For you axe-slingers who blame your inability to write a new song on the inability to afford a simple, portable recorder, your excuse is officially lame. TASCAM's ingenious GT-R1 affords musicians the ability to simply plug their guitar and / or bass directly in and record using the built-in amp simulator and effects. Better still, the stereo condenser microphones up top allow users to record ambient noise, vocals, off the cuff jam sessions or anything else for that matter. The unit captures in MP3 or WAV format (16- or 24-bit), includes an SD card slot (1GB bundled in) and a USB 2.0 port for offloading files and charging the battery. Newbies can even queue up an MP3 and jam along, and the integrated metronome / chromatic tuner are just icing on an already über-sweet cake. Word on the street has a price of around €200 ($308), which actually sounds like quite the bargain from here.

[Via Engadget Deutschland]

At first glance, the Tascam DR-1 doesn't seem too different from all of its other digital recorder buddies out there, but let's see the other guys record WAV / MP3 straight to SDHC. Yep, this critter can save 24-bit, 48 kHz WAV files directly to SD or SDHC, and it also features a built-in Li-ion good for around seven hours, a simple (albeit useful) LCD and the inclusion of Variable Speed Audition, which enables it to playback recordings slower than they were inputted without augmenting the pitch. Per usual, mum's the word right now on price / availability.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Update: Looks like it's $299, thanks Mike!

Scouting a 1U, rackmountable two-channel audio recorder? What about a solid state version? If you just so happened to answer yes to the previous questions, Teac's got you covered. The outfit's HD-R1 Recorder relies on CompactFlash cards to store up to 24-bit / 48kHz PCM or MP3 files and can be controlled remotely via LAN or RS-232C. Additionally, the unit touts a USB port, mic preamps, phantom power, RCA, XLR, Euroblock and S/PDIF inputs, and the blue-backlit display is a nice touch, too. Teac has apparently been busy showing its new toy off at Inter BEE 2007, but those tempted by the above specs can secure their own for around $1,100.

[Image courtesy of Sweetwater]

Tiger Electronics' Power Tour instructional guitar is weak sauce compared to what TEAC's latest training tool can accomplish, as the Tascam-branded MP-GT1 offers up a whole lot more than just MP3 playback. Aside from boasting a monochrome 128 x 64 resolution screen, 1GB of internal storage, a rechargeable Li-ion lasting around eight hours, and MP3 / ID3 tag support, this pocket-friendly DAP also touts a line-in for your axe, built-in tuner / metronome, and a bevy of sweet controls as well. Users can queue up their favorite track, plug in their guitar, and begin to shred away while attempting to follow along, but for the more creative out there, this little box also features ten different effects to modify the sound of your instrument. To top things off, an internal algorithm sniffs out the guitar frequencies in whatever track you're listening to, and if you switch on the VSA function, it mutes (as best it can, we presume) the recorded guitar track so the only six-string you hear twanging is your own. TEAC's latest toy for guitar freaks should be landing in Japanese shops the last day of this month, and at just ¥20,000 ($166), we're deeming this a surefire bargain.