billschultz Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I'm really wondering with the introduction of the Dark Fire if Gibson will discontinue or drastically reduce the price of the HD.6X-PRO. From what I can tell, the Dark Fire has everything the other guy has and then some. Yet, it's much cheaper. MSPR on the HD.6X-PRO is $5499 and the Dark Fire is listed at $3600. What gives? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdt333 Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hello bill. What appears to "give" is our money to Gibson. I purchased the HD.6X Pro just within 2007, breaking my bank on it, for it's patented technology that is put forth by Gibson as a long-term technology, as a way to establish both an acoustically classic and digital signal separation in the break-out box. The other thing that's influencing things is this Guitar Hero game. I'm sure not Directly, but the notion of easier use of Chromatic, Major and minor Blues SCALES etc. fits into the picture. I have called Gibson, and expressed my disappointment in a balanced way, letting them know my reason of argumentation regarding their reluctance to perhaps let customers know, "You might want to wait a few months before spending this kind of money because there's some things around the corner, and it's not just a new pick-up or signature version, so, in your best interest customer, we want to be ethically sound with you and we'll get in touch with you". Instead, I have submitted a complaint that, until I receive a reasonable explanation on how I can achieve some sort of balance on this, such as an exchange, or a significant discount on the DarkFire as a second Guitar, I am now very leery of Gibson's role in the future of classic combined with digital technology. I've always loved the Gibson Les Paul on a an Amp with the tubing to breath warmth into my chest. But hell if I'm going to just be a sucker for product turn-over. -r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 rdt333, I dont see the Dark Fire replacing the HD.6X Pro. Each have overlap with hexaphonic string processing, but they are targeted at different players needs. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/lespaul/hd6-xprodigitallespaul/ I may be preaching to the choir - but I go into a history lesson on what events in the Gibson timeline led us to Dark Fire - Read my response to Doug here: http://forums.gibson.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=10948&p=3 Personally I try to postpone my high ticket $$ purchases until I have either an immediate need for said products features, or a windfall influx of cash, or if I can see a profit center opening up due to the relationships which emerge from owning the product. Like buying an Apple II in 1979, or a Mac in 1984, or building an IBM PC clone in 1989. I did all the above and spent a large sum of money - but each endeavor added to my knowledge base and opened up new business opportunities which generated a nice income. If a product meets my needs and I can see significant improvements to my quality of life, which outweigh the initial hole in my bank account, then the purchase was justified. Lets use an Iphone as an example. Sure its just an expensive toy for some, and the AT&T bill each month gets expensive. But in my case the benefits that device brings to my quality of life, and allowing me to make and maintain my business connections easily justify its expense - even when next years model arrives with built in videoconferencing, and I still have another year to go before breaking my 2yr contract. - the existing model I own today will still deliver everything as advertised when I bought it. Likewise my Dark Fire purchase allows me to be more efficient and effective in my chosen art form of live music performance and crafting soundtracks on the weekends and evenings when its my own precious time. When I wrote that check for $3K on Dec. 15th, I never imagined less than a month later I'd get invited to meet Craig Anderton, and Chris Adams, and even have Henry Juszkiewicz email me. True there is a clear history trail right here on the forum of all the events which led to my personal interactions with all the above. But the Gibson Dark Fire team have convinced me they are sincere in providing me the right tool for the job. rdt333 - you did put your money where your mouth is, and made the purchase of the HD.6X Pro . is interesting to hear you feel let down by this purchase. I'm not trying to tell you what to do - but in this life, I find networking is key to everyone's success. If I had bought a HD.6X Pro in 2007, within a week I would have been emailing Craig Anderton and asking for tips and advice. He has written several articles about his personal ownership of the HD.6X Pro here: http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/gibson-hd6x-pro/Jan-08/33173 Craig Anderton wrote: "At $4,999 retail ($3,999 street), the HD.6X-Pro DLP is pricey, and, yes, it takes work to tame the beast. But it has changed my musical life. This is an amazing instrument with huge potential. Hmmm. Surround sound? Maybe next year!" He wrote more about it here: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Blogs/CraigAnderton/?Index=1&Qty=10 Its a small world and these folks are accessible. Don't be a pest, but if you have a genuine