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http://www.fender.com/en-GB/promos/2010/rockband3 Fender agree with me, and they should know.

Um, rock band 3 now has a real guitar, made by fender:

http://www.fender.com/promos/2010/rockband3/theguitar.php

You can also use it with an amp (or a synth, since it has a regular midi out from the midi pickup)

They specifically show the thing being used with generic sequencer software:

http://www.fender.com/promos/2010/rockband3/theguitar.php

Reviews seem to indicate that pro mode for guitar with one of these things is a bit more analog than the whole notes-scrolling-down-screen thing, so you might be able to do more tricks than you'd think.

I'd wait and get the real Fender Squier Stratocaster for Rock Band 3 when it comes out, as the Fender is a real guitar you can hook up to an amp while the Mustang is just an approximation.

Or, for $280, you can buy a Squire Stratocaster Guitar for RB3.

http://www.fender.com/promos/2010/rockband3/index.php

It's a proper electric guitar, with a phono jack for plugging into an amp, but it can also be used as an RB3 controller via the official MIDI adapter.

Of course, the same is true of *any* cheap MIDI electric guitar, but this thing costs half as much as the cheapest MIDI guitars, and has some game-related buttons on it too that get properly mapped via the guitar->MIDI->RB3 chain.

http://www.fender.com/promos/2010/rockband3 Only cheaper, easier, and most likely better interaction with the game.

The Fender Squier is a real guitar. On a promotional event a guy had it hooked up to an amplifier while also being connected to the game, so you could actually hear his playing while the tune also rolled in Rock Band 3. Check the (rather cool) demonstration/teaser video on Fenders website.

In other words, if you go for the Fender Squier, Rock Band 3 will function as a learning tool. That games career mode is more about challenges rather than just plauying at venues. Different difficulty levels (where the hardest setting equals the way the guitarist is actually playing the current song), tutorials and the ability to slow down sections at will makes it possible to get down to business learning how a guitar produces sound. If you take the time, you will be able to learn to play. The only thing the game doesn't teach specifically is technique, but with the songs including (and the game supporting) hammerons/pulloffs, left hand muting, open chords, arpeggios, sustained notes and slides, the techniques will come eventually as long as one is eager and willing to learn.

Unfortunately, I've never played one to see how well this all works...and I'm a bit partial to Schecter guitars.

Backpack in winter, when I want to have my hands in nice toasty gloves.

Summertime, though, I prefer the briefcase. I think it looks better.
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0 991005000

The Fender Tweed briefcase. With a nice, hand-made padded case for my laptop, made out of crushed red velvet.

it's shaped vaguely like a Fender Stratocaster body with a glass platter.

More like a Telecaster, actually...

Considering people claim to be able to tell the difference between a Stratovarius (spelling?) and an inferior wooden violin

I'm picturing a cross between a stratocaster and a Stradivarius...

Turns out they do.

Hacking Gibsons? Pete Townshend was excellent at that, but Jimi Hendrix was was even better at hacking up Fender Strats!

It looks more like a BC Rich than a stratocaster. It looks a heck of a lot like those custom guitars Jerry Garcia played.