I wanna robot

[Tman]

I haven't been around much lately, I have a new job in LA, working like a rented mule but actually playing even more in a band an hour away in Santa Barbara on weekends.

 

My band plays covers and originals and I divide songs into 3 categories: "Fender songs", "Gibson songs" and "open G songs".

Loads of Gibson songs which basically translates into overdriven classic style rock. Fender songs are the more clean or quacky style songs (most of the R&B we play).

 

Ok thought is this. Get a Robot for all of the Gibson songs and open G songs and have a Strat for Fender songs. I play through a Mesa.

Why? A robot tunes itself between songs and will tune into open G without having to change guitars.

 

Is that nuts or reasonable?

 

If reasonable anybody have one and what's your thoughts? I want one with a thin 60's style tapered neck. Is there such a beast? I know the V has a hybrid and man I'd love to play a V again, just like in the 70's when I played one.

[BigKahune]

.

What you're talking about - alternative tunings - is exactly what the Robot guitars were aimed at. Now there are models with more sound and output technology. I have a Robot SG LTD I purchased in 2008 - never had a problem with it. Still using the original battery. But, I've seen issue posts in the Robot subforum. You should try to find a couple to play with before making a decision. My SG has a 50s rounded neck profile - I'm not sure what profiles are available now.

 

 

.

[Searcy]

Me too... this is the one I really want.

[RowdyMoon]

Me too... this is the one I really want.

 

 

 

I have heard so many mixed reviews about the robot lines.....honestly tho if it's just standard and G you use I wouldn't worry to much about it...tunning down to G takes about 4 seconds to do.

[Tman]

Thanks guys. I'm going to try one out at the local shop here as well as check out some of the amp technology that let's you do the same thing with alternate tunings. I have a Mesa amp though that I want to keep using so I'll go the robot direction. Tuning in 4 seconds is exactly what I'm looking for!

[milod]

In ways it sounds as if you might wanna consider that new Firebird whatever number it is that has all the electronic stuff built in as well as robot.

 

I'll admit that at first I'd wanna haul an old style SG around as a backup until I felt trust, but... What the heck, I've never trusted a single guitar even back in the olden days and my guitar case always has spare strings and "stuff just in case" when I've played for money.

 

Again, it sounds like the Firebird could be a good single guitar solution worth at least looking at. I personally wouldn't care to buy any high-end guitar without playing it first, though.

 

m

[FennRx]

In ways it sounds as if you might wanna consider that new Firebird whatever number it is that has all the electronic stuff built in as well as robot.

 

I'll admit that at first I'd wanna haul an old style SG around as a backup until I felt trust, but... What the heck, I've never trusted a single guitar even back in the olden days and my guitar case always has spare strings and "stuff just in case" when I've played for money.

 

Again, it sounds like the Firebird could be a good single guitar solution worth at least looking at. I personally wouldn't care to buy any high-end guitar without playing it first, though.

 

m

 

this might be the first time ever the FireTurd X has been recommended.

[rct]

I applaud the new technologies and all, I understand what these things were intended to do. I also have been where you are going, and in a few different interations of "current technology".

 

People been draggin one of each and a coustic to gigs since time began, and they been doing it because it's really all that works and all that actually feels good in the end. If I were you I'd take a G tuned guitar with me, maybe figure out if I could use acoustic for the G tuned. If not, I'd have a one of them tuned to G and that would be how I'd do it, even it it meant taking 4. I took a Fender, a Gibson, and an Ovation out for years, so I'm not coaching you from my sofa. I'm coaching you from my swanky office.

 

Good luck with it. Sucks to have to do it, but it has to be done I think. Easy for me to say, I don't do it anymore!

 

rct

[Searcy]

A few years ago when I bought my Gibson Chet I seriously considered buying one of these.

 

 

I played one a few times at the Gibson Showcase and really loved it.

[ZenKen]

If you've never tried one of these it's...........

Worth a Look

[milod]

I guess my thoughts on "new tech guitars" - and everybody has them in one variation or another - is about the same as what I heard about blinkety-blank electric guitars being crap for kids and idiots to play with instead of "real" guitars that left off all that electrical crud with dials and switches and stuff.

 

I still think it's a matter of matching the tool to the application - and whether the tool is easily used for the application for which one purchases it.

 

That's my bottom line, anyway.

 

I doubt the Firebird would feel as good to me, given its shape, as an SG. I don't care for the feel of an LP regardless of quality and how much somebody else likes it. I very much dislike the feel of Fenders in general although their basses work well for me.

