Screw the warranty. Fix the guitar yourself. Here's how...

[mattitude]

So, like most of you, my guitar out of the box broke after a few days. The whammy bar, then the strum bar. Ordered a replacement. It arrived Monday. Upstrum didn't work, and the fret buttons were really loud and annoying. Ordered another one.

Even if this new guitar's strumbar works flawlessly, I really don't want to give up my quiet fret buttons that the first guitar had. What can I say, I'm anal like that.

So I found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fypJNFsK4E

It's the simplest fix imaginable, and it worked like a charm. All you need is masking tape, a pair of scissors, and a screwdriver. And you don't even void the warranty in the process. And I managed to fix the whammy bar with a rubber band while I had the guitar opened.

So now I have an absolutely flawless guitar. Nice quiet fret buttons, reinforced strum bar and whammy bar.

I highly recommend checking out this video and taking matters into your own hands.

NOTE: I'm pretty sure this fix only applies to the first generation of guitars, with the metal contacts for the strumbar. For the second generation with with the magnetic contacts, I don't believe this fix applies to you, sadly.

[Ex7r3m3r]

this fix works great atleast for me, but i never had a problem to begin with, but it makes it a stronger strum, and more consistant, im not worried about hitting a long series of fast notes

[HMXJohnlok]

As usual, I feel that we should remind users that opening up the guitar for these types of fixes can void your warranty. If you are truly having issues with your guitar, I recommend the Electronic Arts support replacement program:

EA (Rock Band) support phone number: (650) 628-1001
Web: http://support.ea.com/rockband

[mattitude]

As usual, I feel that we should remind users that opening up the guitar for these types of fixes can void your warranty. If you are truly having issues with your guitar, I recommend the Electronic Arts support replacement program:

EA (Rock Band) support phone number: (650) 628-1001
Web: http://support.ea.com/rockband

Well... I DID utilize the Electronic Arts support replacement program, and it utterly failed me. They sent me a dud, and odds are they're sending me another one.

And yes, opening up the guitar CAN void your warranty... but not always. I didn't alter the existing hardware whatsoever. But it doesn't matter, since the guitar now works great and I don't need to return it.

Sorry, not trying to pick a fight or anything, I'm just relaying what worked for me.

[HMXJohnlok]

Hey, feel free! Just my duty to remind people.

[webduelist]

you know what why havent you guys posted anything on your opinion on this as in the guitars breaking. I mean what do you guys think of it and people opening there guitars.

[ry_mann]

I'm not getting the game until Christmas so I just want to ask this one question.

If I do mod the guitar in this fashion. Is it a for sure fix that I'll never have to modify again?

After looking at some pictures I was thinking of tightening the screws AND placing the tape where alloted. Should this permanently fix the guitar for me?

Thanks for any answers.

[Nate Finch]

This fix looks fantastic, I may give it a try, since my down strum seems to require more and more pressure to work.

[mattitude]

I'm not getting the game until Christmas so I just want to ask this one question.

If I do mod the guitar in this fashion. Is it a for sure fix that I'll never have to modify again?

After looking at some pictures I was thinking of tightening the screws AND placing the tape where alloted. Should this permanently fix the guitar for me?

Thanks for any answers.

Can't vouch the tightening of the screws, in fact, in the video I linked to, the guy recommends NOT doing that...

But anyway, as far I can tell, the tape thing is a permanent fix. And if the gap does manage to widen out again over time, you can just go back and add another layer or two of masking tape.

However, if you're not getting the game until Christmas, odds are you'll be getting a guitar with magnetic contact points, and I don't think those fixes apply to that guitar. But I could be wrong.

[Highlandlassie]

Some have reported the contact itself breaking off.
The tape fix wont help that problem.
If the contacts have not broken, chances are they will over time, from the photos, they look very thin and fragile.
The magnetic pickups seem to be a better idea of a lasting solution.

[AgainstOne]

you definitely want the newer "magnetic" model. the only moving part in it (associated with strumming) is the plastic strum bar itself. no more moving switches or contacts. much less likely to fail in the long run.

