I am utterly and hopelessly addicted.  Guitar Hero has me so tightly wrapped around it’s orange-striking pinky finger that I can hardly go an hour without talking to someone about it if not playing.  Every host for every party I have attended in the past 2 months has been nagged to tears about making sure that Guitar Hero would be present and set-up for maximum rockage.  It’s lucky I travel in the circles I travel in.  I would have no friends left otherwise.

When I was training for my inevitable and impending GH performances at PAX I decided that I needed a new axe, something that would really show off my unique dedication to Rock.  Unfortunately the selection of pre-made GH guitars on the vast internets is not as diverse as I would have hoped.  I managed to find a 3rd party guitar that was not bombing all user reviews and that also had good looks and good color going for it (I’m partial to anything red).  I would have thought that a straight-off-of-Amazon.com-and-fresh-out-of-the-package guitar controller would not warrant much attention around the GH tournament area compared to some of the customized guitars being wielded, but my red Fender got no end of adoration from my fellow enthusiasts.  I don’t blame them.  It’s a darn sexy piece of plastic that is able to handle the most serious of rocking out.

There was a Guitar Hero II booth set up in the exhibition hall at PAX this year and on Sunday I found a few minutes to take the Red Octane representatives an important message.  I squeezed through the line to reach the table in front of the booth and quickly flagged down the nearest dude wearing a GH II shirt.  This is what I said to him:

“Listen.  I am a HUGE Guitar Hero fan.  I love this game with a passion and there have probably been more pictures taken of me today playing Guitar Hero than of me playing any Ubisoft game.  I would love to be able to fully represent my Guitar Hero pride, but because of the sore lack of options for cool controllers, I have resorted to using a 3rd party guitar.”

I then gestured to my red Fender which was strapped to my back (it had been strapped to my back since the competition that morning and continued to be for the rest of the day.  It made me feel cool.  Stop judging me.) This poor, set-upon Red Octane guy winced as if I had struck him across the face and I thought I almost heard him hiss when I said “3rd party guitar”.  My message to him continued:

“My obsessive love for this game can be a happy thing for all of us.  If you can find me one of those pink and black destined-to-be-owned-by-a-Frag-Doll guitars that your booth babes had at E3, I will die of Guitar Hero bliss and I promise to do it in a very loud and public manner.”

Being one to recognize a good idea (and a potentially dangerous fan) he agreed to take my business card and see if he could find one of the legendary guitars for me.  He emailed me the day I got back and I am happy to say that the quest for the pink and black axe is ON.

After PAX I was ready to take a little breather from Guitar Hero not because I wanted to but because of the lack of upcoming opportunities to show off my incredible rock goddess skills.  But this morning my love for the game was renewed, even doubled, by an unbelievable gift from a kindred GH spirit and friend.  Today I met my new guitar, a custom airbrushed beauty that tempts me to walk around with it on my back all the time.  I would probably do it if I wasn’t scared of damaging her. 

Behold, and bask in her glory while I go practice.