Rock Off: Wii Wireless Guitar Recalled

Whoops, don't start strumming yet. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Performance Designed Products (PDP) announced on Thursday a voluntary recall of the Rage Wireless Guitar controller for the Nintendo Wii. As the CPSC announcement says:
Hazard: A circuit board defect can cause AA batteries used in the guitar to leak if the batteries are installed incorrectly, posing a risk of chemical burns to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Performance Designed Products has received one report of a burn to a consumer. Description: The Rage Wireless Guitar controller is designed to be used on the Nintendo Wii system. The guitar is blue or white and is 31 inches long. The guitar contains battery-operated LED-lighted fret buttons that go up the neck of the guitar.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and specialty retailers nationwide from June 2008 through September 2008 for between $40 and $60.
And guess where it was manufactured? Yep, China. Ooops.



Consumers are urged to stop using the Rage controllers immediately and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund. Remember, this is not a Nintendo product, just one that can be used with the Wii, so don't bother contacting Nintendo.

You can contact PDP; strangely, the CPSC information for PDP says to call PDP at (800) 331-3844 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.pdp.com. If you go to PDP's site, the only info you get is exactly the same as at the CPSC's site (at least at the time of this writing); a copy of the CPSC's announcement.

In other words: no new information there, move along, move along. If you want to contact PDP: only one way, via phone.
Tags:  Wii, LED, wireless, Recall, guitar, call, ui, GUI, ita, AR, K