Sunburst and Black. The ’60s Strat features an alder body, maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, vintage-style tuning machines and synchronized tremolo, three-ply mint green pickguard, and is available in Three-Color Sunburst and Olympic White.

The ’50s Precision Bass has an alder body, maple neck, vintage-style reverse tuning machines and American Vintage bridge, gold anodized aluminum pickguard, and is available in Two-Color Sunburst and Fiesta Red. The ’60s Jazz Bass features an alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, vintage-style reverse tuning machines and American Vintage bridge, four-ply brown shell pickguard, and is available in Three-Color Sunburst and Fiesta Red.

“There’s something magical about a broken-in or worn instrument,” said Justin Norvell, director of marketing, Fender electric guitars. “Many of the musical icons we look up to for inspiration play road-hardened workhorse guitars, and there’s something very powerful and aspirational in that aesthetic. The new Fender Road Worn series guitars and basses allow players to experience not only the look, vibe and tone of those instruments, but—perhaps most importantly—they have smooth worn-in necks providing the same comfortable feel as vintage instruments.”

Fender Road Worn series guitars and basses are available this January at authorized Fender dealers worldwide. The Road Worn ’50s Tele, ’50s Strat and ’60s Strat guitars manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $1,200; ’50s Precision Bass guitars suggested manufacturer’s price is $1,500; ’60s Jazz Bass guitars suggested manufacturer’s price is $1,570.

For more information, visit: www.fender.com

Check out Fender in our new space on the 3rd Floor, Ballroom E at Winter NAMM, Jan. 15 – 18, 2009!

About Fender Musical Instruments Corporation:
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is the world’s leading guitar manufacturer, and its name has become synonymous with all things rock ‘n’ roll. Iconic Fender® instruments such as the Telecaster®, Stratocaster®, Precision Bass® and Jazz Bass® guitars are known worldwide as the instruments that started the rock revolution, and they continue to be highly prized by today’s musicians and collectors.  FMIC brands include Fender®, Squier®, Guild®, Tacoma®, Gretsch®, Jackson®, Charvel®, EVH®, SWR® and Groove Tubes®, among others. For more information, visit www.fender.com.

Contact: Jason Farrell (480) 596-7130

[email protected]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology announced today the limited availability of the Gibson Dark Fire guitar. Embracing the spirit of innovation and technical advancement that inspired the original Gibson Digital guitar in 2006 and Robot guitar in 2007, Gibson’s Dark FireTM guitar is poised to change the music industry overnight.

The world’s most technically advanced guitar will rock the music industry to its core and will soon become the most sought after musical instrument of its time.

AN EXCEPTIONAL LOOK
Gibson’s flowerpot inlay graces the headstock of the Dark Fire as seen on other classic Gibson models such as the Byrdland and the 1911 F4 Mandolin. In addition to traditional touches, Gibson developed an entirely new look that required many changes in the manufacturing process.

The Dark Fire has a nitrocellulose finish created especially for this exclusive 1st run. The mahogany back and neck of the Dark Fire are given a satin finish, while the headstock face is sprayed with a gloss finish. The Dark Fire’s chambered mahogany body helps deliver an optimum combination of tone, balance and weight.” The result is a comfortable, lightweight guitar that is acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.

OUTSTANDING PLAYABILITY
Taking much of its inspiration from the 2008 Les Paul, this instrument features a super fast and comfortable ergonomic neck shape with asymmetrical carving and with Perfect SetupTM. This is made possible by a computerized PLEK system, a computer controlled device scans and dresses a guitar under actual playing conditions, strung and tuned to pitch.

The tune-o-matic piezo bridge has been redesigned. It is much sleeker and the bridge now locks to the studs with new technology and works better. The nut is made of a new high tech material which includes Teflon (allowing for the tuning action to be smoother and faster [without breaking strings] and has a higher density than bone.

The bridge lock and the new frictionless faux bone nut insure maximum tone and sustain. The locking tuners insure that tuning and string tension are maintained during lots of hard playing.

The instrument will feel like butter in your hand even after 4 or 5 hours into a gig.

TONE MONSTER WITH CHAMELEON TONE TECHNOLOGY
The Gibson Dark Fire combines two of the most popular pickups, the P90h in the neck position and a Burstbucker 3 in the bridge position. Both are capped with new carbon fiber-like pickup covers, designed to match the Dark Fire’s finish. There are 6 low noise relay switches giving you more than 20 separate combination of pickup coils leading to an incredible variety of tonal possibilities.

