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The Roadie 2 gives you no excuse for an out-of-tune guitar
I have what has been described as a "really crappy guitar." It's not even mine. It belongs to my friend who, before handing it to me, said, "Yeah, I let my kid hit this thing with stuff. Also, I've never changed the strings." It seemed like the perfect test subject for a new peg-turning auto-tuner from the makers of the Roadie. Typically, the older the strings, the more an instrument slides out of key. Basically, if you even looked at this guitar the wrong way, it sounded horrible.
Crowd-based shipping service lets you use Waffle House for pickups
If you're running a crowd-driven shipping startup that delivers packages through helpful travelers, where would you have people pick up their goods? A restaurant, apparently. Roadie has forged a deal that will have Waffle House locations serve as some of its pickup points -- yes, you can get pecan waffles at the same time as you're collecting your new food mixer. The theory goes that you're meeting at a safe, friendly place instead of taking chances with your rendezvous. It's a strange move, but it makes sense. Roadie doesn't have (or need) the store network of a big courier like FedEx or UPS, so it might as well choose a nationwide retail chain that you probably know well.
Roadie tunes your guitar for you, tells you when your strings are about to break (hands-on)
Unless you've traded your guitar strings for an axe-shaped MIDI controller, tuning your guitar is probably one of those chores you've just learned to deal with. It's hardly the bane of any guitarist's existence, but sometimes it seems like there could just be a faster, more brainless way to get your instrument ready to jam. Turns out, there is. Roadie positions itself as the next generation of guitar tuners. Think of it like a modern String Master, a device that fits snugly over your instrument's tuning pegs and does the hard part for you. Paired with a companion smartphone app, Roadie listens your guitar's strings and turns its gears until the instrument is on key. We dropped by the team's table at Haxlr8r, and the process was dead easy, quickly tuning a demo guitar without breaking a string. In fact, it's designed not to -- by comparing a string's elasticity with its frequency, the device can actually warn you when your guitar's wires are about to break. Not a bad trick, particularly for guitarists (like this editor) that aren't completely sure when their instrument was last restrung. The device's Kickstarter page has already more than half of its $60,000 goal, and has a little over a month left to get the rest. Looking for a way to chip in (and to avoid guitar maintenance)? Check out the source link below; Roadie tuners start at $79.
Franklin Roadie modular music system needs a table to boom
We've seen speaker systems that use flat surfaces as a diaphragm before, but Franklin's Roadie might be the first modular to splash down in the new millennium. It's a three part system (if you want it to be), consisting of the EVS-2000, EVS-3000 and EVS-4000. In order of mention, you've got a base model that accepts sources via a 3.5mm input jack, a rechargeable battery with SD card slot, and a bonus tweeter / equalizer. It ain't much good in your hand, but slap it on a table (or any other flat surface, like a floor) and the tunes start to boom. Or become marginally more audible, anyway. The trio should go on sale soon for $99.99 as a bundle, while the 2000 and 3000 can be picked up by themselves for $49.99 / $79.99, respectively.
Roadie-approved iPhone case provides ultimate protection
So, you don't think that the OtterBox 2600 PDA case will provide enough protection for your iPhone? What you need is something like those incredible cases that roadies use to protect instruments and gear. TUAW reader Stuart tipped us off to such a case, designed and built by a friend who creates cases for bands. While this isn't the most practical iPhone case, it certainly provides a huge amount of protection. It'll also show a certain amount of panache to carry one of these Brady Cases around, flipping open the latches whenever you need an iPhone fix. If you're interested in ordering a similar case for your iPhone, you can use this contact form to see if Brady Cases will build a custom one for you. Note that this case is not currently listed on the company's web site as a product offered for sale.
Jack Black shares more Brutal Thoughts on roadies
Brutal Legend's upcoming Rocktober release is nearly at hand, marking this new episode of "Brutal Thoughts" one of the last. This latest episode feels more phoned in than others, with Jack Black simply talking about roadies, and why they're genetically different from the rest of humanity. Perhaps it's just us, but testicular punchlines (ed: ouch) just don't cut it (ed: ouch, again) with us anymore.
ASTRO's Roadie / Mission fake instrument gig bags are way too serious
ASTRO Gaming, the same outfit responsible for the A40 gaming headset, is dishing out a new pair of gig bags that'll go perfectly with your Rock Band drum bag. Up first is the Roadie, which is designed to hold a pair of Rock Band / Guitar Hero axes with enough room for a slim PlayStation 2 or a few of your musical video game titles. The Mission complete system gear bag is built to carry any current-generation game console (though we don't see any reason why an Atari Jaguar wouldn't fit in as well) along with most every accessory you can think of -- spare Wiimote straps and Salt & Vinegar chips included. Both pieces are available for pre-order right now, though we can't imagine too many of you buying in with the absolutely ludicrous $99.95 / $129.95 prices. Seriously, can you not buy a real Fender hardshell for less than that? Full release is after the break.%Gallery-37889%
