Home >> Internet Games >> PS3 Games

Can You Use a Guitar Hero 3 Guitar with Rock Band on PS3?

No, not natively. The Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Les Paul controller (PS3) **will not work** with Rock Band 1, 2, 3, Beatles, Green Day, Lego Rock Band on PlayStation 3.

Technical Reason

Different USB VID/PID: Each controller identifies itself uniquely to the console. Rock Band software explicitly whitelists only Harmonix/Mad Catz/PDP Rock Band controllers (VID_0E6F / VID_12BA etc.). The GH3 Les Paul (VID_1430 / PID_4748) is rejected at the driver level.
Protocol Mismatch: GH guitars send different HID report descriptors for the whammy bar, tilt sensor, and button mapping. Rock Band expects specific report IDs for Overdrive (tilt) and Solo buttons.
Missing Hardware: Rock Band guitars have a **Solo Fret Section** (touchstrip/five extra frets) and a **Microphone Port** (on RB2/3 guitars). GH3 guitar lacks both.

Workarounds (Limited)

Method	Pros	Cons
Rock Band 3 Pro Guitar (Mad Catz/Fender)	Works natively in GH3, GH:WT, GH5, Warriors of Rock, Band Hero AND all Rock Band titles.	Expensive ($150+ used); 102-button layout steep learning curve.
Third-Party Adapter (e.g., "GH to RB" dongle)	Lets GH3 guitar act as RB guitar.	Rare, discontinued, often laggy, breaks whammy/tilt calibration. PS3 drivers may block non-licensed HID devices.
CronusMAX / Titan Two + Script	Translates GH3 input → RB output via PC/Console.	$60+ device; complex setup; input lag; TOS risk online.

Best Practical Advice

Buy a **Rock Band 3 Fender Mustang Pro Guitar (PS3)** or **Mad Catz Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Stratocaster**. They are the only controllers guaranteed to work across *both* franchises on PS3. Standard RB1/2 guitars work for all Rock Band games but not Guitar Hero (except GH: World Tour+ which added RB support).

TL;DR: GH3 guitar = e-waste for Rock Band. Sell it, buy a RB3 Strat or Mustang.

PS3 Games