Today's Top Stories:

  Get Your NAMM Fix Right Here!
Summer days may be lazy and hazy for you, but your Sweetwater staff is always pushing to find out the latest gear news. This weekend that quest takes us to Austin, TX for the NAMM Summer Session. Hundreds of manufacturers will be on hand to show retailers and other music industry types the hottest, newest gear. But don't worry if you're not able to make the trek to Austin yourself. Sweetwater's intrepid reporters will brave the crowds and the summer heat to cover the whole show and report the gear news to you. Our Summer NAMM report will appear starting today at 11:00 a.m. on Sweetwater.com. Be sure to check it out!

  Native Instruments Updates
Just in time for their 10th "NI-versary," the folks at Native Instruments have released significant updates to two of their hottest products. Akoustik Piano has been updated to v1.1 R2 and will be available for downloading to registered users. A full list of all the fixes and changes would take up this entire column, so here are just a few:

• Mac: Installer issues with DFD and IRC extensions have been fixed.
• Library patches are now always installed and now contain Performance Views for use in Kontakt 2.1 and higher.
• Library patches now contain additional CC automation and new patches were added with improved overtone logic for all pianos.
• Concert Grand Phil's upper range was improved.
• All overtone instruments use the Release Resonance drop-down list now for two settings - Release Resonance and Overtone volume, each of which keeps its current setting until another value is selected for that feature (i.e. values selected for Overtones do not change the current value selected for Release Resonance and vice versa).

• Sample Import has been greatly improved and the logic was changed in order to provide better mapping of samples to cells.
• Empty samples problem for the Jazz kit has been fixed.
• Recording of automation via the Battery interface seems to be broken in Ableton Live with AU and Digital Performer with AU. Please use the VST version with Live and the "Hyper Draw" function in Digital Performer. Some automation recording problems were also reported for the DXi version.
• When used on PCs, problems can occur with multi-outs in the RTAS version.
• NI strongly recommends users update to Pro Tools 7.x. Battery can still be loaded in Pro Tools 6.9 but some issues may exist that were not happening with earlier Battery versions.

  For the Guitar Player Who Has Everything
Looking for a unique gift for that special guitar or bass player in your life? Well, the people at StarMedia Group have just the thing: Meteorite Guitar Picks! No, we're not kidding - they're actually offering the world's first custom guitar pick created from 4.5 billion (yes, billion with a "b") year old meteorites. Oh, and by the way, they just happen to sound great on any guitar. There's an audio file at the site that demonstrates what a 4.5 billion year old meteorite can sound like. Prices start at $110 for the "Astrotone." You can, err, pick one up here. And just in case you haven't been close to a meteorite strike lately, you can view a QuickTime movie of an actual meteorite that fell in New York and ultimately struck a car. Now there's something you don't see every day! Check it out here.

  Guitar of the Day
So, you thought the Jeff Beck Relic Esquire was cool, right? Well, not to be outdone, Gibson has just shipped us a Zakk Wylde Limited Run Aged Les Paul Custom. This is one of only 50 that will ever be made! As heavy metal lovers know, Wylde has earned a world-wide reputation as one of the genre's premier guitarists. His solos are scorching hot and he wrings every single drop of tone from his Gibson Les Paul Custom with the unique "bullseye" paint job. With only 50 being produced, these will sell out fast and will actually be rarer than many of the original 1958-1960 Les Pauls, so collectors take note. But let's start at the beginning. The Gibson Custom Shop contacted Zakk about building a special limited-edition reproduction of his unmistakable instrument featuring Zakk's trademark black and antique white bullseye graphics, two powerful EMG humbucking pickups and a raw, unfinished neck. Not surprisingly, Wylde was happy to collaborate on the project and gave Gibson's Custom Shop luthiers both his blessing and full access to his personal axe. When you pick up this guitar from its plush-lined hardshell case, the first thing you'll notice is that it looks nothing like a brand new guitar. Creating "relics" isn't all that unique, but getting a guitar to look and feel exactly like the original, with all the nicks, scratches, stains and worn finishing is a huge undertaking, which is no doubt why there will only be 50 of these made. The effect is startling! It looks exactly like a Les Paul that has seen ultra heavy duty use on tour after grueling tour, right down to the checked lacquer finish. Under all the outward cosmetics, there's a carved maple top, a solid mahogany body with multi-ply binding, a Nashville tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece and a three-piece, unfinished maple neck with a 22-fret ebony fingerboard with real pearl block inlays. The guitar is equipped with EMG 81 and 85 humbuckers and comes complete with a custom case and a certificate of authenticity. You have to see this one to truly appreciate what Gibson has accomplished, so we have some excellent photos up in the Guitar Gallery now!