USB guitar?

USB guitar?

So I'm dreaming of a way to noodle around on the guitar, but said guitar is plugged directly into my computer multitrack software. I happened to stumble upon the Behringer USB guitar on Think Geek, but the reviews are atrocious.

Is there anything like this concept, but that works and is actually good as a guitar? I'm wanting it to do noodly melody lines, nothing metal or too "guitar-ish," but I love composing on the guitar and having some way of going straight from guitar to digital multitrack is very appealing. Is there a better way to do this? Is the Behringer as bad as the reviews say it is?

posted by jbickers (8 comments total)

Yes, there's a better way. I had the same/similar problem. I ended up getting an interface/external sound card. Guitar now goes directly to computer and software. This is what I got. I could have done better for cheeper, but was in a hurry as usual.
posted by snsranch at 4:17 PM on September 30, 2009

You can go even more lofi if you want-- I've recorded directly into the sound card of my computer using a 1/4" F to 1/8" M adapter (this song was done that way.)
posted by InfidelZombie at 4:54 PM on September 30, 2009

Yea, what IZ says. That song is great too, btw.
posted by snsranch at 5:44 PM on September 30, 2009

I use this. If you must go straight from the guitar to the computer you could try the ridiculous dark fire.
posted by mexican at 7:22 PM on September 30, 2009

Is the Behringer as bad as the reviews say it is?

well, it's a 99 buck guitar - look, maybe you'd get lucky and get one that was actually set up right and playable and stayed in tune - i actually got lucky with my 119 buck bass - but i tested out a lot of crap instruments before i found that one

less money will get you an m-audio fast track - it's usb, it does have its limitations, but its not a piece of crap - add to that a cheap multi-effects box - digitech and line 6 have some

of course, if you want to spend more, you can get better stuff
posted by pyramid termite at 9:27 PM on September 30, 2009

The Line6 POD (xt and newer) will act as a USB sound device, which is pretty slick. Plus, hey, it's a pretty great multi-effects unit, too (nearly every guitar on everything I've posted to MeFiMu came through the POD 2.0 or POD xt).

The humbuckers on my SG are too hot to plug directly into my interface without clipping (unless I turn down the guitar's volume knobs), so even if I want to record the guitar dry, I'll use the POD as a DI box.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:55 AM on October 1, 2009

Also, this one's nice.

The Guitar Rig software is awesome, and can be run as a VST from inside your multitracker...
posted by First Post at 5:10 AM on October 2, 2009

Technically Any Audio Interface with a High-Z or High Impedence input will do the job "ok". and you can then use say an Amp Modeller.

I would take this approach over a "USB guitar" myself.
posted by mary8nne at 4:48 AM on October 5, 2009