Self-tuning Guitars
The evolution of self-tuning guitar systems
One of the first self-tuning guitar systems to appear was the Transperformance (U.S.), the company, founded in 1987 by Neil Skin with the express purpose of developing self-tuning for guitars and other stringed instruments. In 1990 Tranperformance delivered the first working system to Jimmy Page of Led Zeplin a widely respected guitarist and noted for his talented use of open tunings.
The company Transperformance was later bought by AxCent Tuning Systems in 2008 and is still in existence today. axcenttuning.com
This self-tuning guitar evolution continued as patent records show that in 1998 a company named ATD filed an application for a bridge mounted self-tuning device. This device was exhibited at the Millennium Dome, London in 2000 along side a number of other innovative devices that won a NESTA Award and were selected to celebrate design and innovation in Britain at the turn of the millennium.
In 2005, a German-based company Tronical, introduced their take on a self-tuning device, unlike the Transperfomance and ATD system this device addresses tuning from the head-stock rather than the bridge.
www.tronical.com
www.soundonsound.com/review
www.reddit.com/review
www.reddit.com/why does everyone seem to hate the Min-E tune system/
wackerman.blogspot.se/2014 Gibson G Force and Min-E tune
In 2007 Gibson introduced the guitar “Robot” which was using the Tronical tuning system, this was met with mixed opinions but Gibson and Tronical continued their collaboration and during the next years brought out their further products “Dark Fire” and “Dusk Tiger” respectively. These guitars not only featured Tronical self-tuning but also camillian tone virtual sound modelling.
Another alternative arrived around 2010 with a bridge called Evertune, this does not tune your guitar but it compensates for when your guitar goes out of tune. evertune.com
One can only wonder at where this will all lead to!
How helpful can self-tuning guitar systems be for guitarists?
Can self-tuning be the logical step in the evolution of the guitar and part of the future similar to auto focus on cameras or electric windows in cars?
