The Guitar Box

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Designed in conjunction with legendary guitar maker Gibson (even mimicking the classic Gibson SG body design), this touch-sensitive guitar uses lights to prompt players when to chord frets and strum, making it the easiest way for children to learn to play along with music. Players simply choose one of the 12 pre-loaded songs (including six rock classics such as Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water and The Troggs' Wild Thing) and place their fingers on the frets as they light up; brushing the strum bar plays the note. In "learn" mode, players practice songs phrase by phrase, being prompted and guided by the guitar when they err. Other sensors in the guitar encourage creative play--the speed of the player's stroke on the strum bar changes the volume and tone of the note, while lifting or dipping the neck "bends" the pitch like a tremolo bar. The guitar also accommodates other special techniques like palming, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. It can be set to render notes in four different styles: rock, punk, indie, or metal. The guitar has an integral speaker, but also has external jacks for hooking up to an amplifier (not included). Requires four AA batteries. Ages 10 and up. The manufacturer has confirmed that this item meets U.S. Federal toy safety standards for lead. 11" H x 24" W x 2 1/2" D. (2 lbs).