Connecting Live Instruments and technology...Gibson DarkFire

[cadaveca]

On the other side of my life, I'm an avid guitar player. I own many guitars, but the Gibson DarkFire is my daily-beater. This guitar includes "Robot Tuning", as well as several technical features that make this guitar stand out. Included in the case was a FireWire audio interface, as well as GuitarRig3(amp modelling software). Check it out:

[MUff1N]

I've been a guitar player since I was 16 & never even heard of this Les Paul model before...
Has to be very recent because of the tech in it.
The robo tuning is crazy! I just checked it out!
I'd hate to see the price on this & you can forget about working on it yourself.
Not to mention the replacement parts for when it stops tunning correctly!
How many months of constant use do you think that would last???
Good novelty, but I wouldn't buy it unless I had money to blow.

DarkFire Demo: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyl...ark-fire-demo/

What matters to me the most in a guitar is this...

1. How it sounds.
A guitar can look extremely cool, but if it sounds like ****
it is ****!
(Because of the DarkFire having to have all the motors & such in it, it's missing a LOT more wood!
This really effects the sound of a guitar & takes away from the FAT sound of a Les Paul)

2. The Playing Action.
If a guitar is hard to play I don't care how much it costs or how cool it looks, its garbage!

Now I'm not saying the DarkFire is a bad guitar, I'm just saying for the price I doubt if I would ever buy it.
Would be really nice to have it as a collector's guitar though, & would be worth a lot in 20 years or so if you never played it.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by MUff1N

I've been a guitar player since I was 16 & never even heard of this Les Paul model before...
Has to be very recent because of the tech in it.

Fully released May 2009("Paper" launch was in December of 2008). Cost more than I'd like to admit.

Originally Posted by MUff1N

What matters to me the most in guitar is this...

1. How it sounds.
A guitar can look extremely cool, but if it sounds like ****
it is ****!

This Les Paul is chambered, so acoutically, without an amp, it's amazingly loud and bright. The sustain is tremendous.

The bridge has a built-in peizo, so there are 3 pickups. You can use each on it's own, or blend the peizo into the standard magnetic pick-ups' sound-stream.

Each magnetic pick-up is dual-coil, and the onboard electronics let you chose which of those coils you are using...all 4, any combo of three, one from the bridge/one from the neck, as well as some selections that place the pick-ups out-of-phase as well.

The actual tonal possibilites in the guitar electonics alone sets it far apart, but add in the GuitarRig software, plug into a pc, and you can change the sound of every string independantly, or all six as a whole.

The possibilities has me playing an average of 3 hours, every day. I was playing for about 1hr a day before. The combination of hardware and software means that whatever sound I want to come out of the strings...does. Any sound.

Originally Posted by MUff1N

2. The Playing Action.
If a guitar is hard to play I don't care how much it costs or how cool it looks, its garbage!

Action is highly subjective; individual to the player. Through the use of a new nut, and adjustable bridges, as well as a decent trusssrod in the neck, action isn't really an issue in any guitar. Neck shape on every Gibson is slightly different, due to being done by hand, and this is my second DarkFire. The first was returned due to faults...but this one has been flawless.

I am finding that as the weather changes(it's now -4 outside, -12 with the wind), I've had to make a few adjustments, but after 20 years of playing, I know exactly what to do, and haven't had any issues doing so what so ever.

After spending alot of time with the guitar. It's everything I expected when looking before buying, although it did take 2 guitars to get that. MSRP is $3600 US, so perfection is a must at that price level. I bought it to play it, not collect it, BTW. Cost is not a factor...if you want something...go get it!

[Gizmo]

Hey Cadaveca! It's good to see you again. Hope all is well with you?

[danrok]

Nice guitar!

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

Hey Cadaveca! It's good to see you again. Hope all is well with you?

Well, other than the cold weather, and my furnace giving up overnight, things are great! Thanksgiving weekend up here, so repair to the furnace costs extra!

Leaves are falling off the trees green. Barely been above 0c for a few days now. Would be good overclocking weather, but I don't have time for that stuff!

Originally Posted by danrok

Nice guitar!

It really is. One of my most satisfactory buys ever.

[MUff1N]

Sorry, but even when I was playing professionally that price is way too high for my tastes.
I NEVER paid more than $1200 for a new guitar & most I bought used for about $500.

The new $1200 guitar I bought was a Strat. (It was well worth $2800 & I bought it from a store owner/friend at cost)
Ash body, clear red finish, rosewood fretboard with a Kailer wammy.
You could push the wammy down to where the strings were falling off the neck & it would come back into perfect tuning everytime!
Best guitar I ever owned or played.
Killer rock guitar with a very FAT sound.
(weighed a ton for a strat)

[Daniel ~]

Anything that makes to music makers happy pleases me! ":O}

Great to see you posting here again.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by MUff1N

Sorry, but even when I was playing professionally that price is way too high for my tastes.
I NEVER paid more than $1200 for a new guitar & most I bought used for about $500.

The new $1200 guitar I bought was a Strat. (It was well worth $2800 & I bought it from a store owner/friend at cost)
Ash body, clear red finish, rosewood fretboard with a Kailer wammy.
You could push the wammy down to where the strings were falling off the neck & it would come back into perfect tuning everytime!
Best guitar I ever owned or played.
Killer rock guitar with a very FAT sound.
(weighed a ton for a strat)

Cost doesn't matter to me. it merely equals time before owning, and I have buttloads of patience. I bought mine 3 months after the 2nd release, So I've had it a bit over 2 months now. I also have a blue Robot, and a red Gibson Studio.

In the end, the guitar cost less than what some paintjobs on a car do. A good furnace costs as much. Did I mention it's too cold in here for me to play! lol. Been running benchmarks on my machines, and baking cookies, to stay warm!

[Daniel ~]

If you need a place to store your cookies...I'm available! ":O}

[cloasters]

Both Strats and Les Pauls are easy on the ears and eyes. I imagine that you're both good guitar slingers, more power to you!

[robbie]

Hey bud good to see ya! Very nice axe.

[cadaveca]

Not many survived the cold...

[Daniel ~]

Poor storage technique! I'll send you my shipping address! Don't let this happen to you again!

[Áedán]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

Did I mention it's too cold in here for me to play! lol. Been running benchmarks on my machines, and baking cookies, to stay warm!

Hey Cadaveca, good to see you! Baking is one good way to stay warm - especially in winter.

[cloasters]

I don't understand the extra capabilities of your Gibson, but I gotta say that's one beautiful axe.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by cloasters

I don't understand the extra capabilities of your Gibson, but I gotta say that's one beautiful axe.

Just many ways to tweak the way it sounds, both in the guitar itself, and interfaced with a pc. Sits next to a pc, ready to play, 24/7!

If I find the time, I'll toss up a demo video, but I have some eyefinity gaming to do first!

[cadaveca]

I had to send my DarkFire back to Gibson for repair. The electronics couldn't take my abuse! More info to follow when it returns!(Which may be a couple of months.)

[Daniel ~]

That's ONE LONG wait for a musician! Sorry Bud!