A Little Background, Please

[antwhi2001]

I have official Old F*rt status.

 

Started messing with guitars around 1974 as a teenager, first paid gig with a band in 1976. Various failed semi-pro rock bands over next couple of years, with occasional pub gigs. Then 6 months of regular gigs on the club circuit playing pop/rock covers. Then Wife No.1 came along and gigging gradually stopped. After many years of just messing around with home recording I got back into playing in covers bands, now I'm doing this :

 

http://highmileagerock.com/home

 

I was mostly self-taught and it was hard work for the first 18 months. As a youngster I couldn't afford good guitars or amps, and I went through a lot of junk. I'm lucky that now at my time of life I can afford better stuff. I've owned over 30 guitars over the years but never more than 8 at a time maximum. They included Zenta, Columbus, Shaftesbury, Ekco, Encore, Fender, Squier, Gibson, Westbury, Washburn, Arbiter, Ovation....and 6 Epiphones. So far.

[wrighty3693]

Started 3 years ago

On a cheap Squire then got an Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Which made me correct alot of bad playing habbits thanks to the bigger frets

[valriver40]

got my first guitar as a gift in 1948. bought a gibson j50, i think in 1954. been playing ever since and dozens of guitars later, still do not play well but i practice every day. merry christmas happy holidays and new year to all.

[frenchie1281734003]

Started playing in 1981, aged 17, shortly after an accident at work involving hot Bitumen, which robbed me of the use of my right hand for the best part of two weeks. I am mainly self taught, and have been told I am a better guitarist than I percieve myself to be. Played in gigging bands on a semi pro basis from 1986- 94 (lead vocals & Rhythm guitar). Virtually gave up from 94-2002( got married and had lots of kids!!) but now back playing and teaching beginers, enjoying my new found love of the instrument, and also slowly collecting all my favourite guitars from the past.

[TehLesPaulZorz]

Wow. I guess I really am the yung'un here. I'm 14, been playing for around 8-9 months. All of a sudden I just got so into Zeppelin, Who, Aerosmith, etc, and I just had a huge urge to start playing. I'm really into the blues-based rock.

[jozluck]

On and off since 1959....

Only other thing I put more time into was women....

[lemonboy]

I've been playing less than two years.I too am learning from dvd's and books.I'm much better than when I started,but

have a long way to go.But, it sure is fun on this journey.I've modded one of the Trans Red G400 Deluxe that was offered in 07.I put Gibson's 57 classic and 57 classic plus pickups,pots,knobs,L type switch, and Vitamin Q caps in and all new wiring with shielded wire.Man o man,what a difference.Now I love to play it.Just what I need to get further along.

[Just Strum]

I'm the humblest egomaniac you'll ever meet.

 

 

You probably hang around with liberal Republicans.

[andy59]

Started playing and had quasi-lessons when I was 8, first sheet music was the Monkees theme song. Stopped playing as a teen. 30 years later (about a month ago) I started trying to play again. Got a stack of cheap songbooks to strum along with basic chords, been practicing to Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Dylan, Eagles, Neil Young, U2, Rodney Crowell, The Replacements, hey I think I'll look for some Monkees tabs. Great thread!

[mgrasso]

In '71 at the ripe age of 13 I noticed these great Epiphone guitars at "the house of Music" in Meadville PA. Went to work for my grandfather at his Grocery Store, (might I add, doing some of the most disgusting work I'd ever do in my life, but I just had to have that red beauty hanging in the music store window) and bought that Epiphone EA-250 and lessons. Bought a used Carvin amp from a beatnick in town and started to play.

 

Have been playing on and off ever since. Lost the Epi 250 due to divorce in 97.

 

Since 2000 been playing more, playing with others, buying lots of Epiphones (and others) and having them cleaned and rewired.

 

Love the electrics, but not enough time (alone time in the house) for the electrics, easier to pick up an acoustic and jam for half an hour.

 

It's a shame that the internet was not available 17 years ago. With today's technology, and of course a lot of practice (that will always be the case) anyone can learn virturally any song.

 

My daughter is 6 and has a Daisy Rock electric, Hanah Montana acoustic and a Hello Kitty Strat for when she gets older. I encourage her every day.

 

Music is a great gift.

 

Keep on playin.

[lpdeluxe]

I got my first guitar in 1970 (still have it, but the plywood top was long ago replaced by a custom bear claw spruce item, with other upgrades) and started working on it.

 

Since then I have reached a level of mediocrity (or sometimes better) on guitar, electric slide, Dobro, pedal steel, bass and harmonica.

 

I have been in garage bands, gigged professionally, done much recording, gone through 30 guitars and basses and steels and endless amps, have had an analog 8-track studio, currently a digital project studio, released a CD, played in a professional musical, ground it out in honky tonks and had a hell of a good time.

 

Music enriches my life. Whether I'm playing in front of a crowd or playing with a friend, music continues to move me and make me happy.

 

I just wish I had started sooner.

 

And that I had been born with musical talent.

[TWANG]

It's all so.. long ago!

Was I 15? or 14?

early 64? I remember that right after we started for just a couple of months we got this record in a bag of potato chips..

some english guys with funny hair.

 

Anyway..my bro and I both got sears guitars.. I got a cheap one, but then, I was also wearing his old clothes so that seemed to make sense.

