After Using an Auto-Tuner Equipped Guitar for Several Years

Hello! My name is Yuya!
This time, I would like to talk about the invention that suddenly appeared in the guitar world—the “auto tuner”—and share the good and the bad I’ve felt after using it for several years.

■ What is an Auto-Tuner??

As the name suggests, an auto-tuner is a convenient system that automatically tunes your guitar—something you would normally do manually—at the push of a button.

A well-known example of an auto-tuner is Gibson’s “Gibson G-FORCE,” and the one I personally use is a 2015 model “Gibson Les Paul Less Plus,” which comes with an auto-tuner built into the headstock from the start.

This auto-tuner gained attention in 2008 when Gibson released a self-tuning “robot guitar” equipped with a system that detects pitch at the bridge, sends that information as a signal to the tuning pegs, and winds them using motors.
Since then, improvements have been made, and the G-FORCE system now detects pitch with a sensor located under the peg shaft, and by operating the controller on the back of the headstock, small motors attached to the tuning pegs adjust the tuning.

And, not only on Gibson products like the Les Paul, but also as an aftermarket option, the German-made “Tronical Tune” auto-tuning system is available, which can be installed on various guitar types such as Les Paul-style, Strat-style, and Flying V-style guitars.

(This is a review of the auto-tuner based on my experience using the 2015 “Gibson Les Paul Less Plus” model for several years. Please note that there may be differences compared to auto-tuners installed on other products.)

■ Advantages of Auto-Tuner Equipped Guitars

First, I’d like to talk about the good of auto-tuners.

• First of all, tuning is incredibly easy!!
  It may sound obvious, but by simply pressing a button and lightly playing the guitar to transmit vibrations, tuning can be done effortlessly.
  For example, during a live performance, you don’t have to ask the vocalist to fill time MCing while you tune—you can take the initiative and talk yourself!
  Also, you no longer have to nervously turn the pegs thinking, “Is the high E string going to snap…? Is this okay…?”—a common fear among guitarists during manual tuning!
• Tuning variations
  The auto-tuner (in the case of G-Force) comes with a wide variety of preset tunings, including regular tuning, half-step down, whole-step down, as well as Drop D, Double Drop D, Open E, A, D, G, and even DADGAD tuning—all selectable with the push of a button.
  The speed of switching from regular tuning to half-step down tuning is just 17.67 seconds, even with a slight delay!! (measured by the author)
  You can easily prepare the appropriate tuning for each song without taking extra time!
  You can play a pop song, immediately switch to metal without pause, and then jump straight into a blues session using open tuning for slide guitar—amazing your audience every time!
• Long-lasting battery
  A lithium rechargeable battery is built into the controller on the back of the headstock, allowing approximately 80–100 tunings on a single full charge.
  This means you don’t need to go through the hassle of charging every time you think, “I have rehearsal tomorrow” or “I have a live show tomorrow!”

■ The Bad of guitars with auto-tuners

Unfortunately, behind the convenience of the auto-tuner, there are also some drawbacks.

• Are the tuning pegs just for show??
  As the name suggests, an auto-tuner performs tuning “automatically,” so there is no need for manual tuning. As a result, the tuning pegs are basically just decorative. However, you can still move the pegs and manually drive the motors to tune the guitar without using the automatic function. But since they are essentially decorative, something that would never happen on a normal guitar can occur…
  
  The tuning pegs can fall off!
  
  If you handle it carefully, it won’t come off, of course, but if you accidentally hit it against something with a “bang!”, it can chip or become loose, resulting in a strangely rare guitar with no tuning pegs at all.
  I once had a peg come off unexpectedly, and since it was difficult to reattach, I ended up leaving the guitar as-is with some pegs missing, thinking, “Well… this kind of rocks too.”
  Once a peg comes off, manual tuning becomes almost impossible.
  Because it is such a special system, it’s rare to find replacement pegs sold separately. I did manage to find them once, but they were so expensive that I gave up.
• The battery strikes back…
  As I mentioned earlier about the battery advantages, there are also downsides…
  The G-Force does not display a clear low-battery warning, and the first sign of a dying battery appears in the tuning results themselves. When the battery starts to run low, even if it says “Tuning complete,” you may find that when you start actually playing, it’s still out of tune.
  Although I previously said that you don’t need to worry about charging it every time you have a rehearsal or live show, somehow it’s exactly in those moments that “what if” situations happen, and the battery suddenly dies… (Of course, when fully charged, its stability and endurance are excellent!)
• String changes are also unusual
  With an auto-tuning system, string changes are also quite different. It’s not like a normal Les Paul where you simply thread the string through a hole and wind it. Instead, there is a screw-on cap system, where the string is clamped to a metal piece under the cap and then wound using the controller. However, until you get used to it, it can be tricky, and with thicker strings you may hear a “grrrr” sound as it gets stuck while tightening—oh dear.
  Even after using it for several years, I’ve only recently started getting used to it, and I still don’t really know if I’m stringing it correctly (I’ve basically settled on the “if it plays, it’s fine” philosophy).

■ Current auto-tuners

So far, I’ve talked about the auto-tuner I personally use, but the “G-Force” I’m using is already a 6-year-old product.
Modern technology evolves at an incredible speed in just six years. (Back in 2015, the iPhone 6s was the latest model, but now we’re already at 13!!)
Nowadays, there are auto-tuners that don’t require being directly installed on the guitar; instead, you can simply attach them to the tuning pegs to tune the instrument!

ROADIE / Roadie 3

This “Roadie 3,” which is also available at Sound House, is an excellent device that tunes your guitar just by attaching it to the tuning peg and playing a note. Of course, it also supports alternate tunings, and because it only needs to be attached to the peg, it can also tune instruments like ukulele, mandolin, and banjo that traditional systems cannot handle.

It can also connect with an app (very modern), allowing you to save your own tuning presets.

■ Summary

Auto-tuners are still not mainstream, but we are now in an era where you can obtain this gadget without paying a huge amount of money.
The frustrations I personally feel with auto-tuners today may soon disappear as the technology continues to improve. While it is uncertain whether auto-tuners will become a standard tool for guitarists in the future, it is certainly an invention worthy of being written into guitar history.

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