First Act has been collaborating with Red Sox players to custom design several SFA guitars as a charity fund-raiser. In June, two guitars were designed for pitchers Curt Schilling and Jonathan Papelbon. The players sketched their rough ideas, and First Act's design and custom shop teams brought the guitars to life. The customized guitars were auctioned off at this year's "Hot Stove Cool Music" concert fund-raiser at Fenway Park. The two guitars raised a total of $12,000 for Theo Epstein's charity, the Foundation to Be Named Later.

First Act is the featured guitar at this summer's Guster and Ray Lamontagne tour as a part of the Reverb project. Founded by Adam Gardner (Guster's lead singer/guitarist) and his wife Lauren, Reverb's aim is to raise awareness and support for the environment by connecting touring bands and their fan base to environmental issues and organizations via an interactive eco-village. First Act's Guitar Giveaway has been prominent at every show on the nationwide tour.

"I've played guitar for more than 25 years and was excited when my 7-year-old daughter showed interest in learning to play. The First Act Discovery guitar is perfect for her size and seems to play easily enough for her to start on. I have to admit, I've had fun playing the little guitar myself!"

- Kevin D., Truman, AR

"I am truly impressed with the quality of the drum set. The sound it puts out is like no other child set I've seen. I couldn't ask for a better beginner drum set. I will definitely try more First Act products."

- Robert K., Hubert, NC

"I'm a music teacher. I love your products and the excellent quality of your instruments!"

- Kara B., Gresham, OR

Paul Westerberg is one of the most influential artists of his generation – a pioneering singer, songwriter, guitarist, and frontman of legendary status. As the leader of The Replacements, he helped pave the way for the '90s alternative rock revolution, churning out energetic shows and multiple indie hits.

Last May, Westerberg was out on tour and stopped at a mass retailer, ostensibly to buy shaving cream. He spotted a First Act ME501 electric guitar and made an impulse purchase. Westerberg debuted the guitar onstage that night and quickly brought it into heavy onstage rotation for the rest of his tour.

Now, Paul Westerberg and First Act have come together to design a great signature rock guitar, the ME580 (pictured above). It's a killer electric with a rock'n'roll soul, featuring a custom body shape designed in our Studio for Artists and a punk rock plaid pickguard.

Westerberg described his vision for the guitar: "…something not too heavy, that I could play quietly or full volume. It has a single pickup, and it sort of snarls."

It has been a busy year for Westerberg-he wrote and performed all of the music for the upcoming Sony animated film Open Season, which opens nationwide this fall and Rhino Records released a best of The Replacements compilation, Don't You Know Who I Think I Was.

Legendary guitarist and singer Warren Haynes visited the studio in June, playing a generous acoustic set for a thrilled audience. Haynes' soulful voice and bluesy guitar playing is widely known through his work with the Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh & Friends, his own band Gov't Mule, and his solo work. He delighted the audience with his tender and gritty songs, and answered questions throughout the performance.

The Cars rode the New Wave in the '80s with carefully crafted pop rock songs like "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Now the band is back as The New Cars, with the addition of legendary singer-songwriter, and producer Todd Rundgren on vocals and rhythm guitar. When Cars founder Ric Ocasek decided to stay in the studio instead of touring, guitarist Elliot Easton gave Rundgren a call and he jumped on board. The band wowed a packed Guitar Studio audience full of music press and fans with a high energy show, playing classic Cars hits and a couple of new tunes to boot. The New Cars have recently been on tour with Blondie.

The British melodic pop trio Keane swept into First Act Guitar Studio, playing three mini-concerts to be broadcast on three Boston-area radio stations. The band recently released a new album, Under the Iron Sea, which hit #4 on the Billboard charts the week it was released and has continued to soar. The band answered questions and performed their new single, "Is It Any Wonder" along with last year's hit, "Somewhere Only We Know." After the show, the band tried out First Act guitars, amps, and pedals. Pianist Tim Rice-Oxley brought home a maroon ME720 guitar that he couldn't seem to stop playing.

For Shonna Tucker of the Drive By Truckers we created a bass with a beautiful, natural look and a serious, wide-ranging sound. Beginning with the body of our signature Lady Delia guitar, made of flame maple and mahogany with two hand-carved f-holes, we laid down a lush transparent green finish with white binding. The maple neck has a thicker, rounded T-style shape, and the fretboard is rosewood with mother-of-pearl dot inlays. Two Darkstar pickups provide responsive sound that packs punch across the entire tonal spectrum.