The resulting pickup combinations are directed through optimized traditional volume and tone controls and then through a studio grade 4 band parametric equalizer/preamplifier. This awesome Chameleon Tone Technology is a pure analog signal path preserving the authenticity of instruments tone while giving unimagined tonal possibilities.

ADD A LITTLE ACOUSTICNESS PLEASE
The Gibson Dark Fire gives you the ability to adjust and blend the acoustic sound from the piezo bridge pickup with the sound from the guitar’s traditional pickups using a revolutionary rotary potentiometer which is part of the pickup toggle selector. Twisting the toggle head blends the piezo acoustic sound from 0% acoustic sound [100% traditional pickups] to 100% acoustic sound [no traditional pickups].

The piezo bridge pickup consists of six individual piezo pickups, one for each saddle/string, which can be brought out as individual audio channels.

TV ON CONTROL KNOB
The key to controlling the new functions of the Dark Fire is the Master Control Knob (MCK), which incorporates a sophisticated, full color matrix display (mini TV screen). The Dark Fire’s new MCK also controls the ability to change pickups, coils, EQ settings and tunings allowing the ability to adjust all quickly and simultaneously – even several times during the same song.

There are 8 tone guitar settings that cover the most popular guitar, and 18 different guitar tunings. In addition, there are 24 user defined guitar setting. All can be accessed with a quick use of the MCK.

ROBOT GETS STERIODS
The redesigned power head tuners on the Dark Fire are radically faster and significantly smaller, compared to the original Robot Guitar tuners. You can access any preset tuning in less than one second, so you can change tunings in the middle of a song.

The powerhead tuners are lighter than traditional tuners. The tuners can be used either by hand or automatically without the need to engage them. The battery uses new technology that results in exceptionally long life and light weight.

COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INCLUDED
The Robot II comes with a small box about the size of a pack of playing cards that acts as a high quality studio preamp and a full interface to a computer using a firewire port. We call it a Robot Interface Pack [or RIP for short]. RIP can be used live, in real time.

With a headphone out, you can carry RIP in you guitar case and set up your playing environment anywhere with or without your computer. The RIP’s front panel carries a single 1/4-inch stereo input for the Dark Fire, a 1/8-inch headphone out with level control and a pilot light, which changes from dim blue to bright blue when the Dark Fire input is detected.

The rear panel carries two balanced 1/4-inch line outs, a FireWire connector to link to your amplifier or sound system and a hex connector that carries the analog outputs of each string, which can drive Roland or Axon guitar-to-MIDI converters.

To make full use of your laptop or computer, Dark Fire comes with two of the most powerful and popular software packages being sold today; Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig 3 (recognized as the industry’s most flexible amp and effects simulation software), and Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition (a multipurpose recording environment for everything from songwriting, to demos, to full-blown productions).

Both companies have collaborated with Gibson to ensure you can install all the software wand be using it in minutes (on any contemporary Microsoft or Apple operating system) and be harnessing the enormous music-making power of these studio tools. By working with the software developers, Gibson has fined tuned the software specifically for Dark Fire and included simple and powerful templates.

The combination of Dark Fire’s on board Chameleon Tone Technology and the software tools, dozens of effects and emulations puts a truckload of sound and thousands of dollars of capability in the hands of the player simply and easily.

DARK FIRE GETS AN INTERNET COMMUNITY SITE
Gibson is setting up a Dark Fire community site to allow the lucky owners of this exceptional guitar to share tips, get new information, and discuss how to best use this state of the art instrument.

One amazing capability that comes with the guitar is software that allows you to use your computer to change user presets and store them. Users can then publish their personal favorite preset designs.

MORE DARK FIRE GEAR BEING DESIGNED
Gibson Guitar is already developing a range of audio equipment designed specifically to work with the new Dark Fire, some of which is already scheduled for release in early 2009, including a small transmitter module designed to work with Bluetooth wireless technology, allowing you the ability to connect wirelessly to your computer or laptop.

LIMITED QUANTITY – 400 STORES WORLD-WIDE
The world’s 1st run limited edition Gibson Dark Fire guitar will go on sale on December 15, 2008 at 400 dealers throughout the world. Each store will be limited to carrying only 5 of the sought after guitars and no guitar can be sold before 5pm on Monday, December 15, 2008. Once the guitars are sold out they will not be reproduced.

