Here is a fine piece of technical art, Coyote-1 from Howler Audio. It is an open source guitar effect box which comes with a full hardware and software documentation, so guitarists with a programming talent can write their own DSP code to perform effects that are new to us. A small Windows utility helps to organize effect patches in the desired order. The box has a Propeller DSP from Parallax, there are eight cores inside, all running at 80 MHz. It has a high-level programming language, Spin, and of course you can reach the cores with assembly instructions, too. A direct video output is also present from the processor itself, so you can connect a video monitor. Check here for more details.

Tascam has launched a dedicated pocket recorder for the guitarists, GT-R1. It records MP3 and WAV files on any SD cards - the package includes one piece of a 1 gigabyte card. USB 2.0 is also supported, and charging its battery is also done with this connection. On the input stage it has a low-cut filter and a limiter to protect your recording, and built-in is a stereo condenser microphone that performs quite well. All of these are standard features on any recorder but here come the guitar-oriented goodies: amp simulation and effects, a small drum machine, and a pro-like overdubbing facility. It even has a guitar and bass canceler to perform a karaoke show with any hit you have. Price is around 200 euro, check the details here.

Shadow, a company dealing with guitar accessories produced this strange device called SH Stompin'Bass on the video. The one-man-band guitarists will happily welcome because it generates a bass drum-like sound from the stomp box that used with the performer's foot. It costs 150 euro, you can order it here.

Moog has switched their attention slightly: the new instrument came from the legendary factory is not a synth, nor a theremin, nor any kind of electronic gadget, but a guitar, a real electric guitar. Its biggest surprise is the price that is common in the upper section of the market: 6500 USD - not for a beginner, right? But, for the money you receive some kind of revolution. At first, they promise an infinite sustain function for any string. Second, you can switch to an other sustain mode where only the actually played strings are sustained - all the others are muted. Next: the famous resonant Moog filter is incorporated into the body to provide a total Moog experience. I won't continue, check the product page immediately.

IK Multimedia has assembled a special version of their great guitar effect, AmpliTube. AmpliTube Metal can be the heavy metal guitarists' choice because the effect types and the amp models are selected carefully to reflect the style's needs. It costs 200 euro - if you need more info, click here.

Native Instruments now serves the need of the beginner and amateur guitarists: the released Guitar Rig 3 XE, based on their popular modeling and effect software. It has the same audio quality like the bigger brother, and provides five amplifiers and 21 effect types. It plays mp3 files, too. Price is 100 euro, check here. A complete package bundled with an audio interface is also hits the shops soon, called Guitar Rig Session (229 euro). The stereo in-out box has a stunning 24/192 resolution, and accepts microphone, too - check it here.

Waves was present at the guitarists' map with their GTR software effects family - the newest addition arrived now called GTR Solo, which emulates ten famous amp (Vox, Fender, Marshall etc.), plus 13 stomp boxes. The price is a tiny 140 USD. Go here for more.

Sentences containing the "robot" word did not cover useful, practical tools in the world of musical instruments until now. But here is Gibson and the Robot Guitar: it can be the world's most practical guitar ever made. Its secret is the precision technology that handles the instrument's tuning in hand and adjust it when necessary. Of course it can solve alternative tunings with a press of a button, too. Shipping of the first, limited serie of robot guitars come in 7th, December, but price is still not known. Gibson built a nice big web page for this revolutionary instrument.

4pockets.com has released a complete guitar multieffect software for 15 USD which works on Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs. Its name is Pocket Stompbox, and has a set of nine effect types: overdrive/distortion, phaser, chorus/flanger, delay, reverb, parametric EQ, graphic EQ, pitch shifter and tremolo. You can even reorder the units within the effect chain.

Besides effects the software provides a metronome and a 440 Hz test tone (unfortunately there is no tuning capabilities, why?) - and also has a loop recorder which records audio and plays back constantly (recording time depends on the memory size).

You can buy Pocket Stompbox here.

Let's play the guitar with Behringer: on the picture you can see the ultimate laptop accessory for the guitarist. Its name is Guitar Link UCG102, which is a USB audio interface for any electric guitar. They will sell it from Q2, at a price of 50 USD. We still have no technical data like resolution, but it is clear that there is a headphones connector - we hope we can listen to the processed, effected signal there. It has numerous software bundle: Native's Guitar Combo has a special Behringer edition with three combos - britpop, rock and blues.

More titles in the package: Audacity sample editor and Kristal Audio Engine sequencer. Details can be found here.