Gibson Dark Fire Robot Les Paul Guitar, Limited Edition

More details:

The new Dark Fire from Gibson combines the classic Les Paul form with brand new function. Tone meets innovation in this incredible marriage of Chameleon Tone Technology and second generation Robot Guitar Technology.

The original Robot Guitar took the guitar world by storm when it was first introduced in December '07, but the new Dark Fire from Gibson is simply the most advanced guitar system ever developed. In fact, many of the technological advances on the Dark Fire were virtually inconceivable just a few years ago.

The new Dark Fire is an upgrade in every respect. The powerhead tuners, the tuning brain, the battery functions, and even the unprecedented sonic capabilities of a fully digital guitar and Chameleon Tone Technology.

Imagine the ability to change your guitar's tone to better match your environment. Everything is here to give you a new, stunning level of tonal and functional freedom that allows you the uninhibited release of your creative potential.

The original Robot Guitar took the guitar world by storm when it was first introduced in December '07, but the new Dark Fire from Gibson is simply the most advanced guitar system ever developed. In fact, many of the technological advances on the Dark Fire were virtually inconceivable just a few years ago. The new Dark Fire is a virtual upgrade in every respect. The powerhead tuners, the tuning brain, the battery functions, and even the unprecedented sonic capabilities of a fully digital guitar and Chameleon Tone Technology. Imagine the ability to change your guitar's tone to better match your environment. Everything is here to give you a new, stunning level of tonal and functional freedom that allows you the uninhibited release of your creative potential

500 Tunings from a Single Battery Charge.

The Dark Fire's battery system and power circuit have also been significantly improved to last nearly twice as long, even with the guitar's enhanced performance. You can now expect nearly 500 tunings from a single charge. As an added plus, you can also play the Dark Fire while the battery system is being charged.

Guitar Rig 3 Is Part of the Dark Fire Package.

In addition to the RIP itself, each guitar comes with easy-to-install software with pro-quality low-latency driver to process the Dark Fire through a well-stocked library of effects , all of which is packaged with a Gibson-modified version of the popular Guitar Rig 3 processing software. Through the RIP's connection capabilities you can route these effects to your live outputs, your recorded outputs, or both. Tap into Guitar Rig 3's versatile selection of effects box, amplifier and speaker emulations, and instantly achieve the most desired guitar tones in the history of popular music. Naturally, Dark Fire owners will also be able to connect to the internet through their RIPs to download firmware updates, along with upgraded functions and software features, as they become available from Gibson

Master Control Knob.

The key to controlling the powerful functions of the Dark Fire is the Master Control Knob (MCK), which has been completely redesigned with much improved ergonomics and a sophisticated full color matrix display featuring LEDs and high-tech light pipe technology, all to deliver a more powerful and easier to see visual display under any light condition. In addition to the MCK's top mounted display, LED-lit symbols now adorn its outer edge, which blend with the color of the knob so that they're only visible when lit. The Dark Fire's new MCK also controls the ability to change pickups and coils, allowing you the ability to adjust tone and tunings automatically and simultaneously , even several times during the same song.

Dark Fire-Specific Audio Equipment Coming.

Gibson is already developing a range of audio equipment designed specifically to work with your new Dark Fire, some of which is already scheduled for release in early 2009, including a small transmitter module designed to work with Bluetooth wireless technology, allowing you the ability to connect wirelessly to your computer or laptop

Faster, Lighter, Smaller Powerhead Tuners.

The redesigned powerhead tuners on the Dark Fire are significantly smaller and lighter, and more in line with the size and weight of conventional tuners. They're also radically faster. You can now access any preset tuning in less than one second, which means you can realistically change tunings in the middle of a song, if needed. What's more, the tuners are now automatically engaged to operate both electronically or individually by hand.

Let it RIP. While the heart of the Dark Fire's abilities lie within the guitar itself, the compact Robot Interface Pack (RIP) interface can connect this versatile guitar to Windows or Mac computers to release Dark Fire's ultimate tonal versatility - live or in the studio. In fact, the RIP lets you realize the full potential of Gibson's new Chameleon Tone Technology.

Let It RIP

RIP connects to your computer with a single FireWire cable There's no need to open up the computer, and you can easily move RIP from desktop to laptop or any other computer. The computer gives you instant access to countless recording applications and software effects processors, including Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition and Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3, both of which come with every Dark Fire guitar. Use these programs to record your latest ideas, access hundreds of different guitar effects and amplifiers, create backing tracks and much more.

Acoustic Capability.

The Dark Fire also gives you the ability to adjust and blend the acoustic sound from the piezo bridge pickup with the sound from the guitar's traditional pickups. It does this by utilizing a revolutionary rotary potentiometer which is part of the pickup selector toggle switch. By twisting the switch's head clockwise or counterclockwise, you can blend the piezo acoustic sound from zero percent acoustic sound (100 percent traditional pickups) to 100 percent acoustic sound (no traditional pickups).

