Something innovative and cool from Gibson

[the mojo hobo]

Guitar cable recorder:

http://www2.gibson.com/Memory-Cable.aspx

Tool or toy?

[Granny Gremlin]

Toy; useful for songwritting scratchpad purposes ('inspiration insurance' as they refer to it) but little else.  Doesn't do much your smartphone can't also do (but granted, better quality audio than your iphone mic in a shit room, due to direct recording; drawback is only records one source).  Also doesn't say if there's any output (e.g. digital - to DL to your comp) aside from the HiZ analog out. 

A little short-sighted as far as workflow IMHO - would have been much more useful/versatile as an in-line device with female connectors so you're not stuck with an extra weight hanging from your output jack - choose your cable length.  That would also allow you to put it anywhere in the signal chain more easily/neatly.

Hand activation.control may also be a fail - stompbox format would work better.  Then there'd be room for a mic input as well and presto - a really useful product (I mean, who runs every instrument through the PA at a practise?  I laughed out loud when I read that as a suggested use).

I wouldn't reamp with it either (other than for test/experiment purposes vs trying to make a recording I'd give to people to listen to).  The recording quality/conversion can't be good enough (cost, small size and battery power mean it has to have some audio quality trade-offs).

That said , if it is only the price of a boutique guitar cable (so like $40-80?) it could be worth it as a songwriting tool; but personally I'd opt for getting either a better plugin mic/preamp for your iphone/other smart device or one of those ubiquitous stand alone pocket recorders (Edirol, Olympus, Tascam and Sony, among others, all have products in this category in the sub $150 range, with built in calibrated stereo mic  pair and often also a direct input option).  Some of those are actually surprisingly decent.

/2 cents

[Pilgrim]

Tool.

Not everyone has any convenient way of recording, nor do they necessarily have the IT skills to do so. 

Quality?  From the specs: "Uncompressed recording—CD-quality 44.1kHz/16 bit fidelity".  For that matter, not everything needs to be studio quality recording.  It's a legit tool, highly portable and very convenient,  and far better then nothing.

Price? "Competitive pricing with non-recording premium cables."  Assume that means it's in the same cost range as uber-ridiculous Monster cables.

[Dave W]

I'd call it a tool, but it really doesn't do anything that the already subcompact-size Tascam and Zoom recorders can already do, and they're already incredibly cheap considering what they can do. The only question is, will people find this more convenient than, say, a Tascam DR-05 or Zoom Q2?

[Highlander]

From some aspects, quite a bulky tool, considering the cable comes with it too...

[Basvarken]

What exactly is the purpose of recording an instrument without the context of the other instruments or music that is played along too?
I honestly can't see the use for such a device...

[mc2NY]

In can see the ad campaign:

"The Gibson Memory Cable....It remembers When Our Guitars Were Made Of Wood."

[uwe]

"... we had acquired in good faith and under strict observance of local applicable laws".

[mc2NY]

Saw the headline "Something Innovative and a cool From Gibson" and thought the company might be making window air conditioners.

Considering it bought Phillips and is into the consumer electronics/stereo market, why not air conditioners? If Gibson made them with grill cloth and amplifier knobs and control panel with a Gibby logo.....they would probably sell a crapload of them to mancaves!!

Add a USB port and speaker to plug in your iPod and Henry J. would be called a "genius" (at least by Uwe.)

[the mojo hobo]

There are Gibson windows air conditioners.



Gibson buying Philips makes sense. I recently purchased a Philips television and more recently had a repairman to my house to fix it.

[4stringer77]

What exactly is the purpose of recording an instrument without the context of the other instruments or music that is played along too?
I honestly can't see the use for such a device...

I could see it being a helpful practice tool. Especially if your getting into fretless playing and want to check your intonation.

[TBird1958]

Saw the headline "Something Innovative and a cool From Gibson" and thought the company might be making window air conditioners.

Considering it bought Phillips and is into the consumer electronics/stereo market, why not air conditioners? If Gibson made them with grill cloth and amplifier knobs and control panel with a Gibby logo.....they would probably sell a crapload of them to mancaves!!

Add a USB port and speaker to plug in your iPod and Henry J. would be called a "genius" (at least by Uwe.)

Gibson bought Phillips?
I hope not, Phillips owns quite a few Lighting mfgs., I don't want to have to deal with Henry J. backwash at my 9-5!

[Basvarken]

No not PhiLLips. They bought PhiLips

http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=8901.0

[TBird1958]

Thanks Rob!


One thing I have plenty of at work - idiots.

Don't need any more.

[Pilgrim]

One thing I have plenty of at work - idiots.

Don't need any more.

And here I thought you were going to complain about "dim bulbs".....