PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Remember in 2006-2009 when Guitar hero and rock band games ruled the gaming world? When you'd pick up that little plastic Gibson Explorer guitar controller and try to beat "Jordan" by Buckethead? Or trying just to make it through "through the fire and the flames" by DragonForce, challenging friends to put up the top score on some of the greatest rock & metal songs in history. Well that's the feeling this controller tries to capture, and for the most part, it does a good job. The feet buttons feel good, closer to the rock band controllers than the GH ones, but they're easy to press, you can tell you have pressed them and they have small color slits on the sides of the frets, rather than the whole button being colored, something I do actually like, I cant describe it but the full colored buttons look cheap somehow. If I could change one thing about this it's the strum button, it lacks that signature click we all remember from those old school controllers! Other than that it's perfect! The battery lasts long, the price is reasonable and the connection is quick and it stays connected even if you go downstairs to get a drink with it lol With rock band 4 still having DLC available, and Epic games launching Fortnite festival, a sort of spiritual successor of guitar hero and now red octane releasing Stage tour this year, now is the perfect time to pick up a new guitar controller and hit the stage! I can't recommend the PDP Riff master enough! It's a fantastic, well built controller with responsive buttons and it's wireless, but without the input lag. If toure looking to relive your glory days, pick up this guitar, grab a copy of rock band 4 and fortnite festival, download your favorite songs and SHRED my dudes 🤘

I was on the hunt for a guitar controller to use for Clone Hero, so initially I was looking at a bunch of used guitars from old guitar hero games, but always got skeptical buying any because of quality concern or if they even worked properly, and then any of the like-new to brand new ones I would find were way too expensive to justify buying them, and even further more I know that there’s custom modding for guitar hero guitars but I just wasn’t ready to make that type of investment, because those are the most expensive of all….then after awhile I stumbled upon this thing. It’s very good for what it is, but there’s some pros and cons that I’m about to list to help you make your decision. Pros: • The build quality is very nice. You can tell that PDP made sure this thing is gonna last you a while. • It’s wireless, and also has a rechargeable battery. Super convenient for my set up. • The buttons feel good and smooth and the same for the strum bar. • It’s got a small analog stick on the back of the neck to use on the Xbox for the Fortnite guitar hero-like game mode they created to navigate menus so that’s a plus. • It’s also foldable which is very nice for storage • It’s brand new! No need to worry about a broken guitar. Cons: • For me this is more neutral but I can see this as a con for a lot of people, but this guitar is a Rockband guitar. It has the exact soft sort of mushy feel, and button/strum bar style as a traditional Rockband guitar so if those aren’t your thing then you probably aren’t going to like this one, but for me I don’t mind at all. • If you’re buying the Xbox version like I did (I have a Series X so it made sense) then in order for you to use this on PC it is not plug and play like the PlayStation version is. You need to install 2 pieces of software: ViGEmBus, and RB4Instrument mapper in order for Clone Hero to detect the guitar. (at least right now at the time of this review). The only thing to note is that if you choose the PlayStation version, it does not have tilt function or whammy function according to other people’s reviews but the Xbox one does after setting up the pieces of software. • It isn’t the cheapest thing in the world, but to me it’s worth an investment because it plays very well and will last a long time since it’s new. • If you're someone that does those extreme tap shredding CH charts like the ones the streamer Açaí does, this guitar isn’t exactly set up for that kind of thing so it probably wouldn’t be ideal for you. I’m sure it’s possible but I’ve heard from many people that Rockband guitars just aren’t ideal for that style of playing. All in all, this thing is extremely solid for regular people that came from Guitar Hero that wanna play some of their favorite songs and more custom ones with ease. 9.5/10 guitar controller that I think most people will love.

