Hmm, Puddle of Mudd are kinda annoying. Like, 'Blurry' and 'She Hates Me' are both OK songs but that band is just kinda... meh.
We need summa that Acca Dacca Pro-ized man.
And the only way that happens is if the re-released the whole pack with Pro built-in. You know this.
I'd totally buy it
I probably wouldn't. Not unless they add trill lanes to those bullshit trills all over the goddamned place. Angus knows his shit, but fuck that noise in the ear. It really wears me down after a while.
It'd prolly get trill lanes. Would need them! But I'm a fucking mahoosive AC/DC fan so there is that.
Hey gang. Thanks to everyone for your patience while we made the rounds to get as much information on the Squier as possible. Hopefully you can all appreciate why we wouldn't want to post partial information that ended up causing even more confusion.
Here's the situation as I understand it: due to significant manufacturing lead times and the quantity currently available in the retail channel, Fender has decided not to place any more back orders for direct fulfillment. That would explain why, as some posters in this thread have pointed out, some music stores are unable to take back orders, but Squiers generally appear to be readily available at Best Buys.
What this means for you, the people still looking to pick up a Squier, is that Best Buy (specifically Best Buys with Music Centers) is currently your best bet. There should be a sufficient quantity in the pipeline to meet the current demand, and when we get back into the office on Monday we'll begin next steps with Best Buy and Fender to help you track availability and assist in getting stock where it needs to be.
As I mentioned in my previous posts, the crew at Harmonix is still fully committed to supporting Rock Band 3, Pro Mode, Pro Guitar and Pro DLC. Between the Squiers and Mustangs currently available at retail, as well as the upcoming Pro Guitar DLC upgrades, there are still plenty of options for people looking to get into Pro Guitar and we've got some awesome stuff coming up that we think people will be really excited for.
I'll continue to collect feedback from this thread and from PMs, and thanks again to everyone that contacted me with specifics. I'll follow up here once we have contact info for Best Buy or more information on international solutions.
Still not sure what that means. It still sounds like Fender has decided to stop making the thing for some reason.
The impression I'm getting is Fender wants current stock sold before deciding whether or not to continue.
Given that people are apparently still trying to get them on backorder that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me though. Maybe Best Buy has had it's head up it's ass a bit on getting stock to stores that need it or something?
No, the word is that Best Buy is the place to go if you want the thing, but that some places are better than others. Fender isn't or won't supply 'real' music shops.
Best Buy had a 30 day exclusive window. So they got the bulk of the shipment. After that, given that Fender seems unwilling to fulfill pre-orders, it would appear that Fender just never really gave a shit.
I got mine from a music shop. But I was bugging the guy every couple weeks, so he had placed probably one of the first orders. The shop owner was already a Rock Band fan and wanted one for himself, so the fact that he got his order in early may have had something to do with it.
mspencer on
MEMBER OF THE PARANOIA GM GUILD
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
Any guitar at that level is probably only being sold at cost.
What they're probably not happy about is the fact that they're not Customs. In spite of the ubiquitous nature of the Fender brand, they likely see themselves as some kind of boutique name and thus more deserving of selling the all-too-expensive versions. Everything else gets in the way of that.
There is vague hope (as HappylilElf suggests) that they're just trying to keep from over producing them. But even so, they shipped so many to BB and all but exclusively in the US, that it would be so hard to really tell how successful they are.
They probably also make more money on the starter bundles and would rather sell those than something as incredibly niche as a MIDI guitar mainly useful for a video game.
The information we've got says very little for Europe. Things have been sold out since launch day, no major supplier here, only guitar shops had the things. But then we have historically been pretty shafted here where Rock Band peripherals are concerned so I guess we're lucky we got any at all. :?
Any guitar at that level is probably only being sold at cost.
What they're probably not happy about is the fact that they're not Customs. In spite of the ubiquitous nature of the Fender brand, they likely see themselves as some kind of boutique name and thus more deserving of selling the all-too-expensive versions. Everything else gets in the way of that.
I dunno man Fender's Squier label has been pushing out a metric fuck-tonne of cheaper instruments for years now. Squire's Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe series have recently provided the label with a certain amount of budget-prestige which has been missing for a while; they typically come in under the £300 mark and are by all accounts pretty decent instruments in their own right, not only for the cost. A profit is certainly made on those instruments for all parties involved.
Given the Squire has this MIDI tech it could be pretty expensive to produce, but it isn't exactly an amazing guitar, even for a cheaper (£200) Squier. Can't see an enormous profit margin there though, I was stunned when the price was revealed at £200 in Europe; that's amazing and why I pre-ordered instantly.
