Who made you start playing guitar?

No one in particular, it was my discover off my Dad's old no-name Sears & Roebuck catalog cowboy parlor guitar stashed away in my GrandDad's attic that began my music journey.

Couple acoustic guitars, a Gibson SG & Peavey Classic 5w 2x12, and a couple The Who albums later...I was well into my journey...
 
My parents were the ones who gave me the courage to pursue learning the guitar. A talented guitarist named Shaun Templeton had moved to the area and joined our church. He was looking for students and my parents knew I loved the sound of the guitar. They purchased my first guitar and payed for my lessons. I have great parents!

As far as early influences who inspired me to want to learn; I'd say Rex Carroll and Brian Wooten.
 
In the mid 80’s, I already LOVED music, but never really thought about picking up a guitar. Went over to a new buddies house one day after
work to do some partying, and met his roommate who had a big ol guitar rig right there. He picked up his guitar and proceeded to play a
perfect rendition of ‘Eruption’, cranked to the moon!………man I was just in awe! I think it was the next day I bought a guitar ha ha.
 
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May 20th, 1994 my dad took me to see Pink Floyd, I was 11. I was a bit of an odd kid and Floyd was already a fascination to me at that point, but before the show I was more interested in playing drums, I never even considered guitar. Hearing Gilmour rip through a stadium and getting 60,000 people going apeshit changed the entire course of my life. I immediately wanted to start playing guitar and got one for Christmas that year. The only downside to that is after Floyd being your first concern, it took me a while to understand not every band tours with a ridiculous stage/light/laser/video show. It wasn’t until I saw Tool that I felt immersed at a show like I did at Floyd.

I ordered a candy apple red Strat/Gilmour replica from MJT/Musikraft back in September, I’m finally getting it this Wednesday. What’s crazy is after all these years, I still get the same exact feeling from his playing as I did when I was 11 and it’s like being in a mental time machine for me. Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve heard or played those songs, I love them just as much, if not more, now than I did back then.

And I know I’ve posted this here before, but the doofy ass look on my face is a result of leaving my fingerprint on the guitar that made me want to start playing. I’m still in disbelief I had my face so close to it I could smell it, but the fact I left a fingerprint on it is legitimately a highlight of my life. I’ve been made fun of for saying that and while I’ve certainly had an exciting life, that was just such a trip for me.

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The disney movie 'double switch'.
A movie where a high school kid trades placed with his lookalike rockstar.

Watched it a lot as a kid, recorded the songs on a casette and playbacked them with the movie poses on my dad's headstockless beat up guitar.
No other instruments or even a cd player in the house, but my parents saw it as a sign to send me to music academy.

Learned classical guitar for 10 years. Went electric around 16 without a clue but with iron maiden as a guide and never looked back.
Needless to say my last years of classical suffered a bit because of that 😊
 
When I was little my favourite band used to be Queen. I remember thinking they had such a ”cool and heavy sound” but I didn’t exactly figure out why. Of course it was May and his amazing guitar playing. When all of my friends started listening to rap and pop I also made the switch.

Back in the days I used to watch a LOT of music video programs (did not have MTV…) and often grabbed my out of tune acoustic guitar to try and play along the songs.

Then junior high school music classes taught me there was an actual proper tuning for guitars and you could play things like chords (wow). I still mostly listened to hip hop back then and tried to play songs from rap artists I listened to. I remember the exact moment when I was trying to play In da Club with my acoustic guitar and thought it sounded like s*** and figured out I should play something else.

One night I was again watching a music video program from TV and they played BYOB by System of a Down. I was totally blown away and it instantly became my favourite band. From that point on I stopped listening to rap and begged to have an electric guitar and amplifier. Few years after I got an Ibanez Iceman as a christmas present.

Slowly after playing more and more guitar I also shifted to listening more guitar driven music. It did not take long to find Hendrix’s discography and I haven’t looked back since.

I didn’t become a professional guitarist (maybe someday), but a music business professional and I’m really happy to be where I am. Without guitar playing I’m pretty sure I would be doing something else.
 
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Can't remember that far. I dont think it was anyone, because I didn't know anything about guitarist. Maybe a neighbor had a guitar, not sure.
I think it was the song Queen Another One Bites the Dust. The bass. I wanted a musical instrument and picked the guitar. After that it was Eddie, but he didn't inspire my first guitar.
I was playing piano and the guitar was much cooler.
 
