I love my SG's and all the different variants out there but why is Gibson putting this Min-etune on - it looks like - all SG's? Shouldn't you have a choice.... Is it just me or is anyone else on the fence and saying "No thank you"
The way I look at it is if I don't like like this 2014 version with the min-etune, there are 53 years/versions before this one. I'm sure you'll find one you like. Plus it's always a good thing to buy used over new so you can save a dollar or two.
I guess I was just shocked to see that the SG got a Global change over the whole line whether or not anybody liked it.
I'm going to guess that Gibson believes the robot is the future. They've been trying to sell guitarists on this since 2007 for sure. And the gear seems to keep improving, so they may be right. Guitarists in general seem to be hard to convince when it comes to radical new ideas. The original Les Paul guitar was a failure commercially, and Gibson discontinued them for lack of interest. They replaced the Les Paul with the SG, which (surprise!) was an immediate success. Gibson sold more SGs in the first year than they sold Les Pauls in the years 1958, 1959 and 1960 combined. Go figure. Well we all know the virtues of the SG, but in addition to our favorite, Gibson also introduced the Explorer and the Flying Vee... these were not accepted immediately by the guitarists of the day the same way the SG was. Personally, I don't know why they didn't just keep making Les Pauls alongside SGs... Fender had the same kind of quandary... The original "Broadcaster" was mocked and ridiculed by all the sales guys from other companies, who called it a canoe paddle and a snow shovel... those guys didn't think it would sell. But slowly guitarists began to accept it. If there had been internet forums back then, the remarks would have sounded familiar I'm sure. The Strat was accepted soon enough, all it took was Buddy Holly playing one on Ed Sullivan and getting a hit with his rhythm style and cool glasses. Then they couldn't make them fast enough. But the Jazzmaster didn't catch on like Fender hoped it would. It seems like they have to introduce something new, and watch it fail, and discontinue it before anybody believes it might be okay. Then they re-issue it and all is forgiven, eh? So who knows. Young guitarists will buy what they think is cool, disregarding the opinions of seasoned veterans and elder statesmen. I think Gibson is betting on that.
Well I can offer a couple solutions. 1. . Buy an SGJ or 2 (no robot) and lots of cash left to customize. 2. There are LOTS of nice used non robot SG's everywhere, Happy Shopping:) I am thinking if sales decline due to the addition of the robots.....new "non robot bargain" editions will start coming out.
I'd say just buy a special. No robo tuner and they're cheap as hell. Granted you'll have to change out the horrendous brown plastics. So I dunno. I guess you can always just put normal tuners on the thing. Sell the robo tuner and probably come out on top.
I bought my aged white SG Standard and My Flip Flop Blue Sg used and I'm all too happy with them but I'm always looking at SG's even if don't need, can or can't afford another. If I get a third - I'd probably want a fourth....etc. etc. I wonder if that Min-etune is removable and doesn't show signs of its' initial installation if someone was to go with a standard tuner. I guess that will come out here on the forum eventually if it hasn't already.
I can understand that for a gigging guitarist in a loud place this mechanical tuning system would be a boon, but it's no substitute for learning to tune by ear. Too many people shy away from this important skill. Hard work I guess...
I was surprised as well that it was the only option on the standard. GC reacted by offering the SG 1961 Standard. It's basically a 2013 standard, no etune and a cool sunburst finish.
yuh, and if the robots don't sell, it will be time for Gibson to come up with the "Faded Special Re-issue" ...those guitars sold by the train car load, and you can find good used ones for $450 or so, and they can restore everyone's faith (if we had any) by returning to the basics, and executing them well. How about a '62 Re-issue re-issue?
Warning*** RANT to FOLLOW**** This appears to be another of those "luxuries" that not all of us need (or want). I have the similar "issue" with all the new motorcycles coming out with "ride by wire" electronic throttles AND traction control/ABS. These started as options now certain models you can't get without it. The real issue here is a "dumbing down" of society. Learning to TUNE a guitar is a huge part of PLAYING the guitar. If you can't do it, ods are maybe you should take up trumpet or drums? But then most the Pop musicians and singers these days are horribly undertalented and mega "over-electroniced" . :-( The motorcycle abs/traction control is the same.....yes its safer for "squids" or Nubes but how do you LEARN when NOT to lock the back break (or to properly feather front and rear brakes...or trail break!!!) if the bike will NOT let you? How do you LEARN not to grab a big handle full of throttle....in the rain.....on A 1000cc bike......IF the bike will not let you????? How can you truly enjoy the ragged EDGE of your instrument/machine if the nanny state has made that edge a soft round foam filled fuzzy pink bunny?????? I ride on and off road....have been for 35 years, I KNOW how to power slide and trail brake, lean angles, and twist spin and GO .....none of which can be done on an ABS/TC bike.......guess new bikes just weren't in my future......and DON'T get me started on the new AUTOMATIC transmission bikes........ Dumbing Down is just lazy, why practice or LEARN a skill just get the computers to do it for you.......... I broke a lot of bones and ate a lot of dirt and rocks LEARNING how to ride better, faster, safer......I can tune my guitar by ear better than the stupid little clip on auto tuner a friend gave me for Xmas....took years to perfect......geesh put down the video games and practice people ------what ??? ROCKSMITH is a WHAT????? Oh dear Lord!
Have you seen the 2014 Specials? The pickup rings and poker chip are this brownish color. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think it looks nice with any of the colors options. It's not a huge deal and certainly wouldn't turn me off of buying one if I was in the market, but that doesn't change the churning in my guy when I see it That being said, I LOVE the walnut finish.
First off, drums are WAY harder to tune than a guitar. Second, do people actually tune by ear? That can't be a very efficient or, much more importantly, accurate way to tune. Tuners are cheap and dead simple to use. It's not a matter or learning HOW to tune. It's just a matter of buying a tuner. The robo tuner, as far as I can tell, is a tuner that takes out the step of you twisting the knob. I learned how to twist a knob pretty early on in life as I'm sure most people did, so that's not really a downfall of society. I don't think manipulating the machine head is really a "skill" one needs to "learn". Serious question: am I missing something?
I did some pretty good work with an offset press and a Graphlex copy camera, half a century ago. A colour print such as the sample would have taken me about 4 hours to paste up and shoot and another 12 hours of inking, running, cleaning, inking, running, cleaning etc, to print 500 copies. We won the revolution with such technology! I recently made some reproductions of a pamphlet we had printed for Cesar Chavez. The original had taken 160 labour hours to produce 1,000 copies. Using a scanner, These made 250 in just under an hour! and I didn't need rubber gloves, goggles, earplugs or a respirator. I guess I've adapted to being dumber. ;>)/
