Opinions on Gibson Robo-Tuners?

[strayGoat]

I recently bought an LP Special Double Cut (the inexpensive 2015 guy). At under 600 clams, I couldn't pass it up. Glad I didn't, because I really like the guitar a lot.

 

It came with Gibson's G-Force tuning system. A few years back, I would never have entertained something like this - no good reason why, just some change-hating cranky old man shiznit. I have to say, though, it's a pretty convenient idea. Not that I've ever minded tuning a guitar before playing, but I've been playing a lot more in open G tuning lately, and it's kind of nice to not have to either have a guitar permanently tuned to an alt or constantly move manually back & forth to open G/standard (I do have one acoustic permanently tuned to open G). I'm also a bit amazed that the tiny rechargeable battery in this thing is capable of generating enough torque to tune steel strings. I guess the 40:1 gear ratio helps a bit.

 

It's not something I'd want on all my guitars, but overall it's a pretty convenient feature to have on one of 'em.

 

I'm arriving a few years late to this discussion, but... anyone else love or hate these things?

[Phil O'Keefe]

I have a set of their predecessors (the Min-ETune) on my '13 SG Standard, and I like them a lot. I've reviewed a new Les Paul with the newer G-Force tuners on it, and I like those even better - they're faster and even more consistent than the earlier Min-ETune tuners.

 

A lot of people seem to dislike them, but I have to wonder how many of them have actually tried them personally. I don't need tuners that can tune the guitar - I have perfect pitch and have been doing it myself for decades - but I really like them. A lot.

 

[strayGoat]

I have a set of their predecessors (the Min-ETune) on my '13 SG Standard, and I like them a lot. I've reviewed a new Les Paul with the newer G-Force tuners on it, and I like those even better - they're faster and even more consistent than the earlier Min-ETune tuners.

 

A lot of people seem to dislike them, but I have to wonder how many of them have actually tried them personally. I don't need tuners that can tune the guitar - I have perfect pitch and have been doing it myself for decades - but I really like them. A lot.

 

I really envy folks with perfect pitch. Gotta be dead useful in an improv jam. Occasionally you'll see some player in mid-performance hit a chord and suddenly make some quick micro-adjustment to the fourth string and carry on, and I'm always thinking, "WTF? Am I supposed to be able to do that?" Years ago, I was at least accustomed to using a fork or pitch pipe and tuning the guitar to itself. Then I started using digital tuners, and I could swear they've made my ear just a bit lazier... and now there's this G-Force thing...

 

Unrelated, but another thing I like about this guitar is the metal height-adjustable nut. Fantastic idea, IMHO. I wouldn't mind using it on some acoustic builds, really. I've always liked zero frets. The one on this guitar is brass (I think they all are, on the 2015s). I understand why they used brass (steel, etc., would be a costly PITA to mass produce), but have read they have drop-in titanium replacements. This is good news, as I'd expect eventually the strings will cut into the brass zero fret. Still, a nice innovation.

[Etienne Rambert]

I recently bought an LP Special Double Cut (the inexpensive 2015 guy). At under 600 clams, I couldn't pass it up. Glad I didn't, because I really like the guitar a lot.

 

It came with Gibson's G-Force tuning system. A few years back, I would never have entertained something like this - no good reason why, just some change-hating cranky old man shiznit. I have to say, though, it's a pretty convenient idea. Not that I've ever minded tuning a guitar before playing, but I've been playing a lot more in open G tuning lately, and it's kind of nice to not have to either have a guitar permanently tuned to an alt or constantly move manually back & forth to open G/standard (I do have one acoustic permanently tuned to open G). I'm also a bit amazed that the tiny rechargeable battery in this thing is capable of generating enough torque to tune steel strings. I guess the 40:1 gear ratio helps a bit.

 

It's not something I'd want on all my guitars, but overall it's a pretty convenient feature to have on one of 'em.

 

I'm arriving a few years late to this discussion, but... anyone else love or hate guy advised against it. these things?

 

I wanted the HP version of my Les Paul, which came with G-Force.

Both my guitar repair guy and sales guy advised against it.

(That may be because they knew I had relatively little experience

w/electrics rather than because of any flaws in the system.)

 

Apparently, a lot of players instinctively go to manual tuning w/o thinking

and end up stripping the tuners. YMMV.

[Phil O'Keefe]

 

I really envy folks with perfect pitch. Gotta be dead useful in an improv jam.

 

Yes, it's useful at jam sessions, but it really comes in handy in recording situations - and I do much more of that than I do jams. But sometimes it freaks people out a bit when I ask them to check a specific string because it's flat, and they do, and then see that I was right. Yet for me, it's NBD - it's just something I've always been able to do.

 

I stopped doing it as a parlor / party trick years ago... I got tired of people asking me to do it on demand. But I still do it in the studio whenever necessary - that's different; it's part of the job.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Apparently, a lot of players instinctively go to manual tuning w/o thinking

and end up stripping the tuners. YMMV.

