Home : Hardware : Reviews : Rocking V Guitar Controller
The Not-So-Rocking Strap
There is one major problem with the Rocking V and it goes right across your shoulder. The strap that the controller comes with has these leather ends with holes that you are supposed to attach to the controller so that the strap and the guitar stay on you. Well whoever was in charge of making the pegs on the guitar stay in the holes on the strap failed their job miserably because the damn thing just won’t stay on for more than a minute. At least it allowed me to check the controller’s durability because it must have fallen off the strap at least ten times during my play tests.
Luckily, it seems that the strap that comes with the Rocking V works much better with the standard Gibson SG controller, and the strap on the Gibson SG also works with the Rocking V. So switching the straps on the two controllers will help out your experience immensely. 
Decals
Like the Gibson SG controller, the Rocking V also comes with several decals that you can use to decorate your controller. The decals are mostly flames, skulls, and musical notes, but it’s a nice little extra and the designs are much cooler than the ones that were packaged in with the Gibson SG controller.
In the end, what it comes down to is whether you are willing to sacrifice a little bit of functionality for a lot of style. For me, the Gibson SG is the better controller to play with due to it’s smaller and more responsive fret buttons, while the Rocking V is the better controller to show off to your friends. That’s not to say that the Rocking V is a bad controller, because with a little practice and a replacement strap, you could probably get used to the fret buttons and play just as well with it.
Review by Mitchell Saltzman.
Highs
Very cool look and paint job; Strum bar is actually an improvement over the standard Gibson SG; Cool decals; Recessed start button prevents accidentally pausing the game.
Lows
The included strap is horrible; Fret buttons stick out a little too much, Recessed start button makes it harder to pause the game when you actually want to pause it.
Final verdict
With Guitar Hero 2 right around the corner, you are going to NEED an extra guitar controller so you can try out the new cooperative mode. At the same price as an extra Gibson SG controller, the Rocking V is an excellent choice.
85%
Sep 20, 2006
Send this review to a friend.
Not a member? Register here for free! It's quick and easy.