Gizmodo: electric guitars

Les Paul, Inventor Of The Solid-Body Electric Guitar, Dies At 94

Sean Fallon — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EDT

Les Paul, the legendary inventor behind the birth of rock n' roll, died today of complications from pneumonia at the age of 94.

During his long tenure on this planet, Les Paul was something like the Thomas Edison of music—he is responsible for such groundbreaking inventions as multitrack recording, overdubbing, delay effects and, of course, the solid-body electric guitar. His work eventually earned him induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005.

Few names conjure up as much respect in an industry as Les Paul, and that doesn't appear likely to change anytime in the near future. Nearly all of the musicians and music lovers around today owe a tremendous debt to this man. [Yahoo]

Zivix Headliner Guitar Will Befuddle the Guitar Hero Haters

Jack Loftus — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Legitimate guitarists have a beef with Guitar Hero/Rock Band mainly because they make people think they can actually play guitar. But what of the Zivix Headliner, a real guitar that works with these games?

For about $250, designer Zivix will attempt to bridge the gap between these two warring factions by blending a real electric guitar with the button-mashing pseudo-music insanity that breaks out at my apartment after a few too many pints at the local pub. Ultimately, Zivix hopes that more than a few Guitar Hero/Rock Band masters will take the leap and actually make some real music with the Headliner.

No release date was given, but Zivix hopes to have this full size guitar on store shelves later this year. [Zivix via OhGizmo]

Fender Bender is the RoboCop of Electric Guitars

Jack Loftus — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT

We don't know too much about the Fender Bender, but we do know that, like RoboCop officer Alex Murphy, machinery and electronics have replaced much of the original. In the Bender's case, inventor "Dan" has stripped out all the bits that made this a guitar, and then replaced them with sound board bits. The result is this "weird sound generator" that he can also play using a hand-made motherboard pick guard. Maybe he'll be in touch with a few solo videos so we can hear how this thing sounds. Easy bet: Guitar Hero at 11. [Flickr via CrunchGear]

Belkin BreakFree: MacBook MagSafe Cable for Your Guitar

Benny Goldman — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

The BreakFree is Belkin's fix for crazy rockers who can't get through a set without ripping up their amp or guitar's cord jack by flailing around too much. One part of the $20 two-piece kit fits in the axe's cord jack, while the other goes to the cord itself, and you can rock safe knowing that if you make any wild moves the plugs—which don't degrade sound quality—will snap apart without ruining your gear, a la Apple's MagSafe MacBook cable. Super extreme rockers can get another pack to use for the amp as well, but if you're that wacky on stage, you should probably just go wireless. Out in September, press release after the jump.

Belkin BreakFree Protects Your Amps

¶ Easy-to-Use BreakFree Connectors Complement Your Existing Cables with a Magnetic Breakaway Connector
COMPTON, Calif. —(Business Wire)— Jul. 10, 2008 Belkin International, Inc., announces new BreakFree Connectors, which detach under extreme tension, protecting your amplifier or guitar from unexpected damage. BreakFree will provide noise-free dynamic sound without any degradation in audio quality.

Belkin's BreakFree Connectors are designed to eliminate the popping that occurs when cables are accidentally unplugged from a live amplifier. Additionally, for musicians with multiple guitars, the product makes guitar swapping seamless without the hassle of shutting down or putting your amplifier on standby.

AVAILABILITY

— September 2008 in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia

BreakFree (F8Z294) - US: $19.99

— Supports 1/4" TRS plug

— Strong magnet with quick detachment

— Consistent audio quality

— Reduces cable clutter

BreakFree Tips (F8Z293-2) - US: $9.99

— Use with BreakFree Connector

— Two in a pack

— Supports 1/4" TRS plug

[Belkin]