WNAMM07: Self-Tuning Guitars On Show

The other big news this year at the show is that Gibson Guitar have announced that it has reached an agreement with Tronical for the exclusive worldwide sale and distribution of the PowerTune System in both new guitars and upgrade kits both for a range of Gibson models and other guitar brands.

Gibson plans on making this exciting new technology available on several models of Gibson guitars starting in the Spring of 2007.

Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar told us, “We are very excited about our making Tronical’s PowerTune System available to our customers and its ability to offer our customers a remarkable musical experience. Gibson has always been known for innovation and from the HD.6X-Pro Guitar System to this innovation for the marketplace we will continue to produce unique and affordable systems for all Gibson guitar enthusiasts worldwide.�

Here’s what Tronical have to say about the system in their own words…

This is a dream come true:
The guitar that tunes itself automatically now becomes a reality. Perfectly tuned in seconds (re-tune in less than 2 seconds in fact!) at the touch of a button, virtually undetectable, even in front of the audience! All this happens with an accuracy that is beyond manual tuning (typically 0.2 cent!). What’s more, Tronical’s individual memory even takes peculiarities and the musician’s personal preferences into account. Pre-programmed or individually saved presets such as open tuning, or special grunge- and slide- settings can be recalled in seconds.
Tronical’s Powertune is a modular system that can be retro-fitted to virtually any available guitar make or model, without the need for destructive rebuilding or re-working. The guitar can also be returned to its original state at any time, if needed.

Tronical´s Powertune system consists of three modular main components:

• The TuneControl MultiKnob replaces the guitar's volume control. The entire Powertune operating and control functionality is contained within this unique multifunctional pot. In the "Pull" position it acts as a rotary switch for selecting various tunings. Built-in multicolored LEDs offer superb visibility and control over all settings and tunings - even in the darkest or brightest environments! In addition the lens acts as an "Enter" button. The Knob is available in various colors, for fitting the guitar's look.

• The Powerhead-Locking Tuners consist of lightweight micro servo motors and high-performance gears. The servo motor control has an intelligent "learn" capability that allows optimizing any tuning requirements whilst maintaining full manual tuning. Thanks to ultra-light material from aircraft construction the Tuners maintain the physical balance and the guitar's sustain.

• The piezo equipped TuneControl Bridge and TuneCore Controller controls and monitors the action of the servo tuners. The TuneCore Controller fits in standard guitar cavities. The TuneControl Bridge comes in two styles: As a Tun-O-Matic bridge (Gibson-style) or as a tremolo bridge (Fender-style). The Fast-Locking mechanisms used in the Powerhead® Locking Tuners guarantee stable tuning even during fierce use of the tremolo. New DSP-based ultra-fast tuning analysis software in the controller electronics calculates the actual tuning - or rather the necessary correction - in fractions of a second. Powertune®´s power supply is a rechargeable battery pack that also fits in the existing cavity of the guitar and charges by simply plugging a guitar cable into the charger. A fully charged battery guarantees several hundred tuning actions before it has to be recharged.

Pricing and Availability:
TBA

More information:

• www.tronical.com
• www.gibson.com

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  6 Comments...  Post a comment    original story

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  Dave    Said...

  You seriously think the avg. performing guitarist is gunna pay such big bucks just for the convenience? Yeah, rite!

  20-Jan-07 11:20 AM

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  -TruXa-    Said...

  This is reserved for pros or guys w big bucks, anyways just for curiosity anyone knos bout the price?

  19-Apr-07 09:10 PM

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  stuffer145    Said...

  900 buck sounds fair to me I'm a slide player and use 54-13 gage strings ony one try it yet or can tell me if the tunners can handle beefy strings and as a reg giging guy it sounds alot easer than trying to keep 6 guiters in there tunnings

  02-Aug-07 11:35 PM

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  stuffer145    Said...

  900 buck sounds fair to me I'm a slide player and use 54-13 gage strings ony one try it yet or can tell me if the tunners can handle beefy strings and as a reg giging guy it sounds alot easer than trying to keep 6 guiters in there tunnings

  02-Aug-07 11:35 PM

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  Jerry    Said...

  This is nothing new at all, TransPerformance has had guitar tuning technology for like 20 years or something, basically blows this thing away. I think it holds like 400 tunings! Why do companies like this try to steal someone else's thunder, lol.

  21-Aug-07 09:54 AM

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  stuffer145    Said...

  TransPerformance cacn't handle the heaver strings that I would need for slide and why woulf i want to rout out the top of my les paul if i didn't have to this looks as it might work on my arch top

  26-May-08 11:32 PM

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