Apple Online Selling iPhone-Enabled Fender Strat Guitar

[MacRumors]

Apple has begun selling the iOS-enabled Fender Squier Strat guitar on its Online Store, adding to its collection of app-enabled accessories.

The $199.95 guitar has USB and iOS connectivity built-in, designed to allow recording directly into GarageBand on the Mac, iPhone and iPad. The USB output on the guitar is a USB Mini-B and a USB-mini to 30-pin adapter is included in the box, meaning users with a Lightning port on their iOS devices will need a Lightning to 30-pin Adapter.

The Squier by Fender Stratocaster guitar offers bi-directional audio streaming and includes a high-quality headphone amp so that you can monitor the processed guitar signal right from the guitar itself. Thanks to the guitar's own audio interface, you can record audio straight to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac--no additional hardware needed. And the analog output means you're also free to use this as a standard guitar.

Via 9to5Mac

Article Link: Apple Online Selling iPhone-Enabled Fender Strat Guitar

[Biscuit411]

No Lightning adapter included? Nice...

[iParis]

Originally Posted by Biscuit411

No Lightning adapter included? Nice...

Yeah, because they're totally authorized to sell/include those.

[Robert.Walter]

Why is the guitar not rechargeable and piping signal out via a Bluetooth or wifi link?

Is there some technical reason that one in this day and age still has to schlepp around and be tethered to cables?

[iParis]

Originally Posted by Robert.Walter

Why is the guitar not rechargeable and piping signal out via a Bluetooth or wifi link?

Is there some technical reason that one in this day and age still has to schlepp around and be tethered to cables?

In this case it seems cables make more sense than wifi, but I think I'd prefer bluetooth over cables.

[zerolight]

Originally Posted by iParis

In this case it seems cables make more sense than wifi, but I think I'd prefer bluetooth over cables.

Ignoring for a moment the really crappy guitar in question, it's all about performance. Most of the cheap USB interfaces on the market are too slow to use without introducing latency, wifi or Bluetooth would result in both increased latency and decreased audio fidelity. Cable is a must.

[DogHouseDub]

Originally Posted by Robert.Walter

Why is the guitar not rechargeable and piping signal out via a Bluetooth or wifi link?

Is there some technical reason that one in this day and age still has to schlepp around and be tethered to cables?

Price point I'd guess - $199 is pretty tight

ps - love the 20th Congress...

[damir00]

Isn't this just the Rocksmith guitar?

[weckart]

Originally Posted by damir00

Isn't this just the Rocksmith guitar?

Not really. This is just a Fender Squier with a digital output built in. The Rocksmith is a digital converter device for any guitar.

[John.B]

For the record, the article title is wrong. They are selling a Squier Strat, not a Fender Strat. This will be a guitar built by a third party guitar manufacturer (in China, natch) to Squier specs. There is nothing "Fender" about this guitar except Squier's use of the parent company's trademark body shape, headstock shape, pickguard design, etc.

Originally Posted by Robert.Walter

Why is the guitar not rechargeable and piping signal out via a Bluetooth or wifi link?

Is there some technical reason that one in this day and age still has to schlepp around and be tethered to cables?

It does add to the cost, and there are lot of other technical considerations. Latency can be a killer. IMO, Bluetooth would be way too slow. Also, the 2.4 GHz WiFi spectrum is too crowded already for many home users. Building the USB interface into the guitar is a reasonable step IMO for a guitar at this price point.

Originally Posted by damir00

Isn't this just the Rocksmith guitar?

The "Rocksmith guitar" is an Epiphone Les Paul Junior (one-pup P-90) with the Rocksmith 1/4"-to-USB cable. You can buy pretty much the same Junior at any Guitar Center across the country. You can also buy just the Rocksmith game with the 1/4"-to-USB cable and play pretty much any electric guitar.

BTW, Rocksmith is a great way to develop guitar skills in the guise of a console music game. I'd bet this Squier guitar will work fine with Rocksmith on a PS3 or Xbox, the same way the Rocksmith cable works will really any electric guitar into Garageband for the Mac. Typically, PC users will probably have to futz with finding the right drivers.

Regardless, anything that encourages the next generation of guitarists is OK in my book.

[damir00]

Originally Posted by John.B

I'd bet this Squier guitar will work fine with Rocksmith on a PS3 or Xbox, the same way the Rocksmith cable works will really any electric guitar into Garageband for the Mac.

Gotcha, thanks!

So the Rocksmith doodad should also work with basses, right?

[iRCL]

Originally Posted by John.B

For the record, the article title is wrong. They are selling a Squier Strat, not a Fender Strat. This will be a guitar built by a third party guitar manufacturer (in China, natch) to Squier specs. There is nothing "Fender" about this guitar except Squier's use of the parent company's trademark body shape, headstock shape, pickguard design, etc.

Yeah seriously. Nothing built in China to a parent company's design could possibly be good...

[usersince86]

Originally Posted by John.B

For the record, the article title is wrong. They are selling a Squier Strat, not a Fender Strat. This will be a guitar built by a third party guitar manufacturer (in China, natch) to Squier specs. There is nothing "Fender" about this guitar except Squier's use of the parent company's trademark body shape, headstock shape, pickguard design, etc.

Not totally true.

Correct, this is not a Fender strat. It is a Squier strat.

But some Squier guitars are very "Fender"... if you don't believe it, check out web reviews of some of the newer Squier guitars. To many musicians, they rival some of the American made strats, and are better than the Mexi-strats, which carry the Fender name. (For the record, I've played Strats for years, and had a '65 strat; and currently have a Squier Classic Vibe 50's guitar, which is incredible, especially for the price.)

Obviously, an instrument is somewhat subjective, but to say "there is nothing 'Fender' about this guitar" is misleading.

[rainydays]

Originally Posted by John.B

For the record, the article title is wrong. They are selling a Squier Strat, not a Fender Strat.

Well, since Fender owns Squier it's not completely wrong. Especially not since Fender has been marketing them as "Squier by Fender" lately and Fender is even in the logo. They are also displaying them on the main Fender site as a part of the family rather than on a seperate site like they used to.

So I actually don't think it's wrong to call them Fender guitars even though they are their very cheapest models.

Also, to those who bash it based on the price. I think some might be surprised how good some of the low cost guitars are these days. Sure the electronics are not good, and the finish is usually not great either, but many of them play surprisingly well for the price.

----------

Originally Posted by tgurske

Musicians hear everything.

Yeah. But guitarists only hear themselves.

[Lex Yu]

Originally Posted by John.B

For the record, the article title is wrong. They are selling a Squier Strat, not a Fender Strat. This will be a guitar built by a third party guitar manufacturer (in China, natch) to Squier specs. There is nothing "Fender" about this guitar except Squier's use of the parent company's trademark body shape, headstock shape, pickguard design, etc.

You are totally right! Nothing that is designed in America and manufactured in China is good, just like iPhones and iPa..... oh, wait!

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

I can tell that you are NOT a musician. I'm 100% sure.

Millisecond MATTERS when you are playing guitars!

Transfer speed of WiFi/BT is not the problem, the problem is called LATENCY!!!

[glowdragon]

Originally Posted by Robert.Walter

Why is the guitar not rechargeable and piping signal out via a Bluetooth or wifi link?

Is there some technical reason that one in this day and age still has to schlepp around and be tethered to cables?

Because even the smallest bit of lag is unacceptable for a guitarist. Instant feedback is pretty much required when you're playing an instrument, especially if you're LEARNING to play that instrument.

Bluetooth would be bad enough. WiFi? Hah!

[Smallworld69]

Originally Posted by glowdragon

Because even the smallest bit of lag is unacceptable for a guitarist. Instant feedback is pretty much required when you're playing an instrument, especially if you're LEARNING to play that instrument.

Bluetooth would be bad enough. WiFi? Hah!

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

[glowdragon]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

Citation needed.

[bobobenobi]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

You are obviously not a musician or involved in audio engineering in any way. Any latency above ten or twenty milliseconds is *quite* noticeable.

A hundred milliseconds of latency would make an instrument completely unusable.

[Smallworld69]

Apologies, was thinking about latency of an orchestra, not single instruments...

[zerolight]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

Really? You'll not find single audio interface, even costing thousands, offering connectivity over Bluetooth or wifi.

You'll also find that almost all the dock connector ipad interfaces which are going over a line in connection introduce unacceptable latency. It's very disconcerting to hit the string and hear the note fractionally afterwards. I use the apogee jam which is pretty decent.

[akm3]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

"low hundred" milliseconds is too much when you are talking about music.

[macthetiger85]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

You'd be surprised what a musician hears.

[The Wedge]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

Playing music isn't just about hearing, it's also about feeling. And if something is off, even if it's just a few milliseconds, then it doesn't feel right.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

Um, Bluetooth, as well as wifi would offer lag in the low hundred MILISECOND range... Not enough time that the human ear would make much of distinction that there is lag. It is definitely a price/technology issue, NOT a lag issue...

250 milliseconds is an 8th note at 120 bpm. A guitar player lagging that much behind would be very, very audible except to the most tone deaf listener.