Like fidget spinners, NFTs and Ed Hardy T-shirts, peripheral-based rhythm games were everywhere – and then they weren’t. Of course, while the mainstream has moved on, we die-hard fans of rhythm games have been tinkering with our increasingly stiff old controllers for many, many years now. Indeed, Rock Band 4 was still getting new songs every week until January this yearwhile instead the support was directed entirely at the Fortnite festival – which is very similar to Rock Band, only worse in every way.
In any case, what might be wonderfully welcome news for those of you whose Rock Band guitars have lost their strange will (or for those of you who want to get into the rhythm scene without walking around the market second-hand), peripheral manufacturer PDP is back at the party with the Riffmaster: the first new guitar controller in nearly a decade. In equally welcome news, with its excellent button feel, great battery life and smart design elements, the Riffmaster rocks.
PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller – Design and Features
PDP’s previous attempt at a Rock Band guitar was the licensed Fender Jaguar guitar controller from 2016 (which was released alongside the Rock Band 4 Rivals expansion that year). The Riffmaster retains the Jaguar’s useful folding neck design, making it much easier to store than any other Rock Band guitar I own (although whether you prefer the Riffmaster’s hinged neck to the fully removable necks of previous Guitar Hero axes is up to you ). To save you the pain of dealing with imperial or metric measurements, I can tell you that at its full height, the Riffmaster is 84 albums tall—but when folded, it shrinks to just 43. (If you’ve forgotten what the physical media looks like, which comes out to about 84 cm/33 inches – which is roughly the same length as a Rock Band Stratocaster).
The neck locks firmly in place for use and wiggle is negligible. There is no more movement than the amount of flexibility I can generate in the neck of the original set of Rock Band Stratocasters – and they do no have folding necks.
I also appreciate that the removable headstock release button is more accessible than the equivalent button on the original package Fender Stratocasters. It’s a simple fix – and the frustratingly tuned knob on Stratocasters can be annoying for kids or people with giant fingers – but the better knob really makes it easier for me to take the Riffmaster head off after playing. The protector is also removable and has a convenient storage cavity for the wireless USB key needed for gaming.
The Riffmaster certainly isn’t as chic as PDP’s Jaguar or the Stratocasters in the kit, although it’s an undeniable battle against some of the most iconic guitar shapes ever created. The Riffmaster is an off-brand double-cut design that looks pretty conventional at a very quick glance, but the combination of curves and angled corners is a little strange under the microscope. The scariest part is probably the wavy design that sticks out at the bottom, which makes the strap sit at a surprisingly bad angle to the end pin for right-handed players.
I don’t mind the use of black and dark gray, and the neck looks slick without fret markers, although a white pickguard would probably look better. For the first pre-orders (which reportedly sold out within the first 10 minutes of availability), and it would not be surprising if the PDP eventually did others. However, given that it’s fully replaceable, customizing it should be within the capabilities of anyone who can apply an even coat of spray paint if they feel so inclined. Overall, the Riffmaster reminds me more of a guitar-shaped bottle opener than any real guitar (and it sure likes to collect fingerprints), but it’s harmless enough.
However, the Riffmaster’s inelegant appearance is actually its only major drawback. I shudder to think how many double As have gone through my plastic guitars since the dawn of Rock Band in 2007, but with a built-in rechargeable battery, the Riffmaster puts an end to that. PDP claims that a single charge will last more than 30 hours, and that feels entirely credible; I’ve been playing for several hours a day all week and I haven’t had to charge it yet.
The button layout is a huge step up from the bundled Stratocasters I’ve been using for the past decade. Additional controls have been moved further south of the jingle bar, meaning there’s no useless and unprotected Share button lurking just millimeters from your palm as you shred. If I had a dollar for every time someone hit the Share button on a Rock Band Strat and cut a song in the last 10 years, I’d probably have enough to buy two Riffmasters (at US$130/£130/AU$200 they’re really not cheap, but I they have I’ve played a hell of a rock band over the years with some pretty drunk people, so I think that’s line ball).
The only exception is the PlayStation button (or Xbox button), which is brought forward. The Strats pack buries the PS button under the drum bar; positioning it on the Riffmaster feels much more intuitive.
The thumbstick located on the back of the neck is also a great touch and definitely simplifies menu navigation. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’ll be able to shred in relative silence should the need arise.
PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller – Performance
The Riffmaster is plug and play, right out of the box. Insert the USB dongle, toggle the PS4/PS5 switch to the appropriate device for your purposes, and just plug it in. That’s it. It took me significantly longer to pick the first song to play than it did to get the guitar working. It’s super easy.
At just over a pound (1012g) without the strap, the Riffmaster is only a fraction heavier than the Strat (which are just under a pound with batteries installed). As a result, it is still very light in the hands and can be handled for hours without any problems. Still, despite the nominal weight increase, the plastic feels thicker and the whole device feels noticeably sturdier. My Strat controllers squeak and creak under pressure; Riffmaster doesn’t. It just has a significantly sturdier feel.
The high and low fret knobs remain in exactly the same positions as on the original Stratocasters, with eight “frets” separating the two sets. The Riffmaster isn’t looking to undermine 17 years of muscle memory here and essentially feels identical in the hands.
Where it feels different, however, is under the fingertips. It’s much better. As far as I can tell, it’s all because of the button exemption. While quick release of the fret buttons on the original Strats produced a noticeable hollow rattle, it’s much more subtle on the Riffmaster. It’s a softer action. There’s just a more substantial and premium feel to the entire fretboard.
Similarly, the Riffmaster strum bar is also much quieter and has a slightly lighter action. It’s just better gear all around. As a user, the most I could hear was some muffled tapping. From across the room while my kids were playing with it, it’s impressively inaudible over the game music.
Playing Rock Band 4 all week with the Riffmaster was great and I had no connection issues whatsoever. I have occasional dropouts with the Bluetooth connections on my Stratocasters when playing on the PS5, but not with the Riffmaster’s wireless; was completely reliable. Does it make Fortnite Festival better? Well, no, but that has nothing to do with the Riffmaster. Playing songs on guitar at Fortnite Fest is now less inappropriate (that is, it feels much more at home played on a traditional guitar-based peripheral than a gamepad or keyboard), but hey, if you like Fortnite Fest and are fans of Riffmaster, grab a USB mic and try Rock Band 4 instead. Songs are half the price and your friends and family can actually sing along with you in the same room.
