Gibson Dusk Tiger Is Coming Next Week
Gibson say the most astounding innovation in the history of the guitar will be rolled out next Monday 01-Dec-09
|
The third generation of Gibson technologies will be introduced on December 7th, 2009 at only 200 retail sites worldwide. There will be a limited run of only 1000 units produced. There will be 200 store sites – 100 in the US and 100 in International markets. Each store will receive 5 units. No more will be manufactured or sold.
Last year Gibson introduced the Dark Fire guitar, which followed the first generation Robot Guitar. This single model was hugely successful, with most stores worldwide selling out of the instrument in one day with a worldwide stock out in two days.
The Dark Fire introduced three significant innovations:
- 1. The Robot 2 tuning system, which increased both the accuracy and speed of auto tuning.
- 2. Chameleon Tone Technology which allowed the guitar to achieve all the classic guitar tones, with 7 classic tones immediately available.
- 3. The first guitar that came as a complete system to harness the power of a computer recording environment, as well as computerized live settings.
Enormous capability and options often come at the price of having to learn how to use the many features. Gibson's break through Dark Fire introduced a full color matrix Master Control Knob to allow the player to harness the power with guitar like movements. The guitar also enhanced the pickup toggle switch to serve as a blend control allowing the mixing of a piezo pickup with the traditional pickups. These controls allowed the player dozens of unique sounds as well as many traditional sounds, all in pure high definition analog.
MAKE IT SIMPLE – NEW EASE OF USE
The Dusk Tiger takes this control scheme and makes it even easier and more intuitive to use while adding more tones and tunings.
- An additional bank of tuning presents
- An additional bank of tone presets
The software for how the Master Control Know (MCK) works has been refined making accessing tones and tuning presents much quicker, easier and more intuitive. You will wonder how you got along without access to these many many creative options on stage or in the studio. Guitar players should not need manuals.
YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT CHARGING BATTERIES
The Dark Fire and the Robot I guitars both used replaceable rechargeable batteries with an innovative in guitar charging circuit using your guitar cable. Gibson has gone the next step and thrown out this chore and is introducing and small external wall plug charger and two standard camera style rechargeable batteries. There is a simple door on the plastic routing cover on the back of the guitar that will allow you to replace a battery in seconds. You can have one battery charged in your pocket and switch the batteries on stage if needed.
Both the batteries and charger will be available broadly in most electronics stores and online, as we are using standard types (not Gibson proprietary), insuring years of availability and low cost replacements.
LES PAUL TOLD US THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS WEREN'T RIGHT – TRUE HIGH DEFINITION
Les Paul never played a high impedance guitar because the signal would be impacted by many factors like cable quality and length changing precious tone. Les was the consummate musician, recording engineer and guitar designer and he was right.
Gibson has designed LP Impedance circuit (in honor and remembrance of Les Paul) we call LP-Z. This circuit exists at the output jack. There is an on/off switch turning on this circuit at the jack allowing the guitar to be used passively as it always has. When you turn the switch on, you are isolating the guitar and its tone from your gear and matching the impedance better to the gear you are using.
There will be an immediate improvement in fidelity that is almost shocking, not unlike seeing HD video compared to standard definition. This high definition audio, just like HD video, is still the same tone (picture) but much more intense and 3 dimensional.
With the improvement of the electrical signal we went one step further and added a locking Neutrik connector that has not only the stereo 1/4 inch output but also an XLR output. Thus you can use either standard guitar cables, stereo guitar cables, or XLR microphone cables which will allow you to plug directly into sound boards, etc. With microphone XLR cables, and the LP-Z circuit you can have very long cable runs without degrading your high definition sound.
STROBOSCOPE TUNER MODE – WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF THAT NOTE?
Taking advantage of the matrix read out of the MCK the Dusk Tiger will have a new Stroboscope tuner mode. In this mode, when you strike a note, the frequency will display on the MCK readout one digit at a time.
- MCK displays the frequency (e.g. 8 – 2 – 4 – 1 for 82.41 Hertz).
- An alternate display mode will display the note (for example E#).
- The outer LEDs will indicate the pitch in relation the next note.
CHAMELEON TONE ON STEROIDS – ROLL YOUR OWN TONE
The Dusk Tiger will come with a software editor program that will allow you to create your own presets for the guitar. The program will be able to save presets as a computer file so you can store and/or share your special tones. The editor will allow you to replace the standard tones in the guitar and change the order (switch position) for each tone present.
With a second bank of 9 presets that are specifically for the user to program, you know can have 18 unique sounds instantly available, with a library of thousands of tones.
Each present will set the pickup coil selections, pickups, and control two four-band parametric equalizers built into the Dusk Tiger. All tone controls and blend knobs work while playing or recording.
COMPUTER STUDIO GEAR – ONLY BETTER
The Dusk Tiger comes with an updated RIP firewire computer interface. It continues to bring out every string on an independent channel, the traditional pickup signal and the piezo mono signal over a stereo quarter inch cable. It will no longer be used to charge your guitar, simplifying its use substantially. The audio stream has been improved to achieve more fidelity and further increase head room (reduce noise floor).
Of course, software always gets improved so the Dusk Tiger will come with the latest full version of Guitar Rig (substantially improved this year), and the Gibson version of Abelton Live recording software.
Finally, Gibson is including a MIDI out cable as part of the package.
MORE ELECTRONIC INTEGRATION – SMALLER, MORE RELIABLE, LESS POWER
The Gibson R&D team is burning the midnight oil to reduce this powerful electronic wizardry to much smaller circuit board, with fewer and updated chips. The result will be a substantial improvement in noise floor, fidelity, a reduction in power usage and increased reliability. The team is pushing the envelope on what is possible again to give you the player of the best instrument technology can deliver.
|
Gibson is pressing the boundaries of what an exceptional guitar is, both on an esthetic level and performance level. Gibson has continued to refine the physical instrument, the materials used, the dimensional tolerances held, etc. From the computerized Plek machine, which set up every guitar, to individual components, this will be one of best performing, most road-worthy professional instruments.
Gibson has been able to seek out more sustain and resonance while being able to make these two instruments one of the lightest we have ever made using a patented construction technique.
Pricing and Availability:
TBA More information:
More From: GIBSON
- Gibson Facing Bankruptcy 19-Feb-18
- Another Collector's Choice Les Paul 03-Jun-15
- '59 Lemonburst Les Paul Reproduced 02-Jun-15
- Signature Guitar For Sir Paul's Right-Hand Man 13-May-15
- Ron Wood's Seventies Signature Guitar 08-May-15
Even more news...
