Gallery: Brainy Axes: 4 Smart Guitars Tested and Rated
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These axes house digital guts that not only keep that finicky B string in tune but also put a full arsenal of effects at your fingertips. The Basics __What is a smart guitar?__ It's a guitar that takes those pedals and effects gizmos—distortion, chorus, delay—off the floor and puts them in the instrument. The guitars look the same, but inside they have advanced digital tools that can tune while you play, alter the tone, and simulate different instruments. __So they're better?__ Not exactly. If you want a Les Paul or an acoustic, buy one. An electric guitar that's been programmed to mimic others can't replace the real thing. But smart guitars unleash new possibilities. Switch between tunings mid-song, morph the tone from a ripping Stratocaster to a gentle nylon string during a solo. The idea is that you're buying a rockable musical laboratory. __Does that mean customization?__ You bet. USB ports are showing up next to quarter-inch jacks, and manufacturers are providing software that lets players build new effects and tunings. No more modding your hardware in the basement, either. Transform one pickup into a gritty humbucker and another into a twangy sitar with a few clicks of the mouse. Buying Advice If all you want is a couple new effects, you're better off with pedals. But if you want a quick way to experiment with lots of sounds—and especially if you have limited time or space—these make sense. As always, though, pay attention to how the guitar reacts to your own style. Sounds die or turn screechy more easily on these instruments.
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### Gibson Firebird X Three screaming humbuckers plus a piezoelectric pickup in the Firebird's bridge fuel a huge library of preprogrammed and customizable effects. However, the sound can cut out when you switch between them. The auto-tuning here relies on small motors that physically turn pegs, Poltergeist-style. It's cool, but it's accurate only with .009- to .011-gauge strings, and even then we sometimes had to fine-tune them by hand. While Gibson clearly paid more attention to overall sound than anyone else in our lineup, the heavy reliance on pickup switches to access all those effects is frustrating. We wouldn't mind a more imaginative rethinking of the interface. __WIRED__ Sounds as gorgeous as it looks. __TIRED__ Short-lived battery might cut out during your encore. Robot tuners a bit tin-eared. Switch combinations require a lot of memorization. $3,999 | [Gibson Firebird X](http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/Firebird-X.aspx)
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### Peavey AT-200 Peavey is clearly betting that the smart feature everyone from beginners to pros wants most is tuning, because that's the only one here. The AT-200 is the first instrument with Auto-Tune for the Guitar. (Yes, it's by the Auto-Tune people.) Do an open strum, press the volume knob, and you're in standard tuning in less than a second. Alternate tunings happen just as quickly, which should extend the appeal beyond newbies. Peavey supplies two humbuckers, but the lightweight body holds them back from peak screamability. __WIRED__ Can discern between intentional bends and off- key noodling, and adjust intonation accordingly. Black humbuckers for rocker cred. __TIRED__ Auto-tuning as the only "smart" feature sells the concept a bit short. $499 | [Peavey AT-200](http://www.peavey.com/products/at200/index.cfm/item/118115/at200.html)
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### Roland G5 Fender Stratocaster The G5 is a Stratocaster at first glance, with the alder body, rosewood fingerboard, and heavy frets we've come to expect. But this Strat morphs into a Tele or a hollow body or a range of acoustic instruments. A "wide" option for the pickups gives you that thick Fender sound when it's time. The retuning system does a great job with basic open tunings, but the customization options and variety of tones lag behind the Firebird and Line 6. Switching between an "ultrawide" humbucker and the standard Strat isn't that compelling. And bending a note can make adjacent strings go flat. __WIRED__ Cranks like a Strat. Subtle analog-style dials do a good job of masking the computerized guts. __TIRED__ Um, detuning mid-solo is really bad. Can't create custom effects, tones, or tunings. $1,299 | [Roland G5 Fender Stratocaster](http://www.zzounds.com/item--ROLG5)
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### Line 6 JTV-59 This is one fast, precise ax, with two crisp alnico humbucking pickups plus a rosewood fretboard and tall nut that launch your fingers around the neck. The distinct tones you can get out of each string will automatically make you feel like a better musician. Line 6's Workbench freeware lets you customize the pickups, right down to the coils' (theoretical) angle against the strings. And the library of 28 simulated guitar sounds will let you switch on the fly from a Gibson ES-355 to a Martin D28 to a '66 Guild 12-string. __WIRED__ Virtual Capo retunes the strings' pitch on the spot. Phish-show-worthy battery life. Enough simulated guitars to fill a store. __TIRED__ In the time it takes to understand the customization software, you could learn how to play the sax. Piezo pickup sounds a bit cheap. $1,500 | [Roland G5 Fender Stratocaster](http://line6.com/jtv-59/)
