Nyko ships PS3 Rock Band/GH III compatible guitar

40 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Apr 5th 2008 8:00AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Peripherals

Nyko is now shipping to retailers its Rock Band/Guitar Hero III compatible Front Man wireless guitar for PS3. The third party controller is $60, which is the same price some retailers charge for first party controllers.

The Front Man guitar works up to 25 ft and allegedly gets 80 hours of play time, it also uses a "stomp box" to switch between the two rival rhythm games. It's great that the guitar is compatible with both games unlike the first party controllers, but isn't the whole point of a third party peripheral to be much less expensive than first party? Oh well, we had no complaints about the controller when we got some hands-on time with it at GDC. The Front Man seems like an alternative for those who need another ax quick and a first party controller isn't at the store .

Tags: gh-iii, ghiii, guitar, nyko, peripheral, rock-band

(Page 1) Reader Comments

mr mobius: Apr 5th 2008; 8:06AM

Except that it works with both games, it hasn't any advantages. Doesn't look the best but for multiplayer it'll be cheaper for people who play both GHIII and RB than having to get separate controllers.

michael: Apr 5th 2008; 8:15AM

this thing is totally cooler than retail YOU CAN CHANGE THE PICK GUARD TO MAGENTA!

ssuk: Apr 5th 2008; 10:35AM

T-Mobile's gonna be pissed again...

Phi Nguyen: Apr 5th 2008; 6:00PM

Does the pickguard change color when you step on that awesome pedal? LOL.

On a serious note, those buttons look like they would be uncomfortable.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force): Apr 5th 2008; 8:36AM

This generation of 3rd party hardware is weird: they're actually making attractive products for consoles.

kevinski: Apr 5th 2008; 9:11AM

I know, especially Nyko.

[.sm0ke.]: Apr 5th 2008; 2:00PM

The PS2 and PS3 one is based on the Gibson Explorer, and the Wii guitar looks exactly like the Fender Telecaster. Nyko isn't making attractive products, they're just copying attractive products.

playwhutyalike: Apr 5th 2008; 8:38AM

The stomp box is a nice touch.

Spoit: Apr 5th 2008; 8:49AM

The dealbreaker is if it has GH or RB style strumming.

Organic_Shadow: Apr 5th 2008; 1:38PM

My thoughts exactly.

I don't quite agree with it only being suitable for if the first party controller isn't available. I can't stand the RB guitar. No click on the strum, the tilt is way over/under responsive, it may LOOK nice but is actually built really crappy. My whammy bar spring popped out of it within the first month and I had to put rubber bands on. Now the whammy doesn't even work at all. Don't let the shiny-finish plastic fool you. This thing is crap.

I'd take a GH1 PS2 controller via a WORKING adapter any day...

tylersmyler: Apr 5th 2008; 9:15AM

does anyone know if this guitars strum bar is "clicky" or soft like the RB Strat.?

I personally need another soft one so I can play GH at night while my wife is sleeping..

playwhutyalike: Apr 5th 2008; 9:29AM

Whiiii-Piiishhhhh! That's the sound of a whip cracking.
Ah, just messing with you man, I don't know for sure. The clicking noises of the controllers drive me nuts.

umm....hello???: Apr 5th 2008; 1:02PM

if you can hear the clicking, you're not rocking out loud enough!!!!

get the wife some NyQuil/earplugs...

Munky: Apr 5th 2008; 11:45PM

I agree about the clicking. I can't stand it. Some people I play with (and live with) love the clicking of the GH controller. However, they are the same ones who tell me to stop playing if they are asleep or have a headache. And I play with headphones at night.

Rock Band rules!

OTAM: Apr 5th 2008; 9:37AM

And as usual,i'm sure it doesnt work with the original Guitar Hero 1 or 2. Apparently I can never play those games again even though i've invested,oh,almost $200 to it?

The PS3 can play the games,it's just sad neither company will get off their high horse and let us people actually have a guitar to play with.

Rex Dart: Apr 5th 2008; 10:16AM

No, the point isn't that they're cheaper. The point is that Nyko/Pelican/Madcatz/Interact/People's Republic of China get your money instead of Nintendo/Microsoft/Sony.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force): Apr 5th 2008; 10:37AM

No, the point is when both factions (Activision and Harmonix) are worried more about the pocketbook than the consumer and PS3 users have been hung out to dry in this regard for five months, sometimes it takes an outsider to be the bigger man.

Bravo, Nyko. You get my money sirs...

Munky: Apr 5th 2008; 11:47PM

Don't blame Harmonix about the controller compatibility. There was a patch until Activision protested.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force): Apr 5th 2008; 10:35AM

*orders 2 from Buy.com*

I was in EB last weekend preordering games and specifically asked about this... was told it's mid may.

DCBlack: Apr 5th 2008; 10:37AM

I already ordered mine from Amazon. That it works with both games justifies the price. Hopefully it will also work with future GH and RB games.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force): Apr 5th 2008; 11:22AM

It should. They paid Activision their blood money and Harmonix has always stated they'll help make any companies guitar peripherals work with Rock Band.

matahtak: Apr 5th 2008; 10:56AM

I have had two Rock Band guitar's break at the strummer. Might invest in one of these now.

VeganTnT: Apr 5th 2008; 12:11PM

Do you play it with a sledgehammer?

Burritoclock: Apr 5th 2008; 12:12PM

You can keep RMAing if you have the patients, eventually you will get a strat that works beautifully, at least I did. Mine (2nd replacement) has been going strong for 3 months now.

The strat, when it works, is the best in my opinion... once you get used to it.

matahtak: Apr 6th 2008; 4:14PM

Vegan, I can only assume you don't have Rock Band with that comment. The RB guitar breaks when you breath on it.

I prefer the RB strum as well, but I don't want to be sending away guitars every week.

KeenCommander: Apr 5th 2008; 11:11AM

Guaranteed to make a killing, even if the design isn't as attractive as either the GH or Rock Band normal guitars. Great idea, though, take advantage of their little feud. Maybe this will encourage them to make their own guitars work together.

Max: Apr 5th 2008; 11:39AM

due to working at an unnamed brown shipping company, ive known about these for a while, i got a truck of like 200 of them once.

Xav de Matos: Apr 5th 2008; 12:19PM

Nyko? That thing is a ticking time bomb.

Munky: Apr 5th 2008; 11:49PM

Yeah, I've had plenty of Nykos in the past and all of them were crap. I worked in an electronics retail store and we got them returned all the time. I won't have faith in the controller until I see some reviews. It's also ugly. They should license a BC Rich guitar.

Enzo: Apr 5th 2008; 12:41PM

What about the solo frets? I hope I won't have to strum each note.

Burritoclock: Apr 5th 2008; 12:55PM

They appear to be MIA, however it is nice to see the effects switch made it.

Desert Eagle: Apr 5th 2008; 8:44PM

Mmyes. Not to mention that the select button is where it belongs at, sized like the GH1/2/3's select button, making SP/Overdrive activation far easier with your hand.

To be honest, this X-plorer beats the 360's X-plorer because of the features it has. That and the big select button.

Capgun: Apr 5th 2008; 1:10PM

Ewww....anyone know where we can get a closer look at those fret buttons? They look kinda ugly from that shot there..

Tango: May 28th 2008; 2:00PM

Here is the picture.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:YMm2vanlhcv7WM:http://www.timeout.com/newyork/tonyblog/wp-content/uploads/image/83057%2520FrontMan.jpg

Tango: May 28th 2008; 2:02PM

oops. copied wrong image location. here's the right one.
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/tonyblog/wp-content/uploads/image/83057%20FrontMan.jpg

Tango: May 28th 2008; 2:05PM

another one.
http://www.komplett.nl/img/p/1200/347849.jpg
http://www.juegasinchip.com/images/ps2_guitarnyko.jpg

philly: Apr 6th 2008; 1:40AM

i'm definitely waiting on this one..

http://store.theantcommandos.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=BSS%2DWL%2DBLKV3

looks a lot better and works with all GH games and Rock Band

philly: Apr 6th 2008; 1:41AM

forgot to mention, it appears to have a wah wah bar and the solo frets ala rock band unlike the nyko

Cthulhu8u: Apr 6th 2008; 10:55AM

Weird question, but will this be PS2 compatible for Rock Band also? I know my RB guitar came with a sticker on the box stating it was compatible with RB PS2, so...

By some large stretch of the imagination, maybe this also works for all the PS2 GH's? Or is that incredibly wishful thinking?

Degrea: Apr 6th 2008; 2:20PM

The stomp-box is a cool idea, but isn't it a bit overkill unless you're switching games every few seconds?

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