Your First Guitar

[Rocky4]

With lots of people getting new guitars for Christmas, it reminds me of when I got my Westbury 2100 on Christmas back when I was 14 years old. I remember looking at it and thinking , I don't have a clue how to play this thing. A long and frustrating process was ahead. How about you? Could you play before you got a guitar or did you learn on your first?

[ChanMan]

Depending on your definition of play, yes.

 

Or no.

 

 

:D

[cornflake]

My first was an old harmony that wasent working from a local pawn shop so no need for a amp at that time(MOM loved that)The only thng i new was something close to Smoke On The Water a buddy showed me, had the right beat but that was about it

[charlie brown]

Not really. And...on my very first guitar...even IF I had been able to play something,

I couldn't have played much, on it. The action was so high, and it had no adjustable

truss rod, just a reinforcement rod, so there was no way to really "fix" or lower the

action. It was an old "Truetone" (Stella) Flat-top. But...I managed to learn enough,

on it, even with the high action, to impress my Mom, enough, to get me something better.

 

;>)

 

CB

[damian]

ChanMan kinda nails it....what definition do you mean ?? I studied piano at an early age, and music theory, so, I banged out some guitar work quickly......but it took several years to reach a workable level of proficiency worthwhile.......

[L5Larry]

By the time I got my mom to buy me my first electric guitar with her S&H Green Stamps (1970), I had already progressed from the family baritone ukulele to the family nylon string classical (both probably bought for my sister 10 years older than me), and had mastered (in my own mind) every song in Mel Bay's "Fun With Guitar" book. I was then ready to become the next George Harrison.

[Shnate McDuanus]

I messed around on a Guild classical guitar that was lying around in my home for a bit more than a year before I got my Gibson. I could do "Sunshine Of Your Love," "T.N.T.," "Highway To Hell," "House Of The Rising Sun" and "Powderfinger," and a few other things in part or in whole by that time. Knew the diatonic major and pentatonic minor and major scales by that point. The "Smokestack Lightning" riff was a favorite of mine--and it wasn't long until I realized that, if I knew the "Smokestack Lightning" riff, I also knew the "Green River" riff, and the... ;)

[neilpanda]

Epi Lp Special II

[Riffster]

Nope, and I still feel that way because I quit playing for 20 years after my brother sold the guitar (it was his but I had it for 3 years, I consider it my first guitar, a 1960's Mustang)

[Rocky4]

Depending on your definition of play, yes.

 

Or no.

 

 

By not being able to play I mean not even being able to make a chord,...zip, zero

[SHO]

I learned to play on guitars borrowed from family members. Got my own after a year or so, a Japanese SG copy. Still have it but it is pretty much all worn out and not really playable.

[oldefrothingslosh]

Ahh... what a great question. First guitar was a Memphis Les Paul clone, and I knew how to play 4 chords (which, of course, should have made me a rock and roll legend). Actually plugged in to a true stereo amp with a regular stereo speaker (which I blew in about 15 seconds).

 

Now, like 30 years later, I am up to 6 chords and a real guitar amp. Helluva ride, tho.

[BigKahune]

I began by stealing time on my brother's Strat knock off in 1968. I had to be real careful not to get caught in order to avoid getting pounded. When my mom found out, she got me a Harmony acoustic at the "dime store". Brutal action. I dealt with it for about a year or so until I saved up enough money to trade it (with some cash) for an Epiphone. A couple years later I picked up a 65 Melody Maker and I was on my way toward a long love affair with guitars.

[Dennis G]

Didn't know a thing about guitars, other than I knew I had to get one and learn to play. First guitar was an entry level Gibby small body acoustic, that cost something like $85 (in 1961). Don't remember for sure, but I think I traded that guitar for my first electric, which was an entry level Strat, which got traded for...well, you know how that tune goes!

[WahKeen]

I knew how to bang a couple of chords only, when I bought my used Ibanez Trailblazer. A guy couldn't get it out of the pawn shop, so he gave me the ticket and told me to have at it if I had 70 bucks. The rest is ...... Kinda felt bad for the guy, but I believe he'd pawned it to get drugs, so that kinda made it easier...... I still feel bad.

[surfpup]

My sister got some really crappy acoustic and she never bothered with it.

I picked it up and loved playing so much I never stopped. But, I consider my

first guitar to be the Alvarez songwriter acoustic I got for my 15th birthday.

I still have it. I'll have to take some pics of it.

[Rocky4]

I could kill myself for selling my Westbury. I've never even been able to see a pic of the model on the net. I've found other guitars by the make , but not the specific model. It was a cool Melody Maker ish body style. A wrap around bridge and two humbuckers. A nice brown finish and a set neck.

[MrNylon]

I started out with a real cheap acoustic and learned cold start. When I did get my SG Jr. had a bit of time playing.

[Kimbabig]

With lots of people getting new guitars for Christmas, it reminds me of when I got my Westbury 2100 on Christmas back when I was 14 years old. I remember looking at it and thinking , I don't have a clue how to play this thing. A long and frustrating process was ahead. How about you? Could you play before you got a guitar or did you learn on your first?

 

 

I still look look at my guitar and say " I don't have a clue how to play this thing"

It was a squier strat as I recall and I had no clue how to play that thing.

[MojoRedFoot]

No. I actually got my first guitar for Christmas in 1993. The lessons started very shortly after that. I had been playing trumpet for aboot 2 years until then but had not idea how to play guitar.

[Kimbabig]

No. I actually got my first guitar for Christmas in 1993. The lessons started very shortly after that. I had been playing trumpet for aboot 2 years until then but had not idea how to play guitar.

 

 

Lol how many of us played trumpet before we took up guitar? Not just on here I've seen it on other forums too.

[The RandyMan]

My first guitar was actually my older brother's. It was a Palmer (Japanese, I believe). Fender Jaguar-style body with four pickups and rocker switches. Could I play? Nope. Can I play now? Somewhat, but probably not as good as I should after starting forty some years ago. But I still work on getting better everyday.

[MojoRedFoot]

Lol how many of us played trumpet before we took up guitar? Not just on here I've seen it on other forums too.

Playing trumpet did not get me females....I was 12 so had to make the switch as I started to notice them n such

[SHO]

Lol how many of us played trumpet before we took up guitar? Not just on here I've seen it on other forums too.

 

It was woodwinds for me! :)

 

I did both for quite a while, but guitar won eventually because it was just that more interesting and motivating to play music I actually listened to.

[Shnate McDuanus]

I played trumpet when I was younger, too!

 

Actually, I started on violin, switched to saxophone, switched to trumpet and finally did well on it. I might pick it up again one of these days, actually...

 

Yeah, I guess I was lucky to have had a father who played for most of his life who was able to show me the basics and get me off to a good start. He says I'm outplaying him now...in speed maybe, but his playing is still more far tasteful than my own.