A couple years ago, I was working very long hours at a furniture warehouse. I was a tad out of practice on my chosen instrument, and decided that I needed to take some time to practice during my breaks and lunch time. I figured I’d buy a “backseat guitar” for the purpose. A “backseat guitar” is a cheap acoustic that time-strapped guitarists keep in the back seat of their car so they can practice whenever they can steal a few minutes.
I stopped by the First Act display in front of our local Wal-Mart in Powell every time I went there. I thought, for a $100 guitar, they looked pretty good. If I could save a little, I might have me a decent backseat guitar. I figured they couldn’t be that great, being they’re sold by Wal-Mart and all, but they would be at least playable, and just might make a dandy acoustic to bang around on at work.
That Christmas, my mother-in-law gave me a $20 Wal-Mart gift card, and my boss’ wife gave me a $25 Simon gift card, which I could use at Wal-mart. I knew if I combined them with my wife’s employee discount, I might be able to buy the best First Act acoustic they had, and not have to pay a whole lot for it. So, armed with the gift cards and the discount, I headed to the Powell Wal-Mart on December 26, 2004, and picked out the MG-412 Acoustic model, and ended up paying only $48.00 for the thing.
When I got it home and unpacked it, I discovered that it was a very nice-looking instrument, but looks aren’t everything. Since it was already strung, I tuned it up and hit a “G” chord, and it really sounded sweet. I opened up the accompanying warranty card, and learned that it had a spruce top (THE leading tonewood for acoustics), mahogany back and sides, and a nato neck, just like many high-end instruments. Right away, I learned that this guitar was no toy.
According to the literature, First Act, based in Boston, is a company dedicated to making quality musical instruments that are affordable, so that as many people as possible can have access to quality musical instruments. My MG-412 listed at only $118.00, but looks, plays, and sounds as good as my friends $350.00 Washburn Acoustic.
Perhaps the most unique feature of this wonderful guitar is the strap button located on the neck heel. You see, most acoustics have the neck strap secured to the headstock by passing a shoelace or piece of rawhide through the strings behind the nut. I have always despised playing acoustics for this reason; it makes them feel unnatural and off-balance. With a second strap button on the neck heel, the other end of the strap is secured close to the body, so it handles more like an electric, and is a hell of a lot more comfortable.
The First Act acoustic is the only guitar I have ever played that has a strap button in the neck heel. It is a clever idea, and I don’t understand why other, higher-end manufacturers have not adopted this method. As a matter of fact, I went out and bought strap buttons and installed them on the neck heels of my two other acoustics, and it has improved their playability immensely!
The workmanship and tone of the MG-412 is every bit as great as guitars costing 3-4 times as much. It also has all the features of the higher priced guitars, such as a tortoiseshell pickguard, ebony bridge, rosewood fingerboard with inlaid pearloid fret markers, sealed tuning machines, and adjustable truss rod in the neck.
For an acoustic that is so inexpensive, it is surprisingly playable. It is very easy on the fingers, due to the low action (5/64″ at the 12th fret), and the straight, rigid neck. A look inside the sound hole reveals meticulously designed braces and ribs which allow the spruce top to resonate freely, creating a bright, jangly treble with a round, warm bass. It is a joy to listen to as it is to play.
This guitar is a fine instrument; do not dismiss it just because it comes from Wal-Mart. I would recommend this acoustic to anybody. Oh, and there’s no way in hell it will ever live in the back seat of my car; I have found a beat-up flea market special to serve that purpose. No, sir; the First Act MG-412 is one fine instrument you’ll want to keep safely indoors.
