The Beatles: Rock Band X360 Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller

As a raving Beatlemaniac, it was a given that I would be preordering the Beatles: Rock Band game as soon as it was announced. As one of my old guitars was finally giving out, I decided to pick up one of the replica instruments as a replacement. As the bundle was out of my price range, it came down to This guitar, or the replica Rickenbacker. As I've always liked the design of the Gretsch Duo-Jet, it was a no-brainer!This guitar arrived at my door literally right before I as about to play "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in the game, so I connected it to my console, and it immediately took over for my trusty Les Paul. It was a bit uncomfortable to hold at first, until I got used to adjusting my grip. This guitar is far and away the quietest guitar controller I've ever had the pleasure of using; one of my only problems with previous guitar controllers was the incessant CLICKCLICKCLACKETTYCLACK as I strummed away while playing the game. The frets and strum bar on the Gretsch are whisper-quiet. The strum bar does not feel mushy as some past Rock Band controllers have, which prevented me from buying any of them until now. Despite its size, the Gretsch is as light as previous guitar controllers. It plays like a dream! The "start" button now requires you to hold it down for a couple of seconds, thus preventing accidental pausing while playing(I have never known this to happen while I or any of my friends were playing, but apparently, some people have experienced problems with this in the past).Visually, there's not much out there to match it. As you can see in the photos, it has a beautiful design, and the chrome really pops. As good as it looks in these photos, they don't do it justice.In the end, I think the higher price tag on this guitar is completely worth it. There has been a lot of grumbling these past few months about the price on these replica instruments, but the added cost has clearly gone into making these guitar controllers the very best to date. After over a month of frequent use, it still looks brand new, with no signs of wear, and still plays like a champ. If you still have older guitar controllers lying around, the upgrade is completely unnecessary, but if you need another instrument, you really can't go wrong with the Gretsch.

Ever since my Gretsch controller arrived, it's been my instrument of choice in playing any version of Rock Band or Guitar Hero. It's slightly larger and longer than the stock Rock Band 2 Stratocaster, and feels a bit more like a real guitar as a result. It's also gorgeous, with several little details, like the chrome clip on the pickguard, or the plate on the headstock, adding up to make a pretty convincing replica of the real guitar. At first glance, it might easily be mistaken for the real thing.The feel of the strum and buttons is about the same as the Rock Band 2 Strat, which may or may not be your cup of tea, as some prefer the clicky strum bar and raised buttons on the Guitar Hero controllers. I prefer the Rock Band "feel," so this guitar suits me fine. As some have mentioned in other reviews, the right-angled edge of the guitar can feel a bit uncomfortable when you first start playing it, as it can press into your wrist. I've just adjusted the way I hold the guitar, and don't even notice that small problem anymore.There are a few little things that keep me from giving the guitar 5 stars. One, my whammy bar has an annoying squeak, and at some point I suppose I'll have to open up the guitar and hit the innards with some lube. Also, the whammy is supposed to be a Bigsby, and while it has some cosmetic detailing to approximate one, it's actually the same whammy as the Strat with a flat plastic "shell" over the thin metal bar. I understand the cost savings in recycling parts, but this results in a less authentic design. When compared to the actual Bigsby-style whammy that Mad Catz put on their recent Telecaster controller (and compared to the accurate in-game version of the Gretsch seen in Beatles Rock Band), this cut corner just keeps the guitar from being the full replica and visual treat it could be. But it plays beautifully, which is why the "fun" rating is five stars, while the overall is just four.While the connection to the Beatles is a bit tenuous (George only played this model in the early days of the band), the classic Duo-Jet design is still lovely, and was preferable to my eyes over the more iconic Rickenbacker, at least when comparing these replicas. While I'm a Beatles fan, I chose the Gretsch less for it's connection to the band, and more for overall looks.As a final, silly note, I put this guitar next to my original PS2 guitar for Guitar Hero 1, and it's just amazing how this whole concept of fake game instruments has come since then. The original Guitar Hero controller looks like a tiny Fisher-Price toy next to this gorgeous Gretsch controller.

Unfortunately if you've ever bought many Guitar Hero and Rock Band accessories. You know that not every guitar (or drums for that matter) is created equal. Some work better then others. Some have problems. This is what happened to me with this guitar. It looks awesome but it had several problems. The strum bar was far too flimsy. I've played several Rock Band guitars. I am fine with mushy quiet strum bar. But the guitar I had, the strum bar felt loose and ready to fall out. It was that loose. As I played it, I could feel the grease on my hand. My only guess is the over greased the strum bar making it was too loose. My game playing suffered due to it. I didn't feel like I had control. Now I also have the Paul McCartney bass beatles rock band controller. That was perfect, that was the best Rock Band guitar I've ever owned.So ultimately I'm giving it 3 stars but more then likely, I just got a fluke. It happens with Guitar Hero/Rock Band accessories. I decided not to get a replacement, instead a refund, because the whole getting the item, having an issue, returning the item can be a little tiring. I didn't feel like doing it all over again if the second one they send me had the same problems.The guitar looks amazing as all the beatles rock band guitars do...the price is a little high but thats what they choose to sell it for...so be it. The buttons work just like any rock band guitar. You have the Effects switch, whammy bar, star power worked perfect. This guitar was smaller then my Paul McCartney Hofner bass guitar controller by a good 2-3 inches. Some people may prefer that.Probably a great guitar but the one I got was not working very well. If the strum bar isn't right. The guitar is worthless no matter how nice it looks.