STRINGS ATTACHED

IT gives “garage band” new meaning.

Through Dec. 31, buyers of Volkswagen’s GTI, Rabbit, Jetta and New Beetle will get a complimentary custom First Act GarageMaster electric guitar color-matched to their car. And though it’s true that you can plug it into the nearest Marshall amp double stack and shred the sky, you can also plug into the car’s quarter-inch jack and play through the car’s sound system. Just stay out of my neighborhood.

The guitar promotion has been “phenomenal,” says Keith Price, public relations manager for VW of America. “It’s basically an incentive program that takes the place of cash on the hood,” Price says. But it’s been well worth the estimated $400 the guitars cost. “It’s a way to rise above all the ambient noise that customers face of warranties, rebates, cash back ... lease deals.”

It helps that the guitar is the world’s sexiest instrument as opposed to, say, the clarinet.

The guitars were designed by Boston-based guitar company First Act and built in China. The tone and volume controls have VW logos on them. The truss rod cover has the VW gang sign (the hands making a “V” and a “W,” as in the commercial “German engineering in da haus!”). There’s a mother-of-pearl VW logo on the 12th fret. The LED by the switches is the same argon blue as VW instruments. The guitar strap is made of seat belt material. Each guitar has a vehicle identification number matching the car.

It is a pretty trick guitar, with pickup output knobs and built-in EQ switches with reverb and distortion. One irony, pointed out recently by Automotive News reporter and guitar freak Victor Gavin: In 25 years, the guitar will be worth more than the car it came with.