Who made me want to learn guitar?
Yes.
Yes, as in the band, or no?
No.
Who was it then?
It was.
Are you saying The Who made you want to learn guitar?
Yes.
Any particular band member?
Pete.
Ah, Pete Townshend. Wonderful guitarist. Too bad about his bouts of deafness...
Who?
Pete Townshend. The poor man's lost most of his hearing because of his high volume on-stage antics.
Any particular song give you the inspiration to learn how to play?
Cough Most of the Live at Leeds album was weekend fodder for my SG and Peavey Classic.
Right. Have about it then. No sense gettin' churlie with the locals.
I'm off. See ya bout town to-morrow.
 
bleujazz3 said:
Who made me want to learn guitar?
Yes.
Yes, as in the band, or no?
No.
Who was it then?
It was.
Are you saying The Who made you want to learn guitar?
Yes.
Any particular band member?
Pete.
Ah, Pete Townshend. Wonderful guitarist. Too bad about his bouts of deafness...
Who?
Pete Townshend. The poor man's lost most of his hearing because of his high volume on-stage antics.
Any particular song give you the inspiration to learn how to play?
Cough Most of the Live at Leeds album was weekend fodder for my SG and Peavey Classic.
Right. Have about it then. No sense gettin' churlie with the locals.
I'm off. See ya bout town to-morrow.
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Who's on first? And why is a two-year-old thread coming back to life?!?
 
My Uncle planted the seed with a Old Bruno Ventura Classical he left at our house when he came back from VietNam back in 72 for a visit which I still have to this day! My step brother light the fire when he showed me how to play 4 bar blues on it.
 
fcs101 said:
Who's on first? And why is a two-year-old thread coming back to life?!?
Click to expand...
Who made me want to learn how to play guitar?
The Who, because of their unfailing camaraderie despite their behavior while having a row. I've moved on from that phase of life, but could they ever pour their energy into a show. I sincerely doubt they'd ever get together for a reunion tour, simply because Pete & Roger are the only 2 remaining members, and neither in shape to spend 6 months touring...
 
Sixstring said:
My Uncle planted the seed with a Old Bruno Ventura Classical he left at our house when he came back from VietNam back in 72 for a visit which I still have to this day! My step brother light the fire when he showed me how to play 4 bar blues on it.
Click to expand...
Sounds familiar. While scrounging in my GrandDad's attic I located a cheap chipboard guitar case with latches. Inside was my Dad's old Sears & Roebuck cowboy parlor guitar. Low E-string about 12-gauge, body bellied, broken strings, dried from years of exposure to hot and cold in the attic. That was the spark. What came after was my personal fronting of $40 for a nylon-string acoustic. The rest is documented history in my memoirs.
 
Old thread, but good thread - I’ll keep it going

I was probably 5 or 6 years old and my neighbor (some old lady I had a couple interactions with but don’t remember her name) died. My parents took my sister and I to the funeral. I kept thinking “Why are we and all these people here? It’s unfortunate but shouldn’t be a big deal (It was my first experience with death and I didn’t understand). Anyways, I’m assuming her son or grandson had an acoustic and played and sang. The music was so sad and beautiful it moved me to tears. I looked around and everyone was crying. I assumed it was because that music was so powerful as I wasn’t sad the woman had died and I assumed it was the same for everyone else. I decided I wanted to learn to play that so I could create music that touched people so deeply.
Then when I was 12 I still hadn’t gotten an instrument but was going to choose a drum set for Christmas - the night before I was going to buy it, I had the classic rock station on and Sgt Pepper played. I knew the Beatles but had never heard that song. That solo (apparently Paul played) at the beginning made me change my mind and the next day I picked out a Squire Strat.
 
Ive always been fascinated with music, ever since I can remember. My earliest memories of guitar were my brother having an acoustic laying around not that I remember him playing it, but I was pulled towards it and used to just bang around on it. And when we would go out for pizza there was the coolest Mom and Pop music store that I just always had to go in, I was fascinated by all of the guitars hanging but the one that always stands out is they had a Black Les Paul Custom that I thought was just the coolest thing ever ( If I remember correctly I was probably around 10-12 years old). Ironically I've never owned a Les Paul Custom though.
I don't get as excited about new music now at 53 almost 54 as I did when I was younger, but I still love what I love and once in awhile something new will get me excited. I do still have a strong emotional connection to music especially when I see it live though, and I don't think and I hope that feeling never goes away.
 
bjjp2 said:
Cliche'd answer, but, the Beatles.
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^^^ This, absolutely.

I'd been listening to pop radio a lot, and playing my mom's Martin classical, but then I got some Beatles albums for Christmas, and it was all over. Didn't open anything else, just sat there with an ear to ear grin on my face for the rest of the day.

I got more Beatles with Christmas gift money, then some books of their music, tabs and notation, then a baby blue Hagstom I and a crap amp. I was gone. Spent most of my time playing for many years.

Good times :)
 
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