Gibson won't make me a lefty Robot. Took matters into my own hands

[LPinmydreams]

[SkyDogJr]

Is this a precursor to Gibson not supporting their Robot system?

I would think that someone wanting a left handed Robot that they would simply say, yes, it can be made, but only through the custom shop and only if you pay the up charge for having a one-off built.

That would be pretty spendy for a left handed studio though...

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by SkyDogJr

Is this a precursor to Gibson not supporting their Robot system?

Doubt it. This is more of a case where Gibson doesn't really want to do too much with left handed guitars other than throw out something in a limited run every now and again.

To be honest about this I don't really expect to ever see a left handed Robot, Darkfire or Dusk Tiger. (But on that last one...hey...that might not be a bad thing at all! )

[atheos]

Originally Posted by J076

Fellow lefty here, nice job sticking it to the man!
Since the bridge is flipped around, I am assuming the intonation feature works backwards now?

I finished the setup last night, was just waiting to get my new lefty nut in place. Yes, intonation feature works great - I just have to make the adjustments in reverse until I have time to rewire the bridge and flip it back where it belongs.
I was able to set intonation correctly on each string with exception to Low E due to the bridge angle.

I'm probably going to go ahead and gut the robot parts, and transplant them to a lefty body as was my original intention. After seeing how nice the silverburst looked, I figured I'd just flip it -- after all, I started out on flipped Les Pauls. But, it proves to be quite uncomfortable. I still have knob impressions going down my left arm from playing this thing.

Does anyone think a silverburst Robot converted to a non-robot studio/standard might bring much $$$?
I call it a studio/standard because it Does have an ebony fretboard and headstock binding unlike any other studio I've seen. Might just have to sacrifice it to the no-reserve gods on ebay and see what my offering brings!

[type0]

Originally Posted by expo

He changed the strings....Every robot tuner has his specific string...you can not change the sides in a 3-3 tuner setup. thats the problem, if I understand it correctly.
Otherwise it would try to tune the low E string to high E .

Doesn´t matter if its a left handed or a reversed guitar.

Ouch...

[atheos]

Originally Posted by type0

Ouch...

yea, I wasn't sure if he understood my post, or if I didn't understood his reply. The whole point of my modification was to get around this "problem", which I have.

[Indrek]

Originally Posted by atheos

it's no joke, the robot sends positive voltage down 2 strings, negative voltage down 2 strings, and data/logic down two strings. It's very low power, no risk in shock

Slightly off-topic, but how does this affect hum? If the strings carry power and data then they cannot be grounded. Are they isolated from the bridge, or is the bridge not grounded either?

[type0]

Originally Posted by atheos

yea, I wasn't sure if he understood my post, or if I didn't understood his reply. The whole point of my modification was to get around this "problem", which I have.

Yeah. I'm happy it worked.
So they don't make the robot in left handed versions?

At that tension you could line dance on the string if it doesn't break before it's "in tune"

[type0]

Originally Posted by Indrek

Slightly off-topic, but how does this affect hum? If the strings carry power and data then they cannot be grounded. Are they isolated from the bridge, or is the bridge not grounded either?

And how would a metal slide affect the guitar?

[EvLectric]

So, short of a software upgrade, you would have still had to do these mods even just transplanted into a lefty guitar, right?

[smcgov]

Originally Posted by type0

And how would a metal slide affect the guitar?

That's exactly what i use my SG robot for, slide (and different tunings that go with that)...works perfectly....and I use a chrome slide

[SkyNet3D]

Cool diy. But was it worth all the trouble?

Originally Posted by atheos

it's no joke, the robot sends positive voltage down 2 strings, negative voltage down 2 strings, and data/logic down two strings. It's very low power, no risk in shock
A stripped robot is nothing more than a stock studio (except the ebony fretboard and headstock binding) with two small holes beneath the bridge and stop bar for wires.

So, what happens when strings touch each other during bends?

[atheos]

Originally Posted by type0

Yeah. I'm happy it worked.
So they don't make the robot in left handed versions?

I wish they did, I wouldn't have had to get all bootleg otherwise.

[atheos]

Originally Posted by type0

And how would a metal slide affect the guitar?

Just fine, so long as your not tuning at the very same time you're using the slide
If the strings make contact, the robot stops operating and gives a short circuit warning.

[type0]

Originally Posted by atheos

Just fine, so long as your not tuning at the very same time you're using the slide
If the strings make contact, the robot stops operating and gives a short circuit warning.

Oh. I see.

[Wild_Rose]

glad you worked it out and the silverburst is gorgeous!

[Howard2k]

What about learning to play right handed?

[dave19er]

That's awesome! Very cool that you were able to get it to work. My youngest is a lefty. He's only three, but whenever he picks up one of the kid guitars, I swap it so he's holding it right handed. My wife was asking why I did that, and not just let him play lefty. I explained what a PITA left handed guitars are and how companies really seem to not like to build them.