[pdawg17]

So this fix is for the "old school" guitars, right? I have a magnetic one but the upstrum sucks...would this work for this or do I need a different fix?

[ZERO X]

hello
MY ADRESS IS FROM MEXICO AND I ENTER DE MARKETPLACE AND I DONT SEE ANY ROCK BAND
SONG PACKS ARE YOU GOING TO POST A DATE FOR MEXICO ADRESS, I DONT GET IT ONLY USA ADRESS CAN DOUNLOD THIS SONGS.

[ZERO X]

hello
MY ADRESS IS FROM MEXICO AND I ENTER DE MARKETPLACE AND I DONT SEE ANY ROCK BAND
SONG PACKS ARE YOU GOING TO POST A DATE FOR MEXICO ADRESS, I DONT GET IT ONLY USA ADRESS CAN DOUNLOD THIS SONGS.:confused:

[mattitude]

So this fix is for the "old school" guitars, right? I have a magnetic one but the upstrum sucks...would this work for this or do I need a different fix?

I don't think this fix applies to the magnetic contacts. But I've seen a thread or two on this board with solutions on how to fix those too.

[Highlandlassie]

So this fix is for the "old school" guitars, right? I have a magnetic one but the upstrum sucks...would this work for this or do I need a different fix?

HA HA, Old School

Those guitars are sooo November.

[AgainstOne]

So this fix is for the "old school" guitars, right? I have a magnetic one but the upstrum sucks...would this work for this or do I need a different fix?

here's my fix for the upstrum on the magnetic guitars:

http://community.rockband.com/vbforum/showthread.php?p=175488#post175488

[BrandoCort]

You know, it's problematic enough that they should have defects at all, but we left-handed folks are totally screwed. Your up-strum is my down-strum, I can't play at all... Perhaps my 3rd guitar will work for me, cuz I'm afraid I just can't risk voiding the warranty and being out a guitar completely. After all their boasting of having the "superior guitar" its sad that Harmonix is handing out such a piss-poor product.

[SinistarX]

As usual, I feel that we should remind users that opening up the guitar for these types of fixes can void your warranty. If you are truly having issues with your guitar, I recommend the Electronic Arts support replacement program:

EA (Rock Band) support phone number: (650) 628-1001
Web: http://support.ea.com/rockband

Sorry, man, but I've been waiting over two weeks for a replacement Strat and while I've had the tracking number in my hands since the first day, nothing has been shipped.

I couldn't really take it any more and had to repair my own gear. You guys are welcome to take it in exchange for a Strat with the new mechanism, but first you have to send it to me.

I get that you've got an obligation to remind people about the support options, but I'm a little disenchanted by the support response. I tried the EA way, and it kinda failed.

[ry_mann]

I know I'm getting the first generation guitar because my parents bought it on release day. I'm just not getting to play it until Christmas.

[JT138]

If you guys are so fed up with it just go buy guitar Hero 111 and call it a day.

Except PS3s Cuz well no offense but they suck.

Xbox 360 is the way to go.

[Ryder35]

yep,

that works really well on the ps3 doesn't it?

[webduelist]

look this fix works the only problem was that the contact was being bent away because the pad was too small, im dead serious that this fix will work.

[Lord_Beelzebub]

So, like most of you, my guitar out of the box broke after a few days. The whammy bar, then the strum bar. Ordered a replacement. It arrived Monday. Upstrum didn't work, and the fret buttons were really loud and annoying. Ordered another one.

Even if this new guitar's strumbar works flawlessly, I really don't want to give up my quiet fret buttons that the first guitar had. What can I say, I'm anal like that.

So I found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fypJNFsK4E

It's the simplest fix imaginable, and it worked like a charm. All you need is masking tape, a pair of scissors, and a screwdriver. And you don't even void the warranty in the process. And I managed to fix the whammy bar with a rubber band while I had the guitar opened.

So now I have an absolutely flawless guitar. Nice quiet fret buttons, reinforced strum bar and whammy bar.

I highly recommend checking out this video and taking matters into your own hands.