 

Manual tuning is supported by both G-Force and Min-ETune... where I think it could become an issue is if you tried to manually tune while the system was actively trying to tune too. Then you might cause something to strip. But if it's turned off, you can tune manually - but with 40:1 ratio, it takes a while, especially if you're really out of tune.

[Etienne Rambert]

Dunno. Both recommended I don't get it.

Maybe it was just my background. I wanted one.

 

Both have seen a lot of repairs because of guitar

players (not always the most alert people), stripping

the tuners by attempting manual when it's set to auto.)

[WRGKMC]

 

I really envy folks with perfect pitch. Gotta be dead useful in an improv jam. Occasionally you'll see some player in mid-performance hit a chord and suddenly make some quick micro-adjustment to the fourth string and carry on, and I'm always thinking, "WTF? Am I supposed to be able to do that?" Years ago, I was at least accustomed to using a fork or pitch pipe and tuning the guitar to itself. Then I started using digital tuners, and I could swear they've made my ear just a bit lazier... and now there's this G-Force thing...

 

I developed perfect pitch playing violin as a child. You have no frets so hearing notes in pitch is essential for proper fingering. The fret board are very short too. Just the slightest roll of the finger throws the string off allot.

 

Perfect pitch can be just as much of a curse as a blessing when it comes to guitars because guitars cannot and do not play in perfect pitch. You'd need a guitar with compensated frets (which they do make) for that and even then strings do bend out of pitch depending on finger pressure.

 

I typically nudge string tunings depending on the key I'm playing in in order to compensate for the instruments shortcomings, especially recording where you cant simply push the drive and mask string you know are out of tune. I always know when strings are slightly out of tune and use many tricks to compensate. Sometimes its adding extra pressure to the strings to make them sharper, Pulling back on the neck to make the strings go up in pitch and when playing leads I'll often pull the strings end to end to make them flatter or sharper as needed, especially in the upper registers.

 

Of course there are times when the strings are just breaking in and the action is set spot on when intonation and tuning are incredible and you're able to simply play your ass off. Unfortunately with the numbers of bends and vibratos I do on a regular basis that window of excellent playability on any guitar is relatively short lived. Strings tend to peak in their playability depending on the brand and once you're beyond a certain point its all downhill from there where you spend more time trying to keep sour strings in pitch then actually playing.

 

[hellion_213]

I have played Gibson's with the robo-tuners, and my impression was they are a neat idea, I don't think I would pay extra to have them, but they are pretty cool. I've also played a Peavey AT. That's a trip. U know it failed horribly, but it was smooth, and capable of any tuning, very cool. So long as you can't hear the Guitar acoustically that is. It'll throw you off then.

And I've messed around with the Evertune system a little. Those are really cool too, but it's all in how you have it set up. If you're set to Evertune every string, then Every thing is Ever tuned, lol. Lots of cool tuning toys out there, I guess if I had to pick one, personally, and while some may consider it cheating a little, the Peavey AT equipped guitar is probably the coolest, easiest, and quickest to adjust or change tunings.

I'm trying to remember exactly, but if memory serves, the Robo tuners had a slightly annoying mechanical whir...

[Freeman Keller]

I would not own a guitar with that "feature"

[Phil O'Keefe]

I've also played a Peavey AT. That's a trip. U know it failed horribly, but it was smooth, and capable of any tuning, very cool. So long as you can't hear the Guitar acoustically that is. It'll throw you off then.

 

I had a client who was an early adopter of the Yamaha G10 guitar synth. Every string was tuned to G - all six of them. If we didn't have the output of the synth turned up high enough to mask the acoustic sound of the strings, it used to drive me crazy.

[catscurlyear]

i think i would definatly be buying some at some point in the future, how can you resist with all the tuning possabilities .my only concern would be that if you are using them a lot the strings are gonna be popping at anytime, so it looks like you still may need 1 spare guitar at least ,but do you fit that with robocop tuners aswell ,,back to square one ,oh and you can kiss yer locking nuts bye bye which aint a bad thing

[hellion_213]

I can imagine, lol. Drove me nuts at low volumes. I should've jumped on one when GC had them on clearance, they were practically giving them away. I believe the model was the AT 200, really good player.

[hellion_213]

That's where the $$ is, someone to release an AT equipped guitar with double locking trem. No more re-floating for different tunings!!

[catscurlyear]

the auto tuners should be a pull/release system probs situated at the bridge like you do when you have a locking nut, that would eliminate breakage at the spinning machine heads ..maybe!

[hellion_213]

I agree, automatic mechanical tuners just aren't useful for double locking, but this would be. In fact, it doesn't matter what Real tuning your guitar is in, so ultra low tunings are a reality with smaller gauge strings. These things are really cool to play, but I have never seen one with a Floyd or Kahler. Plus, you'd never have to re-float except at string change.

I really don't see why these didn't fly off the shelves. Technically, no I have never purchased one, but that's only because they never offered a Floyd equipped version.

https://youtu.be/zrFw53-ZgIo