UPDATE – Just started using the GuitarPort again, and this time I’m not subscribed to Line 6′s paid content service. It’s just as much fun without it.

When we were first looking into buying a GuitarPort, we visited a local guitar store to see if they had any in stock. “We don’t sell them,” said the guy behind the counter. “They’re not up to much. It’s just a way to get money out of you by getting you to subscribe to a web site.”

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Yes, there is a paid content service you can subscribe to, where you have access to tones, tracks and lessons, and I’ll explain more about those later, but there is so much more to the GuitarPort which makes it about as much fun as you can have with a guitar without getting Kirk Hammett involved.

The Hardware

The GuitarPort hardware is simple but rather cool-looking small chunky red device with sockets for the USB cable and headphones/speakers in the back, a socket at the front for your amp lead, and a big dial in the middle that is just begging to be turned up to 11.

The Software

The GuitarPort software is where the fun starts. Hook the GuitarPort up to your computer’s speakers or microphone input, install the software and you’re ready to play with the same technology that went into the POD. Plug your guitar into the device and you can fiddle about with 101 different preset tones including bass tones, metal tones and vocal tones. All the tones are a combination of one of GuitarPort’s 16 modern and classic amps and 19 stompbox effects. There is also a tuner, which makes switching between standard and drop-C tuning easier than ever, and a metronome with several different drum effects.

The GuitarPort also has a player, into which you load whatever you want to play along with and there you can adjust the level so your guitar playing blends in flawlessly, and if you’re not so flawless, you can slow the track down without altering the pitch.

The Bit Where They Want Your Money

The preset tones, the effects, the metronome, the player – that alone is enough to justify shelling out £99 for. But if you want to have access to lessons from the likes of Steve Vai, or classic Hendrix tones, or specially modified tracks to jam along to, then you need to sign up to GuitarPort Online. For about $8.00 a month you can access as much as you want, and a quick search proves there is a lot out there. Lessons on the styles of all sorts of artists including Steve Vai, Jimi Hendrix, Metallica and The Beatles. Tracks, tones, all sorts of great stuff. But, here’s the crucial thing, you don’t have to sign up to that to enjoy GuitarPort, the GuitarPort Online account just gives you access to loads of great extra stuff.

Should you get one?

If your guitar playing goes as far as messing around at your ‘puter, then yes, get one. You will have so much more fun. And if, like a couple of folks I know, have pretty much given up on playing because their living circumstances don’t allow much rocking out, you need one of these things, or you need to sell your guitar.

And the moral of the story is…

Don’t always trust the opinion of the bloke who works in the guitar shop.