NOTE: I'm pretty sure this fix only applies to the first generation of guitars, with the metal contacts for the strumbar. For the second generation with with the magnetic contacts, I don't believe this fix applies to you, sadly.

Good for you and everyone else that has tried this, just don't forget that after a period of time rubber bands dry out and break so expect to replace that rubber from time to time.

[a_wall419]

i just got my replacement guitar...how do i find out if it has the magnet strips or the thin original crappy ones?

[BigDaddyKool]

Hey cool dudes, thats my video. Made it downstairs on my pool table, this is a fix for the first generation guitars with the contacts, and it will fix BOTH upstrum and downstrum issues if you have the metal contacts. Its so easy its silly. Basic Idea: ELIMINATE the space between the black pad and the stationary contact. Works for both up and downstrum. If you watch the other videos we made on youtube, you'll see the difference, watch molly hatchet. Skippin notes all over the place, its my son who plays hes way better than I am. Then watch tom sawyer or highway star, and see the notes nailed and no cutouts, anything he misses is his mistake not the guitars. Any questions just ask, you'll see my name on the videos when the fretboard starts off.

[monkeyfish]

There an external thing on the guitars that shows what generation they are? I'm seriously considering trying this out before I stuff it in EA's coffin and mail it off. Course, my overdrive sensor would still be broke all to hell...so goodbye to decent scores...

[BigDaddyKool]

im going to take a look at the sensor for overdrive and see what I can come up with i'm sure its a basic thing.

[webduelist]

if its just not working it might be unpluged ive fixed all my friends guitars and that was a common issuse.

[Amish Robot]

Hey cool dudes, thats my video. Made it downstairs on my pool table, this is a fix for the first generation guitars with the contacts, and it will fix BOTH upstrum and downstrum issues if you have the metal contacts. Its so easy its silly. Basic Idea: ELIMINATE the space between the black pad and the stationary contact. Works for both up and downstrum. If you watch the other videos we made on youtube, you'll see the difference, watch molly hatchet. Skippin notes all over the place, its my son who plays hes way better than I am. Then watch tom sawyer or highway star, and see the notes nailed and no cutouts, anything he misses is his mistake not the guitars. Any questions just ask, you'll see my name on the videos when the fretboard starts off.

I gave this a shot, and I'd like to say THANK YOU! My strumbar crapped out after a couple days, and this fixed it 100%. Playing Highway Star after the fix, I had no issues whatsoever. The only think holding me back now is my skill (or lack thereof - Highway Star on expert is harsh). :D

My quandry now is that I ordered a replacement guitar (regular shipping, not express), and now I have an empty box and I don't know whether to bother shipping it back. I'd like to have a guitar with magnet contacts, but I've heard the fret buttons are pretty loud on the new guitar and my current one is whisper quiet. I'm thinking I may buy a second guitar once they're available - since I like the strat more than the GH explorer - so it probably doesn't matter.

Between this and CigDangle's quiet drum mod, this is exactly how the game should be!

[RogerTarin]

excuse my stupidity but how do you know if you got the 'magnetic' model? I got mine on launch day and just had my guitar replaced (since the other one had the defective strum bar) Does this mean i have the new and improved magnetic model, or should i just return my rock band bundle and wait till 08 for the killer hardware to arrive?:confused:

[Johnald]

Hey cool dudes, thats my video. Made it downstairs on my pool table, this is a fix for the first generation guitars with the contacts, and it will fix BOTH upstrum and downstrum issues if you have the metal contacts. Its so easy its silly. Basic Idea: ELIMINATE the space between the black pad and the stationary contact. Works for both up and downstrum. If you watch the other videos we made on youtube, you'll see the difference, watch molly hatchet. Skippin notes all over the place, its my son who plays hes way better than I am. Then watch tom sawyer or highway star, and see the notes nailed and no cutouts, anything he misses is his mistake not the guitars. Any questions just ask, you'll see my name on the videos when the fretboard starts off.

Rock on, good dude. Perfect fix. Haven't had any problems since trying this out, any idea how long it'll last?

