Can you believe that Guitar Hero is on it’s sixth version already? If you’re still rockin’, you’ll naturally want to know what the latest axe is going to look like it. Well, check it out. The new design has cutaway sections in the body and a hard rocking modern look.

This time, the electronics are in the neck and fretboard, so you can swap different bodies if you like. Yes, you can play without any body appendages at all, if that”s your thing. Get rocking.

The whole rocking with fake plastic instruments thing is getting old. So how can you put some excitement back into it? Well, you can try out Gambridge’s Z line of dual game / MIDI guitars for something different.

These are full-sized instruments with built in sound modules that also function as game controllers. And yes, they’re compatible with all major music video game titles. Pricing and availability are yet to be announced, but we will let you know.

We know that you’ve been counting down the days until The Beatles: Rock Band is released. You’ve been practicing your british accent and you’ve even formed your own band in anticipation, complete with a Yoko all ready to break you up. Well, get a hold of your mop-top. It’s now available for pre-order.

And there will be two custom guitars available for purchase along with the Special Edition bundle (the game itself, Höfner bass and Ludwig drums microphone and mike stand). The guitars are a Gretsch Duo-Jet and a Rickenbacker 325 which will retail for $99.00 each when the game arrives on September 9th.

I’m speechless. The demon-spawn known as Hello Kitty has invaded rock. Her royal pinkness has her own deal with Fender. That means that world domination is nearly here. I think there may be one or two products left that have escaped her image.

Hello Kitty will be appearing on Stratocasters, music bags, picks, guitar straps, and the like which may be wielded by the likes of Prince or Hannah Montana. I bet that Metallica dude gets one and won’t admit it.

Gaming accessories maker ezGear, teaming with a music and gaming technology company out of California, is showing off at the Consumer Electronics Show what it believes is the world’s most advanced video game and music controller. It’s a gaming guitar – the You Rock Guitar – and you’ll have shell out around $150 later this year if you want one.

The You Rock Guitar works with both guitar-based video games as well as music programs like Garage Band on the Mac. It sports a full , multi-touch fret board to accomplish this, including offering raised bars to give the feeling of playing the guitar with strings.

Gibson Guitar Corp. is accusing Activision of violating one of their patents with the popular Guitar Hero series of video games. The patent in question is owned by Gibson since 1999 and involves a system that would let a musician “virtually” participate in a pre-recorded concert while wearing a head-mounted 3D display with speakers. The music played on the instrument would then be recorded on a separate track and available for playback with the rest of the tracks to simulate playing in a concert.

Activision’s Guitar Hero does have a similar premise, however it’s played on a “pretend” plastic guitar and is a game where the player tries to mimic notes in concert represented on the monitor by graphical musicians in a concert. Activision is disputing the claim that they infringe upon Gibson’s patent and is asking the federal court to provide an official ruling.

Allegro Rainbow’s Guitar video game has been rocking CES this week. Music Wizard Group’s Guitar Wizard video game is a step forward after their successful Piano Wizard title, but Guitar Wizard is not just another version of Guitar Hero. It’s actually an educational video game that’s designed to help kids of all ages to read and play music.

Guitar Wizard will be available on both PC and MAC platforms, and will come with an actual honest to God guitar from US Music Corp. and an Interface by SoundTech. Plus, the software is compatible with just about any MIDI guitar.