With the upcoming releases of Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour, the music game peripheral market is booming. While some folks may be satisfied with the standard, first party plastic controllers, the hardcore enthusiast may be looking for a little something special. Enter the Peak Starpex. This guitar peripheral for PS3 and PS2 (Wii and XBOX 360 models are in the pipeline) offers a truly top-end rock out experience. Just check out the feature list direct from the manufacturer:

    * High quality 10 - button design for enhanced responsiveness
    * Instrument quality wood body, neck and headstock  
    * High speed 2.4 ghz wireless technology  
    * Optional cable for wired connectivity (included)
    * Easy access starpower / overdrive button  
    * Improved whammy bar for easier access and durability  
    * Modular design allows for alternate body styles  
    * Guitar strap and 3 premium AA batteries Included

One of Peak’s reps decided to swing by GWN headquarters to give us a little hands-on time with the Starpex, and from what we saw, this may be THE guitar peripheral to have. First off, the Starpex feels like a real guitar. From the wood body and neck to the tuning picks on the headstock, this product is real guitar all the way.

It has the heft of a real guitar, the size of a real guitar, and the feel of a real guitar. And, with three choices of color (Obsidian Black, Deadrose Red, and Sunburst) it even has the look of a real guitar. Both sets of buttons felt very solid during playtesting, and the strum bar easily treaded the sweet spot between too clicky and too soft, providing just the right level of resistance.

Our limited time left us fiending for more hands-on with the Peak Starpex. We should have a full review for our readers in the coming month. Keep your eyes open.The Starpex will be available for PS3 and PS2 initially and will retail for $180 and an additional $10 for the Sunburst color.