A self-tuning guitar said to be the first which uses robotic technology launches this week.

The £1,400 Gibson Robot self-tunes to a standard setting. It has six tuning presets which musicians can switch to by pushing a button as they play.

The guitar automatically retunes itself within seconds after string changes. Its purpose is to make the instrument quicker and easier to tune than by doing so manually.

Gibson said the automatically tuning version of its Les Paul model would reduce tuning problems for both novices and professional stage performers.

The instruments are the first of their kind to have robotic ability, the firm said.

It works by a device in the bridge monitoring the pitch of the guitar. Motorised tuners automatically adjust the pitch of the strings. (AP)