Coming out alongside The Beatles: Rock Band was a group of four instrument peripherals designed to mimic the ones used by the Fab Four during their glory days. However with the history of issues that some Rock Band controllers have had, whether or not these peripherals are solid and lasting is an understandable concern. After taking some time playing the Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller, I can say that this pretty peripheral, which is modeled after the one famously used by Beatles guitarist George Harrison, is one of the most solid guitar controllers out there.
At first, wanting to pick up this peripheral is a bit daunting as it and the John Lennon-modeled Rickenbacker 325 controller retail at a whopping $100 each. But the guitars are so nice that they arguably warrant it. The Gretsch Duo-Jet looks beautiful. It’s an exact visual replica of the one wielded by Harrison with a silver whammy bar, turn dial knob, and a very pretty white trim along the base of the controller. It is hands-down the most aesthetically pleasing peripheral out there, with the only exception possibly being the Paul McCartney Hoffner Bass controller.
The controller has a great feel to it when one finally throws on the strap and starts strumming away. The strum bar makes no noise whatsoever and moves without any tension. It’s one of the smoothest feeling guitar peripherals I have personally played with. The fret buttons also just feel great when playing. They give that nice, firm feeling that Guitar Hero guitar controller fret buttons do, yet feels smoother due to their buttons not having the tiny gap of their Activision counterparts. Instead of the typical switch that changes the sound of your guitar when playing, the silver knob on the top of the base of the guitar is your method of doing so. Though a bit more difficult to switch, it gives a much more authentic feel.
And for players who need to play on lefty mode, the guitar will adjust for you. The top knob on the base of the guitar for the strap unscrews and can be screwed back in on the other side so that lefties can keep the guitar strapped on when playing.
The only downsides to the controls are that the start and — since I purchased the Xbox 360 version of the peripheral — Xbox buttons are a tad sluggish. A player will have to hold the buttons down for a good second to get the game to pause or bring up the Xbox menu instead of instantly responding like all previous peripherals. The other glaring issue is the Xbox 360 mic jack. The jack is actually too big for the Xbox 360 wired plugs, so if you don’t have a wireless mic, don’t expect to be talking trash or communicating with fellow band mates over Xbox Live.
Final verdict? The Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller is hands down one of the prettiest and best feeling guitar peripherals out there. It isn’t perfect thanks to the mic jack problem and the sluggish start and Xbox buttons, but it is pretty darn close. If you are really against spending $100 on a guitar controller or already have two at home, then I would say lay off of this one. Otherwise, this is a must-buy peripheral for anyone’s Rock Band or Guitar Hero collection.
