Today's Top Stories:

  Sgt. Pepper Recorder Installed in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
It would be hard to argue with the fact that The Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, is a remarkable milestone in the history of rock music. Released in June 1967, it was recorded using a pair of Studer J37 multitrack tape recorders by producer George Martin and audio engineer Geoff Emerick. Now, one of the two recorders used on the album has been added to Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, for a newly renovated exhibit dedicated to The Beatles and scheduled to open later this month. The analog tape recorder is on loan from Studer's own museum, and the exhibit nicely coincides with Studer's 60th Anniversary in the professional audio industry.

The J37 was the first studio-quality 4-channel tape recorder on the market, making its debut in 1964. The two Studer J37 recorders used on the Sgt. Pepper album were located in Studio Two at the legendary EMI Recording Studios in London, now more popularly known as the Abbey Road Studios. The eighth studio album for The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper was recorded over a lengthy 129-day period, which culminated in its landmark release in 1967 on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the most highly anticipated recordings of all time.

  PRS Introduces the Mira Maple Top
Okay, you asked for it, and now PRS has answered your pleas with the official announcement of a maple-top version of the company's best-selling PRS Mira guitar! The official name for the new model is (ahem) the Mira Maple Top (catchy!) and it combines the retro vibe of the original all-mahogany Mira with the classy, sophisticated look and tonal signature only available when you add a maple top. Along with the new top, PRS has announced some additional new finishes: Tri-Color Sunburst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, Whale Blue/Black Burst, Violin Amber Burst, and Vintage Natural, all of which are wrap-around (that is, there won't be the PRS "natural binding" edges). Otherwise, the Mira includes the standard features that made the original Mira one of the hottest new models in any line: A mahogany neck with a 24-fret Indian rosewood fingerboard with moon inlays (birds are optional) in regular or wide-thin profiles, Mira treble and bass pickups with coil tap, and volume and tone controls with a 3-way blade switch. Guaranteed to be hot!

  Updates and Upgrades
M-Audio has just announced the release of a brand-new driver for its KeyStudio 49i. Driver version 1.7.2 enhances the overall performance and includes several bug fixes. The update is available immediately for Mac computers running either OS X 10.5.3 and 10.4.11. The driver also automatically updates the KeyStudio 49i firmware to version 1.31 - further improving efficiency and workflow. With this latest driver release, the KeyStudio 49i is now compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered 7.4.2 software on systems running Mac OS X 10.5.3.

  Guitar of the Day
For what it's worth, we feel that the Taylor 814ce is easily one of the finest models in the company's extensive catalog, particularly if you're looking for an upscale acoustic with a deep Venetian cutaway for easier access to the upper frets. This is a grand auditorium-size guitar, which combines the width and depth of a dreadnought, but with a slightly narrower waist. Best of all, right now we have all of the finishes available: Natural, Honey Sunburst, Tobacco Sunburst, and the Limited Edition model (Natural with Fiddleback Walnut back and sides). The 814ce has a premium-grade Sitka spruce top, and quartersawn Indian rosewood back and sides (except for the model with the fiddleback walnut back and sides). The genuine abalone soundhole rosette shimmers with a veritable rainbow of colors when hit by light, which perfectly complements the figured maple binding and contrasting black purfling. This is complemented by a tropical American mahogany neck with a bound ebony fingerboard graced with pearl 800-Series position markers. It's the perfect premium acoustic for electric guitar players: The neck profile, low action, and ebony fingerboard all add up to an acoustic that electric players will feel right at home on.

The 814ce is perfectly balanced, whether you're playing seated or standing on stage. When plugged into an appropriate amplification system, the Taylor Expression System, which was designed in partnership with famed audio pioneer Rupert Neve, produces a beautifully natural acoustic sound that preserves all the guitar's richness and fine detail. Finally, Taylor's commitment to using only eco-friendly gloss finishes deserves mention (and more than a few kudos). These finishes are cured using ultra-violet light and have proven to be amazingly durable - they actually resist checking better than almost any other finishing processes. In the future, it's going to be harder (if not illegal) to use the older solvent-based finishes, but thankfully, Taylor has already addressed these issues. Naturally, your new 814ce comes in a deluxe, plush-lined hardshell case and includes absolutely free FedEx shipping right to your door.