Gaming Rock Band 3 guitars: Mustang or Squier?

[davidsl_128]

Here's the thing: I'm learning to play guitar, I've been using a Fender Squier. Now that Rock Band 3 is out, I'm really interested in the guitar Pro mode, but I can't decide which guitar to get. I heard that for anyone willing to actually learn guitar the Squier (the "real" guitar) is the way to go, since the Mustang (the button guitar) is too much like a toy; but I already have a Fender Squier, so getting again the exact same guitar I have just to play a game seems kind of redundant.

So considering that the Squier isn't even out and any opinion is based in mostly guesses, which do you think I should get? The expensve but realistic Squier? Or the affordable but plastic-guitar-ish Mustang?

The Squier ($280):

The Mustang ($150):

 

[CarbonX13]

I'd go for the Squier, because it functions as a real electric guitar as well if I'm not mistaken. If you've been playing for a while, you might as well get yourself a guitar that you can use both in-game and alone. It's more worth the price IMO.

 

[Taleweaver]

That mustang works with buttons, so I doubt it has much for you that the classic 6-button guitar doesn't have.

In your position, I'd get the squier. If possible, rent it for a while to see how you like it. But if it's good enough to actually play the real guitar (and you like it ingame as well) , you might consider putting your current guitar on ebay.

 

[changeling]

I'd have to actually play both to be able to tell you. I think the Mustang and pro mode in general looks really fun. Basically it'd be like a trainer guitar. The Squier, while more realistic, probably won't have the same quality as your real Squier. I dunno you should prolly wait and get your hands on both before deciding to buy one or the other.

 

[Spoom]

The Squier, while more realistic, probably won't have the same quality as your real Squier.

Really? I figured since it was an honest-to-God Fender Squier Stratocaster with the addition of sensors for Rock Band, it'd pretty much be the same. Am I mistaken?

Also, Fender says the Squier will be available March 1, 2011, so it'll be a while. Still, if I'm going to plunk down that kind of cash, I want to get an actual guitar out of it.

And yes, it's a real guitar that can hook up to an amp.

 

[davidsl_128]

So basically...

Musang Pros
- Can play non-pro mode (big plus since my 5-button guitar broke)
- Squier may or may not be as good as my current Squier
- Half the cost of the Squier
- Looks friggin' BADASS. For me at least. I mean, it IS my avatar.

Squier Pros
- Realistic
- Can plug to an amp (kind of irrelevant to me though xD)
- Best to learn guitar
- Can place it next to my Squier and it'll be cool. (I'm NOT selling my current squier no matter what. I spent almost $100 fixing it last month! Before I knew that the RB3 Squier was actually affordable, that is)

On an important note, I don't actually expect to learn technique from this game. I got the guitar basics down already. I just want to play Rock Band on a less game-ish level. So if I just want to play it as a game, is the Squier still the best option? Cuz if it is, I'll wait and buy that one, but otherwise I'll just get the Mustang.

 

[davidsl_128]

I just listened to Bohemian Rhapsody. I NEED to learn that tune!

 

[SFenton]

Personally I want the Squier incredibly badly, but I'm still going with the Mustang. If I like it enough (and I've been using my bro's guitar to some easy/medium videos and I'm having a surprising amount of fum), then I'll pick up a nice Ibanez instead.

 

[davidsl_128]

Personally I want the Squier incredibly badly, but I'm still going with the Mustang. If I like it enough (and I've been using my bro's guitar to some easy/medium videos and I'm having a surprising amount of fum), then I'll pick up a nice Ibanez instead.

Like which? I can't seem to find anything on youtube

Also, I got this crazy idea... what if I got the Mustang (for some reason it seems cooler to me than the Squier) but glued real strings (in pieces, so that each button has a little string) with Sugru/silicone to the buttons? That way I'd be able to tell apart the strings with just touching, which is my biggest proble with the Mustang. Plus it' be the most awesome mod I've ever done!

So yeah. Tell me if my idea is bad or really bad and why. The Squier would be the best learning tool, but the Mustang is sooo cool

So I wanna do anything that I can to get the Mustang but without regretting not getting the Squier lol

 

[CarbonX13]

Personally I want the Squier incredibly badly, but I'm still going with the Mustang. If I like it enough (and I've been using my bro's guitar to some easy/medium videos and I'm having a surprising amount of fum), then I'll pick up a nice Ibanez instead.

Like which? I can't seem to find anything on youtube

Also, I got this crazy idea... what if I got the Mustang (for some reason it seems cooler to me than the Squier) but glued real strings (in pieces, so that each button has a little string) with Sugru/silicone to the buttons? That way I'd be able to tell apart the strings with just touching, which is my biggest proble with the Mustang. Plus it' be the most awesome mod I've ever done!

So yeah. Tell me if my idea is bad or really bad and why. The Squier would be the best learning tool, but the Mustang is sooo cool

So I wanna do anything that I can to get the Mustang but without regretting not getting the Squier lol

It won't feel the same to a real guitar no matter how hard you try. Plus, gluing stuff to the buttons isn't the best idea, you might even break the controller in the process. If you really want to play Rock Band with that real guitar feel, you need the Squier. The Mustang is an alternative to a real guitar, but it just isn't the same.

 

[davidsl_128]

Ok got it. I won't glue any stuff

But one last thing, even if the Mustang isn't a real guitar, does it feel anything like a guitar? Cuz I can always just play the Mustang on Rock Band to learn songs and after some practice try to play in no-fail mode with the Mustang to just read the charting and actually play with my Squier. Sure I won't score any points, but I don't really care about rankings and achievements and stuff

The thing is, I don't really want the Squier... that's because I already have a Squier that I really like, and second, if I had $300 (which I don't) I'd want to get some new drums since my Guitar Hero drums just broke... just like my Guitar Hero guitar and my Guitar Hero mic. Meh.

 

[CarbonX13]

Ok got it. I won't glue any stuff

But one last thing, even if the Mustang isn't a real guitar, does it feel anything like a guitar? Cuz I can always just play the Mustang on Rock Band to learn songs and after some practice try to play in no-fail mode with the Mustang to just read the charting and actually play with my Squier. Sure I won't score any points, but I don't really care about rankings and achievements and stuff

The thing is, I don't really want the Squier... that's because I already have a Squier that I really like, and second, if I had $300 (which I don't) I'd want to get some new drums since my Guitar Hero drums just broke... just like my Guitar Hero guitar and my Guitar Hero mic. Meh.

I understand. I'll just tell you that based on the design, the Mustang will probably feel similar to a real guitar in terms of proportions. You've got your six strings and the majority of frets on the guitar. I think they cut off a few of the top frets, but considering it supports all the songs in the game, it probably won't matter once you make a transition to a real guitar. Pressing buttons aren't like pressing strings, but since you seem to play real guitar regularly anyways, I don't think it'll matter, because they're in the same positions as they would be on a real guitar.

 

[davidsl_128]

Yeah, I'm learning to play guitar right now, which is why I considered getting the Squier as a learning tool, but it's sooo expensive... call me cheap, but I got my own Squier for $100, so understand me when I say that $300 feels like a rip-off! Anyway thanks for the advice