LTD EDITION SG SPECIAL-1 | Electric Guitar

• Controls
• Powerhead Locking Tuners
• Tone-Control Bridge and Tailpiece
• Neutrik Jack
• Solid Mahogany Body
• Nitrocellulose Finishes
• Gibson’s 490R and 498T Pickups
• Fret Wire
• 22-Fret Ebony Fingerboard

Gibson’s Robot SG Special represents the latest evolution of one of the world’s most popular and well-respected instruments. While the Robot SG Special doesn’t walk and talk or take on a humanoid form, it does perform a very important task – it tunes itself. This marvel of modern engineering that looks pretty much like any other SG (except for its very cool Red Metallic finish) will tune itself to standard tuning or alternate tunings, and is equipped to be a great aid in intonating the Robot SG Special, as well.

Controls

At the heart of Gibson’s revolutionary Robot SG Special Limited are its ground-breaking controls. At first glance, the four control knobs seem to be indistinguishable from those on any other SG. But look again. While the four knobs do provide the standard tone and volume controls for each of the two pickups, the Multi-Control Knob (MCK) – the one with the illuminated top – serves as the master control for all aspects of the Robot SG Special Limited’s amazing, self-tuning system. The MCK is what is commonly referred to as a “push-pull” knob. When in the normal position (down), it behaves as a regular volume or tone pot. When the MCK is pulled out, the Robot SG Special Limited’s radically new self-tuning system is activated and ready for use. It immediately places the Robot SG Special Limited in standard tuning mode (A440). A quick turn of the MCK presents six factory presets, all of which can be customized. At any time, you can also restore the tunings to the factory presets and start all over again. The LED display on top of the MCK also lets you know when a string is out of tune, or when all strings are in tune, and even when the tuners are turning to get them in tune. It even guides the setting of accurate intonation. At the end of the tuning process, the blue lights on top of the MCK flash. Push the MCK back in and it’s ready to go. The only thing you have to do is play.

Solid Mahogany Body

A slim, solid mahogany body is fundamental to all SGs. The Robot SG Special Limited’s light body delivers the SG’s legendary thick, warm tone and singing sustain. The mahogany is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts. Once inside the Gibson factories – where humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees – all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium” by ensuring the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and helps control the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to helping reduce the weight. It also helps with improving the woods’ machinability and finishing properties, and adherence to glue. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Gibson’s 490R and 498T Pickups

The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. This new genre’s players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. Gibson answered this call with the 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm), both with the traditional characteristics of the original “Patent Applied For” pickups, but with two key modifications. First, a four-conductor wiring scheme allows the 490s to be connected to any push/pull knob, which lets players split their coils and increase versatility. Gibson also introduced wax potting, which does away with any air space inside the pickup – thus lessening the chances of microphonic feedback. The result is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The Gibson 498T bridge pickup is the 490’s ideal complement. Taking the 490 one step further, the 498 swaps the Alnico II magnet to an Alnico V, thus making it slightly hotter with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. The pole pieces on the 498T are also aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck. As with all Gibson pickups, every part is precisely manufactured at Gibson USA in Nashville, Tennessee.

22-Fret Ebony Fingerboard

Ebony has always graced the fingerboards of the world’s finest stringed instruments, including today’s SG Custom, SG Supreme, and the pioneering HD.6X-Pro Digital SG. The fingerboard on Gibson’s revolutionary Robot SG Special Limited is constructed from the highest grade Ebony on the planet. The ebony is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories to be fitted onto the necks of the new Robot SG Special Limited guitars. The resilience of this dense and durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note clarity and bite. The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, which can occur on fingerboards with lesser radiuses. Resilient and less porous, ebony tends to absorb oils well, which allows it to preserve its rich, beautiful color.