What's up with the Robots?

[JThunderz]

It has Robot technology in it..wouldn't touch it personally

 

I've heard a lot of people knocking the Robots- I've never even touched one, so I don't understand- what's so bad about them? Does all that electronic B.S. interfere with the tone/harmonics or something? Or is it some kind of purist/luddite thing? I know it seems totally unnecessary, but is that the only qualm or is there something deeper that breeds this anti-Robot sentiment?

[lowb5str]

I'm over 50, and I like them. Don't own one yet. Hope someone with experienced objections posts.

[rockstar232007]

The list is LONG. Probably too long for one post, so I'll just make it short and sweet.

 

They SUCK!

 

All you have to do is check out their respective sub-forums just to get an idea as to some of the reasons why, but having actually tried a few, I can honestly say that they are a complete waste of money/materials.

[matbard]

It's the purist/luddite thing.

 

Some people yell against the Robots having touched or played nothing of their range.

 

Cheers,

[rockstar232007]

It's the purist/luddite thing.

 

Some people yell against the Robots having touched or played nothing of their range.

 

Cheers' date='[/quote']I tried, but none of them worked! And the ones that did work, didn't do so for very long.

 

I'm not a purist by any means, but these guitars (or at least the "technology" in them) are POS. Most people have had nothing but problems with them (for the most part) ever since the original Digital LP (from 2006!), and yet Gibson still hasn't fixed them?

 

I would assume that since you're an owner of one of these things (that actually works) that of course you're going to defend them? But think of the hundreds of other [not so lucky] people who have had to go through hell (not to mention multiple guitars) to either get theirs working, or just gave up and decided to by a better guitar.

[matbard]

If your considerations are based only on the threads read on the Gibson forums, you have only a limited and biased vision of the whole phenomenon.

 

Actually, we have about 3,000 users of Robot II Gen guitars, and coutless owners of Gen I. Can you specify please what are the percentage of them that have their guitars with problems at the present day? How many of them has received no fix or no answer by Gibson and/or Tronical yet? How many of them discuss and find solutions and tricks on other web spaces instead of the Gibson forum(almost all...)?

 

Please don't try to bash a product only by speculation. After all, there is plenty of "traditional" guitars out there...

[pippy]

I really hope daveinspain doesn't mind my lifting his post from another thread (about the same guitar, as it happens) but as someone who has had a few years' experience with the product it might be deemed relevant to the topic under discussion;

 

Nothing wrong with all that robot stuff... I'm still lovin' mine' date=' it's the guitar I use most hands down... Never had a problem with it in the three years... I broke a couple high E strings but thats about it...[/quote']

 

(If you do mind, Dave, I offer my apologies).

[rockstar232007]

If your considerations are based only on the threads read on the Gibson forums' date=' you have only a limited and biased vision of the whole phenomenon.

 

Actually, we have about 3,000 users of Robot II Gen guitars, and coutless owners of Gen I. Can you specify please what are the percentage of them that have their guitars with problems at the present day? How many of them has received no fix or no answer by Gibson and/or Tronical yet? How many of them discuss and find solutions and tricks on other web spaces instead of the Gibson forum(almost all...)?

 

Please don't try to bash a product only by speculation. After all, there is plenty of "traditional" guitars out there...[/quote']It's not speculation on my part, because I've actually tried enough them (from a few different places) to form a solid, educated opinion. The issue (for me) isn't necessarily the "technology" itself, it's the quality of said "technology", and it's overall potential to fail, which in most cases it has, miserably.

 

When the Digital LP (first Gen) came out, I went to the demo at GC (as did a hundred or more other people). The guys (from Gibson) doing the demo couldn't even get that thing to work, so they brought in a back up, and nothing! They ended up just showing a video. They did get a few laughs though, so it wasn't a total waste.

[Tim Plains]

^ A Gibson rep not being able to figure it out and the product not working are two seperate things. It's not the guitar's fault that he didn't learn the product properly.

 

It's totally a purist thing, for the most part. Same goes for chambering. I don't have a use for a Robot guitar because I only stay in standard tuning or drop D. I don't hate them but I also wouldn't buy one.

[e/2 Explorer]

There's an old saying about if something is not broke, don't fix it. No more robot guitars please

[matbard]

There's an old saying about if something is not broke' date=' don't fix it. No more robot guitars please

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

No more electric guitars please. Get rid of those electric stuff, pots, pickups...

[pippy]

No more robot guitars please.

 

Why not?

 

As long as the regular models are still offered why is something new so objectionable?

 

I wouldn't buy one for myself but why should I, or anyone else, object to them being developed further and offered for sale to those who find their unique features very useful?

 

After all; years spent working on radios led directly to the creation of the Fender Broadcaster.

 

Years spent developing those massive main-frame computers led to the creation of the laptop.

 

More years of research and development led to the creation of the internet.

 

We find those bits of technology useful.

[rockstar232007]

^ A Gibson rep not being able to figure it out and the product not working are two seperate things. It's not the guitar's fault that he didn't learn the product properly.

 

It's totally a purist thing' date=' for the most part. Same goes for chambering. I don't have a use for a Robot guitar because I only stay in standard tuning or drop D. I don't hate them but I also wouldn't buy one.[/quote']They didn't function at all (they were completely dead/broke)!

 

And, I will admit that the idea is good, but IMHO they should have just created a whole new guitar for it instead of bastardizing one of the most cherished/iconic guitars in music history.

 

And, on that note, I think I will refrain from commenting on these monstrosities any further, because frankly I'm sick of seeing/talking about them.

 

There's an old saying about if something is not broke, don't fix it. No more robot guitars PLEASE!!!

 

Fixed!