This highly collectible guitar will be available in the Dark Fire finish only. To find the list of exclusive Gibson Dark Fire guitar dealers go to www.gibson.com/darkfire. Artist from around the world will take part in exclusive events during the launch of Dark Fire. A schedule of events in each city will be available on www.gibson.com. Events include special artist appearances, exclusive VIP programs and viral marketing campaigns.

The official slogan of Dark Fire is Light Your Fire and musicians from around the world believe their roadies can take the night off with this newest offering from the musical leader, Gibson Guitar.

To view all specs, photos, and more information on the Dark Fire, please click here.

CONTACTS:

GLOBAL: Caroline Galloway 440-338-3469/615-423-4904 [email protected]

USA: Maureen OConnor 310-854-8116 [email protected]
USA: Kim Dettwiller 615-330-5656 [email protected]

EUROPE:Jeremy Singer (UK & Ireland) 020 7167 2144 [email protected] Henning Richter (Germany) 49 30 24 000 9912 [email protected] Patricia Espana (France & Spain) 33 6 87 33 58 45 [email protected]

Eleanora DelPozzo (Italy)[email protected]

CHINA: Shirley Zhang or Lance Cao 86 21 2411 0028 [email protected]/[email protected]

JAPAN: Kanji Ishibashi 81 3 3434 5566 [email protected]

AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC RIM Chris O’Hearn 61 2 9929 257 [email protected]

CANADA: Nanci Malek 416-706-9622 [email protected]
Jane Stockwell 416-524-1763 [email protected]

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 represent the biggest advances 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, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, 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 or www.gibson.com/press.

Gibson, 1-800-4GIBSON (1-800-444-2766); www.gibson.com

Contacts:
Caroline Galloway, Gibson Guitar Corp., 440.338.3469, [email protected]
Maureen O’Connor, Rogers & Cowan, 310.854.8116, [email protected]

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There are a few different ways to tune your guitar to standard tuning (EADGBe). The most accurate way is using an electric tuner that you plug your guitar into.

Learning to tune your guitar by ear is important because it helps train your ear and you will notice when your guitar is even slightly out of tune.

Below is an online guitar tuner to tune your guitar to standard tuning. Click the letter of each note to hear each string to tune to. The first E on the tuner is the 6th or lowest string.

There are other guitar tuning methods of course, if you don’t have access to an electronic tuner.

To tune a guitar to itself, begin by tuning the low E string from another source like a piano or tuning fork. When the low E string is in tune, fret the low E string at the 5th fret and play the open A string below it. As both notes are ringing, adjust the tuning peg of the 5th or A string until the sounds from both strings resonate the same.

Once the 5th or A string is in tune, fret the A string at the 5th fret and play this string and the open 4th or D string below.

Repeat these same steps for every string except when tuning the second or B string. To tune the second or B string, fret the 4th fret instead of the 5th fret of the G string (3rd string).

See Also: Alternate Guitar Tunings

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2009

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Jan. 6, 2009) – Fender is proud to announce two new Iron Maiden signature models, the Steve Harris Precision Bass® and Dave Murray Stratocaster® guitars.

Since their inception in 1975, Iron Maiden has pioneered heavy metal music through the release of 23 albums, and are considered one of the greatest and most important heavy metal bands of all time. As the band’s original member, bassist, chief songwriter and de facto bandleader, Steve Harris is universally-touted as one of the most influential bassists the metal world has ever seen. Murray joined Iron Maiden just two months after the NWOBHM titans formed, and—along with Harris—has played on all of Iron Maiden’s albums earning himself a spot at the table of heavy metal’s guitar elite. Currently, he is joined by fellow guitarists Adrian Smith and Janick Gers to form one of heavy metal’s most enduring and beloved guitar tandems.

The Fender Steve Harris Precision Bass guitar features an alder body, one-piece maple neck with medium jumbo frets, Seymour Duncan® Basslines Quarter Pound split-coil Precision Bass pickup, chrome Badass II® bridge, chrome pickguard, and his signature Rotosound® flatwound strings and Royal Blue Metallic finish.

“It’s always been Fender Precision Bass guitars for me, whether recording or playing live,” said Harris. “I only endorse things I use, so it makes sense to have my own signature model!”

The Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster guitar features an alder body, one-piece satin-finished maple neck with a soft “V”-shape and medium jumbo frets, DiMarzio® PAF® 36th Anniversary DP103 neck pickup, vintage-style Strat® middle pickup, DiMarzio® Super Distortion® DP100 bridge pickup, American vintage synchronized tremolo, signature chrome pickup covers, one-ply white pickguard, and Black thin-skin nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

“I have always enjoyed the versatility that you get from playing Fender Strat guitars,” said Murray. “This signature guitar plays and feels just like my original, with exception that it’s LOUDER! My thanks go out to Fender for putting this together. I’ll be taking this guitar out to play on the next tour.”

Fender Steve Harris Precision Bass guitars are available at Fender dealers worldwide with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,750; Dave Murray Stratocaster guitars are available at Fender dealers worldwide with a suggested manufacturer’s price of $2,530.

For more information, visit: www.fender.com

Check out Fender in our new space on the 3rd Floor, Ballroom E at Winter NAMM, Jan. 15 – 18, 2009!

About Fender Musical Instruments Corporation:
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is the world’s leading guitar manufacturer, and its name has become synonymous with all things rock ‘n’ roll. Iconic Fender® instruments such as the Telecaster®, Stratocaster®, Precision Bass® and Jazz Bass® guitars are known worldwide as the instruments that started the rock revolution, and they continue to be highly prized by today’s musicians and collectors.  FMIC brands include Fender®, Squier®, Guild®, Tacoma®, Gretsch®, Jackson®, Charvel®, EVH®, SWR® and Groove Tubes®, among others. For more information, visit www.fender.com.

Contact: Jason Farrell (480) 596-7130

[email protected]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 16, 2008

Fall Out Boy, Gretsch and Squier® team-up to give away instruments used on the band’s new album

Photo By Pamela Littky

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Dec. 16, 2008) – Gretsch, Fall Out Boy lead singer/guitarist Patrick Vaughn Stump, and TV Jones teamed-up to create the latest signature model from Gretsch – the G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitar.

The Gretsch G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitar features a solid mahogany body, a set-in mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard and 21 frets that clear the body; three Mega’Tron® pickups and TV Jones®-designed circuitry with a master volume, three-position toggle, middle pickup volume/blend control, and STUMP-O-MATIC kill switch, a two-position rotary operation switch that allows for combinations of all three pickups and a multitude of tones; string-through-body design for maximum sustain, chrome hardware, and Pewter finish with custom black stripes.

Since 2001, Stump and his Fall Out Boy band-mates have taken the world by storm, selling millions of records and amassing several sold-out tours. Over the years, they have won numerous MTV Video Music Awards, are Grammy-nominated, and have recorded five studio albums, including their latest full-length offering, Folie á Deux, released today.

“The good people at Gretsch came to me and asked what I would like in an ideal guitar,” said Stump. “I told them I wanted something that sounds really good through a high-gain British amp and a clean Fender amp. When I’m playing live, I want to get as many tones as I can out of one instrument. I need all the clarity that single-coil pickups provide, and the overdrive tones that only come from humbucking pickups. It’s the guitar I use and I’m very, very proud of it.”

Additionally, Fall Out Boy, Gretsch and Squier have teamed-up for an extra special online giveaway promotion. Fans can go to www.gretschguitars.com/patrickstump for a chance to win the very autographed Gretsch guitar Patrick used on their latest album, or www.squierguitars.com/petewentz for a chance to win bassist Pete Wentz’s autographed signature Squier Precision Bass® guitar and Fender Bass Amplification TB-600C bass combo he played on the album. Copies of their album include inserts with the Gretsch and Squier web links leading fans to the giveaway landing pages.

Gretsch G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitars will be available on February 1, 2009 at participating Gretsch dealers worldwide with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,000. For more information, go to www.gretschguitars.com. Squier Pete Wentz Precision Bass guitars are available at participating Squier dealers worldwide with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $480. For more information, go to www.squierguitars.com.

For more information, visit: www.gretschguitars.com

Check out Gretsch in our new space on the 3rd Floor, Ballroom E at Winter NAMM, Jan. 15 – 18, 2009!

About Fender Musical Instruments Corporation:
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is the world’s leading guitar manufacturer, and its name has become synonymous with all things rock ‘n’ roll. Iconic Fender® instruments such as the Telecaster®, Stratocaster®, Precision Bass® and Jazz Bass® guitars are known worldwide as the instruments that started the rock revolution, and they continue to be highly prized by today’s musicians and collectors.  FMIC brands include Fender®, Squier®, Guild®, Tacoma®, Gretsch®, Jackson®, Charvel®, EVH®, SWR® and Groove Tubes®, among others. For more information, visit www.fender.com.