Burstbucker 3.

The Burstbucker 3 arrived on the scene in 1990, and like the Burstbucker 1 and 2 represents Gibson's drive to capture and recreate the characteristics of the vintage Patent Applied For humbuckers of the late 1950s. On the shop floor of the original Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Mich., the earliest Gibson PAF humbuckers were wound using imprecise machines, resulting in pickups with varying degrees of output and tone. The Burstbucker line represents those variations, but with some modern appointments. The Burstbucker 3 provides historically accurate PAF tone with two slightly overwound coils, creating a raw, airy tone packed with enough punch to cut through any mix.

Gibsons New P-90H Pickup

The new P-90H black soapbar pickup is another example of Gibson's drive to stay one step ahead. This new pickup offers all of the soulful, classic tone of Gibson's legendary P-90 singlecoil pickup, but with none of the 60-cycle hum that usually plagues traditional singlecoil pickups. Gibson's pioneering engineers were then able to secure all of the P-90's vintage sonic characteristics, and deliver the same high output and sweet treble response that still makes the P-90 one of the most desirable pickups in the world.

Piezo Bridge Pickup.

The Dark Fire also features a revolutionary Gibson-designed piezo bridge pickup that actually consists of six individual piezo pickups, one for each saddle/string. These piezo pickups go through a studio-quality active amplifier that allows for a stronger and more natural acoustic guitar sound. Combined, the two classic electromagnetic pickups and the piezo bridge pickup are wired in such a way to allow each individual coil to be used in a switching matrix, giving you over 20 separate combinations of tone and an incredible array of tonal possibilities.

And, It Gets Better...

Additionally, the Dark Fire features improved locking tuners, a Teflon-based frictionless nut, a bridge that locks to the studs and a chambering system that gives each one near-perfect tone, balance and weight. It also makes the Dark Fire one of the best-sustaining Les Pauls ever produced.

The Dark Fire Finish.

Each of the Gibson Dark Fire Limited Edition First Run guitars features a dramatic Dark Fire nitrocellulose finish created especially for this exclusive run. It is one of the most striking finishes ever to leave a Gibson factory and is achieved by combining the time-tested techniques of applying a standard nitro finish with several new procedures that help bring out the natural beauty of the wood. The result is a stunning, deep gloss color that naturally highlights each piece of wood's distinctive grain patterns. The mahogany back and neck of the Dark Fire are given a satin finish, while the top and peghead face are sprayed with a gloss finish

Dual Black Binding.

The body is also bound with dual black binding, which accents the Dark Fire's exclusive finish perfectly and provides both the protection and beauty of traditional Gibson binding. The process of applying the body binding to the Dark Fire is the same process employed by Gibson craftsmen for over 100 years. And while some question the value of adding binding to a guitar, Gibson believes it to be an essential part of is rich guitar-making history, and a vital design element that adds elegance and helps protects the edges of the body

Chambered Mahogany Body.

Next is the Dark Fire's chambered mahogany body, which helps deliver near-perfect tone, balance and weight. One of the ways the expert craftsmen at Gibson achieve this equilibrium is by carving carefully mapped-out chambers in the solid mahogany backs of the Dark Fire using a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router before the maple top is glued on. The positioning of the routes were first established after careful examination of the resonant characteristics of the Les Paul. Gibson approached this process with the awareness that every change to the formula would have repercussions on the instrument's sound. The results are comfortable, lightweight guitars that are acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.

Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition.

The exclusive Gibson version of Ableton Live software dubbed Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition provides Dark Fire owners with the ability to record, play loops and perform every other function needed to play in any live or studio setting. Enjoy the benefits of using the same virtual studio software and stage solution package already used by hundreds of touring professionals all around the world.

Ableton Live Features

• Studio-quality recording up to 32-bit/192 kHz
  
• 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks per project
  
• Powerful and creative MIDI sequencing for software instruments
  
• More than 20 built-in audio effects, including a host of creative delays, filters, distortions, studio compressors and EQs
  
• Includes two software instruments - Simpler for creative sample-based synthesis, and Impulse for dynamic, sampled drums
  
• VST and AU effects and instruments support; automatic plug-in delay compensation
  
• Real-time time-stretching and warping of AIFF, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and MP3 files for DJing and instant remixing
  
• Tweak Live's controls in real time with any MIDI controller - just MIDI-map it or choose from a list of popular supported controllers for instant mapping
  
• Single-screen user interface for simple, creativity-focused operation
  
• Multicore and multiprocessor support
  
• A wide selection of presets for Live's instruments and effects
  
• Extensive built-in step-by-step tutorials
  
• Localized software menus, tutorials and PDF reference manuals available in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese