I think this particular post represents an official departure from the topic of this tread. Perhaps it should be moved elsewhere, so we can talk about this in the proper space? There must be a LinnStrument thread somewhere on this forum already, no? Ah, and as I type this, the mods have split the thread, so I’ll just answer here and let them move it. 
Anyway, the short answer, Francis, is that you shouldn’t necessarily be overly concerned with the MPE aspect of the LinnStrument at first, or let that deter you from owning one for that matter. I mean, if you’re a guitarist looking to play synths, this is the controller for you, no question. That said, there will be a learning curve, so it’s going to take some time before you get proficient enough to know whether or not MPE is even of interest to you. In the meantime, there is much expressivity to be had with more standard pitch and mod-wheel configurations. More importantly, however, it often gets overlooked that the LinnStrument can be use to control any synth, as you would with a normal MIDI controller. It has both USB and DIN connections, and can be configured to accommodate any MIDI situation. In fact, it’s the most configurable MPE controller on the market in that respect, by a large margin, and it doesn’t have to be used for MPE at all.
I do play keys, and I often get hired to do just that; however, I’m a guitarist primarily, so I got the LinnStrument to get myself away from the keys and onto a playing surface that would allow me to exploit my guitar chops in the context of playing synths. Sufficed to say, it has proven to be the right decision.
Now, if you do want to play with MPE, indeed the hardware options are limited currently. The easiest and most affordable way to dive into the world of MPE remains software: plugins and apps. It’s just that I’m a full-time touring musician, so trusting an iPad or a laptop on-stage, and all the flimsy peripherals that come with, well… Frankly, it just sucks. Hence why I’m on the hunt for a proper hardware solution.
Cheers!
P.S. If you contact Roger Linn via his support address, often he will reach out to other LinnStrument owners in your area, to see if someone will let you try theirs for an hour (wink).