Drums:

Drum Kit Shirt: Sure, you could by a real drum kit—but that can be expensive. This drum kit shirt plays seven drum sounds when you tap different areas and it will only set you back $30. [Think Geek via Link]

Drum Table: Yup...it's a table with drums built-in. The way I see it, this would be a great way to score with the ladies when everyone is drinking at a party. I mean look at this dude, he seems well on his way to a foursome. Prices range from $800 to $2,900. [Musical Furnishings via Link]

DrumPants: By dismantling a MIDI keyboard and hooking it up to his pants with a couple of piezo transducers, Tyler Freeman was able to turn his legs into playable drums. If you throw the shirt on top of this, you would basically turn your entire body into a giant kit. [Link]

Guitars:

Angel Sword Guitar: Slay your fans with rock and slay your enemies with steel. Too bad this nerd axe is a one of a kind item. [Link]

Gibson's Robotic Guitar: If you are too lazy to manually tune your guitar, this Gibson will do it for you at the push of a button. Servos tune the guitar to one of seven presets with A440 as a default and the remaining six based on hit songs. Unfortunately, this limited edition instrument will set you back well over $2000 if you manage to find one. [Gibson via Link]

Moog Paul Vo Edition: Moog, a company known for their synthesizers, have branched out to the world of guitars with the Paul Vo Edition. What makes it worth $6500 you ask? Well, it sure as hell isn't looks. However, it does claim to have "infinite sustain." Sure, you can already achieve similar effects with pedals, but the Moog product site claims that it is "like no other sustainer; infinite sustain on every string, at every fret position and at any volume. You may have heard sustain before but not with this power (we call it "Vo Power") and clarity." [Moog via Link]

Synthesizers:

Beamz: The Beamz system uses a series of six lasers that play sounds from instruments like the guitar, violin and even the cowbell when the beam is broken with your hand. If it feels like a Sharper Image gadget to you, good call. Beamz was on sale there before the company went belly up. Don't let that deter you though. You can still get your hands on one from the Beamz website for $400. Oh, and this video is the most hysterically uncomfortable thing I have watched in a long time. [Beamz via Link]

Korg DS-10: Unlike Guitar Hero, you can actually use this game to make music. Basically, Korg took their famous MS-10 synthesizer and squeezed it onto a DS. It features a four-part drum machine, six-track (analog synth x 2, drum machine x 4) /16-step sequencer, delay, chorus and flanger sound effects and the ability to exchange sounds and songs and play multiple units wirelessly. Currently available in Japan for 4,800 yen ($48). [Korg DS-10 via Link]

Piano:

Mini Grand Piano: Have you priced grand pianos lately? Yeah, we are talking tens of thousands of dollars. The good news is that this version from Segatoys will only set you back $570. The bad news is that each one of the playable keys is only 4mm wide. It may be mini, but you can still play like mozart with a stylus. [Audiocubes]

"Alternative" Instruments:

Light Up Tambourine: Okay, maybe cool instruments aren't your thing. However, that doesn't mean you can't rock out. Hey, Davy Jones got lots of chicks playing one of these back in the day. Available for $15. [LB Toys]

Air Guitar (Bonus): So you are good at Guitar Hero but you lack actual musical ability. No worries—you always have air guitar. And if you are wondering how you can get groupies doing something so lame, check out the video of air guitar champion Ochi Dainoji Yosuke doing his thing. So the lesson here is that it's not what you play but where you play it. I'll bet groupies are into anyone performing on a stage. Available for around $4. [stuff4me]

[Image via CNET.au]

Essentially, you put your guitar down underneath it with a block of wood next to it that will turn into your new guitar. The duplicator then traces the contours of your guitar, using those measurements to carve up the block of wood so it's exactly like what you currently have.

Of course, you can use this to duplicate any number of things other than guitars as long as they fit and are made of wood. Wooden pants! Wooden sandwiches! Small pieces of wood! Let your imagination run wild! It's currently at $1,185 with no bids. [eBay via Music Thing]

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]

If you had the new Moog Guitar Paul Vo Edition you could play, go out and have a bite...in Italy, come back to the States and Waaaaaaaaa...you'd still be hearin' that one. Moog, the company best known for their line of synthesizers, has turned their innovative eye towards the guitar and emerged with an instrument that features infinite sustain. Apparently, this musical miracle is achieved using strings that have "a specific metallurgy designed to work with the Moog pickups."

The full list of modes on the Paul Vo Edition includes:

•FULL SUSTAIN MODE - like no other sustainer; infinite sustain on every string, at every fret position and at any volume. You may have heard sustain before but not with this power (we call it "Vo Power") and clarity.

•CONTROLLED SUSTAIN MODE - allows you to play sustained single or polyphonic lines without muting technique. The Moog Guitar sustains the notes you are playing while actively muting the strings you are not playing.

•MUTE MODE - removes energy from the strings, resulting in a variety of staccato articulations. The mute mode has never been heard on any other guitar; the Vo Power stops the strings with the same intensity that it sustains them. You feel the instrument transform in your hands.

•HARMONIC BLENDS – use the included foot pedal to shift the positive energy of Vo Power in Sustain mode and the subtractive force of Vo Power in Mute mode between the bridge and neck pick-ups to pull both subtle and dramatic harmonics from the strings.

•MOOG FILTER - control the frequency of the built-in, resonant Moog ladder filter using the foot pedal or a CV Input.

As you can see in the video above, the Moog guitar has the full endorsement of Lou Reed and Vernon Reid from Living Color, which in and of itself is enough to justify the $6,495 asking price. However, you will have to wait until September to get your hands on one—but pre-orders are being accepted on the product page right now. [Moog via Wired]

Here are some of our favorite examples of circuit-bent toy guitars.

[Hammacher Schlemmer, via TFTS]

It works by using piezoelectric pickups rather than the usual magnetic pickups used on most electric guitars, and these pickups are able to isolate the sound of each individual string. Underneath the pickups is a processor that senses the pitch being played, and sends a signal to the tuning pegs at the top of the guitar's neck to change the pitch until it's all tuned up.

Even though this machine may be perfectly accurate, turning a guitar can be a subtle art, where you can slightly change some of the notes to fit the key in which you're playing. However, for musicians who like to play various songs with the guitar tuned in completely different ways for each song, this technology could be extremely useful. In fact, the $899 it adds to the price of the guitar might seem like a bargain compared with buying two more guitars, each tuned in a completely different way. [Technology Review]

This gallery contains just a fraction of the crazy git-boxes Ed Roman has found, sold, commissioned or custom built. Some of these things have such sharp edges they're just downright dangerous, and speaking of dangerous, check out the Ted Nugent guitar with a compartment in the back for your Derringer. Might be handy to have that guitar on hand when you play one of those nightclubs where the stage is surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling cage. [Ed Roman]

Besides that one key fact of its body being flipped 180 degrees, the rest of this ax is faithful to Gibson's original 1958 design, complete with 1957-style humbucker pickups, that strings-through-the-body tailpiece (going the opposite way, of course), and a sweet-looking Trans Amber finish. No word on pricing or availability just yet. [Electric Guitar Review]

The maker loses a bit of DIY cred by dumping the guts from a real GH controller into the LEGO case, but we'll let it slide because it looks damn good. The beefier case should be a boon for axe-wielders with gorilla mitts, to boot. [TechEBlog]

Do you really want Cliff's Notes to the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum on the thing that's supposed to get you laid at parties? Iconic yet cheesy images—Neil Armstrong, the Wright Flyer, the freakin' Voyager probe—are done in the most intricate mother-of-pearl by undisputed inlay master Larry Robinson, and yet I'm not sure I'd like to meet the guy who buys it. Don't take my opinion, though. Have a look at the gallery below, or visit the Guitar Center's site for the thorough and highly educational historical walkthrough. [Guitar Center]

Not only could this possibly be the cutest accessory to date that didn't have the Hello Kitty branding across it, it will also brighten the little lives of all those in Middle Earth. Screw the ring, throw this around your neck friends and rock on! Though it may at first seem to be somewhat of a gimmick, these tiny guitars are expertly crafted from real wood and the whammy bar is genuine metal, no less. The controllers are fully functioning with backlit buttons and are currently available for the PS2 and XBOX 360 at $69.90 each. The XBOX 360 version isn't compatible out of the box; you'll have to invest in an adapter at $69.90. The price of small time gaming, unlike the size, will be daunting to all but the most serious enthusiasts.

