EXPENSIVE GUITAR FOR NINNIES: Made by Gibson USA, not Chinese slave labor
"Ever get mad trying to figure out why your version of "Voodoo Child" doesn't sound like Jimi Hendrix?" asked some dimwit at Reuters in the lede to "First robot electric guitar tunes itself."
No.
"Help is at hand from what is described as the world's first robot guitar -- an electric guitar that not only keeps itself in tune even after string changes but also allows players to access six nonstandard tunings at the push of a button," continues the story.
Except it's not the first "robot guitar" which features non-standard tunings at the push of a button. Those not familiar with non-standard tunings may be scratching their heads. Slide guitar as well as two famous bands -- the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin -- and many of their songs gives the answer.
Line 6's Variax, a guitar containing a computer with emulations of a number of vintage instruments, shipped a year or so ago with non-standard tunings enabled through a rotary switch. Gibson USA's offering seems to be a somewhat lesser but much more expensive spin on the Variax.
"Gibson says the robot guitar is aimed at amateurs who have a hard time keeping their guitars in tune, as well as professionals who now use technicians during concerts to keep about 100 guitars tuned to different keys," reported Reuters, stretching one's credulity even further.
Amateurs who cannot tune a guitar, or keep it in tune, tend not to buy guitars which cost $2,500 US, the price of Gibson's robotic offering. They buy slave labor guitars made in China, which cost around $100 US and come in cardboard box.
And DD has never actually seen one band on stage with a guitarist or guitarists who kept one hundred guitars tuned to different keys. Sounding straight out of a piece of This is Spinal Tap left on the editing room floor, one reckons there may actually be one or two fruitcakes in mega rock bands who keep one hundred guitars fanatically tuned to different keys but, if so, they certainly don't advertise it.
"Gibson said the robot guitar is the biggest advance in electric guitar design in more than 70 years," claimed Reuters, writing dictation taken directly from Gibson USA's p.r. fugleman.
That's a matter of opinion, boyos, not fact.
In recent history, Gibson's innovations have always flopped. No one wants tricks from the famous guitar maker, only classic instruments with set necks, thank you.
Innovations in guitar design tend to have come from other companies, one famous example being Steinberger. (The curious reader will note the "Steinberger" link points to Gibson. Ned Steinberger innovated design with his headless instruments and his company was sold to Gibson in 1986. Steinberger's new company is called NS Design. The story sort of repeats the history of Leo Fender who founded Fender Musical Instruments. Fender was an innovator and sold his company, at which point it no longer innovated. Fender continued making guitars under the company names of Music Man and G&L.)
The original.
"Ever get mad trying to figure out why your version of "Voodoo Child" doesn't sound like Jimi Hendrix?" asked some dimwit at Reuters in the lede to "First robot electric guitar tunes itself."
No.
"Help is at hand from what is described as the world's first robot guitar -- an electric guitar that not only keeps itself in tune even after string changes but also allows players to access six nonstandard tunings at the push of a button," continues the story.
Except it's not the first "robot guitar" which features non-standard tunings at the push of a button. Those not familiar with non-standard tunings may be scratching their heads. Slide guitar as well as two famous bands -- the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin -- and many of their songs gives the answer.
Line 6's Variax, a guitar containing a computer with emulations of a number of vintage instruments, shipped a year or so ago with non-standard tunings enabled through a rotary switch. Gibson USA's offering seems to be a somewhat lesser but much more expensive spin on the Variax.
"Gibson says the robot guitar is aimed at amateurs who have a hard time keeping their guitars in tune, as well as professionals who now use technicians during concerts to keep about 100 guitars tuned to different keys," reported Reuters, stretching one's credulity even further.
Amateurs who cannot tune a guitar, or keep it in tune, tend not to buy guitars which cost $2,500 US, the price of Gibson's robotic offering. They buy slave labor guitars made in China, which cost around $100 US and come in cardboard box.
And DD has never actually seen one band on stage with a guitarist or guitarists who kept one hundred guitars tuned to different keys. Sounding straight out of a piece of This is Spinal Tap left on the editing room floor, one reckons there may actually be one or two fruitcakes in mega rock bands who keep one hundred guitars fanatically tuned to different keys but, if so, they certainly don't advertise it.
"Gibson said the robot guitar is the biggest advance in electric guitar design in more than 70 years," claimed Reuters, writing dictation taken directly from Gibson USA's p.r. fugleman.
That's a matter of opinion, boyos, not fact.
In recent history, Gibson's innovations have always flopped. No one wants tricks from the famous guitar maker, only classic instruments with set necks, thank you.
Innovations in guitar design tend to have come from other companies, one famous example being Steinberger. (The curious reader will note the "Steinberger" link points to Gibson. Ned Steinberger innovated design with his headless instruments and his company was sold to Gibson in 1986. Steinberger's new company is called NS Design. The story sort of repeats the history of Leo Fender who founded Fender Musical Instruments. Fender was an innovator and sold his company, at which point it no longer innovated. Fender continued making guitars under the company names of Music Man and G&L.)
The original.
posted by George Smith at 10:23 PM
1 Comments:
The best thing about the "100 guitars tuned to different keys" line is that it implies a 100 song set, each with a different tuning. Or perhaps a two-guitar band with a 50 song set.
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