Call me old fashioned, but I’ve always thought live rock music should involve feedback, distortion, frequent changes of guitar and the opportunity for witty stage banter provided by the need for the lead guitarist to tune up. Not so axe manufacturer Gibson. Fresh from inventing a digital guitar to do away with distortion they’ve invented a self tuning guitar.

While helpful gadgets that will tell you if you’re out of tune have been around for a while, Gibson have stuck one on an instrument and rigged it up to tiny motors that will tighten or loosen the strings for you. This isn’t actually the first guitar with built in tuning, as Gibson are good enough to admit in the press release they put out on September 21st. Still, after a new write up in Technology Review this kit is getting some attention (Gizmodo, USA Today, Engadget).

While some are keen, others are decidedly not. “Look, I’m lazy, okay? But I’m not too lazy to tune my own goddamn guitar properly. You can spend $900 on this magic thing or you can spend $12 for a friggin’ tuner,” says one blogger.

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