I really think the Strat would be perfect if only the strum bar were better...

[Magnet]

The way the fret buttons are embedded in the neck is awesome, the solo buttons are too cool for school, the look of it in general is nice, and the effects switch and whammying are great. But the one thing that most of the gameplay depends on, the strum bar, is less than adequate. It's not even about being mushy or not clicking; I can accept those things and grow to appreciate them. But any fast parts in songs that require double strumming are extremely difficult to keep streaks in, whereas they would be very easy with a RedOctane guitar.

Is there some kind of patent preventing Harmonix from making the strum bar more similar to those found in RedOctane's guitars? I don't even care if it's all that similar, but I just wish the functionality didn't die off so fast whenever a fast paced song comes up. I'd be nailing most of the fast notes in Blackened with the strumming in an RO guitar, but I have so much trouble keeping a decent streak with the Strat that it's sad.

The Strat's strum bar makes most of the challenging guitar songs less fun to play since your inability to do well has to do with the strum bar responsiveness rather than your skill level.

I really wish Harmonix, or someone else, will make a new guitar model very soon with a revamped strumming mechanism. I'm positive that my Strat is working correctly, but "correctly" just isn't good enough when some of the songs in this game require something better than how this guitar's strum bar was designed and built.

I know all of this has been said before in various incarnations, but I really think there is an opportunity here for the peripheral team to put out a new guitar product with a much improved strum bar. If this hardware is supposed to be an investment for a ton of music, then let's please get the hardware performing the best that it can. I'm wondering whether to even buy anymore fast strumming songs if I'm not even going to be able to play them with any sort of competency.

[bmore007]

I agree that if the guitar had a strum bar like the SG's, Xplorer or Les Paul it would be freaking awesome.

[RedTsunami]

The way the fret buttons are embedded in the neck is awesome, the solo buttons are too cool for school, the look of it in general is nice, and the effects switch and whammying are great. But the one thing that most of the gameplay depends on, the strum bar, is less than adequate. It's not even about being mushy or not clicking; I can accept those things and grow to appreciate them. But any fast parts in songs that require double strumming are extremely difficult to keep streaks in, whereas they would be very easy with a RedOctane guitar.

<B>Is there some kind of patent preventing Harmonix from making the strum bar more similar to those found in RedOctane's guitars?</B> I don't even care if it's all that similar, but I just wish the functionality didn't die off so fast whenever a fast paced song comes up. I'd be nailing most of the fast notes in Blackened with the strumming in an RO guitar, but I have so much trouble keeping a decent streak with the Strat that it's sad.

The Strat's strum bar makes most of the challenging guitar songs less fun to play since your inability to do well has to do with the strum bar responsiveness rather than your skill level.

I really wish Harmonix, or someone else, will make a new guitar model very soon with a revamped strumming mechanism. I'm positive that my Strat is working correctly, but "correctly" just isn't good enough when some of the songs in this game require something better than how this guitar's strum bar was designed and built.

I know all of this has been said before in various incarnations, but I really think there is an opportunity here for the peripheral team to put out a new guitar product with a much improved strum bar. If this hardware is supposed to be an investment for a ton of music, then let's please get the hardware performing the best that it can. I'm wondering whether to even buy anymore fast strumming songs if I'm not even going to be able to play them with any sort of competency.

I really don't think there's any patent for the strumbar...or to be honest, there probably isn't a patent on ANYTHING Guitar Hero related. Have you seen all of the countless GH ripoffs? I actually had the "luxury" of being able to play one of these ripoffs in a local Macy's today, and I can assure you, that the strumbar on their guitar (some weird small, "flying V" guitar) was practically identical to the SG controller's strumbar.

And, this is probably obvious, but you could just get a GHIII Les Paul controller. Alt-strumming works just fine over there.

[Magnet]

And, this is probably obvious, but you could just get a GHIII Les Paul controller. Alt-strumming works just fine over there.

I already have one, and I'd love to use it. I can't use it with PS3 RB because it's not compatible.

[Xzyliac]

I agree that if the guitar had a strum bar like the SG's, Xplorer or Les Paul it would be freaking awesome.

I wonder if we can just rip off one those bars and throw it in a Strat.

/n00bness

[drno830]

I wonder if we can just rip off one those bars and throw it in a Strat.

/n00bness

D00d taht w00d t0ta11y w0rk!!!one

[mind_in_rewind]

I actually prefer the strum bar on the Strat. Too bad mine broke.

I went back to the Les Paul, and it was actually hard to get used to, even though I've been playing Guitar Hero for a year.