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.

[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...

[ouimetnick]

buy a real strat

[damir00]

Isn't this just the Rocksmith guitar?

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Orange Furball]

Make a bass and I'll buy.

[Smallworld69]

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

[bradl]

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?

Umm.. wireless packs for guitars and basses have been around since the early 80s. This is absolutely nothing new. If you went to a live show between 1983 and now at a big venue, you'd have seen them all over the place. I even have one that goes wirelessly to the base unit that is plugged directly into my amp. Only los of signal comes from distance, but if you have them on the same channel, you're all set.

Originally Posted by ouimetnick

buy a real strat

This. This is not a Fender Stratocaster, in true name. This is their low-end models, from Squier. If this were a true Fender Strat, even the Mexican or Japanese ones, you'd be looking at a decent tag between $500 and $800, give or take $100. If this were an American Standard Strat, you'd be looking at over $1000 easily.

Originally Posted by damir00

Isn't this just the Rocksmith guitar?

No. This is a real guitar, but then again, still low end. If they were to add this to the main Fender line, or if Jackson, Ibanez, or ESP did this, I'd be all over it, but expect a price jump.

Props to Squier for trying, but if this takes off, expect the other companies to follow suit.

BL.

[palmerc2]

I wouldn't pay for that, I'd rather use my Schecter and get one of those apps / devices so I can plug directly into it.

[Orange Furball]

Originally Posted by palmerc2

I wouldn't pay for that, I'd rather use my Schecter and get one of those apps / devices so I can plug directly into it.

But for someone just beginning to play? That's what they're going for.

I paid $200 for my first bass. Had it been any more I wouldn't have gotten into it. The $200 price point is perfect for beginners.

[george-brooks]

I have a pretty nice collection of guitars, amps, mics and recording equipment, and don't do a whole lot of songwriting so this isn't for me, but the price is fantastic and its a cool concept if you're a musician who's one the go or enjoys writing/practicing outside of the home. At only twice the price of the Apogee guitar interface for the interface AND the guitar, this looks like the best option for anyone who records often with the iOS device or any beginner who has an iPad.

If you're looking to purchase your first guitar in this day and age, why pay $199 or $299 for a squier starter kit with a crappy amp and a bunch of cheap accessories you don't really need when you can get the same guitar that works perfectly out of the box with the insane collection of killer amp models you already have?

[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.

[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?

[John.B]

Originally Posted by damir00

Gotcha, thanks!

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

Yes. The caveat is that the original Rocksmith game was for guitar only -- they just recently added bass functionality as a $29 DLC -- or you can get the updated version "Rocksmith for Guitar and Bass" (just recently released) which includes the bass guitar functionality.

Also, a bunch of great "catch up" song packs, over-and-above what comes in the box, available as DLC.