When PDP launched its Riffmaster Guitar Controller last year, I wondered whether a new era of Guitar Hero controllers was dawning. It's been almost a year since, but CRKD has now joined the band with an axe of its own, and for guitar players, it'll be very tempting.
Made in official partnership with one of the most beloved guitar brands in the world, the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller will arrive on the shelves this June. It's available for pre-order already and comes in a few different forms. For the price of $119.99 / £119.99, you can get the Black Tribal Encore Edition officially licensed for Xbox. For a more affordable $119.99 / £119.99 you can grab a multi-platform version, which doesn't appear to be compatible with PS5, but will connect to PC, Android devices, tablets, and more.
CRKD didn't just stop there, though. Those hunting for the absolute best PC controllers money can buy will want to know about the Pro Edition Guitar Controller, which is also up for pre-order. Its multi-platform model is available for $119.99 / £119.99 and its officially licensed Xbox version is $129.99 / £129.99 - bringing it to the same price as PDP's Riffmaster controller.
But what is the difference between the regular and pro models, I hear you rock scream at me through your device. The Pro Edition sports mechanical fret buttons, which are sure to add so much feel to each riff you play. It'll also have haptic feedback in its strumming bar, which regardless of the model you buy, is controlled by Hall Sensors.
Besides coming in a Gibson Les Paul classic-looking Blueberry Burst colorway, the Pro model isn't going to offer you too much more for your money. That said, the added feel from mechanical frets and a haptic feedback strumming bar will likely add so much to your immersion.
In both models, you'll get Hall effect joysticks and whammy bars to help you navigate in-game menus, along with an "ergo D-pad" on the back of the controller's neck. Both editions sport a detachable, modular neck design that means you can probably upgrade to that mechanical fret board later on - CRKD is listing the OG guitar controller fret neck for $29.99 right now, and the pro model for $39.99 (although it will launch later between July 14-31).
Connectivity offers you some great versatility as well, as each model has three ways of connecting to your platform of choice. There's a wired mode that grants you "rapid polling technology". There's no specified polling rate mentioned in the press release I've got here, but I'd assume that means that on PC you'll be able to ramp up to 1,000Hz. As a wired Xbox Series X controller, it'll be limited to the standard 400Hz which is the limit for that console. A 2.4GHz wireless mode is also available, and Bluetooth mode adds yet more versatility for connecting to mobile devices.
For your money, you'll get a shoulder strap, a USB dongle for wireless play, and a removable, rechargeable battery. For wired play, there's a 2.5m USB cable as well. If you pre-order, you'll get a funky orange or Purple shoulder strap and an exclusive Collector's Pin too - a nice bonus.
Higher up on the fretboard, you might notice some small flame emblems. These can enter an RGB Show Mode that'll let you customize the dynamic lighting within.
It does seem like the PDP Riffmaster has a few points of convenience over the new Gibson controller, however. For starters, it managed to leverage official licensing from Sony and Microsoft, which means if you're looking for the best PS5 controller, the Riffmaster seems like it'll be your only option right now.
The detachable neck on the new CRKD product is countered by Riffmaster's foldable design for easier storage and portability. The Riffmaster has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a slot to holster its USB dongle, which CRKD has made no mention of in its controller. Still, it'll be a real battle of the bands between the two come June, when the CRKD Gibson Guitar Controller launches worldwide.
Looking to build a sim-specific gaming setup this year? Check out the best racing wheels for PC, the best Xbox steering wheels, and the best PS5 steering wheels.