Although Fender's Custom series are expensive on a per-instrument basis, and the mark-up must be decent, I was under the impression most of their business was still made under the Mexican and American series, but Squier still made a hefty amount of money for them?
What I'm suggesting, is that the RB Squier isn't nearly as profitable, if at all, compared to the 'real' guitars they make and sell. Fender can overproduce practically any other model and sooner or later, somebody will buy it up. But this particular one is a genuinely niche guitar made for a very limited and untracked market.
I've always considered that it should be held separate from regular Squiers. A Squier in name only, if you will. No matter how useful it could be outside of the game, that's simply not who they're selling it to. And Fender cannot overproduce these since they number of people who buy them would be so low. However, they can't make them to order, because that would increase the costs to make them.
Again, one wonders why they couldn't be arsed to fill the pre-orders, actual known purchases, but one theory suggests that Fender is relying on Best Buy to pick up the slack. Fuck the not-US, though...
Right or wrong, Fender views the RB Squier as the red-headed step-child. They will fulfill their contract with HMX and then walk away. They don't care. As you say, they're already selling plenty of other guitars and making money that way.
Probably the single worst outcome, however, has to be the people who seem to genuinely believe that Pro was going to set the world on fire. And that in spite of the continued existence and manufacture of the Mustang, HMX will abandon Pro now that the 'real' guitar has failed. Which, of cousre, means that HMX will soon go out of business and Rock Band will be no more.
Nothing worse than seeing somebody so invested in their hobby that they can't see what's really going on, good or bad.
I figured they would make a bunch, sell 'em, then see about doing another load, and see how many guitar dealers both US-based and abroad want to order some, same as the first run.
On your second point, I think I agree, it's this 'entitlement' thing again.
I bought the Squire because I wanted it to do what it could do when I ordered it. The fact we get new DLC is great, but if a line was drawn under the whole RB shindig tomorrow, I've still got more than what I originally paid for.
I understand how some people see Rock Band as an investment that mut be supported until the end of time, but meh, I'm happy.
So me and my bro tried to drunkenly play with two pro Squiers tonight over Live. Problem with that is, no voice speak. So we got two other Xbox Live silver accounts and put them in a chat thing, logged into Rock Band 3 with our Pro guitars on our gold accounts and played along just fine. Slung the controllers and headsets over and under the guitar straps / cutaways and we were good to go - Squiers with voice chat!
I'd use Kinect voice chat but uh, that really doesn't work very well with Rock Band, for obvious reasons.
I don't deny that it looks like an oversight or bad design planning or something for the MPA. But honestly, getting the wireless headset was worth every penny.
Mind you, I bought it when it was originally $60 and put on sale at $40. And it might cost somewhat different with your rainbow money with pictures of chicks on them. But it's so much nicer having something that isn't bulky with wires to untangle just to have a chat with folks. The significant drawback is that you have to recharge it so that means monitoring it occasionally when not in use. But that's a small price to pay.
(Also, FyreWulff should get one because when he plays guitar, it sounds like shit in the ear. I'd be willing to donate a few bucks to that worthy cause...)
Since I 'finished' Fallout 3 and have entered a kind of holding pattern until I figure out what game to give into next, just thought I'd put it out there that I still would like to try and do the Green Day in one day achievement.
EDIT:
Also, I'm throwing out a challenge: Keldon says I have 541 stars for Hellion/Electric Eye and -694 stars for Handlebars.
I've come to accept that Fyre just sounds staticy and loud in real life regardless of what mic he's using.
The issue is two fold:
1) The Xplorer I'm using ALREADY had a broken mic port. It's staticfest/etc no matter what.
2) I'm using a Turtle Beach headset, which generates static/buzzing with wired 360 controllers. The Xplorer is wired. DOUBLE STATIC. Also strangely, the mute switch on the headset gets ignored with the Xplorer.
There are two ways for me to fix the situation:
1) Get a wireless headset
2) Get a wireless guitar (again)
I don't have static or the superloudness while using my keyboard for example (knock on wood)
Cambridge, Mass. – June 17, 2011 – Harmonix today announced that a variety of Rock Band tracks from country artists are on sale now through June 21st on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Whether twang, folk, Americana, alt or straight country, these songs offer the best Rock Band has to offer from the world of country music!
[...]