Contact: Jason Farrell (480) 596-7130

[email protected]

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Staying in tune is no longer a problem with the Gibson® Robot Guitar™. Released in late 2007, the Robot Guitar™ is the first guitar to feature robotic technology that automatically tunes the guitar as you play.

Invented by Chris Adams, the Gibson® Robot Guitar™ includes an auto-tuning system that tunes the guitar in just seconds based on a number of different tunings. Several robotic parts are included in the Robot Guitar™. Tuning is controlled by pushing one of the volume knobs. Mechanic tuning pegs located behind the headstock, tune the guitar.

The Robot Guitar™ makes tuning in between songs and playing out of tune a thing of the past. It also keeps itself perfectly intonated after string replacement and the automated tuning pegs make string changing easier.

Robotic Parts of the Gibson® Robot Guitar™

See Also
Gibson® Robot Guitar™ Website
Gibson® Dark Fire™

Gibson® Robot Guitar™ News

Monday, April 07, 2008
GIBSON GUITAR ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF THE GIBSON LES PAUL ROBOT LP STUDIO LTD. AND GIBSON ROBOT SG SPECIAL LTD. MODELS

Monday, November 12, 2007
Gibson Guitar Makes Music Industry History with Announcement of First Robot Guitar

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 07, 2008

Musical Giant Releases Limited Edition Models to Meet Huge Worldwide Demand

Nashville, Tennessee – April 7, 2008 – Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology announced a limited edition offering of the new Gibson Robot Les Paul Studio and Robot SG Special after huge demand from worldwide fans and musicians. The demand, stemming from the release of the first Gibson Robot Guitar model in December of 2007, offers fans a chance to own one of the most sought after and innovative musical products ever to be introduced.

Guitarists worldwide have demanded another opportunity to own this revolutionary self-tuning guitar and Gibson USA has offered the opportunity through the introduction of the two new models. The debut of the Gibson Robot guitar in late 2007 was the most anticipated and talked about guitar launch of its time. The Limited Edition Robot Guitar was available in stores on a Friday and were sold out on Monday. As a result of the immediate sale, thousands demanded another opportunity for a Gibson Robot guitar model using the amazing self-tuning robotic technology. In answer to the public demand, Gibson is now offering the Gibson Robot LP Studio Ltd. from Gibson USA. The model features a performance safeguard which secures the cord into the guitar and all the power and tone of a traditional Les Paul. The model features the Robot automatic tuning and is available for a limited time and in limited quantity in Purple Metallic finish. MSRP is $3,999 USD.

Also being introduced is the Gibson Robot SG Special Ltd. The debut of the SG model comes on the heels of repeated demand from guitarists for a model sporting the SG style with the robotic self-tuning technology. The model features a performance safeguarding Neutrik Jak which secures the cord into the guitar and offers classic styling, performance and power of a legendary SG. The Gibson Robot SG Special Ltd. model is also offered for a limited time and in a limited quantity in Purple Metallic finish. MSRP is $3,599. High res images for press of both models are available at www.gibson.com/press. A list of select dealers is available at www.gibson.com/robotguitar.

Check out the Robot Guitar microsite here!

Check out the Gibson USA Robot guitar product page for the Robot Les Paul and the Robot SG.

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 represent the biggest advances 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, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, 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 or www.gibson.com/press.

Gibson, 1-800-4GIBSON (1-800-444-2766); www.gibson.com

Contacts:
Caroline Galloway, Gibson Guitar Corp., 440.338.3469, [email protected]
Maureen O’Connor, Rogers & Cowan, 310.854.8116, [email protected]

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Alternate tunings give guitarists a fresh perspective on playing. Different chord voicings become playable where they would be near impossible to play in standard or other tunings.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Standard Tuning

Open tunings tune the guitar to a chord so when all the strings are played open they play the chord of that tuning. Open tunings are popular for slide guitar.

Other tunings change one or a couple of strings. Dropped D is another popular tuning in rock music. This tuning allows the guitarist to create a power chord by barring one finger on the 3 bottom strings.

The list below gives tunings from the standard guitar tuning as well as many others to experiment with. The first note of each tuning represents the 6th or lowest string.

EADGBE (standard) DADGBE (dropped D) DADGAD (modal D) CGCFAD (dropped C) DGCFAD DADDAD CGCGCE (open C) DADF#AD (open D) DADFAD (open D minor) DGDGBD (open G) DGDGCD (modal G) DGDGA#D (open G minor)

EAC#EAE (open A)

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