need for help, typically help is out there if you ask the right questions, and stay concise. But its a sad fact of life majority of Today's High tech electronic gear has a "shelf life" and may be looking about as useful as a Commodore 64 in a few short years. I'm convinced, within 3 years from now, the Dark Fire's features and performance to cost ratio will be eclipsed by the 2011 models. Might happen a lot sooner! Each passing year will always bring newer models - rendering last years model stale or dowdy by comparison. But look at what benefits you do have. The HD.6X Pro still does several things the Dark Fire can not accomplish. We don't have your BoB box with full complement of balanced TRS outputs for each string, nor the bidirectional CAT-5 MAGIC connection that allows you route and connect studio/stage monitor headphones directly to the guitar - to act as live sound vocal monitors, or cue mix studio monitor with minimum fuss. In a Pro studio setting you have far more interconnection possibilities than Dark Fire. Its like owning a very nice Radial arm saw, yet lusting after that new Table saw with the built in router stand. Ultimately each has a unique function, and place in your tool crib. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexyboy Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 elantric, you should be a poet!!! Don't tell me, you've already done that but the pay was lousy?!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLexxiTronic Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I seriously looked at the Gibson Digital Guitar over the last year and was considering purchasing it. When I look at things I wish to purchase, I rarely consider the price. At around 5K to 6K, I could care less about the price. No. I look only at the construction of the guitar and how it would fit in with my own interests. I must say, I really liked the HD.6X Pro. I chose NOT to purchase it, however. Why? Well, timing… I saw this Robot come along, and then the Dark Fire. I got caught under a spell of, what could be named, the genius of Chris. It is my own opinion. So, I went that-a-way. Even so, I see that Gibson has been buying up these companies that have the latest technology. I really do think that there is a place for BOTH methodologies: the (what I call, “stock”) digital technology that is in the HD.6X Pro and the (differently applied) digital technology that is in the Dark Fire. To me, the analogy is similar to the difference in approach between Microsoft (the Bill Gates way) and Apple (the Steve Jobs way). And they are different! Yet, the marketplace can deal with both approaches! What I liked about the HD.6X Pro was, not only the construction of the woods of the guitar, but, the fact that it is, what I deem to be, a PURE digital guitar! Yep. From what I see (and I could be interpreting this incorrectly), the vibration of the string is directly translated to a digital signal right at the first-point of the pickup. It is, at that moment, a pure digital signal which continues into the circuitry of the guitar! I noticed the RJ-45 (Ethernet-type) output jack. So, the digital signal continues out and gets broken apart via the break-out box. This is really very cool! However, I chose Dark Fire, at this point in time. Now, again, I may be interpreting this incorrectly, but here’s my take. In the end, at my age, and the fact that there is very little in the way of digital guitar products and accessories, I don’t really trust electronics over the basic electrics that have now proven themselves over the last 50, or so, years. I interpret that the Dark Fire design is not as "pure” digital as your guitar, but it really is digital! I see that vibration of the string is translated as digital, but that the digital signal is overlaid onto an analog signal. This is not as pure as your guitar, in a very strict sense. But, it is way more practical, in my opinion, at this time in history. For me, that means that the default failure of this system will be a basic, electric guitar. In some ways, I think your guitar is too far ahead of its time. In the very long run, I think the HD.6X Pro way will be the path the electric/tronic guitar eventually goes – true, pure digital. But, people hate change. Right now, again, in my opinion, the Chris Adams way suits the world much better because it is a very innovative way of combining the old and the new. And, it might actually win in the long run. You have a great guitar. It is, naturally, expensive. I believe that it will always be supported by Gibson. It may actually prove itself to be very valuable in years to come as a first. In the very long run, it might actually be the way of the future. You will simply have to wait and see what the marketplace decides. To me, Gibson is being very smart by purchasing this technology… One of these methodologies will win and I see Gibson in the cat-bird seat because they own BOTH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLexxiTronic Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Expires 01/30... Please delete if I forget to come back and do it. . Thanks! Could the rtd333 comment be removed from this topic because anything this User ID writes is off the wall. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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