Review for PDP RIFFMASTER Wireless Guitar Controller Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The PDP RIFFMASTER Wireless Guitar Controller is a fantastic addition for any music gaming enthusiast, particularly if you play on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows 10/11 PC. Officially licensed by Microsoft, this controller boasts compatibility with popular games like Rock Band 4 and even the rhythm-centric Fortnite Festival, making it a versatile choice for gamers. Design and Build Quality: The first thing that struck me about the RIFFMASTER is its sleek black design, which not only looks stylish but also feels solid and well-constructed. The fret buttons are responsive, and the strum bar provides satisfying feedback, enhancing the overall playing experience. The inclusion of an audio jack is a thoughtful touch, allowing for a seamless connection to headphones for immersive sound while playing. Wireless Connectivity: The wireless feature is a major advantage, offering freedom of movement without the hassle of cables. I found the pairing process to be straightforward, connecting easily to both my Xbox and PC. Switching between the two platforms is effortless, which is a huge plus for someone who enjoys playing on different devices. Performance: In terms of gameplay, the RIFFMASTER excels. I had a blast playing Rock Band 4 and was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed with Clone Hero. The latency is minimal, making for an enjoyable experience as I rocked out to my favorite tracks without any noticeable lag. The rechargeable battery is another highlight; it lasts a long time, ensuring that I won’t have to worry about changing batteries mid-session. Versatility: One of the standout features of the RIFFMASTER is its versatility. Being able to switch between consoles and PC without any issues is a game-changer for me. Whether I’m in the mood for a solo session on Clone Hero or a group jam on Rock Band 4, this controller adapts to my needs seamlessly. Final Thoughts: Overall, the PDP RIFFMASTER Wireless Guitar Controller is an excellent choice for anyone looking to elevate their gaming experience. Its combination of stylish design, solid performance, and versatility makes it a worthy investment. The only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars is that I would love to see more customizable features in future iterations, such as programmable buttons. However, for what it offers, this controller is hard to beat! If you're a fan of music games, the RIFFMASTER is definitely worth considering. Rock on!

There's so much to like about the riffmaster: Buttons feel great, strum bar is solid (if you don't mind mushier rock band ones), latency is VERY good for being wireless only. Battery life is fantastic and the headphone jack is a great touch too. Unfortunately though there are some quirks to the riffmaster that make it fall just a tad short for me. First, as most people say, I do think it's overpriced. For $130, just a bit more money will get you into the fully modded decked out Arduino guitars that will last longer and are even more responsive than the riffmaster. This thing should've been $99.99 imho. Secondly, sometimes the guitar just kind of... is wonky. The joystick on the back isn't aligned properly and tilt works maybe like 75% of the time? Sometimes when I run a song tilt just doesn't work, and having to press the D-pad to activate overdrive is really awkward. Those quirks aside though, this is a VERY solid guitar for people just starting out. I'm glad to have purchased mine and recommend it for pretty much anyone aside from more experienced GH veterans who may want something with a bit more *umph.*

got this for my PC. works great for every gmae i needed it for, relatively plug and play with the exception of clone hero. my gatherings so far: - this is a rock band-style guitar but much improved. the fret buttons are a bit clickier and less mushy. my guess is different switches. the buttons don't stick like a normal rock band guitar, they feel very snappy. -the design feels strangely ergonomic. playing songs and sections that usually hurt my hands or tire me out don't on this guitar. feels very smooth to play on. -strumbar is mushy like it would be on a rock band guitar but also feels much better and more accurate than strumbars on rock band guitars normally do. strumming sections feel way easier on this. -it's not as bad for the "tap shredding" charts as some people have said in the reviews. it feels fine for pattern-tapping songs, but admittedly not nearly AS good or consistent as something like a wii guitar hero controller would. i will say the latency feels the lowest out of any wireless controller i have ever tried, though. in conclusion, i got this for clone hero because my older guitars were starting to fall apart on me. decided why not get the new one, and honestly, i think it was worth it. i'm loving it so far and i'd recommend it to anybody else that was in the same position i was in. but if you prefer GH-style guitars, i'd also recommend maybe holding out until CRKD's les paul-style guitar drops.

This is the best clone hero guitar I've ever used, wither it's a guitar hero or rock band model controller it doesn't matter. All of those controllers aren't nearly as good as this one. The only one I think is even close to this one is the CRKD Les Paul, and I don't think that's even as good as this one. I actually use this on my android phone playing clone hero android. It works perfectly out the box. Just have to get an on the go adapter and manually set the buttons and wammy bar, but it works absolutely perfect. Both sets of fret buttons automatically pair when you configure the first five. I haven't tried it on my PC yet, but I'm sure it'll work just as perfect on there as it does on my android phone. Absolutely best clone hero controller of all time! Edit: You might have to use the 5 button fret trick to get the whammy bar to work properly, by holding the 5 fret buttons down before you power the guitar on. It sets it to wired mode and you'll be able to set the Whammy axis that way.

