So how long have you been playing...Or when did you get your first guitar?

[bobrollar]

Im sure this topic has been discussed before but I'm just curious how long you guys and gals have been playing guitar. Or anything other stringed instrument. I got my first guitar in 1996. So that would be 14 years for me. All self taught and still could use some work.

[FirstMeasure]

Well, My Dad plays, so I've always had guitars in the house. I got my first one at the age of 8 (although my Mom insists it was 6), a Global Student Sized Acoustic with a Fender-like Burst. My Dad showed me a couple chords and the opening to "Baby Please Don't Go" and that was about as far as that went until I hit 15 and took up the Bass, a year later the got a full sized Acoustic and started to take things seriously. I'm 38 now still at it.

 

Took up the Trumpet in the 8th Grade, but this was a "Stringed Instrument" Question.

[Thundergod]

Can't remember. I got my first acoustic when I was 8 or 9... that's 22 years ago. I got my first electric 12-14 years ago.

[milod]

First guitar summer of '63. First electric around late fall early winter '65.

 

m

[DeVeeWee]

First acoustic when I was 4 (it was my mom's to play drum on with two huge matches), my first dreadnought at the age of 10, first electric at the age of 14, first Gibson LP at the age of 17 ... (btw I'm born in one of the best wine years ... '64)

[pauline]

First guitar was '76-'77

first electric was '80

 

[G McBride]

First guitar 1964, I was 11. Playing music in bands by Jr. High, only had to play three chords to do most of the newest songs back in the day.

[Dom_JEM]

since 06'

[cabba2203]

I got my first guitar in 1984, I was 15. Traded my Yamaha trumpet for a white Vantage Flying-V.

 

I was into Metallica heavily at the time as well as Accept. James Hetfield and Wolf Hoffman both played white V's.

[zigzag]

First guitar and lessons at 12, 45 years ago. First electric at 14, a Kent single pup.

[Cruznolfart]

I first picked up guitar and learned my first few chords about 52 years ago. Didn't buy my first axe 'till I was 18. First lessons were at the age of 50...almost 12 years ago now.

[deepblue]

Playing since 1977...I was *gulp* 14

[L5Larry]

Learned my first few chords on the family nylon string guitar during the late 1960's. Got my first electric in 1970. Played my first gig in 1973. It's been all down hill from there, but 40+ years and 1000 gigs later I'm still at it.

[djroge1]

My mom bought me an electric guitar from a garage sale when I was probably around 8 but I didn't really start playing until I was 10 (1975). My brother taught me the barre chords to play "Takin' Care of Business." I didn't learn those open "country" chords until I was probably 12 or 13.

 

I guess to answer your question - I've been playing for 35 years.

[Kimbabig]

Took up the Trumpet in the 8th Grade' date=' but this was a "Stringed Instrument" Question.[/quote']

 

I played the Trumpet 5th-6th grade, said "screw it" and a few years later bought a guitar. Which I've been playing about 5 years now.

 

I still have my trumpet btw but havent even touched it in years, My dad has an accordion but he just bought it because it looked cool and has no clue how to play.

[ChanMan]

I'm 48, and have played since 5th grade... however long that works out to be. I was given my first guitar by some neighbors when they found out I was teaching myself to play.

[Twiz]

I've been playing since I was 12 (1989).

[milod]

What I find interesting is how many of us played trumpet before guitar.

 

In fact... my first rock band gigs were with the trumpet. But then, in the pre-Beatle early '60s, having a sax and/or some brass was pretty common. Even post Beatle I'd use the trumpet occasionally for a piece or two until I lost my front teeth and had storebought replacements.

 

m

[gibsonfndr]

my first guitar a very bad Eko accoustic was bought in 1973 (assuming the ukulele I gos as a Xmas gift as a child doesn't really count I never really tried to play it ) so I was 15 and my first electric, a "Maya", japanese made gold top copy in 1975 then came my first real guitar, my beloved '66 custom telecaster bought in 1976.

Gee that's a loooong time ago isn't it ?

[LT ED]

I started to play at school so I was say14 or so. Im 46 and I play more than ever . My first guitar was one I [ AND IM NOT PROUD OF THE FACT] stole from that same school, and its not easy to get a jumbo accustic out of the music block without being noticed but guilt got the better of me and I returned it with panther like stealth. First guitar i bought was an eko and it was awful, should have kept accustic.

[Twiz]

What I find interesting is how many of us played trumpet before guitar...

 

 

Haha. I'm embarrassed to say, but I 'started' my musical journey on the trombone. I think I played for about a year in the school band. I wanted to play the sax, but our damn music teacher figured I'd have a better time carrying that stupid, awkward instrument onto the bus every day. Shortly after that, I quit the school band and my dad got me an electric guitar. Thank goodness.

[SHO]

Since 1984 or something (7 years old).

[dROK83]

Got my 1st guitar (nylon string acoustic) at age 7, 1990. Got my 1st electric in 94, started taking lessons, and have been playing ever since.

 

Other instruments included:

Piano - 1989 (inherited one from my grandmother, took lessons, and still play occasionally)

Trumpet - 1991 (wasn't very good, gave up before the end of the school year)

Saxaphone - 1992 (was pretty good, played for a bout a year)

Accordion - 1999 (my dad gave me his as a kid, suddenly wanted to play it)

Drums - Been playing for years, but just got my 1st electronic drumset last year

Bass Guitar - Am going today, after work, to pick up my 1st bass guitar. Wanted to have one, so I can mix my own full recordings at my house.

[milod]

Twiz...

 

The thing that kinda gets to me is how wind instruments essentially are melody-only instruments unless in an ensemble, where guitar has so many other options.

 

I kinda wonder how many of us ex wind instrumentalists play (and feel) the guitar as though it were a sax or trumpet, and how many made the shift to a broader interpretation - and not just in terms of "rhythm guitar," but more as a keyboard type of instrument.

 

m

[gibsonfndr]

Milod. Interesting point you made here.

When I wrote I started playing the guitar at 15 I forgot to mention I had been playing the piano (the good old classical way) since age 7 and saw the guitar as total freedon and I could get rid of the "broader interpretation" ...