[Bullion2003]

The quick fix sounds like a great idea. I just wanted to make one suggestion. You could always use the Guitar Hero 3 guitar for it and have two great guitar games. The box on Guitar Hero 3 says only for use with Guitar Hero games, but that is bull. I purchased Guitar Hero 3 for the guitar but I really like the game too. You can compete online as you can with Rock Band. And it has some hot songs on it as well. Just a suggestion if you are waiting for a replacement guitar like me. Plus when you get your replacement back you will have a bass guitar for the game too. Sooo it's just a suggestion. Hope it helps some.

[Bullion2003]

You know what REALLY sucks?!?! I have been waiting for my replacement guitar for about 3 weeks, well I got it today and the neck of it was snapped in half right above the bottom frets!!! Tell me that sh*t doesn't suck!! I keep getting the freakin run around!! So I recommend use the quick fix if at ALL possible!!!!

[webduelist]

Rock on, good dude. Perfect fix. Haven't had any problems since trying this out, any idea how long it'll last?



best bet untill the contact its self breaks. yay my computer is staying on for more then 5 secs.

[AlmeidaCTU]

Hi,

thank you SO much for posting this solution! My guitar works like a charm now, unbelievable.

I had lots of problems with it before. Double strum was impossible, wrong strums have been recognized during fast notes in a row and so on. When I opened the guitar, I saw on first sight that the upper and lower contacts/feathers have been completely different. The upper ones were that far seperated, that you had to push the strum completely in order to close the gap (and make a contact). The lower ones were that near that you only had to pull the strum about 1mm for the contact. This made double strums in one direction almost impossible, as the didn't seperate in between. One of the feathers was twisted.

So what I did first is to make the space between both contact pairs/feathers equal (not too much and not too less). I had to disassemble the hole unit in order to being able to bend the twisted feather. Next I taped the outer ones with tape so that they won't vibrate anymore.

The "new" guitar works like hell. I did all songs on 5 stars with almost 100% on medium, even the ones I didn't know before. No problems anymore with fast sequences (i.e. Killers or The Police) and double strums. It's no problem to strum up and down all the time, I even can push the strum on long notes all the time without risking that the note will break in the middle.

Since I'm from germany, this was the only option I had because returning the guitar to the US would have cost about 100$ (only for shipping)! It took about 15 minutes and the difference is like day and night! Thank you.

Please excuse my english, but these technical things are quite hard to describe (I don't even now whether "feather" is the correct word, maybe its germish ;) ). I hope it's more or less understandable.

[Kallidoan]

excuse my stupidity but how do you know if you got the 'magnetic' model? I got mine on launch day and just had my guitar replaced (since the other one had the defective strum bar) Does this mean i have the new and improved magnetic model, or should i just return my rock band bundle and wait till 08 for the killer hardware to arrive?:confused:
Old version is "Clickly" when you strum.

New "magnetic" version is not.

[webduelist]

umm bending the contacts is not a good Idea, the only problem is that the pad behind the contact is too small if place the tape pads in there from the first page then the contact will be pushed back to its orginall position.

[HHarm]

Is the idea to remove the gap from the outer contacts as perfectly as possible (without actually pushing them inwards) or should I make the masking tape pads 3 and 4 layers thick as adviced in the video?

[webduelist]

your best bet is to make the tape pads.

[osirisbunnyfoofoo]

This is a good fix, but it is NOT permanent. At least, it wasn't for me. My guitar failed right out of the box on opening day. I used this trick the very next day to get the downstrum working again, and it worked like a charm. The downstrum worked every time. But last night, the problem re-emerged. It's not as bad as it once was, however.(At first, the downstrum registered about 1 in 10 strums. Now it's about 9 out of 10.)I could be wrong; maybe my tape somehow came out of place. But I'm just saying that that's pretty unlikely, and the best fix is for Harmonix to just create a quality product. I would give this fix a try before I order a replacement if I were you, but it didn't last forever for me.

[HHarm]

your best bet is to make the tape pads.

Yes, but what I was asking is the size of the pads. Should I make their thickness as instructed (3 and 4 layers) on the video or should I try to fit as many layers of masking tape without actually pushing the contact inwards.

[fourdegrees]

lol the guy in the video sounded like Robert De Niro :P

[winnipegguy2236]

fixed my guitar for now. The grinch known as EA isn't going to steal my xmas. I know we shouldn't open our guitar and we should use the replacement service. That was my plan in the first place but they don't offer it in Canada yet. So am i just suppose to roll over and die while i wait? heck no. This xmas i'll be a rocking.

[ncrecon101]

Okay i have a "new generation" guitar i believe. I received it this Christmas so i assume it is the "new generation". But if you believe the new ones are better you are WRONG!!! Now, my down strum and up strum are not working. Will this fix help me??

[SuperDull]

As my first post I'd like to say hello to everyone.

When I first got my rockband I was actually outta town on vacation so I didnt get to play it til a week later. BUMMER! yea I know, however, on the upside, I had it waitin for me. Anyway, to make a long story short I started playing and my strumbar broke, yea I know.

So I dissassembled it and messed with the contacts, making it better but not 100%. I ordered another one and when it came the upstrum was broke but the downstrum worked fine. I took this one apart and it was the 2nd batch with magnets. I know I saw some posts sayin that if you file down the magnet contacts it would work better.....so when i looked inside it looked like someone had already filed them down a bit.

To make a long story longer I ended gettin one that worked fully. Just thought I'd post somethin and tell my story of a broken strumbar.

[webduelist]

ummm if its a new gen it shouldnt have a problem crack it open and see if it isnt the old gen.

[sjdnb]

Do you really want to discourage people from getting satisfaction because some dude took the time to get inventive? I mean, come on, why void the little warranty they're getting for $170 (that, btw, might buy you a few thousand satisfied customers while you work out the 'kinks').

If you're all into creativity and openness (the 'patch', fixing the flaws, etc.), then prove it.

If you think there is a flaw in the solution offered in the YouTube video, point it out, correct it.

But, just to threaten your customers with warranty voidance, because they are trying to find a way to be able to use your product, while you are working to resolve outstanding issues (aka they can't use it cuz it broke after a few hours or ....) is just not smart marketing or customer relations.

Peace

[danla]

I removed all 16 screws from the back of my strat, but the back still seems to be secured by something in the middle. I also noticed I do not have three different lengths of screws. I have 4 long screws in the neck and 12 of same length around the body. My frets make loud clicking sound. Maybe I have a new generation guitar that may not benefit from this fix. From the back of my guitar the model number and part number are 822152 and 822152.302 respectively.

[mindbender]

Does anyone know if the 360 guitar can be fixed the same?

[DarcMasta]

yea it works for both X360 and PS3. Rock On! \m/

[blockaderunner]

Does anyone know where I can get a new spring for the wammy bar. I'd rather not use a rubber band. Thanks.

[bville420]

why bad equipment i know u made millions why half ** something this game was huge and best game i ever played broke in two days and i take good care of my stuff

[HHarm]

I have placed masking tape on the plastic tabs outside the outer contacts. There was an obvious improvement. Still I’m still feeling that some errors during fast strums might be caused by the hardware. Especially fast parts with up down up down etc.

I’ve placed 3 pieces of masking tape for the downstrum and 6 for the upstrum (there’s still room for more!) Here are the pictures of both:

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/3553/downstrumfg9.th.jpg (http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=downstrumfg9.jpg)

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2889/upstrumjv2.th.jpg (http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=upstrumjv2.jpg)

If somebody who has experimented with fixing the guitar could comment and possibly advise if there’s something I should still do?

Thanks!

[HHarm]

Anyone? :o

[chhristian]

the down/up strum parts, i feel i am missing too but I think it is just my timing. Anyways, upstrum by itself works perfectly, and downstrum by itself works perfectly, so it can't be the down or up strum screwing up individually. (this is with the masking tape mod)

Also HHarm, is the bottom picture your upstrum? because that is the one that looks like 'there is still room for more' maybe the picture is upside down or something but for my guitar the metal contact was a lot 'tighter' with the screw pad... yours looks really uhh loose?
and i am pretty sure the masking tape should touch both the screw pad and the metal contact.. (which yours doesn't)