 

No more electric guitars please. Get rid of those electric stuff' date=' pots, pickups...[/quote']Why would they do that? The differences between pickups and pots vs. actual electronic components are night and day, so your point is moot.

 

Ok, NOW I'm done commenting on them!

[DiamondJig]

I have 2, a LP & SG, both limited editions, both work perfect no issues. I love them. Wish I could afford the new 2010 Standard model, she a beauty. I'm glad they didn't take off, it kept the prices down and made them a great buy. They have a ton of features without the robot tuning.

[JThunderz]

Yeah, it seems a lot of the arguments against the Robots are a little suspect...I mean it's still a Gibson guitar, isn't it?

 

The main complaint (on this thread anyways- I'm new to this forum and too lazy to look at old threads..) is that the Robot tech doesn't work- isn't that a good thing for all of us Gibson guitar lovers? It seems like a dead Robot would sell REALLY cheap, which is an OTHERWISE good guitar, isn't it? That just means there's X-amount of that many more affordable Gibsons on the market.

 

Are you guys (the ones who don't like Robots) trying to tell me that if some one offered you either a Robot (pick a model- this is just a rhetorical question) or a high-end Epi you'd pick the Epi because "the Robots barely work"?!

 

They still sound and play like a Gibson, Right?

[swleary]

Since I was quoted at the start of this thread I'll jump in

 

 

The idea of the robot stuff is great, don't get me wrong on that. However there are two many bugs that still need to be worked out. I also feel that a gigging musician needs alot more reliability on stage. It's just one more thing to go wrong on stage. Imagine Angus Young playing and half way through Thunder Struck, the guitar quits....alot of fans would be pissed.

 

 

Also there is one problem that dealers have told me about...if you forget to put the tuning key back in and you break the key..it's very expensive to replace and not covered under warranty.. So if you've had a few beers in you and you forget then you're screwed lol

[matbard]

And' date=' I will admit that the idea is good, but IMHO they should have just created a whole new guitar for it instead of bastardizing one of the most cherished/iconic guitars in music history.

[/quote']

 

Simply because the LP body is thick enough to accomodate the Robot PCB(actually, all the Gen II Robots have a body that is a bit thicker than standard LPs).

 

Cheers

[JThunderz]

It's just one more thing to go wrong on stage. Imagine Angus Young playing and half way through Thunder Struck' date=' the guitar quits....alot of fans would be pissed.[/quote']

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can tune a Robot manually, can't you? And it's not like the PU's are connected to the Robot technology, at least not in a way where if the Robot stops working you still won't be able to hear the guitar, right?

 

I'm not trying to be an a$$, I've just never played one, so I'm curious.

[matbard]

Imagine Angus Young playing and half way through Thunder Struck' date=' the guitar quits....alot of fans would be pissed.[/quote']

 

The guitar without the Camaleon Tone engaged continues to act as a standard Les Paul.

 

 

Also there is one problem that dealers have told me about...if you forget to put the tuning key back in and you break the key..it's very expensive to replace and not covered under warranty.. So if you've had a few beers in you and you forget then you're screwed lol

 

The tuning keys on the Gen II Robot guitars(the ones with the Camaleon Tone...) haven't to be pushed in whatever position at all.

[Eracer_Team]

Uh.. Just emailed to me last night... I think their here to stay....

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Standard-2010-Limited.aspx

 

 

Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited

Les Paul, Gibson and the Les Paul guitar have always been about innovation. Now, Gibson is bringing the innovation of Robot Guitar tuning technology to the classic Les Paul model with the release of the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited. With a legacy as one of the most versatile electric guitars available, the new Les Paul knocks versatility right off the charts, courtesy of Gibson USA.

 

With Robot Guitar automated tuning capabilities, two different but seminal magnetic pickups, a piezo-loaded bridge, and Chameleon Tone Technology courtesy of its Master Control Knob (MCK), the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited packs a dizzying array of sonic capabilities, all primed to unlock your inner creative potential. From the raw, biting crunch of a hot, chrome-covered, hum-canceling P-90H in the neck position and the sizzling wail and punch of an overwound BurstBucker 3 in the bridge, to the subtle acoustic response of its piezo bridges saddles — and any conceivable blend of the three, accessed instantly from the MCK — the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited really does pack all the tonal colors of the rainbow. And to keep it all sounding true, Gibson’s exclusive Robot Technology puts you perfectly into tune in seconds at the push of a button, or shifts you into any of a countless number of open and alternate tunings, all accessed at your command.

[swleary]

The guitar without the Camaleon Tone engaged continues to act as a standard Les Paul.

 

 

 

 

The tuning keys on the Gen II Robot guitars(the ones with the Camaleon Tone...) haven't to be pushed in whatever position at all.

 

 

Think about it, Half way through a song , you are into the song and something goes wrong...it's gonna effect you and your playing. When I did try a robot , I had to engage and disengage the tuner...something I didn't feel right doing...Your money, not mine...to each their own.

 

 

I've never said I was against robot technology, I just want to see the bugs worked out more before I'd put the cash down on one. However if Gibson wants more sales of it's new age stuff, they need to do better R&D work and Quality control.

[swleary]

And one more quote....hehe

 

 

Sometimes less is more

[matbard]

Simply, you tried one of the Gen I Robot.

[swleary]

Actually I just watched a new video on Robot 2....when changing strings you have to pull out the tuning key. If you forget, well you know.

 

I think this is the real reason I am skeptical of it all

Robot

[swleary]

There are two types of people in this world

 

Ones that love the new Robot stuff and Others who don't like it....I wouldn't tell people what they should and should not buy...it's their money and they can go buy whatever they want. I'll stick to what I like and who knows , maybe one day things just might change.