The Wireless Fender Precision Bass is one of the only (Beatles Rock Band not included) video game guitars that specifically caters to the oft-ignored bassists out there. The most obvious feature will grab you right away in the split strum bar. This allows you to have a certain degree of realism in doing two-fingered bass strumming.

The elongated neck and fret buttons make for comfortable game playing. The guitar is 84 percent to scale, but it actually feels like you’re holding a bass when you hold this guitar’s shape in your arms and start to pick away at your favorite songs.

The two fingered mode is interesting, but I’m still a “thumb strummer” in Rock Band and Guitar Hero. It takes some getting used to. But the bass is well put together.

It’s a Rock Band 2 product, licensed by Harmonix/MTV Games on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $89.99.

The guitar tuner, which can be accessed wirelessly or by connecting your instrument to the input jack, is very easy to use. It also can play a reference tone for you through the “Accu-Pitch” speaker. This built-in speaker will also play another tone indicating that the instrument is in tune (within 5 cents sharp or flat in actuality).

The metronome is also a nice addition. I often avoid metronomes while playing because I don’t want to put the time into finding my exact tempo with it, but the TU-88 bypasses that with a unique feature I had never seen before. The “TAP” button allows a user to set the metronome’s tempo to his or her tempo. Pushing the button with the beat of whatever your playing will set the metronome to your beat. This ensures that you stick to the beat that you intend to. You feel the beat — you set it, and you keep it. If your’re reading music and do know exactly what tempo you need, the TU-88 can certainly accommodate you.

The tuner and metronome are very useful and innovative, but what really makes the TU-88 stand out in my mind is the headphone amplifier. There are tons of devices that tune guitars, quite a few of them offer built in metronomes, but this is the first device I’ve seen that includes a tuner, metronome, and headphone amplifier.

The headphone amplifier allows one to plug their instrument cable into the TU-88’s input jack, plug and pair of standard headphones into the “phones/line out” and play straight to their headphones. This is ideal for an electric guitar player who wants to work on something quickly without dealing with large amplifiers. Often times while traveling a headphone preamp is useful. Noise level is minimal while using a headphone amplifier, which makes it an ideal addition to your gear for private practice sessions. The “Mix in” jack even makes it possible to plug in a CD/MP3 player to play along with — all within your headphones.

Weighing in at only 7 ounces, the TU-88 has everything you need for your next gig whether its in the living room, a friend’s garage or Gillette Stadium.

It’s hard to believe, but sometimes as musicians we find ourselves in situations where others don’t want to hear us play. There are other times when we would rather practice privately, and for these times we should never sacrifice playing but simply make use of the VOX Headphone Amp.

Plugging this device into the 1/4-inch instrument cable jack on your guitar allows you to listen privately to your guitar playing through any pair of headphones with a 1/8-inch jack. The VOX AC30 is made to sound like VOX’s famous AC30 high gain amplifier. It’s sound was great; it has been modified to be a powerful high gain guitar sound which is perfect for playing along with your music CD’s or mp3’s. The headphone amp has an auxiliary input for music from a CD player, mp3 player, computer or even the radio.

Once connected to the auxiliary input, you can play guitar along with your favorite songs, which is a great way to practice all within your headphones! If you aren’t interested in the AC30’s high gain guitar sound, VOX does offer other headphone amps, which aesthetically are the same as the AC30 shown. All priced at about $40, VOX offers AC30, Classic Rock and Metal options.

For a few dollars more they also make products specifically for bass guitar and for lead guitar parts only. They’re ideal for playing privately at home or even for traveling. Playing at the hotel or even in the car is no problem with VOX’s headphone preamps.

All in all, this is a useful gadget for any electric guitar player, and it is offered at a fair price. Measuring only 3.39″ x 3.15″ x 1.22″, and weighing 1.41oz., it won’t weigh your guitar down while plugged in. Other headphone preamps I have used, like the Pocket Rock-it, did not sound as true to a real amp sound despite being bigger than the Vox.

It can be a headache setting up amps and connecting them to your guitar, but the headphone amps make it a piece of cake if you’re looking to practice on your own, quietly. It runs on 2 AAA batteries (included), which will keep you rocking for up to 15 hours.

But remember, with great music-game comes great amounts of plastic peripheral responsibility, and today, we finally know what the Guitar Hero 5 guitar will look like, but don’t hold your breath, it’s not a show-stopper.

Adorned with a red finish complemented by a white pick-guard and all set about a Stratocaster style guitar, this new Guitar Hero controller is pretty sexy. There, I said it.

Noted changes include a revamped strum bar built for added durability and performance, an updated slider that now sends all digital values instead of the analog ones of World Tour for increased precision, and, thankfully, reliefs on the slider so you’ll know exactly what notes your sliding your fingers to.

Not sure if anything I’ve heard so far warrants dropping more cash for the Guitar bundle, but, to each his own, and since I’ve played every music game under the sun, as they are the air I breathe, I’ll most likely pony up the cash to bathe in “the new thing.”  What do you think?

Guitarist Rob Morris, with the help of a laptop, some software, and a bit of Velcro, can move, shake, or tilt his souped-up guitar to change its sound on the fly.

Here’s basically how it’s done (read the Globe story for full details):

Notice anything different? Photo © 2009 The Boston Globe

1. Attach the remote to the guitar: Duct tape works. Velcro is a little fancier. Don’t let it fall off on stage.

2. Make the Wiimote and computer talk: Morris runs “Bluetooth Setup Assistant” on his Mac.

3. Software: The Max/MSP multimedia suite to translate the controller’s motions into any guitar effect he wants. Besides pitch and echo, he likes the “granular synthesis” effect, which can create blips and beeps that sound like old video games.

4. Convert to audio: Plug the guitar and laptop into a PreSonus Firebox, and connect the Firebox into an…

5. Amp: Turn it on and rock out!

Vivian Darkbloom plays tonight at 7:30 as part of the Boston Music Spotlight Live series at Olivers Nightclub at the Cask ‘n Flagon. 21+. $10 at the door.

Click here to read John’s story in the Boston Globe.

We brought this to the attention of Nyko, and upon further investigation, they found that a recent PS3 firmware update is causing the FrontMan input mechanism to change. When playing Rock Band II on the PS3 with firmware version 2.52, setting the FrontMan dongle to “Rock Band” causes the guitar to not work with the game. Versions prior to this firmware work just fine, as does Rock Band I.

Full statement from Nyko:

It has come to our attention that a recent firmware update for the PlayStation3, version 2.52, has caused some changes to the input mechanism of the Nyko Technologies FrontMan guitar.

Nyko Technologies is committed to improving the gaming experience with the best quality peripherals available on the market, combined with unique value-add features that cannot be found on any other product at the time of launch. We regret that the latest firmware may cause some trouble to Rock Band II players using the FrontMan, but we fully acknowledge this issue and provide the simple afore-mentioned solution. We will continue to do our best in providing gamers with accessories that they can enjoy with the best games, and our customer support team is prepared to provide assistance to ensure a great experience with our products.

This was a big conundrum last year when we realized Activision and Harmonix weren’t going to play nice and let us use their guitars on the competing games.

We’re looking into what happened, but for sure we know that the Guitar Hero III guitar works in Rock Band 2 on PlayStation 3.

GameSpot has a good, slightly dated chart for other games.

We do not know if the Rock Band 2 special edition guitar works on Gutar Hero III or World Tour yet.

But one interesting twist, the Nyko FrontMan guitar that we love so much does still work with all games. However, it does not work in Rock Band 2 on “Rock Band Mode.” There is a switch on the Frontman’s receiver that selects between “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” modes — and that switch has to be on “Guitar Hero” in order to play Rock Band 2.

Tradmork reported that Activision, makers of the highly successful Guitar Hero series have recently filed a trademark for the term “DJ Hero.”

The official documents, filed February 8, state that Activision is looking to use the term in conjunction with “computer game software and related instruction manual sold together as a unit. Interactive video game programs; computer game discs; downloadable software for use in connection with computer games; video game controllers; interactive video game comprised of a CD or DVD sold as a unit with a video game controller.”

While there’s no official word from Activision about the possible turntable simulator, it should be noted that gamers have been clamoring for a title similar to what is being hinted at for quite some time. Check out the custom Guitar Hero turntable Gizmodo reported on at CES this year.

This is far from a confirmed game announcement. In fact, Activision has filed multiple trademarks dealing with the Guitar Hero franchise merely to protect the name. Ever hear of Guitar Villain? What about Drum Hero? They may not be games, but Activision holds the rights to these names just like they now hold the rights to DJ Hero.

You know we’re gonna be following this one closely.

“People always ask who mine are,” the 23-year-old said in a recent interview. “But that phrase, ‘I’m only human’ – it’s there for a reason.”

In the past seven years, Trohman’s band — Fall Out Boy — has exploded from an underground sensation to an internationally recognized pop-punk powerhouse, hitting number one on the Billboard charts and performing at the MTV Video Music Awards last September.

For some fans, his success and talent makes Trohman a rock-and-roll idol himself. But he won’t have it, he says. And, speaking with BLAST, Trohman insisted that the name of his new line of custom electric guitars had no special meaning — called the Joe Trohman Washburn Idol.

Designed by Trohman and manufactured by Washburn Guitars last year, the Idol is aesthetically simple: available in black or white, with a classic binding — cream around the black model, and black on the white. The neck is wide and thin, the solid basswood body is thin and light and there are just four adjustment knobs.

“I have guitars that have a lot of weird modes, and tons of switches and stuff,” Trohman said. Those are fun, but as the guitar player for Fall Out Boy … I don’t have a bunch of effects. I just have a guitar, and it needs to be able to do its job.”

Maybe the flashiest physical feature of the guitar are its inlays on the fret board, shaped like Fall Out Boy’s keyhole logo.

“I’m very into design, and I like modern stuff,” Trohman says. “I like the simplistic value of it.”

Inspired by some of Trohman’s favorite vintage guitars – his black Les Paul Custom and white Les Paul Studio – his model hides a couple of innovative features beneath its basic surface. In particular, its Voice Contour Control (VCC) coil-splitting system allows for a dirty tone, combining single-coil pick-up sounds and humbucking, without the usual hum of a single-coil, according to the retailer’s website, empireoftherepublic.com.

“I think it’s really cool, and it works for me when I’m flicking between two amps,” Trohman says. The result, he says, is a dirty sound that roars out smooth.

When Trohman was approached by Washburn by last year, he had minor deals with some retailers, he says, but no actual endorsement. Part of the package, he says, was getting to design a guitar all his own.

“I pretty much couldn’t turn it down,” he says. “It’s pretty hard for any guitarist, no matter how good they are, to make a signature guitar. I jumped on it — it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Now, the Idol is a mainstay for the lead guitarist, and has knocked his 1969 Les Paul Custom out of the top spot for favorite guitar.

“It’s the first time I got to make one,” he says. “And it’s a very comfortable relationship I have with the guitar, because I was able to … put it together and make it to my standards.”

Trohman has been playing guitar for nearly 14 years, he says, and has a collection of about 30 guitars in his Chicago home. He’d love to add another of his own creations to the line-up.

“That all depends on the demand for the guitar, honestly,” he said.

The guitar has seen a spike in online orders recently. “The fact that people want to buy my guitar blind, without ever playing it, is really cool,” he said.

In about four months, Sam Ash locations nationwide will start carrying the Idol. For now, they’re available online exclusively, at empireoftherepublic.com — a name invented when Trohman mashed together a couple of terms from the Star Wars series.

The guitar sells for $420.

“It’s inexpensive,” he said, “but the craftmanship great. For a beginner who wants to start out with a decent guitar, or for an advanced player who doesn’t have a lot of money but wants a nice guitar — it covers everyone.”

Fall Out Boy has been on tour for about six or seven years straight, and last week the band flew to Moscow to perform at a private engagement.

Later this year they’ll start recording their next album record with some of the 50 songs they’ve got floating around, Trohman said.

“But right now, we’ll just do one-off shows here and there,” he says. “And we’ll work on individual things – like sitting around, enjoying being home.”

Guitar Hero III boasts a brand new set list of over 60 songs and a ton of downloadable content.

If you have never played a guitar hero game, here’s a quick overview: you take the role of one of the game’s playable characters and battle through the career mode on four difficulties, ranging from easy to expert. There are five buttons on the guitar representing different frets. To play a note, you have to hold down the fret button and strum the guitar. Sounds easy right? Now just do that about 2000 times in 5 minutes. In this game, practice makes perfect, and sticking with it is the key. The learning curve is difficult , but once you get the hang of this game, you will be quite pleased. On to the review:

Guitar Hero III tried to go more in depth with a career mode, but this title isn’t going to be known just for a great storyline. The game starts off with you and some friends starting a band, and after playing five or six songs you move onto the next level and the next set of songs. You go through it all, including your garage band days, your music video and playing in sold out arenas. The storyline in general is quite humorous at times and is fun to watch as the comic book-like characters show their emotions.

While the Guitar Hero franchise isn’t known for breakthrough graphics, but for the spectators Guitar Hero III has done a great job of making the characters look better and the places where you perform are much more detailed. After the prequel was attacked for poor graphics you can tell they really worked to squelch the critics.

The song list is in a word, Excellent. The wide variety of songs make this a very versatile list and there’s something on it for everyone. Whether you’re an 80’s rocker or a fan of the metal, you will be pleased. Some bands featured in the game include Guns and Roses, Slipknot and Kiss. The bonus songs feature some obscure titles you probably have never heard of, but they are very fun to play.

The multiplayer has been improved on huge levels. There are now more ways to embarrass or cooperate with your friends while playing. The multiplayer provides a great way to spend a night with a friend. On the other hand, if your friends have something better to do, you now have the choice of signing into Xbox Live to find a partner or an opponent or bandmate.

Cooperative mode allows two players to play at once. In most cases one player will take the role of the bassist, and one will be the guitarist. In some songs, rhythm guitar and lead guitar are played. Most achievements will come through playing co-op songs and trying to earn huge note streaks and point totals, and the ever-sought after 1,000,000 points.

The Face-Off modes return. You can either try to match your opponents skill level in a Pro Face-Off, in which you are both given the same set of notes, or you can battle them in a Face-Off in which you can go at different difficulties and battle for highest score. This mode represents a great way to show off.

The new “Battle” mode allows players to instead of achieving star power (a power-up which doubles your note-score) you can gain the ability to attack your opponent. You can break their strings, make their note-screen flash, and even raise the difficulty level they are playing on. This was an instant fan-favorite with the people on Xbox Live.

Guitar Hero III is a great game, and an addicting one at that. It’s great fun to play, especially with a bunch of friends and once you start, you won’t stop until you’re the best.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Neversoft Entertainment
Platform: Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PS2
Genre: Music
Players: 1-2
Launch Date: October 28, 2007

Playability: 5 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound: 5 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars