Squier® by Fender® Stratocaster® Guitar and Controller for Rock Band 3

I bought this Squier® by Fender® Stratocaster® MIDI guitar not for game playing but for its MIDI capabilities and for its being an actual electric standard guitar, with both capabilities available simultaneously... I like it the best when compared to the YouRock guitar, and the Yamaha EZ MIDI quitar, which I also have.The good for the Fender is:1. It plays just like a real guitar, even for MIDI, because IT IS a REAL GUITAR, with real strings and a full 22 fret range, and size.2. It does not use switches at the fretboard.It seems to sense the steel string's contact with the metal frets. Therefore, there is no adaapting difference as when pllaying MIDI "guitars" that use buttons in the fretboard.3. It is TRULY polyphonic.Each string goes out in its own MIDI channel.In Windows7 laptop, one can remap those MIDI routings to one single MIDI channel, using MIDI-Yoke and MIDI-Ox, or to other channels outings and assignments to channels. It has a hex pickup built-in which allows these desireable MIDI channel independence for each string.4. It has an essential MIDI patch selection of forward or backwards via two dedicated buttons.One can customize a soft/hard synth so as to switch the desireable paches to be in a selected order, and quickly select them, and see in the hardware synth or in the software synth which patch (sound) one has activated. This guitar does not have a built-in synth, for which there is no real need with today's multitude of available free or paid-for software sounds, or hardware synths. As a self-standing instruments, it produces standard electric guitar out of its 1/4" standard jack, for connecting to external amplifier, or to a PC via an audio interface.5. There is no latency as far as the MIDI sending of notes is concerned, since it does not convert sound to MIDI.The function of rendering sound out of MIDI messages is left to external hardware or software synths.Thus, any latency is external to this guitar, and would depend on the audio interface plus the soft synth or sampler and samples played.With a hardware synth, the latency would be hardly any. With a modern laptop or PC, and a modern audio interface, the latency is also pretty much un-affecting.6. By playing and mixing its pickup's sound, in conjuction with MIDI sounds, MIDI effects, along with audio effects, one can get very useful and proper music with this guitar.7. As is well known, AUDIO output of a guitar has minimal latency when and one apples VST guitar effects, cabinets, or various digital audio processing to get countless more possibilities and qualities of sound.8. Its real-time audio output via the /4" jack can also be used (forked) to trigger, additionally, the MIDI software called MIDI-Guitar, which can also then trigger MIDI notes, and those notes can be simultaneously used (forked) to separated MIDI sound producing modules (synths). All of these sound-producing aspects are optional, and as said, simultaneously applicable, for pretty much countless possibilities.9. There is no need for special MIDI interface-box, as described for one of its inteded uses (game playing).It does have a STANDARD MIDI-out 5 pin jack that is ALWAYS active as long its 3 AAA batteries are ON for the MIDI functions.It does have a battery ON/OFF switch.10. Batteries are not needed when used as a standard electric guitar. Just plug it into a typical guitar amp via its 1/4" jack, or to the audio interface of a laptop or PC. The 3 AAA batteries are only for MIDI use.11. MIDI has TWO modes."STANDARD" mode notes play when strings are plucked by the right hand while left hand at frets determines the MIDI notesFret detection is not velocity sensing, but right hand plucking of strings IS velocity sensing,Adjustements of its pickup, and potentiometers at the battery compartment, may help for sensitivity response.The volume knob in the guitar is ONLY for the audio-out from the pickup. It does not affect the MIDI volume.The second MIDI mode is called "SYNTH" mode. In that mode, notes are triggered by just the fingers touching the strings at the frets, which is a very sensitive, non-adjustable aproach.In this "SYNTH" mode, one can still pluck strings with the right hand, where that provides velocity sensing.The MIDI modes DO NOT affect the AUDIO output (of its being a standard electric guitar) to the 1/4 inch jack. Audio output and MIDI output are completely independent of each other.12. For the price, it is a very good value.It is unfortunate that these guitars are discontinued.I was fortunate to find mine iused, at Amazon, for a good price, and in very good condition.They are NOT throw-away toys. They are real instruments, made out of wood, except for the fretboard plate which is durable and suitable plastic where typical guitars have ebony or other woods. Using a plastic plate there has to do with the electronis inside the neck.This makes the neck weaker than on a typical electric guitar, and is most likely the reason why only light--gauge steel strings are recommended, and of the type specified in the manual.Fender or other companies could well use this aproach for MIDI guitar building. Improvements, of course, are always possible, as long as they do not complicate the use, nor result in very expensive items. A best MIDI guitar similar to these ones, would not have to be a modeled for "games", but correctly for musicians. Such models, at conservative prices, I think would be good sellers.Game playing is usually a temporary demand or fad, but good musical instruments have no real "age" nor season.In summary, each user has to find its best use for this guitar, by exploring its capabilities.For MIDI use, the more MIDI experience of the user, the better, although improving on that, by figuring out and trying ideas is most advisable.

This guitar used to be more expensive when other vendors sold through Amazon but now it's competitively priced here and even though Musician's Friend does free shipping on their site over $199, we've always enjoyed our service through Amazon.The guitar arrived several days before scheduled (4 business days). It was ready to go out of the box except for tuning. From research we knew we needed the midi controller as well and had already ordered that through Amazon. We also have a Hart drum kit through a Roland TD-8 which we run through a Mad Catz midi controller so we're familiar with that setup and it makes gameplay so much more real - which, of course, is the point and the reason you'd spent $300 on a guitar to play Rock Band.The guitar has mass and is pretty heavy, even compared to some of the electric guitars we own (but not as heavy as some). Keeps tuning well, as one would expect from a Fender Squire.The guitar comes with a 10' midi cable. We purchased a 15' to get a little more length in our room arrangement but the 10' will get you what you need from the guitar to your midi box. The buttons on the guitar seem to control everything like the Wii controller, but we've used the midi box for the + and - controls.You do have to mute the strings to play with the game, but the feel is real and for those who are used to playing guitar, this brings Rock Band to the game you've wanted it to be since you first picked up that plastic thing with 5 buttons. This has it all over the Mustang controller when it comes to fingering and playing chords for RB3.Edit: When we purchased this guitar through Amazon it was in partnership with Musician's Friend and the price was $279. It seems as though Amazon switches suppliers for this regularly and the price is all over. THIS review was based on the $279 price during May 2011.

If you're expecting to jump in & play like a virtuoso on expert overnight like you did with the plastic controller... You won't. I blew through all the training lessons in no time flat but didn't really learn anything. I had to go back to the training basics & beat all the songs on easy, then step up to more basics, advanced, & so on. It takes a lot of work, but I'm so glad I picked it up. It's so much more satisfying to get a particularly difficult part on a real guitar (even on easy or medium) than to simply press the correct colored buttons, while clicking another in sequence with the beat like you would on the toy guitar controller.As a gamer who's always wanted to pick up a real guitar, this is the perfect way to take the leap & get started. Don't get discouraged & give up because it IS difficult & does take A LOT of practice to play. (Even more to play well).The only things I miss from the plastic controller would be the whammy bar, the sound effects switch (wah-wah, flanger echo, etc) & the fact that the controls on the guitar won't work with Xbox. (You have to use the controls on the MIDI adapter) (sold separately) All of which I'm willing to overlook.A pro bass would be nice also... don't see why they have the option & not the instrument.