Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If this is an exact replica of George Harrison's Duo-Jet, then I am certain he must have worn bracers (wrist/fore-arm guards) while playing it.

As a replica it looks great, and all the pieces are well detailed and sturdy-built. The device operates a well as any RB2 controller, and the battery life appears to be about the same. The big difference between this and other controllers is the comfort level. Simply put, the body of this g-controller will cut into your arm (at about the mid-point between the wrist and elbow for most people) when played for more than a couple songs. Anyone who plays the Duo-Jet should be ready to build-up a tolerance for the lines it will leave in their strumming arm while they enjoy this fine controller. That said, if getting used to a controller that is not all that comfortable is something you would rather not do, just avoid this controller and purchase another one of the fine devices out there from Harmonix or Mad Catz.

Personally, I decided to get used to this controller, because 1) I payed a pretty price for it, and 2)It looks so cool for a plastic guitar. Had I played with the Duo-Jet g-controller prior to purchase, I am fairly certain I would have a different controller in my hands right now.

Cheers and rock on!

Ok I am a huge Beatles fan...so this guitar instantly caught my eye. I haven't been impressed with Harmonix's hardware to date (I sold my rockband guitar in lieu of using the xbox360 guitar instead) however I love this guitar and was lucky enough to have had a friend get me it as a gift.

The Pros:
the neck action is smooth
it is very quiet overall
it is incredibly light
it's gorgeous
it's wireless

The Cons:
It takes a little getting used to holding it properly, otherwise, as others have noted it can be brutal on the wrists

There is a coil inside (i'm guessing for the tremolo bar) that rattles around. It's not bad if you have the sound turned up, but there are times where i play my music games quietly and it kind of bugs me.


But seriously, if you are a huge beatles fan, this is an excellent controller to consider.

Can't believe this guitar is selling for $145 here on Amazon!!! I bought it at Toys R Us for $29.99 THREE WEEKS AGO!!!! And NOT for Black Friday week or anything!!! Amazon needs to do something about this price gouging here!
Anyway, the Gretsch Duo Jet guitar is excellent, beautiful replica, very comfortable, and completes the Rockband Beatles guitars that I own(Rickenbacker 325, which I bought for 59.99 here on Amazon, and the Hofner Bass, which came with the Limited Edition box set, along with drums, bought @ Toys R Us for $139.99)
The Beatles Rock Band guitars are compatible with the other Rock Band games, and are the best looking guitars available for Rock Band play. I recommend this guitar to any Beatles fan, and to anyone looking for a guitar for Rock Band. But please lower the price, this ridiculous! I kid you not, $29.99, and there were still some available when I was there a few days ago, same price.

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.

THIS guitar rocks out on the Beatles rockband and is a perfect present just in time for Christmas! Its Whammy bar is long and much larger than that of the Rickenbacker 325, played by John Lennon. A great piece of video game art. Definetely recomend to anyone who likes Rockband, THE BEATLES, OR GEORGE HARRISON!

I like this thing! We have another wireless guitar controller which we got with Guitar Hero, which is Aerosmith-branded but I don't like as much. It has raised up keys for each color, while this Gretsch has a smooth key area which you can easily slide your fingers across to do the more challenging note in hard and expert difficulty in rock band.

Only downside is definitely the large amount of space between the strum bar and the outside of the guitar - it can start hurting your wrist after a while if you rest them on the side.

This is a pretty well put together guitar,the strum bar works very well.Although with the fret buttons,it seemed like they had to be pressed down a little harder than most,but otherwise its a very good guitar controller. I reccomend buying this if you are a fan of the beatles or even just rockband in general.

Compared to the original Rock Band guitar, this thing is beautiful and slick. If you shake it, there's a little soft rattle but I think that's the tilt sensor for overdrive. It looks amazing, is silent, and works wonders. Love it to death. Five stars.

this gitar is a repilica of george harrisons gretsch duo jet used through early 1962 through early 1963 overall pretty nice guitar

pros:nice design very sturdy
awesome bridge basicly same fake chrome
same play still very good feel


cons:too pricy very excpencive had to buy used
nothing new no new fetures or whatnot

my final:8/10

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.