After searching for a quality guitar controller for Rock Band and Clone Hero, the PDP Riffmaster exceeded my expectations. It feels robust and comfortable in your hands, with responsive fret buttons and a smooth strum bar that performs like the classic controllers. Setup was simple, the wireless connectivity is solid with low latency, and the rechargeable battery lasts for hours. While it lacks the classic clicky strum feel of older models, the audio jack and collapsible design show a thoughtful upgrade that makes it well worth the price.

3 star because it works when it wants (tilt function) So let me start by saying yeah, it's cool a new guitar that we needed for us to play our favorite game... But with that being said i have had lots of problems with mine over the past couple months. i play expert and want to say if you're just starting out and you're just now playing on guitar controller sure buy it and it should work. Now if you're an OG guitar hero player and try smashing the frets and strum you're going to notice it's not the best but works as a backup. just buy a older guitar and mod it with a kit very easy plug and play The Good 1. It comes on and functions 85% of time 2. syncs to the games pretty easy 3. connects to Xbox and my pc problems 1. Tilt function don't work whatsoever on clone hero 2. Tilt function on Fortnite festival works but only half the time i can play a song and it work fine then the very next song no matter how hard you tilt it or the degree it just doesn't activate 3. On Fortnite festival no matter the calibration i put in sometimes tends to drop notes i see them light up but no actual function happens even though i strum and press button 4. I've already had the strum get stuck down. luckily on my part the face plate somehow got stuck in the strum bar

I was initially torn between the PDP Gaming Riffmaster and the CRKD version. I eventually opted for the Riffmaster, primarily because the Xbox version was nearly 50% off, making it an incredible value for the money. Setup and Compatibility I primarily purchased this controller to play Clone Hero on PC, but I have also tested it with Rock Band 3 Deluxe and Yarg. Getting the controller to sync with Clone Hero requires a little bit of setup, but the effort is well worth it. To get it running perfectly: Remove existing drivers: Uninstall "Xbox Game Input" via the Windows Control Panel. Install mapping tools: Download and install RB4 Instrument Mapper and ViGEmBus (both are easily found on GitHub). Once these are installed, the game runs flawlessly. Even the whammy bar functions correctly—something many users had concerns about regarding the Xbox version on PC. Additionally, I can confirm that it is fully usable on Linux systems. Build and Feel The overall responsiveness and build of the controller are fantastic. While it is undeniably a plastic instrument, it feels highly durable and well-constructed. The Strum Bar: I was initially unsure about the lack of a tactile switch in the strum bar, but the action is remarkably similar to the classic Rock Band controllers. It takes almost no time at all to get used to. Ergonomics: The guitar rests comfortably and the buttons are highly responsive during fast sections. Final Verdict I highly recommend the Riffmaster. If you are on the fence about whether to pick one up, you will not be disappointed. It delivers an authentic rhythm gaming experience whether you are on PC or Linux!

Fonctionne bien avec le jeu PC YARC. Vien avec une strap pour la tenir autour du cou. Bref Je recommande pour ceux qui veulent une expérience guitare HERO sur PC

The first guitar that arrived unfortunately had a broken knob, making it impossible to play. The exchange was processed immediately, and the new guitar arrived after only 1-2 days. I've been playing Fortnite Festival on it for three weeks now and have absolutely no regrets. The product is incredibly awesome, and the support was quick and easy. 10/10

Finalmente uma nova guitarra para jogar os jogos estilo Guitar Hero. Funciona perfeitamente em Fortnite Festival.

Me encantaron los materiales de construcción de la guitarra, el plástico se siente muy sólido, bien construido y se ve bastante atractivo a la vista. La barra de strum se siente suave y no hace ningún ruido a comparación con las guitarras de Guitar Hero. Los botones de traste son cómodos y silenciosos, pero los veo un poco separados, por lo que si tienes manos pequeñas se te puede dificultar tocar. Creo que su punto más fuerte es su compatibilidad y latencia, pues gracias al dongle, la latencia en Xbox está muy baja, lo que permite tocar sin problemas, incluso el tilt de la guitarra se siente excelente, pues no es muy sensible y es divertido de usar. En cuanto a su comportamiento en PC, es decente, no solo se puede jugar a Fortnite festival, sino que con unos programas la puedes configurar para que puedas usarla en emuladores, permitiendo jugar a los títulos de guitar hero o rock band antiguos, el cual es el uso que le doy, lo volvería a comprar.