Gibson Robot Les Paul Jr. Special Electric Guitar

Gibson Robot Les Paul Jr. Special Electric Guitar Review

Gibson Robot Les Paul Jr. Special Electric Guitar Feature

• The Robot Tuners(TM) rely on the strings themselves to send the signals, eliminating any potential for interference.
• The Robot LP Junior Special ships with 2 Gibson P90's

Simplicity meets 21st Century technolog with the Robot Les Paul Jr. Special, a guitar that's always in tune. Gibson's Robot Tuners Locking Tuners, highly specialized Tune Control Bridge, Data Transmitting Tailpiece, and Multi-Control Knob automate the tuning process so you can spend more time playing.

Auto-tuning hardware Mahogany Les Paul body Truss rod neck 17 degree headstock angle Corian nut Mortise and Tenon joint P-90 singlecoil pickups in both the neck and bridge positions Tune-Control Bridge (a modified Tune-o-matic) Traditional Black Top Hat knobs with silver inserts Lithium rechargeable battery system, which lasts approximately 200 tunings Worn TV Yellow finish

Body
The body of the Robot Les Paul Junior Special is constructed from a solid slab piece of mahogany wood, which is a time-tested tonewood known for its warm tonal qualities and clear resonance. In this type of solid body, it tends to help yield maximum sustain of notes and chords, and enhance the resonance of the overall sound. And don't worry about all those fancy electronics adding to the weight--the weight of the Robot Les Paul Junior Special body is 5.21 lbs, which is about average for a Les Paul body. This particular range of weight helps create more balance, a solid feel, and brighter tones that prove compatible with the P-90 pickup configuration.

P-90 singlecoil pickups, three-way toggle switch, and Tune Control Bridge.

Angled headstock, truss rod, and Robot Tuners Locking Tuners.

Neck and Headstock
Like many other Gibson models, the neck is constructed from a solid piece of mahogany, which delivers the various preferences that most players demand: strong, rigid and light. Milled and cut to the proper "quarter-sawn" wood grain orientation and kiln dried for true climate acclimation, mahogany is highly machinable but extremely expressable in the hands of the detailed craftsmen at Gibson USA. Through the center of the neck is the same historically proven and recognized truss rod for the fine adjustments needed to ensure ultimate and personalized string action and sustain.

The headstock is carefully angled at 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain. And the angled, classical-style peg head, when matched with the larger tenon, offers enhanced sustain.

Tuning Made Easy
The Robot Les Paul Junior Special is equipped with Robot Tuners Locking Tuners. Each tuning peg is equipped with a tiny, but powerful, servo motor that kicks into action once the system is activated. The Robot Tuners rely on the strings themselves to send the signals, eliminating any potential for interference. Made of lightweight metal with a satin nickel finish, the Robot Tuners weigh only 46.5 grams each. A standard Gotoh tuner weighs in at 49 grams. That means a set of Robot Tuners weigh a full 15 grams less than a set of Gotoh tuners, which is another indicator of the Robot Les Paul Junior Specials true innovation.

20 jumbo frets made crom nickel and silver alloy are designed for long life and superior wear.

The revolutionary Robot Les Paul Junior Special sports a unique, highly specialized Tune Control Bridge which acts as one of the main components of the self-tuning robotic system. The Tune-Control Bridge is a modified Tune-o-matic that measures the individual tuning of each string via special saddles. The signal from each string is then transmitted to the control CPU in the control panel, which then transfers the signal to the Neck CPU and the Robot Tuners Locking Tuners, which, in turn, tune the strings.

At first glance, the tailpiece on Gibson's Robot Les Paul Junior Special looks like a normal tailpiece. But look a little closer and you'll see that it's far from ordinary. Gibson's new Data Transmitting Tailpiece is a hub of activity. First, each string is separated by ceramic insulators that isolate each individual string signal and avoids confusion as to which string is being processed and tuned. There are also special isolating inserts that keep the ball ends commonly found on electric guitar strings from making contact and disrupting signal flow. Underneath the tailpiece is a tiny circuit board that processes each individual signal to the ribbon cable, which is then transmitted to the on-board CPUs.The headstock is carefully angled at 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.

Multi-Control Knob
The Multi-Control Knob (MCK) with the illuminated top serves as the master control for all aspects of the Robot Les Paul Junior Specials amazing, self-tuning system. The MCK is what is commonly referred to as a "push-pull" knob. When in the normal position (down), it behaves as a regular volume or tone pot. When the MCK is pulled out, the guitars self-tuning system is activated and ready for use. It immediately

The Tune-Control Bridge is a modified Tune-o-matic that measures the individual tuning of each string via special saddles.

Data Transmitting Tailpiece isolate each individual string signal and avoids confusion as to which string is being processed and tuned.

places the guitar in standard tuning mode (A440). A quick turn of the MCK presents six factory presets, all of which can be customized. At any time, you can also restore the tunings to the factory presets and start all over again. The LED display on top of the MCK also lets you know when a string is out of tune, or when all strings are in tune, and even when the tuners are turning to get them in tune. It even guides the setting of accurate intonation. At the end of the tuning process, the blue lights on top of the MCK flash. Push the MCK back in and it's ready to go.

Neck CPU
On the back of the headstock, between the Robot Tuners Locking Tuners, is where you'll find the Neck CPU. This genius little device is responsible for receiving and processing the data signal from each individual string and feeding it to the Robot Tuners Locking Tuners, which then tune the guitar.

Volume Control
The Robot Les Paul Junior Special features one master volume control with a potentiometer made by CTS. The pot (short for potentiometer) has an ohm reading of 300k, which allows for a smooth variation from soft to loud.

Tone Control
The Robot Les Paul Junior Special features one master tone control with a potentiometer made by CTS. The pot (short for potentiometer) has an ohm reading of 500k, which is the highest value for a panel pot, and allows for a very smooth transition from highs and lows.

Toggle Switch
The Robot Les Paul Junior Special features one three-way toggle switch made of stainless steel, which acts as the instruments pickup selector. In the down position, only the bridge pickup is active. In the middle position, both pickups are active. In the up position, only the neck pickup is active.

Input Jack
The Robot Les Paul Junior Special features a 1/4" input jack made by Neutrik. It is manufactured from strong, high-grade thermoplastics and housed in a rugged diecast nickel shell. A retention spring inside the jack ensures optimum grip on any guitar cable, thus avoiding the chance of lost connection.

Charging System
At the core of the Robot Les Paul Junior Specials pioneering technology is a lithium rechargeable battery system, which takes about 90 minutes to generate a full charge that keeps the robotic system going for approximately 200 tunings. Included with the guitar is a power adaptor that plugs into any standard power outlet. Take any quarter-inch guitar cable and plug one end into the adaptor, and the other end into the guitar. In approximately 90 minutes, it's ready to go. Use the shortest guitar cable you can find, because the shorter the cable, the less time it takes. You can always check the status of the systems charge by turning the MCK knob to the "C" position. The LED display will give you a value between 1-10, with one being the lowest charge, and 10 being the highest.