Red Octane declares two Guitar Hero II axes defective

If you've been cranking out some serious riffs on your Guitar Hero II controller, but have been noticing a few glitches with the ole whammy bar, chances are you've got yourself a malfunctioning unit. According to Red Octane, the bar on Xbox 360 axes could have a "calibration issue that may stem from a feature put in place to ensure accurate scoring." The duo of units in question sport 95065 and 95055 model numbers, but according to various user reports, even boxes with model numbers outside of the two aforementioned figures are on the fritz, too. Thankfully, it appears that Red Octane is working overtime to figure out (and solve) the quirks, but for those who'd rather return their current unit and try out another, that appears to be your prerogative. Be sure to hit the links below for a bit more info, and make sure you find other ways to exercise those phalanges whilst waiting for a return unit if you plan on staying in shape.

P.S. -If you're brave enough to want to try the repair yourself, there's already a guide. All hail the internets.

[Via Joystiq]

[Brooks @ Apr 8th 2007 3:45PM]

Glad they finally recognized the prob;em. That fix it link worked! I can now whammy to my hearts content!!

[Kasei @ Apr 8th 2007 4:35PM]

nteresting, my controller is a member of the lot that is defective but the whammy worked from day one. I opened my controller and the very screws you are suppose to loosen are a different color and have a sealant on them.

[julio @ Apr 8th 2007 5:22PM]

Noowhere in the redoctane support article does it say that the controllers are defective. Fix the story, or link to something that says the controllers are defective.

As for now, it looks like engadget is trying to rouse up some news and capitalize off the web traffic.

[kingofwale @ Apr 8th 2007 5:35PM]

do you work for PR? geez, why so offensive

maybe I will help Engadget link to some of the stories

http://cheats.ign.com/ob2/068/857/857449.html

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/red-octane-responds-to-xbox-guitar-hero-ii-guitar-issues/

[julio @ Apr 8th 2007 5:59PM]

No, I don't work for Red Octane. I'm just an engadget reader who's angry that the website I go to for news is fabricating news. Reporting that people are having problems is one thing. Saying that Red Octane admits they're defective, when Red Octane has said nothing like that officialy is another.

All we've seen are emails from Red Octane to users, no offical statement saying "Oh yeah, the models 9xxxx and 9xxxx are definately bad, go return them."

And as for this "Calibration issue." It's the same thing that happined on Nintendo 64 when analog controlers were introduced. If you held the joystick to the side when you turned it on, Mario would run in circles forever.

[Cory @ Apr 8th 2007 5:47PM]

I've been wondering why it seemed like the whammy bar took too long to take effect on my model 95055 axe. I've been missing out on vital Star Power.

[kingofwale @ Apr 8th 2007 6:36PM]

fabricating news??? Where or what was 'fabricated'? please be more specific, I am interested to know what engadget made up.

as far as I know, Engadget clearly stated that "but according to various user reports", which is identical to other reports on the web.

[tgernon @ Apr 8th 2007 6:52PM]

its less then 5 min to fix the problem with the whammy bar... no need to get up set... just pop the back off and adjust the whammy and your set...

[Will @ Apr 8th 2007 7:09PM]

Way to stand up for fairness and accuracy in news reporting... on a tech blog... about a video game peripheral. Those who lose at life, we salute thee!

[jman @ Apr 8th 2007 8:02PM]

Well I did the mod. It works perfect now. 15 min mod. 10 of wich involved turning the really small tiny screw. ;-)

[brad @ Apr 8th 2007 9:30PM]

anyone know how to fix the tilt sensor problems. I have to go way to far to start star power, sometimes more than 45 degrees past where it should start. thanks

[WhoDatNinja @ Apr 9th 2007 7:32AM]

DIY whammy bar fix...

http://forum.guitarherogame.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=17898

[Secret Asian Man @ Apr 9th 2007 2:06AM]

This explains why our batches at Target were marked for recall a few days ago.

[Paul @ Apr 9th 2007 4:38AM]

lol @ you for working at target

[MAIcrosoft @ Apr 10th 2007 4:14AM]

KONAMI WILL SUE :\/

[Greg @ Apr 10th 2007 10:19AM]

http://www.redoctane.us/support-center/index.php?x=&mod_id=2&id=128

Whammy bar on Guitar Hero II Xbox 360 X-Plorer guitar not functioning properly?

Article ID: 000128
Rating: 1.3 / 5.0 (62 votes)

Views: 3959

We have been informed of a possible calibration issue with Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360’s whammy bar. We believe this may stem from a feature put in place to ensure accurate scoring. Guitar Hero II features a complex control scheme that requires precise calibration between the game and the guitar. We are currently investigating the situation further; however, if you are experiencing these issues, we recommend that you try the following steps:

1. Turn off the power to your game console
2. Make sure the whammy bar is moved away from the body of the guitar and not depressed
3. Make sure the guitar is securely connected to your console
4. Then turn the console’s power back on
5. Load the Guitar Hero II game and begin playing

If the above steps do not resolve your problem, please feel free to contact our customer service department using the following information:

Phone: [phone]

You can call our 24-hour voice-mail system for answers to our most frequently asked questions at the above number. Contact a Customer Support representative at the same number between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Internet: http://www.activision.com/support

Our support section of the web has the most up-to-date information available. We update the support pages daily so please check here first for solutions. If you cannot find an answer to your issue, you can submit a question/incident to us using the online support form.