Let me say right up front that I am a real guitar player and have been for 40 years (man I "should" be awesome by now). Thus I am totally used to the size and weight of a real electric guitar. So it's not surprising that this very authentic replica Fender Wooden Stratocaster feels more comfortable in my hands than any of the myriad other wireless guitar controllers that I own. I purchased the Sunburst Strat and let me tell you.... it is beautiful! The truth is, over the years many times have I considered buying an electric with a sunburst finish, but somehow I always ended up with something else. Well this "fake" guitar actually satisfied my jones for an old-school looking electric. It's a head-turner for sure and I guarantee that anybody who sees you playing it will invariably comment on how cool it looks. The finish on the one I received was absolutely flawless.... real Fender quality. In fact, it looks to me like it "is" a real Fender Stratocaster (minus the normal electronics). In other words, I bet it could actually be turned into a functional electric guitar with a little knowledge of electronics and some cash for a new neck. I only mention this in order to try and illuminate just how realistic it looks. However, looks aside, the important thing to any gamer is how well it performs. I can only speak for myself, but judging by my increased ability to play the hardest passages (for me that would be the speed runs and arpeggio like sequences on Hard or Expert) while consistently posting all-around higher scores..... it's obvious to me that this guitar is a Smash Hit! The neck feels great (very smooth) with the frets being spaced the same distance as on the real deal. Being a Rockband guitar controller, the buttons are flush, not raised like they are for Guitar Hero controllers. Personally, I like the flush style better as long as the action is smooth without any sticking like it is on this guitar. The whammy bar is responsive as all get-out, but one quibble is the possibility of depressing the bar so far that it hits the back button causing unwanted pausing, etc. Both the back and start knobs are relabeled volume and tone controls in their original positions from the electric guitar; which lends an authentic look at the expense of (for some people) a bit of practicality. I will say that I can give the ol' whammy a workout on occasion, and never once have I ever hit the back button (although I am aware of the possibility, so to that extent perhaps there is a bit of constraint). The strum bar is a little firmer than most and makes an audible clicking sound, so if your wrists are easily fatigued while strumming and you despise the "click" because you play with the sound low; or you can't get used to not having raised Guitar Hero style buttons; or you like lightweight plastic guitars with their frets close together.... then the Fender Wooden Stratocaster replica may not be the guitar for you. But if you want a beautiful, realistic looking, full sized wooden shred machine (as close as possible to what "real" guitar heros like Hendrix, Clapton, & Stevie Ray Vaughan played). A controller that has the ability to connect you even closer to the actual guitarists who created seriously blow-away tunes while, at the same time, helping to generate in the gamer an exciting and adrenalin charged feeling of actually playing and jamming out..... well, this may quite possibly be the only axe for you. (Especially now that the price has come down to less than half of its previous "stratospheric" highs.) Once I picked my sunburst Fender up and put it to the test.....well, it's the last stringless guitar controller I'll ever buy (and the rest of my controller collection can continue sitting and gathering dust, I just don't care).
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