First glimpse at ten-button Rock Band guitar controller

by Peter Vrabel { Jun 19th 2007 at 12:15PM }

Harmonix was just getting us warmed up, it seems. Instead of the five fret buttons we've grown accustomed to on the past Guitar Hero series, the Rock Band official Stratocaster-based guitar controller displays ten fret buttons. On the second pic embedded below, you'll notice the five new buttons down at the base of the neck. We can only imagine what kind of sick guitar solo action Harmonix has in store for us with these.

The pics arrive courtesy of a Gamestop newsletter, which also details the new features embedded into the guitar controller. As we reported earlier, guitar effects will play a large role, allowing the player to flange, wah, reverb and delay their way into guitar gaming bliss. No official pricing was included at this time, though we wouldn't be surprised to see something closer to $79.99 or thereabouts for the controller alone. Price be damned, we're still going to have to give this bad boy a spin. Anyone else?

Tags: buttons, fret button, FretButton, guitar controller, guitar hero, GuitarController, GuitarHero, harmonix, mtv games, MtvGames, rock band, RockBand, stratocaster

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

mccomber @ Jun 19th 2007 12:30PM

Wow, that thing looks pretty damn good. Is it the same size as the GH guitar was? Somehow the proportions look different...

SKI @ Jun 19th 2007 1:27PM

Is it just me or do those extra "solo" buttons seem tiny. It looks smaller then this guys finger and I have big hands :(

SlavedHeart @ Jun 19th 2007 1:45PM

Having never played GH (because I'm a drummer) I don't know if this is already an option I just don't know about, but I'm kinda hoping that the extra buttons not only allow enhanced game play, but also jam sessions, i.e. not following a predetermined or prerecorded song. If I could play a v-drum set along with my guitarist in Buffalo, NY, and our old lead singer living in Northern CA, all while I live in the south of Arizona, would kinda rock.. We used to do this GREAT cover of the reading rainbow theme song...

pete @ Jun 19th 2007 2:12PM

i... can... go... anywhere.
take a look.
its in a book.
the reading rainbow!

massive_98 @ Jun 19th 2007 2:36PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLEEtoJJ_Fs

joeymack @ Jun 19th 2007 3:07PM

This is epic news! I can't wait for this game to come out. My only question is they've said in the past that the current Guitar Hero controller would be compatible. But with the addition of these new buttons, I don't see how. Anyways, I was so excited about this news that I wrote a post about it on my own blog. Check it out if you get a chance. Thanks!

http://www.tonightwemakesoap.com/2007/06/shredding-is-in-my-future.html