SALE DETAILS
Going Country Pack 01 – SALE PRICE – 440 Microsoft Points / $5.49 / €3.99/ £2.49
Brad Paisley – Mud on the Tires
Brooks & Dunn – Hillbilly Deluxe
Dierks Bentley – Free and Easy (Down the Road I go)
Dixie Chicks – Sin Wagon
Miranda Lambert – Gunpowder & Lead
Going Country Pack 02 – SALE PRICE – 600 Microsoft Points / $7.49 / €6.59/ £4.39
Alan Jackson – Good Time
Cross Canadian Ragweed – Cry Lonely
Jason Aldean – She’s Country
Keith Urban – I Told You So
Kenny Rogers – The Gambler
Martina McBride – This One’s for the Girls
Shania Twain – Any Man of Mine
[TYPICAL PRICE - 880 Microsoft Points / $10.99/ €8.99 /£5.99]
Going Country Pack 03 – SALE PRICE – 520 Microsoft Points / $6.49 / €5.29/£3.49
Kenny Chesney – She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy
Montgomery Gentry – Gone
Rascal Flatts – Me and My Gang
Sara Evans – Suds in the Bucket
Trace Adkins – Swing
Willie Nelson – On the Road Again
[TYPICAL PRICE – 800 Microsoft Points / $9.99/€7.99 / £4.99]
Alt Country Pack 01 – SALE PRICE – 440 Microsot Points / $5.49 / €3.99/ £2.49
Drive By Truckers – 3 Dimes Down
Lucinda Williams – Can’t Let Go
Neko Case – People Got a Lotta Nerve
Old 97s – Time Bomb (Live)
Steve Earle – Satellite Radio
[TYPICAL PRICE – 680 Microsoft Points / $8.49/€6.59 / £4.39]
Johnny Cash Pack 01 – SALE PRICE – 720 Microsoft Points / $8.99 / €7.99/ £4.99
Johnny Cash – Cry, Cry, Cry
Johnny Cash – Don’t Take Your Guns to Town
Johnny Cash – Five Feet High and Rising
Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash – I Got Stripes
Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line
Johnny Cash – Tennessee Flat Top Box
Johnny Cash – The Ballad of Ira Hayes
[TYPICAL PRICE – 1080 Microsoft Points / $13.49/€9.99 /£6.69]
Roy Orbison Pack 01 – SALE PRICE – 520 Microsoft Points / $6.49/ €5.29/£3.49
Roy Orbison – Claudette
Roy Orbison – In Dreams
Roy Orbison – Mean Woman Blues
Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman
Roy Orbison – Ooby Dooby
Roy Orbison – You Got It
[TYPICAL PRICE – 800 Microsoft Points / $9.99/€7.99 / £4.99]
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks and sales are tentative and subject to change. **
Today's the last day, so...yeah. The Roy Orbison pack was on my list, so I guess this is as good a time as any.
Watched the previews for the packs on Facebook during my lunch today
Definitely adding four more songs to my library when I get home. Gonna have to look into a couple of the other Maroon 5 songs more in depth before deciding though. Not a big fan of the songs from what I heard but if they look fun to play I'll put up with the songs not being ones I love.
Next week we'll be adding two 3 packs to the RB library, including the long overdue addition of Poison, which should hopefully flesh out the hair band options a bit for the longtime faithful on the forums.
Poison will make their Rock Band debut next week with a three pack of hits – “Nothin’ but a Good Time” from 1988’s Open Up and Say … Ahh!, “Unskinny Bop” from 1990’s Flesh & Blood and “Talk Dirty To Me” from their debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In.
Rockers 3 Doors Down are adding to their Rock Band catalog with a three pack of songs next week that will include “Here Without You”, “When I’m Gone” and “When You’re Young”, the first single from their new album Time of My Life, which will be released July 19, 2011.
Each band will also have one Pro Guitar upgrade available. Enjoy!
Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation®3 system (June 28):
• 3 Doors Down – “Here Without You”
• 3 Doors Down – “When I’m Gone” X
• 3 Doors Down – “When You’re Young”
• Poison – “Nothin’ but a Good Time” X
• Poison – “Talk Dirty To Me”
• Poison – “Unskinny Bop”
(These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation®3 system June 29)
These tracks will be available for purchase as “Poison Pack 01”, “3 Doors Down Pack 01” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 system and Wii. Tracks marked with “X” will include Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions for $0.99 per song.
Price:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per song
$0.99 USD (100 Wii Points/80 Microsoft Points), £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU per song for eligible Pro Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade
$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points, 550 Wii Points) for 3 Doors Down Pack 01
$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points, 550 Wii Points) for Poison Pack 01
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **
To discuss this DLC please visit the official discussion thread in the Rock Band forum.
For all DLC song credits, including album and genre info as well as difficulty ratings, you can check out the Songs page.
