Pictured is the tailpiece (in the foreground) and bridge of the Gibson Robot Guitar. The bridge detects the relative pitch of each string passing over it.
The tailpiece helps transmit pitch data via the strings from circuitry in the body to circuitry in the peghead, which controls the winding and unwinding of specialized tuning pegs.
The Tronical system, whose hardware can be installed with minimal modification to the instrument, offers seven presets (which can
changed by the user) but doesn't support tuning libraries. Controlled by a single, LED-lighted push-pull knob on the guitar top, the system uses an active feedback loop to correct string tension to the desired pitch, which means the strings must be strummed in the open (unfretted) position for the system to work correctly. Because they require open-string strumming and a bit more time than would be typical on the Performer system, tuning changes using Tronical's Powertune likely would be done between songs rather than during them.
Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz notes that Gibson has worked with Performer developer Neil Skinn, whose system "is great, and might have a few more bells and whistles, but might not be as acceptable to the average player."
Photo by Gibson USA
