I am actually thinking of buying the GH Metallica. I figured I would ask those who are actually playing it. Which guitar is the best for it? I don't want to get one of the cheaply made ones and I don't know which is which. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I am actually thinking of buying the GH Metallica. I figured I would ask those who are actually playing it. Which guitar is the best for it? I don't want to get one of the cheaply made ones and I don't know which is which. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have used all the guitars that come with the various iterations of GH and I think the black one that shipped with GHIII is my favorite. It is cheaper than the GHWT guitar since there is no touchstrip.

I played through GH Metallica with no problems.

This one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8782971&st=guitar+hero&lp=11&type=product&cp=4&id=1205245970074

I have used all the guitars that come with the various iterations of GH and I think the black one that shipped with GHIII is my favorite. It is cheaper than the GHWT guitar since there is no touchstrip.

I played through GH Metallica with no problems.

This one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8782971&st=guitar+hero&lp=11&type=product&cp=4&id=1205245970074

Touchstrip? I don't know what that is. I don't mind spending money on a quality piece of hardware I just don't want to get the crappy made ones. I remember hearing when these games first came out about how crappy the controllers were.

My favorite after trying most all on the market is the wireless Les Paul from GH3. No touchstrip but I never really used it on on the newer guitar.

It's preference. I haven't played the new GH guitar, but I've played all the others. My pick is the the RB2 guitar. Has a silent strummer that feels great, the fret buttons feel good too, except I get clicks from them now instead of the strummer :( Hearing the clicking enhances the feeling of playing with a toy for me, instead of playing with a fake instrument. It detracts from my overall enjoyment of playing along with one of these songs hearing all the clicks.

I hate the GH clicky strummers. Even if I could get the les paul with no strummer click, I still like the feel of the RB2 guitar more.

Doc SoCal from the rockband forums says he saw an email from the WarBeast guys that they were releasing a 360 version in July.

He's a stand-up guy, so I hope the Warbeast guys follow through. I need a new guitar and that's the one I want. :)

Controllers are a matter of preference, and it would really be up to your personal tastes....like buying a car...probably better to try them out.

Personally, it's the RB2 strat for me. I picked up a Les Paul as a backup/second guitar, and I freaking hate the thing, but I know many who love it.

Keep in mind that I started on the RB2 strat, but the things I hate about the GH controller are:

Clicky strum bar
They seem smaller than the RB2 strat (although I haven't measured)
They feel light and cheap
The raised fret buttons
I have trouble with the overdrive going off, but I think this is because the strap is smaller/shorter and I end up holding the guitar more tilted, which probably triggers it.
There is small plastic "ridge" between the buttons, so as I slide my fingers, they are always going over the ridge, and my fingertips actually get sore from playing it for even short periods. The RB2 strat has flush buttons, and I have no trouble with hours of play.


Like I said though, many people love it, but I think it's mostly which guitar you start out on (I started on Rock Band, and I hate the GH controllers, but I believe most people who start on GH don't like the RB controllers). Probably just a matter of what you are used to.

The Les Paul is definitely affordable though. I got mine for $20, and I guess it's worth it for a backup guitar that's only used occassionally when I have parties or people over.

It's hard to pick out a faux-guitar for someone else, because (as mentioned) the feel of a controller is subjective, not to mention the cost.

My $0.02 -- the GH3 Les Paul* is ok, but I picked up a refurb GH:WT guitar and love it. The touch-strip is a gimmick, but a fun one that adds tapping and wah-wah to the performance (yet certainly will break a note-streak!). If you like gimmicky interaction like myself, it's a great choice.

The negative to the GH:WT guitar is the fret buttons are a bit uncomfortable (equal to GH3 Les Paul), but with practice this got to be less and less an issue.

The Rock Band 2 guitar is also a great controller, the fret buttons are more comfortable... but the strummer doesn't click. You might prefer that though, so YMMV. It also has a handy calibration device for Rock Band 2.

I just got the Mad Catz Wireless Fender Precision Bass, and it's way expensive but the best of both worlds if you want to go through the bass career and money is no issue. The strummer is not only "clicky", but it's also split so you can get some fast two-finger notes going. The fret buttons are "Rock Band" style, so very comfortable.

*note: the guy that got the world record for high-score on Guitar Hero (playing a Metallica song) (http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14257538/guitar-hero-metallica/videos/GH_record_061109.html) used a GH3 Les Paul. In fact, most record-chasers seem to favor the GH3 Les Paul, so if high-score is what you are after.... ;)

Good luck with your choice!

GH3 Les Paul is my favorite, followed by the Xplorer (but wired only) and then the GH:WT guitar.

*note: the guy that got the world record for high-score on Guitar Hero (playing a Metallica song) (http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14257538/guitar-hero-metallica/videos/GH_record_061109.html) used a GH3 Les Paul. In fact, most record-chasers seem to favor the GH3 Les Paul, so if high-score is what you are after.... ;)

Good luck with your choice!

WTF? Who is that kid? He played that song like it was nothing. I've never seen someone play any GH song like that. I mean, he's apparently some sort of phenom at the game, but sweet mother. Perfect on expert on that song? wow...

