Aren't the "First Act" guitars VW is giving away in their promotion the sames ones from JCPenny's Catalog?

Question

Or Walmart, or Sam's Clubm or Costco, or Sears, etc.
Why are they giving away crappy guitars. Why not Les Pauls or something better?
Am I wrong on First Act guitars?

Answer 1

Yes, it is the same el cheapo guitar that you are thinking of.

But remember, they are selling cars...the guitar is a freebie. They aren't going to spend $2000-$3000 on guitars just to give them away. It is easier to hide $200 in the price of a car than it is to hide $2000.

Answer 2

First Act guitars makes some pretty decent guitars played by some pretty decent axemen.

However, as was stated by the first responder, the guitar being given away with the Volkswagen............is not one of their decent models. The entire deal values each guitar at slightly more than $140.00 (and First Act claims to have made a profit) and the 'gimmick' is that this is a bottom of the line guitar with a special pre-amp that allows it to be played through the car.

I've been a session guitarist for 20+ years and have worked on 4 grammy award winning albums, so I know good guitars. I also own a Volkswagen dealership here in Texas, so I've got a warehouse full of these guitars. I've already had two of these guitars returned because non-guitar players thought they were shoddy craftsmanship. I can't get some of my fellow session players to even try them.

Enough said

I also have issues with a guitar company run my manufacturing entrepreneurs and only one musician in the bunch.

Answer 3

First Act has a pretty bad rap due to the fact that they DO sell their products in Wal-Mart stores and other department stores, instead of doing most of their business in music shops. The fact of the matter is that First Act makes some really crappy low-end guitars (Wal-Mart models) but they also make some higher-end models as well that play pretty well and look nice. When it came down to it, though, it was probably a LOT cheaper for Volkwagen to go with custom FirstAct guitars instead of Custom Gibson guitars, considering the price difference and the number of these cars they're gonna sell. Don't knock these FirstAct guitars until you try them though, they're not as bad as their name and Wal-Mart reputation implies.

But I'd still buy a Gibson before a FirstAct. ;)

*edit*: Don't listen to that guy. He saw the FirstAct name and assumed it was crap.. this is NOT a $200 guitar that they're giving away. Look into it.