Misa Kitara Guitar with Touch Screen Strings up for Pre-Order

This is what's called the Misa Digital Kitara multi-touch guitar and it's the weirdest thing I've seen since air guitars turned into pieces of cardboard that people purchased at a store. This is no joke though, this is wild, crazy, and a completely real instrument. Not for kids! Three main components make up its mysterious whole: a full fretboard, a multi-touch touchscreen, and an onboard polyphonic synthesizer with pre-loaded effects and sounds.

Finally your guitar video game skills will come to some non-lame use: instead of strumming strings on this Kitara guitar, you use one of six buttons on the frets in combination with your hand brushing the screen below. You can set the screen to show six strings and pick each string as you would on a full-fledged normal guitar, or you can map sounds and effects in a wacky amount of ways along the x and y axes on the body (again, in the screen.)

This monster beast will ship in April of 2011, pre orders being taken now. You'll be paying $849 for the standard version (hard plastics) or the limited edition aluminum version will run you around $2,899. I'll be going for the Gene Simmons Axe Bass... if they ever make one, that is. I can't wait for Jonathan Coulton to get his hands on one of these – WEEEEEEIIOWWW WONK.

[Via Electronista]