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From Our Research Team:

Les Paul Digital — The Next Step in Guitar Evolution

Gibson HD.6X-PRO - Two-hand tapping, pick harmonics, dive-bombing, pickup modifications, effects pedals, phrase looping - for decades, guitar players have been striving to expand the possibilities of the electric guitar - now Gibson gives you unlimited sonic vistas with all the comfort and familiarity of rock's most iconic guitar, the Les Paul! That's what the new Gibson HD.6X-PRO is - a genuine Les Paul through and through, but with the ultimate pickup mod. Sitting in between the traditional humbuckers and tune-o-matic bridge is a Hex pickup that captures a separate signal for each individual string and the tone is pure Paul!


Gibson HD.6X-PRO at a Glance:

• A genuine Gibson Les Paul with revolutionary digital technology
  
• Hex Pickup Splits each string into a unique analog output
  
• Breakout Box outputs mono, stereo, or Hex over 300 ft via Cat 5 cable
  
• "Classic Mode" gives you traditional Les Paul operation
  
• Unlimited sonic possibilities
  
• Includes SONAR Producer Edition DAW software

Genuine Gibson Les Paul Tone and Feel
We can hear you now: "It can't sound as good as my Les Paul if it's digital." Rest assured this a Les Paul all the way down to its core. Nothing is compromised. When you select the bridge pickup and roll off the highs, it sounds just like it should. The pickups are still the same humbuckers that made us all fall in love with the Les Paul tone in the beginning. The neck still has that familiar feel. You've still got speed knobs on the volume and tone controls. Down to the last detail, this is a Les Paul through and through. It's just got some added features that make it a bit more versatile - such as a Hex pickup and a 1/8" mic input, for instance.

Hex Pickup
The Hex Pickup captures a separate signal for each individual string and sends it to the onboard analog/digital converter which uses Gibson's patented MaGIC digital transport technology to send the signal out of the guitar via the Cat 5 Ethernet Cable. The cable is capable of carrying the signal 100 meters with no latency issues or loss of quality (thanks to MaGIC technology). The cable is plugged into the Breakout Box (BoB), which converts the digital information back to analog and outputs it in Sum, Stereo or Hex configuration.

Breakout Box
Once the signal has reached BoB, you have sonic options galore. You can route the output as a single summed mono signal to an amplifier or recording console. BoB can also send the E, A, and D strings to one amp or recording channel and the G, B, and high E to a separate amp or channel. Now here's where it gets really cool: BoB can send the output of all six individual strings to six different amps or channels. These six individualized outputs can be sent through different effect boxes, six different instances of AmpliTube in your DAW, or just about any combination of amp/recording system you can imagine. There are countless combinations of interesting ways to modify and modulate the sound. Through its intuitive input recognition feature, BoB automatically detects which outputs you're using, counts them up and routes your signals accordingly. . BoB can transmit up to eight channels downstream - one for each string, plus a classic and mic signal - and two channels upstream for a stereo monitor. And the tone is pure Paul!

Connect BoB outputs to analog audio inputs such as your guitar amplifiers. Use a standard guitar cord with quarter-inch plugs. There are three ways to connect the outputs:

- SUM output - all strings together through one amplifier. Plug the cord from the amp into BoB's SUM output jack.

- STEREO output - 2x3 separation with EAD (lower pitched) strings through one amp and GBE (higher pitched) strings through a second amp. Plug the cord from the amp from the EAD strings into BoB's 2-B FROM GUITAR output jack (also labeled 4-5-6 R). Plug the cord from the amp for the GBE strings into BoB's 1-E FROM GUITAR output jack (also
labeled 1-2-3 L).

- HEX output - each string with its own output. This connection requires six separate analog audio inputs such as six amps or a PC audio card with six inputs. Plug each analog input into one of BoB's FROM GUITAR output jacks (1-E through 6-E).

Classic Mode Output
The Gibson Digital Guitar is a 100% stage-shaking, lighter-flicking, chick-screaming Les Paul guitar. Through its "Classic Mode" output section, it delivers the pure tone, feel and power you expect from a fine Gibson instrument. This guitar is just as accomplished in its current state as it is when it's in its new digital platform. We wouldn't dream of compromising the original instrument when we set out to build the world's first digital guitar.

Through the "Classic Mode" output the guitarist can obtain the same sweet sound the Les Paul is renowned for. Even without the power of its new digital possibilities, this guitar provides a user/interface of known and appreciated quality.