And for awesome background information on this content, including recording details, album of origin, and release details you can head on over to the Rock Band 'Zine for brand new articles!
Rock Band Network releases will be listed below shortly. Check back soon!
Here's the Rock Band Network tracks that hit the Xbox 360 this week:
Alternative
Action Action - "Masters of Puppet Rock" (160 MSP)
I Am Cassettes - "The Exit" (160 MSP)
Metal
Bonded By Blood - "Prototype Death Machine" (160 MSP)
Chaotrope - "Diachylon" (80 MSP)
Destruction of a Rose - "Rise and Shine" (160 MSP)
Destruction of a Rose - "Rise and Shine (2x Bass Pedal)" (160 MSP)
Veil of Maya - "Namaste" (160 MSP)
Wargasm - "Underground (2x Bass Pedal)" (160 MSP)
Pop/Dance/Electronic
dB Soundworks - "Betus Blues (Retro Remix)" (80 MSP)
And here's the RBN songs coming to PS3 on Tuesday, 6/28/2011 (SCEA) and Wednesday, 6/29/2011 (SCEE):
Amberian Dawn - "The Curse" ($1.99)
Lazarus A.D. - "Thou Shall Not Fear" ($0.99)
Nightrage - "A Grim Struggle" ($1.99)
NightShade - "The Depths of Memory" ($1.99)
The Walkmen - "Angela Surf City" ($1.99)
Apparently power ballads from '80s hair metal bands are, uh, popular. Quite a few people are bothered by it's lack of inclusion.
I can say I'm surprised, but then Poison had a lot of hits. Any three pack was going to be missing something. I'd have preferred it over Unskinny Bop, though. That song always sucked.
Lack of power ballads indeed. The Bon Jovi pack lent itself for some power ballad goodness too. I mean sure, there's I'll Be There For You but there are SO many more to choose from.
Don't really care about those bands but Poison stuff could be fun to play I 'spose.
Indeed, Unskinny Bop will be hard for vocalist to get through without outright laughing at all the bad sexual puns/innuendo in it.
And the pack will have some decent guitar in it as well, C.C. was underated for his time. Of course when you're playing in the era of Warren DiMartini, Slash, Paul Gilbert, and Yngwie at their best, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
BlackDragon480 on
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
For those of you who don't watch, this week Stephen Colbert has been doing a whole Rock themed week on his show. And last night to wrap it up, he released another song, titled "Charlene II (I'm Over You)" with Jack White and featuring the Black Belles. So it would be pretty cool if this showed up on Rock Band soon too.
Posts
You an me man.
We're like this ||
Still not sure what that means. It still sounds like Fender has decided to stop making the thing for some reason.
Given that people are apparently still trying to get them on backorder that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me though. Maybe Best Buy has had it's head up it's ass a bit on getting stock to stores that need it or something?
Wonder if it's some kind of dealie between Best Buy/Fender then.
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK
QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
What they're probably not happy about is the fact that they're not Customs. In spite of the ubiquitous nature of the Fender brand, they likely see themselves as some kind of boutique name and thus more deserving of selling the all-too-expensive versions. Everything else gets in the way of that.
There is vague hope (as HappylilElf suggests) that they're just trying to keep from over producing them. But even so, they shipped so many to BB and all but exclusively in the US, that it would be so hard to really tell how successful they are.
They probably also make more money on the starter bundles and would rather sell those than something as incredibly niche as a MIDI guitar mainly useful for a video game.
I dunno man Fender's Squier label has been pushing out a metric fuck-tonne of cheaper instruments for years now. Squire's Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe series have recently provided the label with a certain amount of budget-prestige which has been missing for a while; they typically come in under the £300 mark and are by all accounts pretty decent instruments in their own right, not only for the cost. A profit is certainly made on those instruments for all parties involved.
Given the Squire has this MIDI tech it could be pretty expensive to produce, but it isn't exactly an amazing guitar, even for a cheaper (£200) Squier. Can't see an enormous profit margin there though, I was stunned when the price was revealed at £200 in Europe; that's amazing and why I pre-ordered instantly.
Although Fender's Custom series are expensive on a per-instrument basis, and the mark-up must be decent, I was under the impression most of their business was still made under the Mexican and American series, but Squier still made a hefty amount of money for them?
Holy shit I'd love a Custom Shop. Or 10.
I've always considered that it should be held separate from regular Squiers. A Squier in name only, if you will. No matter how useful it could be outside of the game, that's simply not who they're selling it to. And Fender cannot overproduce these since they number of people who buy them would be so low. However, they can't make them to order, because that would increase the costs to make them.
