The Mad Catz Rock Band 3 Pro Guitar is great because it has a quadrillion buttons, but real men who want the "Pro" experience will opt for the stringed, Rock Band 3 Fender guitar, which was revealed earlier during this E3 and not really talked about again… until yesterday afternoon, that is. Fender has announced that the guitar will be available on March 1, 2011, and according to the guitar's custom page, it will hit retail at an astounding $279.99 bones. What's the Pro experience worth to you again?

According to the website, the Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and Controller has been "created for musicians and gamers alike" and will "rock" both worlds respectively, whether you decide to plug it into an amp or, say, your Xbox 360. So, in other words, it's authentic--minus that whole position-sensing fingerboard on the neck and the buttons on the body that makes the videogame play possible. 
 

The Mad Catz Rock Band 3 Pro Guitar is great because it has a quadrillion buttons, but real men who want the "Pro" experience will opt for the stringed, Rock Band 3 Fender guitar, which was revealed earlier during this E3 and not really talked about again… until yesterday afternoon, that is. Fender has announced that the guitar will be available on March 1, 2011, and according to the guitar's custom page, it will hit retail at an astounding $279.99 bones. What's the Pro experience worth to you again?

According to the website, the Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and Controller has been "created for musicians and gamers alike" and will "rock" both worlds respectively, whether you decide to plug it into an amp or, say, your Xbox 360. So, in other words, it's authentic--minus that whole position-sensing fingerboard on the neck and the buttons on the body that makes the videogame play possible. 
 

A good regular guitar runs about $300 anyway, so that's not too bad of a deal.

It's more expensive than I was hoping for, but I assume for that price it's well made and better than the reports I've been hearing about the Power Gig axe.

Wow-zuh! 
 
I was actually expecting the price to come in around there, but reading it makes me realize how much it is. Sheesh.

Finally a price and a date!
 
Pretty much the price I was expecting.  Though March 1st is pretty far off...

Hrm, I was thinking about buying a Squire anyway and trying to learn guitar with my tax rebate next year. So ... this could work out really nicely. Probably sold. Until then, pro keys are keeping me busy.

" A good regular guitar runs about $300 anyway, so that's not too bad of a deal. "

I just don't want to play a guitar upside-down. I really don't give a shit if Jimi Hendrix did it- I don't want too.

Thought it would be way worse. Excitement tempered by how bad I am presently at pro keys.

Huh.. looks like I won't be playing Pro-mode. I just can't feel okay with that kind of purchase.

" @Skywarpgold said:

" A good regular guitar runs about $300 anyway, so that's not too bad of a deal. "

A squire strat runs about $150, with a really good squire tele being $200. That pricing is kinda ridiculous. "

" @Skywarpgold said:

" A good regular guitar runs about $300 anyway, so that's not too bad of a deal. "

A squire strat runs about $150, with a really good squire tele being $200. That pricing is kinda ridiculous. "

" If for whatever reason this $280 videogame guitar is still something you're interested in"

" Finally a price and a date!  Pretty much the price I was expecting.  Though March 1st is pretty far off... "

" @9cupsoftea said:

" @Skywarpgold said:

" A good regular guitar runs about $300 anyway, so that's not too bad of a deal. "

A squire strat runs about $150, with a really good squire tele being $200. That pricing is kinda ridiculous. "

Not really ridiculous at all.
 
A Squier Stratocaster guitar typically retails at around the $200 mark in most places, and a Squier Telecaster would be $350-400. And those guitars won't work with RB3. So, hey, there you go. You pay $180 for the Squier, and then $100 for a Rock Band guitar.
 

Your average Fender Squier guitar rarely costs more than $150 or so...just saying, you can certainly learn to play guitar on this but you'll certainly want to upgrade a few years down the road. Squiers are historically not very good guitars

Considering it's a guitar with extra tech slapped on it, which is pretty advanced as far as I can tell, this seems like a fine price. I mean its got midi out as well, this thing isnt simple to manufacture.

I'd buy that for a dollar!
or... 280, as it seems...

I think I'm going to just go ahead and get that in March.

I only have 2 things to say.
 
1. Anyone trying to play real music with this guitar outside of the game will immediately be a tool.
2. For the price you could have bought a pretty decent guitar that I'm positive will sound a hundred times better than this Fender.
 
I really wish this whole genre would die so that people might actually learn to play real instruments. Obviously the interest is there. Even though they are trying to make it more like the real thing it never will be because they are controlling what you play. You can't feel the music this way imo.

Eh, I'd rather buy a used Ibanez from Guitar Center for the same amount and probably get a lot more enjoyment out of it. =\

" Eh, I'd rather buy a used Ibanez from Guitar Center for the same amount and probably get a lot more enjoyment out of it. =\ "

This was previously listed on the RB website as 160 bucks... 
 
I was already struggleing with that price, now I'm going crazy. I PLAY guitar. I want to use a real guitar for this, take advantage of thoser callises (or however you spell that). I am hella bumed. 
 
EDIT: What I really want is something that will let me use my actual guitars. I don't mind tuning after every song if it means I have to spend 50 bucks instead of a gazillion. 

" @Arnemetia said:

" Eh, I'd rather buy a used Ibanez from Guitar Center for the same amount and probably get a lot more enjoyment out of it. =\ "

Ibanez make pretty good fake Jackson guitars. Good luck with that :) "

" @sofacitysweetheart said:

" @Arnemetia said:

" Eh, I'd rather buy a used Ibanez from Guitar Center for the same amount and probably get a lot more enjoyment out of it. =\ "

Ibanez make pretty good fake Jackson guitars. Good luck with that :) "

Yeah cause Jackson totally released the first 7string guitar, and 8string guitar. Also Ibanez happens to offer hollow body electric guitars, acoustic guitars, and tons of great electronics. Yes clearly Ibanez are fake Jackson guitars. "

Squiers are the shittiest guitars. If they were going to go with a lower-tier brand, they should have picked Epiphone.

"1. Anyone trying to play real music with this guitar outside of the game will immediately be a tool. 
 
... 
 
I really wish this whole genre would die so that people might actually learn to play real instruments. Obviously the interest is there. Even though they are trying to make it more like the real thing it never will be because they are controlling what you play. You can't feel the music this way imo. "