I use the Les Paul from GH3 the most as well.

It's definitely a preference thing.

I can't understand how people DON'T like the clicking of the strumbar. I find it impossible to keep any sort of rhythm without the clicking. it's not so much the sound, but the feel of the click. the complete absence of it on the RB guitars, is a deal breaker for me :(

Awesome feedback guys. I wish there was a way to test drive them without buying them first. Gamefly needs to rent controllers too. lol

Awesome video too. I am not a highscore type player. I am more of a for the enjoyment type player. I didn't know the RB guitars are compatible with GH games. Go figure. Thanks again guys.

Guitar Hero III/Aerosmith Les Paul FTW!

I've used all the other official guitars and the Les Paul is the best to use, IMO (Expert player here). I don't like the feel of the strum bar on the World Tour guitar and it's too big and uncomfortable after using the Les Paul for such a long time. I don't use the tap/slider anyways so I don't miss that at all.

Don't even think about using the Rock Band/Rock Band II guitar... that's a piece of ****!

My favorite is the GH WT guitar but I've had two (returned one) and they both had defective touch strips. I decided to just disable it. I love everything else about it. It feels a little more like a guitar and a nice long quiet wide strum bar.

Those purple rope sections are easier to play by just mashing the buttons anyway IMO vs. sliding your hand to the strip and then you need to get back to the buttons. I would always put my hand back in the wrong spot.

The Xplorer is awsome also. Of course it looks and feels a little more like a toy but so what? I switched to the XBox from the PS3 really just so I could use one. The buttons are nice and close together so there's less strain on the fingers during faster fretting. One of mine got excessively loud though after all the use. (The PS3 LP on GH III was a disaster as was one 3rd party wired controller I tried.)

My favorite is the GH WT guitar but I've had two (returned one) and they both had defective touch strips. I decided to just disable it. I love everything else about it. It feels a little more like a guitar and a nice long quiet wide strum bar.

Those purple rope sections are easier to play by just mashing the buttons anyway IMO vs. sliding your hand to the strip and then you need to get back to the buttons. I would always put my hand back in the wrong spot.



I should have mentioned in my vote behind the GH:WT guitar that I bought one at Best Buy and it didn't upstrum, so I returned it and the second also wouldn't upstrum. Frustrated, I gave up and got my money back... but I was so disappointed because I really wanted that guitar I tried one more time when a very cheap refurb appeared in the Xbox Deals thread. The refurb works perfectly, and came with a copy of the game which I sold on eBay.

Oh, and the ropey sections... they can be a real streak-breaker. But still fun. As Mike said, best to not even strum during those. I really only attempt them with the right (strumming) hand, and will use the slider sometimes to tap/strum, Steve Vai style -- or slide sustained notes for wah-wah. Good times. :D

It's a personal preference thing certainly, but I'm also in the GHIII wireless camp. My RB1 guitar sits unused and I didn't really like the RB2 guitar that I borrowed (but likely didn't give it enough time.)

With respect to the GH Metallica game, I've pretty much ditched GH for RB, but I really like the Metallica game even though I haven't been able to get thru the most difficult songs yet. (I play on hard.)

Awesome feedback guys. I wish there was a way to test drive them without buying them first. Gamefly needs to rent controllers too. lol

Awesome video too. I am not a highscore type player. I am more of a for the enjoyment type player. I didn't know the RB guitars are compatible with GH games. Go figure. Thanks again guys.


Well I had the urge to play freebird the other day and tried to use my favorite guitar to do it, the RB2. Didn't work with GH2. then tried the RB1 guitar, didn't work, then went to the les paul, didn't work. Had to go back to my xplorer, which I don't like using. It creaks when I move around with it and it feels like it's old, which it is of course.


Shouldn't the les paul work at the least with GH2? I thought it was supposed to be compatible.

Well I had the urge to play freebird the other day and tried to use my favorite guitar to do it, the RB2. Didn't work with GH2. then tried the RB1 guitar, didn't work, then went to the les paul, didn't work. Had to go back to my xplorer, which I don't like using. It creaks when I move around with it and it feels like it's old, which it is of course.


Shouldn't the les paul work at the least with GH2? I thought it was supposed to be compatible.


May I refer you to the RB/GH Guitar compatibility matrix (which says the LP should work, so don't know what the problem is/was):
http://www.joystiq.com/Instrument-Compatibility-Matrix/

I made the mistake of buying Guitar Hero III, not realizing I couldn't use the RB2 strat with it. I've played it twice (because I hate the Les Paul), but it was only $10, so I'm not too upset about it.

I've been through quite a few guitars. RMA is my middle name. I have to say at the end of the day, the GHIII Les Paul is clearly my guitar of choice for gaming. It just seems to work and it feels more like a real guitar ..(to me anyway).

I've not tried the Aerosmith Les Paul but its pretty much the same guitar with a different face plate. However.. My son who is pretty damn good, said it was a very nice controller as well... maybe even better than the black wireless les paul.