As you probably know by now, Mad Catz has entered into an agreement with Harmonix and MTV Games to provide instruments for Rock Band 3 (and all Rock Band products moving forward). So it seemed to me to be a good idea to set up an appointment with the venerable peripheral company at E3.

It was.

Much of what they had on display wasn’t terribly new. We’d already seen the Mustang at this point, and the high-end Squier is the one Rock Band peripheral not being made by Mad Catz (it’s made by Fender). But I learned some details about upcoming instruments that I hadn’t seen before. Let’s break it down by type.

GUITARS
The company had announced that they’d be “offering updated versions of the guitar and drum peripherals from prior versions of Rock Band,” so this was one of the first things I asked about. Turns out the update to the regular guitar isn’t much of anything: a selection of new colors (including some metallic finishes), and some subtle design adjustments that seemed to make the action of the buttons a bit more firm.

However, the company is planning on expanding the “Player’s Choice Telecaster” line (pictured above) to multiple new colors — and more importantly, to the PS3. If you’ve never picked up one of these guitars, they’re very slick, with hypersensitive, clicky buttons that I happen to love. At $99, they’re a good option for someone looking to upgrade their basic Rock Band experience without springing for one of the really high-end, wooden guitars.

Also on tap for PS3 is the P-bass controller with the split strum bar, which had also been available for 360 only. Both this and the Tele are “going through submission” for PS3, so expect them to hit the market sometime soon.

And for those of you hoping for a bass controller equivalent to the Mustang or (oh god yes) the Squier, I’m sorry to report that Mad Catz currently has no plans for a bass controller. But the rep assured me that could change if the market seems to be able to support it.

KEYBOARD
There’s not much new to tell here; we knew Mad Catz was making the keyboard controller, and we already knew what it looked like, and that it’s releasing concurrently with the game for $139 $129 bundled, or $79 separately. I did learn what the touch strip and button on the stubby “neck” are for: the touch strip is whammy, essentially, and the button is for engaging overdrive.

Also, Mad Catz is releasing a metal stand designed specifically for the diminutive keyboard, with adjustable height for standing or sitting positions.

MICROPHONES
According to the Mad Catz rep, there’s absolutely nothing new going on here, in spite of an earlier press release suggesting “improved” microphones. They are making a mic stand, though!

DRUMS
Don’t worry, I’ve saved the best for (almost) last. I got a chance to fiddle briefly with the new, refined Rock Band 2 kit — complete with the new cymbals — and I’m very pleased. It has a noticeably quieter sound, with softer, springier pads. They don’t have quite as much “give” as the pads on the World Tour kit, but they’re much closer than the original Rock Band 2 kit. Mad Catz also claims that they have a wider area for hit detection, which should help minimize missed notes. The cymbals have a nice rebound, without the plasticky feel of the World Tour kit. They’re also velocity-sensitive, which the rep said was a new feature.

No firm release date or pricing at this point, but Mad Catz did confirm that they’ll be selling pedals separately, for those of you who want to add double-bass or hi-hat flourishes to your fills. (Yes, I’m as bummed and surprised as you are that Harmonix doesn’t intend to support a second pedal in charting at all.) Those will run you $29.99.

BUNDLES AND AVAILABILITY
This is a less-than-ideal market for “big-box items,” the Mad Catz rep told me, even at the big-box stores. As a result, the only instrument bundle that the company plans to offer with Rock Band 3 is the aforementioned keyboard bundle. And it’s likely that many brick-and-mortar retailers may not even stock the new guitars, basses, and drums — you’ll need to order online.

The exception: “Club” stores (like Costco and Sam’s Club) are expected to offer their own bundles, like they do. But don’t expect to see such things in Best Buy or GameStop.

Finally, one upbeat note for our friends overseas: All the Rock Band 3 peripherals that will be available in the U.S. when the game launches will also be available at launch in other territories where the game is sold. So no more ridiculous import fees. (One caveat: Remember that the Squier isn’t made by Mad Catz, so that could be an exception.)

Questions? Clarifications? I’ll do my best to answer.