NEWS: Gibson robots multiply

Gibson has unveiled a few new additions to the self-tuning Robot Guitar line. The first Robot Guitar was a Les Paul, followed a little while later by an SG. I guess it was only a matter of time before the technology became self-aware, Terminator-style, and insinuated itself into Explorers and Flying Vs.

Both the Robot Flying V and Robot X-Plorer have a solid mahogany body, 22-fret ebony fretboard on a one-piece mahonany neck, and Gibson 496R neck and 500T bridge humbcuckers. The neck profile is a hybrid of the 50s rounded contour and 60s slim taper profile. Both guitars are offered in a red metallic finish, and each comes with a charger and power plug, battery pack and a black reptile pattern hardshell case with white plush interior and silver Gibson USA logo on the front.

The Robot Tuning System defaults to EADGBE but the guitar can also tune itself to Eb, drop D, Open G and more – as well as custom tunings. I reviewed the original Robot Guitar for Australian Guitar Magazine at the start of the year and I found it especially useful for going back and forth between standard tuning and the classic Devin Townsend tuning of CGCGCE.