Wireless guitar systems

Not professing to be an expert - I'm more of a lights guy than a sound guy, and am more familiar with wireless systems for vocal mics than for instruments - but I do work with wireless systems on an pretty much everyday basis so I know a little. (My apologies if you already know all of this).

That two foot cord isn't connecting your guitar to a "battery pack" on your strap. The box that rides on your strap is the wireless system radio transmitter.

I've seen guitar systems advertised where the transmitter is a little box with at 1/4" male connector sticking out of it that just plugs right into the jack on your guitar. The Samson Airline system you mention looks like such a system; AKG makes a system named "Guitarbug" that appears to be similar. You might have a look at that, and search around to see what else is out there.

My experience doesn't extend to either of these systems; the ones I work with, currently, are Sennheiser Evolution series systems, and I like them a lot. They do make a musical instrument model, which is essentially the same as a vocal mic model except that it includes an instrument cord.

Having dealt with the headaches that come with wireless systems for some time, my advice would be to pick a system based on it's reliability. If you can find a system where the transmitter hangs right off the guitar jack that works reliably that's great. But be willing to go with something that has a cord and a transmitter pack that clips to your strap if that system is going to get a better signal to the receiver.

I've heard some terrible things in our church when a wireless mic moving around hits a "dead spot" and the signal gets lost (it doesn't go silent, it makes an awful blast of noise), or when somebody with a boosted CB drives by talking.

If the technology is new it's probably best to wait 'til the bugs are worked out. Also as more products are available from different producers then competition forces the prices down.
Also, be aware that if it's wireless, it can be jacked. That is, you might not have control of it. Even something as simple as a Remote-control TV is open game.
A favorite ploy of students is to turn on the class TV during a lecture by remote control. How? Certain Casio watches had the ability to send out "wireless" signals. And this was 10 years ago.
You won't necessarily be in control of your guitar. You might see products coming out later that have encrypted signals because of this. Who knows?
I didn't think a cable was that cumbersome.

Plugged in (and wired)
Ken

thanks very much for the responses....i appreciate all your answers and will take this information on board....if anybody else can provide more information that would be helpful

an actual 'wireless' system that does not inlcude a 2 foot coil of wire to attach to a batter pack that you keep on your strap.

One of the guitarists in my church has been using the AKG WMS 40 "Bug" for a while. No problems whatsoever.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/AKG-WMS-40-PROGuitarbug-UHF-Wireless-System-?sku=275682

We also have several wireless mics and have never had the problems that Ricochet describes.

I have the Samson Airline 77 and love it. Granted, the only guitar wireless I've had was a cheap Audio Technica VHF system. I haven't had any problems with it yet.

Another one you might want to check out is the X2 digital guitar sytems. They're supposed to be really great!