 

a lp copy. with mini humbucks.. and a five watt tube amp for 35.00? something like that. squealed like a pig.

a couple of months later I got switched to bass.

harmony semi hollow single cutaway f hole.. and sears silvertone bass amp the one with two tens?

 

played that through high school.. found dylan somewhere in there. switched to acoustic on the side..

then that became my main thing except for various fiascos with bass.

 

pretty much stayed that way for decades..

gave up bass a long time ago.. and bands.. and switched back to electric.

 

long story short!

 

TWANG

[Emetry]

I've been a musician for 15 years. Playing piano/keyboard since I was 5, and I started singing about 7 years ago.

I started a jazz band while in Ann Arbor, MI, and we played some decent gigs, with me on piano.

Played rock piano and such as well. Mostly Billy Joel/The Who.

Singing was mostly chroal/madrigal stuff, but later I got into rock in the bands I'm still in.

Joined a "wizard rock" band (Tonks and the Aurors) with one of my friends a couple years back doing keyboard and backup vocals.

Earlier this year, I started my own with more of a punk sound, called "Incendio."

 

The first guitar I bought was actually for my brother. It was a blue Cort X2. He'd expressed interest in learning guitar, so I bought that for him as a starter.

 

Earlier this year I acquired my first guitar after decided I wanted to learn how to play and be the guitarist for my band (Incendio). I got an Artic White Epi SG-400 custom, fixed neck, on a trade with the guitarist from my other band. Traded a camera for it. I think I won that trade.

Well, I just fell in love with guitar. I wondered why I'd ever made fun of guitarists. Something about it is just more visceral than piano/keyboard. Don't get me wrong, I still love all of my instruments.

Earlier this month, suffering from major GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) I picked up my LesPaul from a small shop in Kalamazoo.

I currently am planning on purchasing an acoustic/electric and a hollowbody as well.

 

In the last month or so, I've really hit a stride, and my goal for the end of this week is to finally get the B chords down.

[GeeMan]

I'm Glen and new to the forum. I've been always interested in music but never picked up an instrument until now. Raising a family and getting older (35 years old), it was time to pick up a new hobby. This summer I picked up an Epiphone Special II in Wine Red and last month I got a Les Paul Studio Chameleon in Silver/Lime. I've read in this forum how some of you feel about these two guitars, but I like them. Is it too soon to have GAS? I'm already looking for another Epiphone, the re-issue Limited Edition Wilshire in white.

 

I wish I had started sooner while I was a teenager. My taste of music ranges all across the board. From classic rock like Jimi, The Doors, Led Zeppelin to some punk/80's era as in Van Halen, Joy Division, and Black Flag. And of course Reggae, Ska, alternative, and today's music. Thanks you guys for this forum!

[dbirchett]

This is pretty much copied from an earlier post ,,,

 

I started playing in 1964 as a freshman in High School. Started on a cheap rental acoustic while I looked for my first guitar. Got a used Harmony H-76, their top of the line electric and a little Magnatone amp. Great sounding guitar. Played a little rough but I'd love to have one back now.

 

First started playing Ventures songs and similar instrumentals. There was a guy that I would play with, just as a duo and we both progressed pretty quickly. Played through high school and into college. Bought a used Strat in early '65 then a Tennessean in '67. Had a '65 Deluxe Reverb back then with a 12" Jensen from a Bassman.

 

Played some in college, especially with a friend a few years older who played bass. Then sold off the gear and bought a Martin D-18 and played rarely. Never was all that good.

 

Put the guitars pretty much away after college when I began graduate school. I would take out the Martin every now and then and bought a few others along the way ... an Ovation, a Mossman 12 string, a Japanese Strat and a Guild Manhattan. Then I bought a Larrivee and was going to try fingerstyle. Finally, about 3 1/2 years ago, some guys in my Church and I got together to play as a band for a Valentine's Dance. We had a Keyboard player with a lot of talent and he carried the rest of us. For the most part we sucked but everyone liked us and we had a blast. We continued on and did a couple of other gigs. We christened ourselves The Grateful Dads. Not original but everyone loved the name. Everyone in the band was/is between 45-60+. Lots of kids/grandkids.

 

Then our keyboard player/fearless leader/talent moved away and we went back to sucking but we kept on. We have done occasional gigs and have one coming up on the 12th. We have progressed from sucking to mediocre to tolerable. We have "Dadheads" that call various members "Grandpa" and we are having the times of our lives. My grandson told my wife, "Grandma, you're lucky, you're married to a rock star." And I think that's kinda cool!

 

So what brought me back? Several things. A love for music. A desire to get back to playing. The opportunity to play regularly with friends. Some positive feedback. A wife that lets me. Finally, being at that stage of life where I can. I turn 58 next month and am an empty nester. I am fast approaching retirement and have few enough demands placed on my time that I can set aside some time to practice some. I am playing better than ever than I ever have (talk about being damned by faint praise!). I keep saying that I wish I had done this 20 years ago but it probably wouldn't mean as much. BTW, our bass player is the same one I played with in college so it has come back around.

 

The biggest thing that keeps me going is playing with other people of similar abilities. No one gets ticked when some one (usually me) flubs a lick or misses an entrance. Its all good!