Again, one wonders why they couldn't be arsed to fill the pre-orders, actual known purchases, but one theory suggests that Fender is relying on Best Buy to pick up the slack. Fuck the not-US, though...
Right or wrong, Fender views the RB Squier as the red-headed step-child. They will fulfill their contract with HMX and then walk away. They don't care. As you say, they're already selling plenty of other guitars and making money that way.
Probably the single worst outcome, however, has to be the people who seem to genuinely believe that Pro was going to set the world on fire. And that in spite of the continued existence and manufacture of the Mustang, HMX will abandon Pro now that the 'real' guitar has failed. Which, of cousre, means that HMX will soon go out of business and Rock Band will be no more.
Nothing worse than seeing somebody so invested in their hobby that they can't see what's really going on, good or bad.
On your second point, I think I agree, it's this 'entitlement' thing again.
I bought the Squire because I wanted it to do what it could do when I ordered it. The fact we get new DLC is great, but if a line was drawn under the whole RB shindig tomorrow, I've still got more than what I originally paid for.
I understand how some people see Rock Band as an investment that mut be supported until the end of time, but meh, I'm happy.
Last song on in the final set was Mama I'm Coming Home which I've only played on prodrums once before.
100% and #1 on the leaderboard
Giant. Grin.
So me and my bro tried to drunkenly play with two pro Squiers tonight over Live. Problem with that is, no voice speak. So we got two other Xbox Live silver accounts and put them in a chat thing, logged into Rock Band 3 with our Pro guitars on our gold accounts and played along just fine. Slung the controllers and headsets over and under the guitar straps / cutaways and we were good to go - Squiers with voice chat!
Was totally awesome.
If they do we can't find it.
I don't deny that it looks like an oversight or bad design planning or something for the MPA. But honestly, getting the wireless headset was worth every penny.
Mind you, I bought it when it was originally $60 and put on sale at $40. And it might cost somewhat different with your rainbow money with pictures of chicks on them. But it's so much nicer having something that isn't bulky with wires to untangle just to have a chat with folks. The significant drawback is that you have to recharge it so that means monitoring it occasionally when not in use. But that's a small price to pay.
(Also, FyreWulff should get one because when he plays guitar, it sounds like shit in the ear. I'd be willing to donate a few bucks to that worthy cause...)
EDIT:
Also, I'm throwing out a challenge: Keldon says I have 541 stars for Hellion/Electric Eye and -694 stars for Handlebars.
BEAT THAT!
The issue is two fold:
1) The Xplorer I'm using ALREADY had a broken mic port. It's staticfest/etc no matter what.
2) I'm using a Turtle Beach headset, which generates static/buzzing with wired 360 controllers. The Xplorer is wired. DOUBLE STATIC. Also strangely, the mute switch on the headset gets ignored with the Xplorer.
There are two ways for me to fix the situation:
1) Get a wireless headset
2) Get a wireless guitar (again)
I don't have static or the superloudness while using my keyboard for example (knock on wood)
Today's the last day, so...yeah. The Roy Orbison pack was on my list, so I guess this is as good a time as any.
Definitely adding four more songs to my library when I get home. Gonna have to look into a couple of the other Maroon 5 songs more in depth before deciding though. Not a big fan of the songs from what I heard but if they look fun to play I'll put up with the songs not being ones I love.
RBN is more hardcore than porn, it would seem.
...
I think I'm annoyed to an inappropriate degree that I was unaware my PS3 had parental controls turned on.
I have 549 Rock Band Drum and 305 Pro Drum FC's
REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS
I can say I'm surprised, but then Poison had a lot of hits. Any three pack was going to be missing something. I'd have preferred it over Unskinny Bop, though. That song always sucked.
I also don't know any of these songs
I don't like 3 Doors Down aside from Kryptonite and Poison isn't a band I really relate to.
Indeed, Unskinny Bop will be hard for vocalist to get through without outright laughing at all the bad sexual puns/innuendo in it.
And the pack will have some decent guitar in it as well, C.C. was underated for his time. Of course when you're playing in the era of Warren DiMartini, Slash, Paul Gilbert, and Yngwie at their best, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Obviously no guarantees, but it would be cool.
I have 549 Rock Band Drum and 305 Pro Drum FC's
REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS
I don't know about Three Doors Down, but Poison should be pretty familiar. Unless you've already listened to them and still don't know them.
[tiny]And Unskinny Bop is probably one of my favorite Poison songs[/tiny]
Also for hilariously bad sexual puns/innuendo they totally need to release a Bloodhound Gang pack featuring Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo