It’s difficult to believe that three years ago today we were playing Guitar Hero on our PlayStation 2 with its squeaky 3/4 sized plastic Gibson SG controller. Within a short time the franchise evolved into a full band experience with Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour. With each new game came new guitar controllers officially licensed by Gibson, Fender, and various third-party controllers such as TAC and Nyko.
While some gamers may be satisfied with the standard, first party plastic controllers, others may be looking for a more realistic experience. Enter the Peak Starpex PS2/PS3 wireless guitar controllers, the first full size, wooden guitar controller in wide supply.
As Jen & Smeeguel have shown in their unwrapping photos, the Starpex has the construction of a real electric guitar with the guts of a plastic guitar controller. The Starpex controller measures 38 3/4 inches from the end of the headstock to the tip of the metal strap knob. The widest point in the body measures at 13 inches, which is a tad too large for my real Gibson SG style guitar case. The wooden neck measures at 18 1/2 in. long and features five fret buttons, and five solo buttons.
Peak offers three different guitar models- Black Sunburst, Dead Starburst (dark red) and Obsidian (black). Each model has a heavily high-gloss, varnished body, bolted neck, real metal tuning pegs, metal screws, and metal strap knobs. The varnished body is prone to finger prints and smudges (much like the PS3.) The wood is perfectly sanded and contains no niches or irregularities. Peak’s Starpex is absolutely gorgeous.
From far away one can mistaken the Starpex as a real guitar. This happened often while I was running errands in New York City. While waiting for a friend in SoHo, a car stopped in front of me at a red light. The driver opened his passenger window and asked “Hey, is that a real guitar or a Guitar Hero controller?” Imagine my surprise! I walked towards the car, lifted the controller up, and told him that it was a full sized wooden controller for Guitar Hero. He asked who made it and I promptly responded “Peak!” The driver thanked me and drove away at the green light. Several minutes later my friend arrived and we had lunch at a diner. Entering the diner I must have stuck out like a sore thumb. A kind, middle aged waitress came over and asked “Are you playing for us today?” For a few seconds I struggled with an explanation that she could understand. The waitress asked “Is it broken?” I promptly responded with “No, it has buttons.” She then realized that it was more of a toy and dropped the subject.
The first thing you’ll notice is the size and weight of the guitar. The Rock Band 2 Fender Stratocaster looks remarkably smaller next to the Starpex. When paired next to my real guitar it’s more difficult to distinguish the two. The two guitars are equal in size, but the Starpex weighs just a bit less.
If you plan on purchasing this guitar for a child I’d suggest you hold off for a few years. Children generally play on smaller (1/2, or 3/4 sized) guitars due to their size. Teenaged and adult players who have never played a real guitar may have difficulty adjusting to the larger guitar. It’s important to practice proper basic guitar posture when handling any guitar. Without proper posture you may be susceptible to arm or back injury. But don’t worry, after several songs you’ll be comfortable and you’ll feel like a pro.
Guitar Strap:
The Starpex guitar strap measures at 2 inches wide and approx. 52 1/2 in long. For a premium guitar it contains a very generic guitar strap. On two occasions the guitar strap separated itself from the guitar body. If you prefer to play standing up (and jumping around on stage like Smeeguel) then this may be a concern. For the hardcore Endless Set list players you may want to invest towards a more comfortable, reliable guitar strap. This will help minimize the shoulder weight and fatigue when rocking out for several hours.
Wireless Module & USB Adapter:
The Starpex has both a wired and wireless connection for PS2 and PS3. Peak provides a 15ft cable for wired connection, and 2.4 GHz for wireless connection. The Wireless Module (left) fits directly into a PlayStation 2 controller port. The USB Adapter (right) is able to connect to the Wireless Module for PlayStation 3 wireless connectivity. The USB Adapter also contains a Home button to access the XMB. Unfortunately the Starpex guitar lacks a Home button so you’ll have to press the USB adapter or a use standard PS3 controller.
Up until recently most guitar controllers were not Guitar Hero/Rock Band cross-compatible on PlayStation 3. PS3 fans had to purchase multiple game-specific controllers or bundles just to play with friends. Peak’s Starpex contains a switch in the USB Adapter for Rock Band & Guitar Hero compatibility on PS3. (Note- the Starpex is compatible with all guitar games on PS2.)
As of November 24th all first and third party guitar controllers are compatible for all music games on PS3. The Starpex’s basic functions will work regardless of the setting. Switching the controller to the “GH” setting while playing Rock Band will disable the toggle switch, hammer on solo buttons during solos, and “big rock endings” with solo buttons. Solo buttons will function if strummed. Keep this in mind when switching games.
Gameplay:
The Starpex manual states “[Starpex controller] is not meant to take the place of a standard analog controller as it cannot perform all of its functions. If you are unable to navigate the screen using the Peak Guitar Controller, disconnect it and insert a [compatible controller.]” As I mentioned earlier the Starpex controller does not have a Home button on the body. To access the XMB users must press the Home button on the USB adapter. In addition to the missing Home button, the Starpex does not include navigation buttons on the body. If you wish to toggle left and right between options you must use a standard controller.
The Starpex features a pair of five button wooden frets. The neck contains fret markers placed similarly to a real guitar. Each fret button is beveled and color coded on the edges. Fret buttons are slightly larger in size and spacing. Smaller hands will have to stretch a bit more for Green to Orange notes but not by much. The Starpex solo buttons are much larger compared to the Rock Band Stratocaster’s solo buttons. The Strat gets the upper hand in terms of realism, but the Starpex’s solo buttons are far more playable. Guitar solos are now easier thanks to Starpex’s large solo buttons. If you’re having trouble with the “Flawless Guitar Solo” PS3 trophy, consider playing with the Starpex.
With the Starpex you won’t have to worry about mushy strummers, broken whammies, dropped notes and double strums. The frets are raised and shaped similar to the GH2 (Xbox 360) Xplorer controller. The frets are noisy but they don’t make as much noise as the Rock Band 1 Strat. The Starpex strummer functions similarly to the GH3 Les Paul strummer. During rapid strumming this guitar did not miss a beat. The Starpex frets are more sensitive then on other controllers. This allows you press lighter on the frets, which keeps the action very low for faster gameplay. The lower action gives the guitar a more comfortable and realistic feeling. After hours and hours of play the guitar worked flawlessly.
Overdrive/Star Power:
Just like all guitar controllers the Starpex features a motion sensor which triggers Star Power. In addition to the motion sensor the controller features an Overdrive/Star Power button. The Star Power button is located underneath the strum bar and the on/off indicator. The button is not much wider than your pointer finger, which makes it difficult to access during difficult songs. If you’re left handed this button becomes even more difficult to access. When pressing the OD/SP button Star Power will activate after a one second delay. Though it sounds very minor this delay can be problematic in gameplay. During dangerous situations multiple hits of the OD/SP button could risk the player of failing. Like most guitars (especially with the GHWT) the Select button will active overdrive. Unfortunately, the Select and Start button are located far towards the bottom of the controller. The most reliable method for Star Power is good ol’ fashion motion sensing.
Modification:
Peak designed the guitar for easy modification. A connector on the bridge will allow for a foot pedal. All of the electronic and wooden components can be separated from the body for modification. Personally I’d prefer a metal bridge, with metal Start and Select buttons similar to the custom guitar from Funde Razor 2006.
Conclusion:
Disregarding the navigation and Star Power control issues, the Peak Starpex is the best controller I’ve ever used. For those who dream of being a rock star this is the most realistic experience you’ll have on a guitar controller. At $179.99 it will cost you more than a music game bundle but it’s worth every penny. Unfortunately for XBOX 360 owners this controller is only available for Playstation 2 and 3.
Peak’s Starpex guitar can be found at various locations including Circuit City, and Costco for $179.99. On Dec. 10th Funde Razor NYC will feature the Peak Starpex at the Guitar Hero World Tour free play area. At the end of the night we will give away both guitars to some lucky people.