Classic Mode engages the humbucking pickups only and also activates the traditional Tone and Volume controls for each individual pickup. The Digital Guitar offers two ways to access the Classic Mode Output: directly from the guitar or from BoB:
From Jack Plate: The standard quarter-inch guitar jack on the jack plate bypasses all digital electronics and operates as a conventional, completely analog electric guitar. Use a standard guitar cord and plug directly into a processor or amplifier.

From BoB: The signal to BoB's Classic Mode jack starts out as analog from the humbucking pickups, gets converted to digital inside the guitar in order to send it through the Cat 5 cable as data packets, and then is converted back to analog inside BoB. Use a standard guitar cord to connect from BoB to a processor or amplifier. Connecting through BoB using a Cat 5 cable allows your guitar signal to be sent over 100 meters without the interference, signal degradation and other tonal drawbacks of a standard guitar cord.

Limitless Possibilities
Now imagine some of the possibilities. Send your top three strings to separate distortion pedals and play Brain May-esque solos live (sans inter-modulation). The Digital Les Paul is ideally suited for studio musicians thanks to its ability to feed its signal to numerous cabinets or recording channels. With options ranging from full surround recording to playing chords in open voicing, (previously only possible with a piano and two hands) the best part is that you don't have to change the technique you've spent years developing - and if you're a Les Paul player, you have the feel you're already accustomed to! Of course, with all the possibilities offered by the HD.6X-PRO, it's more than likely that you'll be inventing some new playing techniques of your own. There's an old saying in music that now has never been truer; Les is definitely more!

Includes SONAR Producer Edition DAW software
Cakewalk SONAR is the most popular music and audio software among Windows users. SONAR 5 Producer Edition offers so many features we can hardly begin to cover them all! In addition to audio recording at up to 500kHz and extensive MIDI capabilities, SONAR Producer Edition is the first native 64-bit digital audio workstation (a 32-bit version is also included).


Gibson HD.6X-PRO Features:

• Solid-body electric with a hex pickup and breakout box
  
• Hex pickup captures a separate signal for each string
  
• Onboard digital converter using Gibson's patented digital transport technology
  
• Capable of carrying signal 100 meters over Cat 5 Ethernet cable with no latency or signal loss
  
• Breakout box (BoB) converts digital information back into analog and outputs it in sum, stereo, or hex configuration. To minimize noise, all input and output jacks on BoB are balanced
  
• Classic Mode delivers traditional sound from Humbucking pickups only.
  
• Headphone with volume control lets you listen to a monitor mix or any incoming signal
  
• Audio out adds a microphone or any other audio signal to the digital mix.
  
• Includes rugged Cat 5 cable and custom case with wheels
  
• Includes Cakewalk SONAR Producer Edition software

Gibson HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar Specifications:

• Top: Maple
  
• Color: Blue Metallic
  
• Top Binding: Silver
  
• Back: Mahogany, weight relief
  
• Neck: Mahogany
  
• Profile: 1950s Rounded
  
• Peghead Pitch: 17
  
• Fingerboard: Ebony
  
• Scale Length: 24-3/4"
  
• Number of Frets: 22
  
• Nut Width: 1.695"
  
• Inlays: Block Carbon Fiber
  
• Hardware: Platinum Plated
  
• Tailpiece: Stopbar
  
• Bridge: Tune-o-matic
  
• Knobs: Platinum Speed
  
• Tuners: Platinum Knurled Knob
  
• Neck Pickup; 490R humbucker
  
• Analog Bridge Pickup: 498T humbucker
  
• Digital Bridge Pickup: Gibson Hex Pickup 681-2031
  
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-way Toggle Pickup Switch
  
• Outputs: 1/4" TS Analog (humbuckers), 1/8" TRS Monitor w/ Volume Control, RJ45 Digital I/O
  
• Input: 1/8 TS Mic Input w/ 5-volt Phantom Power
  
• Strings: Special Set: .011, .014, .020W, .028W, .038W, .050W
  
• Case: Custom HD.6X-PRO Case

The Gibson HD.6X-PRO is truly a revolutionary step for guitarists everywhere - and Sweetwater is the only authorized online dealer for the Digital Les Paul.

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number LPDGBMNH1

What Does "Special Order" Mean? A special-order product is one that we don't normally keep in stock. We order it from the manufacturer as soon as you order from us. We have great relationships with all the manufacturers we carry, so we can get your special order to you as fast as or faster than anyone else. Remember that special orders are non-returnable and non-cancelable, so make sure the item is right for you. A Sweetwater Sales Engineer can help you decide - call (800) 222-4700 for assistance!