Question: When was the solid body electric guitar introduced on which the Gibson Robot Guitar was based?

The Gibson Robot Guitar (a.k.a. GOR) is a limited-edition self-tuning Gibson guitar, typically a Les Paul.  The first run of limited edition Robot Guitars was exclusively made up of Les Paul bodies.  Developed by Chris Adams, its most notable feature is that it uses an onboard computer to automatically tune itself.  This is not the first guitar to be able to tune itself, but it is regarded as the most modern, unique, and non-invasive self-tuning model available, because it does not employ cams or cantilevers throughout the body of the guitar.  The non-limited edition SG and Les Paul Studio are available in a variety of finishes.  The Flying V and Explorer are only available in metallic red.  The price can range from about $1,000-$3,000 or more for custom options.  In the case of the "Original 1st Production" Robot guitar the only finish available was Blue Silverburst nitrocellulose, a color which Gibson has stated will never be used on any other Gibson guitar (see photo to the right).  Five different Gibson models were available (2008-2011, Robot X-plorer 2008-2012)) with Robot Guitar features: The Robot Les Paul Studio, Robot SG, Robot Flying V, Robot X-plorer, and a Robot Les Paul Junior.  The original Robot guitar also featured headstock and neck binding which are not standard on any current Les Paul Robot as well as a chrome truss rod cover with "Robot Guitar" engraved.  The production version featured 22-fret rosewood-bound (standard finishes) or white-bound (metallic finishes) ebony fingerboard with figured acrylic tapezoid inlays, white-bound headstock with MOP Gibson logo and flowerpot inlay (metallic finishes) or unbound headstock with screened logo (standard finishes), three-per-side robotic Powerhead Locking tuners, tune-o-matic Powertune bridge, Powertune stop tailpiece, two chrome covered humbucker pickups (490R, 498T), four knobs (three normal, and one Master Control Knob that controls the robotic actions of the guitar), three-way pickup switch, Neutrik jack on side of guitar, chrome hardware. <SEP> Paul Adelburt Bigsby (1899–1968) was an American inventor, designer, and pioneer of the solid body electric guitar.  Bigsby is best known for having been the designer of the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (also known as a tremolo arm) and proprietor of Bigsby Guitars.  He built an early steel guitar for Southern California steel guitarist Earl "Joaquin" Murphy of Spade Cooley's band, as well as Jack Rivers, then built a solid body electric guitar conceptualized by Merle Travis to have the same level of sustain as a steel guitar by anchoring the strings in the body instead of on a tailpiece.  This instrument, which Bigsby completed in 1948, likely had an influence on the solid body Telecaster later produced by Leo Fender, as it had all six tuners in a row.  Its headstock shape was later made famous by Fender's solid body Stratocaster model.  Bigsby also made a doubleneck model for Nashville guitarist Grady Martin and an amplified mandolin for Texas Playboy Tiny Moore.  Bigsby also built a pedal steel guitar for Speedy West that West used on many of Tennessee Ernie Ford's early recordings as well as records by Travis, Red Ingle, Jean Shepard, Johnny Horton, Ferlin Husky and Merrill Moore. <SEP> The Gibson Les Paul Jr. is a solid body electric guitar introduced in 1954 as an affordable, entry-level Les Paul.  It was first released with a single cut body style; models with a double cut body style were later introduced in 1958.  The Jr. continued through the first three years of the Les Paul/SG body redesign.  It was discontinued in 1963, and <SEP> The Gibson L6-S is a solid body electric guitar.  It was the working musician's descendant of the L5S jazz solid body electric guitar.  It was the same shape, very much like a wide Gibson Les Paul, but with a 24 fret two-octave neck, the first Gibson guitar to have this.