My New Guitar

This video of the Gibson Robot Guitar is from the gibson.com website by way of youtube.com. The thing tunes itself! These new guitars will be delivered in 18 days at 7:00 P.M. to the 400 stores "lucky enough to be chosen to participate in the Robot launch" of these "First Run Limited Edition" Les Pauls. I'll be getting mine in New Orleans. It will be a great guitar to play and/or have as an investment. A Standard model will be out in "late 2008." The following is also from the Gibson Guitar website:

"Gibson Robot Guitar, a new limited edition first-run Les Paul, continues two great Gibson traditions: cutting-edge innovation and a limited edition first run that will surely go on to become a highly sought-after Gibson instrument.

These limited edition Les Pauls, featuring Gibson's amazing self-tuning robotic technology, launch globally on December 7, 2007, at select dealers, each of whom will have only 10 of these beautiful guitars. If previous limited run releases are any indication, they won't have them for very long.

Each limited edition, first run Gibson Robot Guitar will feature a dramatic Blue Silverburst nitrocellulose finish, created especially for this limited run. It will never be used on any other Gibson guitar. Also featured is a certificate of authenticity, a power adaptor for the system's rechargeable lithium battery, and a limited edition first run case with silver tolex and a plush silver interior. Each Robot Guitar's serial number will also be sequentially exact, beginning with "RG0001," and continuing through the end of the limited run.

Many of Gibson's limited run models of the 1950s-guitars that could be purchased for as little as a few hundred dollars-now command huge sums of money as some of the most desirable collectables in the industry, and the same is proving true with Gibson's recent limited runs. If history is any indicator-and it usually is-the Robot Guitar will soon join the ranks of such models as:

1958 Flying V (only 81 produced; typically sell for $100,000 and up)

1958 Explorer (only 100 produced; one example with original Bigsby and custom made plate cover sold for $611,000 at a Skinner Auction in Boston in October 2006; it was purchased new in 1958 for about $250)

1958 Les Paul Standard (only 434 produced; typically sell in the $50,000-$250,000 range)

1959 Les Paul Standard (considered the Holy Grail of guitars; only 643 produced; typically sell in the $100,000-$500,000 range, and up)

1960 Les Paul Standard (only 635 produced; typically sell in the $50,0000-$250,000 range)

The 2004 Gibson Custom Shop Duane Allman Signature Les Paul (only 57 produced, and rarely available for purchase)

The 2005 Gibson Custom Shop Eric Clapton "Crossroads" ES-335 (250 guitars produced, sold out in 72 hours)

The 2006 Jimmy Page Custom Authentic Les Paul (first 25 were signed, played, and numbered by Page himself; $25,000 original price tag, but now typically sell for $80,000-$100,000)

The 2007 Custom Shop Jimmy Page Signature EDS-1275 Doubleneck (25 Aged, 250 VOS models, sold out in less than two weeks)

The limited edition, first run Robot Guitar will certainly follow in the footsteps of these legendary Gibson instruments."