The Beatles: Rock Band Wireless Guitar Controller

by MTV Games

Product Features

• Authentic chrome Bigsby bridge and tremolo bar
• Fast, accurate strum bar
• Custom fret inlays
• Five-way chrome knob
• Auto-calibration sensor to make syncing up with any TV a breeze

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0028NC8NY
• Product Dimensions: 31.8 x 12.2 x 2.6 inches ; 3.9 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 9, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,411 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #49 in Video Games > Wii > Rhythm > Musical Instruments

Product Description

Platform: Nintendo Wii | Edition: Gretsch Duo-Jet

As played by George Harrison, The Beatles: Rock Band Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller will feature an authentic chrome Bigsby bridge and tremolo bar, a fast, accurate strum bar, custom fret inlays, five-way chrome knob, and auto-calibration sensor to make syncing up with any TV a breeze.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars cool collectible, September 9, 2009

By 

Kristopher Aadahl (Upstate-ish New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: The Beatles: Rock Band Wii Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller (Video Game)

I thought it would be cool to add a Beatles guitar to my (all Guitar Hero until recently) guitar controller collection. I also wanted to try out a Rock Band guitar. Rock Band controllers vs Guitar Hero controllers: Guitar Hero is much better. You can tell where the buttons are easier, the controller feels more solid and the solo buttons on the RB controller are almost impossible to switch back and forth.

I had to buy 2 controllers. The first one had problems with the - button sticking. It was like I kept pressing it very rapidly whenever I moved the guitar. I exchanged it and the new one works fine.

This guitar connects to the Wii using a USB hookup and does not require a Wii controller to play, which is very convenient. It does, however, require a Wii controller to get the game started from the main menu, which makes it less convenient.

The controller has a tiny microphone and eye built in so it can auto-calibrate audio and video with the game, which is a very cool idea, but it doesn't work very well. The game seems better when both calibrations are set to 0 than when audio is set to 18ms and video is set to 78ms, which is what the auto-calibration sets it to.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Works Great For Me, September 10, 2009

By 

electronics guy (USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: The Beatles: Rock Band Wii Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller (Video Game)

The Beatles Rock Band and the Gretsch Duo-Jet guitar arrived about an hour ago and I've just taken a break to write this.

In my opinion, the guitar controller is really nice. One thing I really like is the silent strumming switch. The automatic audio and video calibration with Rock Band is also really a nice touch. You just hold the guitar in front of your TV and it will calibrate the audio and video synchronization for you.

Somewhere else, I saw where somebody said that the Guitar Hero guitars wouldn't work with Rock Band. Not true. At least the Guitar Hero guitar that I have (the one that came with Nintendo Wii Guitar Hero World Tour - Guitar Kit) works great with Rock Band but it doesn't have the auto calibrate feature. I bought the Gretsch Duo-Jet because I thought my Guitar Hero guitar wouldn't work based on that other review. On the other hand, I now have two guitars so can play with another person.

I'll have to see if the Gretsch will work with Guitar Hero. That one I'm not sure because the Gretsch comes with a wireless dongle that plugs into the Wii USB port to connect up and Rock Band had to do a Wii system update. Maybe that system update will also allow Guitar Hero to see the Gretsch. Fingers are crossed since I really like World Tour too.

But the Guitar Hero guitar has nicer fret buttons in my opinion. They are raised a little whereas the Gretsch fret buttons are just like the rest of the fret board. But again, the Gretsch doesn't have an annoying click every time you press the strum bar.

All in all I like the Gretsch a lot. I haven't been able to decide which I like better, though since each has their respective pros and cons.

One other thing - the Guitar Hero guitar that I have that came in World Tour (software and guitar for 2/3 of what the Gretsch cost by itself) takes a regular Wii controller to operate. You have to open a hatch, connect up a cable where the nun-chuck plugs in, slide it into place, and close the hatch. The Gretsch is completely self-contained. No need to supply a Wii controller to make it work. That may or may not be an issue for some.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Substantial size and weight, but didn't last long, September 25, 2009

By 

TeeBob (Chicago) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: The Beatles: Rock Band Wii Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller (Video Game)

Bought this along with RB2 bundle with standard guitar and drums. We wanted to have a guitar and bass playing simultaneously.

First, the good. It's larger and heavier than the RB guitar controller. For me that's a plus. I find the RB guitar's overall length to be too small to play easily. (I'm a 5'11" adult male.) The added length of the Gretsch makes the strumming and fingering easier. It just feels more substantial than the RB one.

Now, the bad. I've played with it for probably 30 hours over a week and a half and the strum bar just broke yesterday. A piece started rattling around in the guitar body so I'm sure one of the contact points for the strum bar snapped. I've been playing all bass parts on the songs. I play enthusiastically but I don't think roughly at all. Submitted a warranty return to EA and they're sending a new guitar so no problem getting it replaced. But still...

Overall I'd recommend buying this if you have the money.

2115|R166AILI8ELE2O;2115|R1FGFI7HDHW1WR;2115|R2CMZAGRAWCR0I;