[Product Page via technabob]

In addition to making your own music, there's pre-recorded tracks like Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Walk This Way. Air guitar has never been cooler. It's also never been lamer. – Jason Chen

Product Page [HimeyaShop via Technabob]

As the name implies, it's more of a sea-punk than a steam punk. Then again, steam punk can go under the water, like that new Xbox 360 game Bioshock. Either way, the guitar goes up on eBay on June 3. We'll post an update when it does. A++++++ Would Overthrow Dystopian Dictatorship Again!!!! – Jason Chen

Project Page [Thunder Eagle Guitars]

The new stuff? Interchangeable faceplates, a removable neck and a headset jack. Plus, a second place to attach the strap so it's not so uncomfortable. It's even compatible with Guitar Hero 2, but probably won't make beating Jordan on expert any easier. Head on over for some more shots. – Jason Chen

Guitar Hero Les Paul [IGN]

The Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions will pack Gibson Les Pauls, while the PS2 version will come with a Gibson Kramer. On top of that, they'll have removable faceplates for greater customization (i.e., Activision can make money selling "custom" faceplates).

IGN also mentions a mysterious "new button colour [sic] design," which Activision claims will make for "an even greater authentic feel and rock experience." Yeah, the rainbow of buttons was never exactly metal. Matt Buchanan

Wireless Axes Confirmed for Guitar Hero III [IGN]

The extender uses Cat 5 Ethernet cable in order to extend your USB experience up to 150 feet, which may cause signal degradation in normal extenders, which is probably why these guys are charging $79.95 for theirs. Seriously? $79.95? Why not just get a standard USB extension cable? Or for that price, you can buy a bunch of powered USB hubs and link them up with standard Ethernet cords.

Funny video though. – Jason Chen

Product Page [USB Extender - Thanks Rocco!]

You probably can't get your hands on this one, but if you pay the maker a couple thousands bucks he may create one just for you. – Jason Chen

The Villainizer [CarbonChamber via BoingBoing]

As you collapse the guitar neck using its folding mechanism made of aircraft-grade aluminum, the strings roll up into the guitar. Then when it's time to lay down a few tunes at your destination, this baby goes from backpack to unfolded guitar in 20 seconds. Of course, you'll probably have to spend a minute or two tuning it up every time, but you'll be doing that anyway. This solves a major problem with portable guitars, most of which look weird and sound worse. Order up your Centerfold for $3,370. – Charlie White

Product Page [DeVillain Guitar Company , via InterTran]

More pictures, info and pricing:

Notice the sound hole is next to the guitar's neck rather than underneath the strings. Then, there's another opening called the stereo sound hole (the company calls this SSH, making it sound all scientific-like) on the guitar's head, in an attempt to maximize the resonance of this instrument.

There will be just 100 of these axes available, and pros taking this carbon fiber jewel on stage will certainly elicit the awe of any geeksters in the audience. But this Blackbird is going to have to do a lot of singing in the dead of night to make up for its $1599 price tag.

That price is not too bad, though, considering that the gold-standard Martin D-28 guitar costs at least $500 more than that. – Charlie White

Product Page [Blackbird Guitars]

Product Page [Via Popgadget]

Oddly enough, this is not the first toilet seat/guitar mashup we've seen; this one was the other way around, where the guitar was made of a toilet seat. Apparently expressing love for the guitar can take a variety of forms. – Charlie White

Product Page [Jammin' Johns, via TRFJ]

The Pikasso, which took two years, or some 1,000 man-hours to build, can actually be heard on a number of recordings by Pat Metheny. Apparently, he's pretty good.

Don't expect to see this at your local Guitar World, though. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [Manzer via The Red Ferret Journal]

Product Page [Via Red Ferret]

Smokey Amp [Firebox via Tech Digest]

What's in Your Bag? Foldable Travel Guitars and the Mobile Guitar Studio [Create Digital Music]

The result is a highly unusual sound that's downright ethereal. It's more resonant than a conventional guitar, and the notes can be bent upwards or downwards for a slide-guitar effect. Best of all, the instrument is no more difficult to play than a regular guitar, and it can plucked and strummed, or even be bowed, or hit with sticks like a drum.

The instrument was first built in 2003, and there's a marketing effort going on at the website of the Tritare here.

Take a listen to this short composition played on the Tritare. It's like music from another world. – Charlie White

A New Family of Stringed Musical Instruments [ASA Meeting Paper, via Music Thing]

This pickup is responsive to string movement below and well above human hearing. Lower the string pitch to "shake the walls" or play the upper register to make violin sounds, is up to the musician. Because the pickup is optical it can see any type of string, steel, nylon, bronze, gut etc. or intermix.

Can anyone shed some light on this? HAR!

Product Page [OpticalGuitars]
Hoag Introduces The K-MAX 25-Fret Guitar With Optical Pickup [Harmony-Central via Music Thing]

Product page [via GadgetCandy]