Paperback rocker: Paper Jamz guitars and drums

Always wanted to be in a band but had nowhere to store your chunky guitar or gargantuan drum-kit? Well now you can strum away to your heart’s content – or beat away, if drumming is your thing – on paper-thin electronic instruments.

Okay, maybe they’re not quite authentic enough to actually start a band with, but they’re more than suited to a quick play around in your house when your partner’s not around.

WowWee have released their range of Paper Jamz guitars – as well as drums and guitar amplifiers – that promise musical inspiration at the flick of a wrist. The main draw are the guitars, retailing at £24.99, which make authentic guitar noise when strummed. There’s a whole host of functions here, letting you freestyle and also play along with three pre-loaded rock anthems, including the likes of Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’.

These things are tiny – as little as 3mm in bulk – but are shaped just like the real thing, letting you play on a Gibson Flying V or a Fender Strat without having to shell out hundreds of pounds.

But not only can you axe-grind, you can also tub thump. Also priced at £24.99, the Paper Jamz drum-kit is a ten-piece percussive playground that also lets you play along to tracks or solo like Animal. It’s perfect for rocking out on the kitchen table, but its status as a glorified iPhone app shouldn’t be underestimated.

It, of course, is nothing like playing the real thing, so you can only imagine the shelf-life of these lightweight instruments are rather limited. It lacks the challenge and longevity of games-based miniature-guitars like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, so, whilst being a perfect for a quick Sunday afternoon jam, this Paper Jamz range of electronic instruments will probably be left to gather dust. Perhaps investing in the real thing is the best idea.