Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Mon Nov 25, 2024 5:52 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:09 am 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:23 am
Posts: 28
Location: United States

Looks like a self tuning system has been made! Tropical power tune is the inventor and Gibson will be releasing 4000 guitars with this system in 4 days. Here is a link to powertunes site, and also an article about the system. I think its pretty dang cool. I know my new martin came with a built in tuner, and you can even get that on some $500 guitars now. This self tuning system is going to be $600. Will this find its way into acoustics? More stuff inside the box I guess. Certainly if it works how is says it does (tunes to any tuning in 2 seconds) I would put one on any guitar I had to play live.


 


http://www.tronical.com/home


 


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071203/ap_on_hi_te/self_tuning_ guitar



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:22 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian
Old Growth Brazilian

Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 10707
Location: United States
First our cars, now our guitars I might as well throw my peterson and tuner wrench out with the trash


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:26 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13387
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Oh the horror.....................

I watched a snail.......crawl on the edge of a razor blade.........



Cool - that well sell well I am sure......



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:35 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian
Old Growth Brazilian

Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 10707
Location: United States
In all reality.... This too will pass. The Convenience may sound nice but my guess is the players ears will end up over-riding the convenience factor prey quick.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:46 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13387
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
I think that playing in tune is highly over rated anyway.......


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:46 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:47 pm
Posts: 1213
Location: Raleigh, NC
First name: Ringo
Guitarmaker did a write-up of the TransPerformance system earlier this year. This appears to be a similar system. In the review they said they made 6 prototypes over a number of years for acoustic guitars but each one hurt the tone so they stopped trying.

IIRC, the TransPerformance system has most everything at the bridge, while this one looks like it's spread out all over the guitar with the little motors on the peghead. I would think that if designed properly the only thing that could significantly hamper tone on an acoustic guitar would be piezo pickups at the saddle and the extra weight at the peghead. The rest of the guts could be anchored to the sides.

Still, I would think $900 to get around learning how to tune a guitar a pretty hard sell.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:49 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:37 am
Posts: 590
Location: United States
First name: Michael
Last Name: Shaw
City: Phila
State: PA
Zip/Postal Code: 19125
Country: United States
Yeah we had a post on that a couple of weeks ago. This will fade away like that other auto tunning system. I cant even remember their name. Just another gimmick.

_________________
Guitars, guitars and more guitars.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:49 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:04 am
Posts: 2060
Man, I just can't wait until all Gibsons come with that. All that extra mass on
the headstock.......

I better make four or five duplicates of my headstock regluing jig. If I can
build capacity to reglue a dozen headstocks a day I'm going to be rich.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:54 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:37 am
Posts: 590
Location: United States
First name: Michael
Last Name: Shaw
City: Phila
State: PA
Zip/Postal Code: 19125
Country: United States
Now if they could build a self playing guitar i won't even have to practice to be good. They are starting to make everything idiot proof today so no one even has to put in the time to become good at something. You just push a button and it does it for you. Kinda like microwave cooking.

_________________
Guitars, guitars and more guitars.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:03 am 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:23 am
Posts: 28
Location: United States

haha true true. they say they are looking to target people who are beginners and don’t know how to tune (how many beginners drop 3 grand on there first electric) and people playing live. I play live a lot and hate having to tune up every so often. It equals 10+ seconds of stall time and you know what they say


It only takes


(oneonethousandtwonethousandthreeonethousandfouronethousandf iveonethousandsixonethousand)


seven seconds of silence for a situation to become awkward


If this does take off (not that I think It will) im sure its only a matter of time until they have things smaller and more accurate, isn’t that what we have seen so much of in technology over the last 20 years.


They const to benefit factor is not great enough for me to thinking about getting one anytime soon.


 



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:10 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian
Old Growth Brazilian

Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 10707
Location: United States
Can you imagine standing on stage...purposely de-tuning to an alternate tuning and this thing constantly correcting you..........Hey!!!!!!!!!! I have a plot for a new comedy routine


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:28 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:37 am
Posts: 590
Location: United States
First name: Michael
Last Name: Shaw
City: Phila
State: PA
Zip/Postal Code: 19125
Country: United States
Tuning should be the first thing a new player learns. Don't get me wrong my tunning method is no where near the precision of a strobe tunner but i'm close enough to get me by.

_________________
Guitars, guitars and more guitars.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:31 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13387
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Man Jimi Hendrix would role over in his purple grave if he saw this thing.

Next they will offer a guitar that when you squirt lighter fluid on it and set it ablaze the guitar will automatically deploy CO2 and put itself out.........



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:44 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:53 pm
Posts: 1075
Location: United States
First name: Coe
Last Name: Franklin
City: Decatur
State: IN
Country: USA

Hmm... Something else to muddle up a world full of unskilled idiots.