 

Actually I think I'd not buy any Gibson, Martin or any other $1,000+ instrument without playing it which, where I live, pretty much means that short of taking a day's drive to, and another day's drive back, I'm not likely to get any of 'em regardless of cash or style.

 

Given that a number of other guitar companies have been doing stuff increasingly similar to the robot and Firebird electronics to their electric guitars, I'm concluding it's a trend likely to continue.

 

But then, one still can hear acoustic-only purists whether flattop or archtop, and they'll howl about how an AE or pickup steals tone and a mike is better and... Hey, a mike? Ain't that and a PA also an electronic add-on? Seriously, I think such always will be part of the noise one hears as a musician... Hmmm. Is an AJ better than a Dove? Or a D28 or a... and do elephant nasal passage bones really make better tone as bridge pins on a Hummingbird?

 

m

[Tman]

Fabulous comments all of them. Thanks Milod, Zen Ken, Searcy, rct and FennRx (is that prescription?). I'm a guitar slinging Radiologist.

 

As always, Milod your advice is perfect. However, I'm thinking I don't want to spend 5K and the robot sounds like such a good solution for a lot less. My wife has given the green light and I told her she should be happy I'm not into cars! The X has a lot more than I need. I just want the tuning technology.

 

Searcy I'm doing the 3-4 guitar thing every gig now so I'm really wanting to pare down. Guitar playing is my "raison de etre" and I have to lighten up equipment-wise I think.

 

When I try this thing out I'll do a video. Should be fun!

[DiamondJig]

I have an original limited LP & SG and they are both great guitars. The neck are more 50 than 60. You should hold off and wait for the new system from Tronical called Tronical Tune http://www.tronical.com/tronical-tune-registration/ . Looks like a winner, can be mounted to your existing guitars.

[T Bone]

Having the Robot Les Paul Jr. Special (top right- 50's neck, awesome feel and sound), I think it's perfect for open G (leave it there most of the time).

 

My first thoughts were to suggest you consider a regular guitar as a backup to the Robot, but that is ludicrous. First, it defeats your purpose of cutting back, but more importantly it isn't necessary. We need to remember that the Robots can also be tuned manually (being sure to first disengage the tuning motor at least in my case, or damage to the robot mechanism will occur, but mine is 1st generation, not sure on the later ones).

 

[Searcy]

I have an original limited LP & SG and they are both great guitars. The neck are more 50 than 60. You should hold off and wait for the new system from Tronical called Tronical Tune http://www.tronical.com/tronical-tune-registration/ . Looks like a winner, can be mounted to your existing guitars.

 

OH YES!

[Tman]

OH YES!

 

Thanks Diamondjog!

I was wondering if someone would come out with one.

Would be a great solution and I would get to keep my 95 LP classic with its perfect sound and perfect 60s neck!

 

Good looking guitars Tbone!

[dbreslauer]

I had a Dark Fire once, and i had a Les Paul special robot. the DF was great as a guitar, the robot stuff was a nice addition. I ended up selling the DF to help fund my R9, but I would recommend it highly as a souped up BFG (which i would also recommend!)

 

the original robot tech as found on the LP junior special was a letdown when compared to the Dark Fire, but if all you are interested in is alternate tunings, it would do the trick! it was certainly fun to play with!

 

-Don

[Valeriy]

I also read many reviews about the Robot guitar (namely, the model Gibson-LP-Standard-2010 with the Robot). This was interesting to read, those reviews were really mixed.

And really, such guitars have many advantages besides the Robot tuning. Those are the presence of a Piezo pickup to render a more acoustical sound, a low-Impedance preamp output that that increases the clarity and quality of the output signal, which may be part of the reason this guitar sounds so good (for both systems of pickups, magnetic & piezo, there are their individual EQ-s). It is also possible to get the sound as from different switching pickups coils: single, humbucking, parallel, series, or out-of-phase by means of Chameleon Tone Technology.

 

But among the many reviews I remember when one man said that this guitar with the Robot has become very convenient for him because of the fact that he must often play at various concerts in different places. I.e. different songs with different tuning are often for him. And it's his job. And to him it became much easier with such guitar.

 

I.e., Tman, here is obviously important to consider a ratio of the price of the guitar and how often it will be in use, I think.

[davidl]

Tman, I've had a 2008 Robot LP for almost 3 years and play it regularly.

I have other very high quality guitars but the robot comes out to play just as much as any.

Just a great playing, sounding and feeling LP.

If the auto tuning ever gives up the ghost and I can't get parts, I'll just tune it manually. Probably swap out the tuners for something more traditional.

I believe daveinspain would agree.

Try finding one used as they are not everybody's cup of tea and some come around at decent prices.

 

Dave