Volkswagen Once Gave Buyers Free Guitars That Could Play Through Their Car's Stereo

Back in 2006, Volkswagen had a limited promotion offered to buyers of its latest Beetle (including the convertible), Jetta, GTI, and Rabbit. Select drivers would receive a customized GuitarMaster electric guitar capable of playing out of the car's speakers. A few high-profile ads of the time depicted guitarists John Mayer and Slash riffing while plugged into Volkswagens. These instruments, made by First Act, include several tie-ins to the automaker and featured similar accent colors to the specific cars they came with. Buyers also got a strap, a carrying bag, an instrument cable, and some picks. Those picks (and the guitar's control knobs) feature a VW logo, too. You can still find some of these instruments listed online today, with prices ranging from under $200 to nearly $500.

Whether or not you're a musician, this marketing campaign push was fun. And, more importantly, the guitar didn't cost anything extra. Compare that to recent efforts from automakers attempting to get drivers to pay monthly fees for features already installed in the car. For instance, BMW keeps pushing subscriptions even after realizing heated seats were 'probably not the best way' to get customers onboard the monthly membership model.

While the guitar itself would've been a welcome freebee for Volkswagen buyers, the instrument featured a built-in preamp to boost the signal and a special cable. That cable's larger end plugs into the guitar, and the smaller end can plug into the AUX port on the vehicle's audio system. Turn up the volume, and you could jam using your car.

First Act began operation in the mid-'90s, and by the early '2000s, it had essentially split operations into two different focuses. The company inked a deal with major retailers to sell entry-level, beginner focused guitars. Around the same time, its First Act Custom Shop subdivision went another direction, building custom in-house instruments meant to catch the eye of high-profile musicians. Judging by some reviews, while the First Act GarageMaster has some custom add-ons, it appears to be closer to the mass-produced side of First Act. While some reviews praised the guitar's retro-looking design, its onboard electronics, and how easy it was to play, it suffered in other areas.

Unless you cranked everything up, the sound output wasn't terribly impressive. (Though, it makes you wonder what it would sound like coming out of the best factory-installed sound systems.) In addition, YouTuber Marty5150 demonstrated the experience of playing the instrument out of his Jetta's stereo and discovered a noticeable delay between striking the strings and the sound outputting from the car's speakers — though this issue wasn't described in other reviews. Another reported problem with the guitar was that it had trouble staying in tune as it was put through its paces, particularly when more advanced playing techniques were used. 

While Volkswagen is no longer throwing in a guitar with a car purchase, it appears as though the automaker wants to return to these fun-packed times. VW's 2026 Super Bowl ad is '90s nostalgia-driven, following the rise in popularity of retro styles from the era.