_________________
Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:37 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:34 am
Posts: 1906
Location: United States

Well this should definitely divide thew players from non-players...I wonder who will be stupid enough to endorse this for Gibson?


"yea...I play great but I can't tune my own guitar"? I agree the feature of changing  to different tunings quickly is nice but I think it's quicker to just change guitars...and more fun. What in the world was Gibson thinking?...or not...


_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:41 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:34 am
Posts: 1906
Location: United States

[QUOTE=David Collins]Man, I just can't wait until all Gibsons come with that. All that extra mass on
the headstock.......

I better make four or five duplicates of my headstock regluing jig. If I can
build capacity to reglue a dozen headstocks a day I'm going to be rich.[/QUOTE]


David,


Speaking of headstock re-gluing jigs...do you have any pics you would be willing to share...I am in need of one and about to start to build one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


THANKS!


Dave


_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:23 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
This product was all over the papers today.  Even rated an article in Investor's Business Daily.

Looks like the capabilities of the product are pretty versatile. It comes standard with about 6 variations of tunings, and apparently has a built in mic that can remember others that are specific to the player.  Doesn't sound like it is aimed at the beginner, to me.  How many beginners use multiple tunings?  I can make a C chord!


_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:36 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:13 am
Posts: 1398
Location: United States
Note the incorrect claim that it's the world's first self-tuning guitar.   Let's see...both Jimmy Page and Graham Nash have had Les Pauls with the TransPerformance system in them for years and years, and Steve Klein was building guitars with the TP system at least 15 years ago.   Well, RCA claimed to have invented the electronic television, too, never mind Philo T. Farnsworth...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:57 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Eli Whitney got credit for the Cotton Gin too.  He was definitely not the first.  However, he was the first to really be recognized, and make it formal.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:29 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:46 am
Posts: 1012
Location: Issaquah, Washington USA
On a Gibson Les Paul who would notice an additional 10 lbs?  I had a LP. Got rid of it, gave me a pain in the back playing it.
Seems to me their are nuances in tuning, that only an experienced player can detect.  They won't like the tuning done for them, IMHO.


_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:33 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:04 am
Posts: 2060
[QUOTE=Dave-SKG]

[QUOTE=David Collins]Man, I just can't wait until all
Gibsons come with that. All that extra mass on the headstock....... I better
make four or five duplicates of my headstock regluing jig. If I can build
capacity to reglue a dozen headstocks a day I'm going to be rich.[/QUOTE] [/
P]

David,


Speaking of headstock re-gluing jigs...do you have any pics you would be
willing to share...I am in need of one and about to start to build one. Any
help would be greatly appreciated.


THANKS!


Dave

[/QUOTE]

Sure, I'll try to find some pics and put up a separate post later tonight.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:40 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:04 am
Posts: 2060
Actually Dave, never mind. There's a few picks in the archives. I can't post
the link with my browser in this software, but here it is.

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?
TID=12587&KW=headstock+reglue#forumTop

Let me know if you need any other pics or details and I'll email them to you.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:42 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:38 pm
Posts: 1105
Location: Amherst, NH USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Actually, I think this is kind of cool. If it works and makes life easier, it will stick around and drop in price. If it doesn't work or make life easier, it won't. If I were a musician in a working band, I might find this pretty useful. In a recent post someone said that they saw CSN&Y awhile back and that they changed guitars constantly. What was probably happening was the roadies were back stage tuning them up.

It looks like you can tailor the tuning to a particular guitar. I like my B string to be a little flat, for example. D and G chords sound better that way. You can make a preset with just those changes.

They claim that it is accurate to within .2 cents. That's better than most people can hear and far better than most people care.

I would worry about the weight at the tuning head. I think that that might be the reason that Gibson bit on this technology. What's an extra pound or so on a Les Paul, anyway.

It's a funny image having the guitar trying to tune while you are playing, but, of course, it doesn't tune unless you tell it to.

As for being first, of courses they aren't. But everybody who comes out with an improved or different system claims to be first. The older systems didn't work well and so they don't count.

BTW. No way would I fork over $900 for this system on my guitars.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:47 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:03 am
Posts: 456
Location: Toronto, Canada
I'm going in the "it's cool" camp. Whether there is enough of a market niche to get over the hump and keep it in production long enough to improve the technology and drive the costs down is a question...but it's cool.

_________________
David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:26 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:15 pm
Posts: 2302
Location: Florida
There have been several robot tuners (automatic) on ebay lately. I assume this is some of the same technology. Those on ebay are pretty cheap. Why not just buy 6 of them and duck tape them on the headstock?

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 51 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com