MadCatz Rock Band Wireless Fender Telecaster Player`s Edition Replica – Xbox 360 Review
The RockBand craze is still on. With the recent launch of RB: The Beatles and the new network store, there is a constant wave of DLC content. Of course this also means new RockBand gear and guitars. MadCatz sent me their Wireless Fender Telecaster Player’s Edition Replica for the 360 to review. The guitar looks like a real Telecaster with its sunburst paint job and worn look. The picture below does not show you how beautiful it really is. It came bundled with the Stomp box and is made for the advanced player in mind. Can a special guitar be really that different than using the standard RockBand 2 guitar from Harmonix? Read the full MadCatz Rock Band Wireless Fender Telecaster Player`s Edition Replica and find out.
First Impressions:
The neck has an almost real look to it along with the Telecaster look. The worn look fits with the Bigsby all-metal whammy plate and bar. The strum bar has been upgraded and the box looks like a real guitar case. When I first picked it up to place in the three AA batteries, I noticed that this 84% scale Telecaster felt different. Both sets of buttons are made with the newest SHREDDERZ brand from MadCatz and respond amazingly well. There is also a plate near the strum bar that can activate Overdrive with the slightest touch. It looked great, felt great but I wanted to play so in went RB: The Beatles first.
Impressions While Playing:
The guitar has a great feel and once I started playing, I was really amazed at the fret buttons. The faster I pressed on them, the faster they popped back up. Meaning at times its not lag or lack of hitting the note, it’s during those fast combinations the buttons and springs can’t reset fast enough when using the standard RB guitars. This in no way means you won’t miss a note but the springs reload quickly. Best of all its quieter than the RB 2 Harmonix Guitar and the all-metal whammy bar makes using it a breeze and more fun to play. The same goes for the strum bar which is responsive and resets very quickly allowing players to play faster and try new things. So it passed the RB: The Beatles test. I moved on to RockBand 2 and the responsiveness was continued to be fantastic!
The whammy bar is short but moves in angles the normal Harmonix guitar never allowed. I love the numbered effects lever. My favorite effects are 2 and 4 which I can always have it set to either or switch on the fly. I have to be honest, at first the new Overdrive sensor seemed nice, but I did not think I would use it much. Boy was I wrong! I soon learned in time you can angle your hand in a way to always hit it and it never needs much pressure to go off. To be fair, you won’t waste the overdrive but it takes practice. I then went to Guitar Hero 5 and Guitar Hero VH. While not having the option of using the touch neck, I did not care since I am not a huge fan of it anyhow. I had no trouble getting good scores.
This guitar is not meant for those who only play once and a while. This is for those die-hard players who want something more responsive. MadCatz delivered in a big way with this telecaster. I did notice that rechargeable batteries gave less play time. I recommend regular batteries (alkaline of course). They did add the color tabs but again they are less noticeable and meant for those who play a lot.
The MadCatz Rock Band Wireless Fender Telecaster Player`s Edition Replica is not cheap at $109.99. It does ship with the stomp box strap if ordered from MadCatz and available in three colors. This is not something you buy for a younger player. It’s meant for those who play a lot and enjoy the guitar games. It supports the major games very well. I will remind those looking to buy this that you will need to calibrate it manually or use a RB 2 guitar and the setting should work fine.
Bottom Line:
Overall Score: 9.5/10.0
The bottom line is simple. It’s a great guitar/bass meant for those who love their RockBand titles. It works with all the major titles and is made to last. I know it’s expensive, but everyone I have shown it to falls in love with it and raves about the responsiveness. You get what you pay for here and MadCatz has a winner on their hands. It takes a little time to get used to the overdrive sensor but with the built in mike jack and all the extra features for the price, there is no other brand out on the market that can compare to it.
Features:
Dongle-free wireless connectivity – Uses same wireless technology as Microsoft Xbox 360 wireless controller
Official Bigsby replica whammy
New Fast Action SHREDDERZ frets buttons, extremely quiet and responsive
Touch sense technology for overdrive activation
Right- and left-handed Gameplay by switching the strap knob
Wireless connectivity
3 AA Alkaline batteries included
Includes official Fender Guitar Strap
Supports external Electro-Harmonix Overdrive Pedal (sold separately)or with bundle from MadCatz.
Compatible with Rock Band, Rock Band 2, The Beatles: Rock Band, Guitar Hero 4 & 5, DJ Hero
Links
Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Leave a Reply