For what it's worth, I started out playing left handed. My dad said, "uh. yeah. you better learn righty, because there's no way I'm changing one of my guitars to lefty." So I swapped.

[mudfinger]

I'm a lefty, and I play right handed guitars. I'm not sure why other lefties don't as well, I would think you'd want your off hand holding a pick, and doing all the complicated fretting with your dominant hand.

It's always seemed like an advantage to use my left hand for fretting.

[atheos]

Originally Posted by mudfinger

I'm a lefty, and I play right handed guitars. I'm not sure why other lefties don't as well, I would think you'd want your off hand holding a pick, and doing all the complicated fretting with your dominant hand.

It's always seemed like an advantage to use my left hand for fretting.

could you not make the same argument for why a Right handed person should learn to play lefty? I started out trying to play right handed, it just didn't feel right. Not interested in bending to a backwards world

[chazza]

Paul McCartney is right handed but plays lefty.

[atheos]

Originally Posted by chazza

Paul McCartney is right handed but plays lefty.

Here's a video of Sir Paul being quite conspicuously left handed doing artwork for the Fireman
The Fireman Music | Electric Arguments produced by Paul McCartney & Youth | Media – Video – Artwork Day

Find any older pictures of him smoking a cigarette, you'll see he's quite clearly a southpaw. Perhaps the "original" Paul that died in 1966 was a righty

[dave19er]

Originally Posted by mudfinger

I'm a lefty, and I play right handed guitars. I'm not sure why other lefties don't as well, I would think you'd want your off hand holding a pick, and doing all the complicated fretting with your dominant hand.

It's always seemed like an advantage to use my left hand for fretting.

That was the theory I've heard as well. I'm a righty, but playing lefty felt more natural, until my dad shut me down and pretty much forced me to play right. However, I can also play tennis and hockey and shoot pool right or left handed, as can my dad and grandfather, so maybe there's a bit of ambidexterity going on there.

[Howard2k]

Originally Posted by dave19er

That was the theory I've heard as well. I'm a righty, but playing lefty felt more natural, until my dad shut me down and pretty much forced me to play right. However, I can also play tennis and hockey and shoot pool right or left handed, as can my dad and grandfather, so maybe there's a bit of ambidexterity going on there.

I would give my left arm to be ambidextrous.

[dave19er]

Originally Posted by Howard2k

I would give my left arm to be ambidextrous.

Har har. I did actually LOL at that, even if it was a joke my dad would tell...

[maltomario]

Originally Posted by joos

wait that has to be a joke right?

no.

[maltomario]

Originally Posted by atheos

it's no joke, the robot sends positive voltage down 2 strings, negative voltage down 2 strings, and data/logic down two strings. It's very low power, no risk in shock

Close... 2 strings carry positive voltage, 2 carry ground and IIRC the other 2 are used for single ended differential data transfer (using 2 signals that are out of phase).

The power / control signals are not active when you press in the MCK knob, so there is no chance to short out signal while playing. Even if you did, there is built in circuitry to safeguard and not cause permanent damage, and notify user of error condition by blinking either pink or white LED (i forgot, and I dont have my manual here)

[purevilpleasure]

Originally Posted by atheos

I finished the setup last night, was just waiting to get my new lefty nut in place. Yes, intonation feature works great - I just have to make the adjustments in reverse until I have time to rewire the bridge and flip it back where it belongs.
I was able to set intonation correctly on each string with exception to Low E due to the bridge angle.

I'm probably going to go ahead and gut the robot parts, and transplant them to a lefty body as was my original intention. After seeing how nice the silverburst looked, I figured I'd just flip it -- after all, I started out on flipped Les Pauls. But, it proves to be quite uncomfortable. I still have knob impressions going down my left arm from playing this thing.

Does anyone think a silverburst Robot converted to a non-robot studio/standard might bring much $$$?
I call it a studio/standard because it Does have an ebony fretboard and headstock binding unlike any other studio I've seen. Might just have to sacrifice it to the no-reserve gods on ebay and see what my offering brings!

I'd love to take that silverburst off your hands if I could afford a Gibson, even with nothing in it I'm sure you can easily get at least 500 or more for it.

[Saq78642]

Originally Posted by atheos

I did more than change the strings, I tricked the controller by reversing the bridge that contains the sensors that determine string pitch. I then wired the tuners so that controller would operate the tuners counterpart. This is why there are 4 wires that go between each tuner. (4 wires E to E, 4 wires B to A, 4 wires G to D)
I put together a how-to PDF in the near future for anyone else interested in doing the same mod.

I know this is a SERIOUS bump, but I'm planning on doing this in the near future and screwing up expensive tech is not exactly the best idea. If you do have that PDF, please give a link. (I also put a message on your profile)

[ElectricGuitarist33]

I'm not lefty, but why the hell doesn't Gibson make a persentage of every guitar run left handed?

That would be one of the first things I'd change with that company. I don't think they'd have a problem selling, amiright?.