I thought it would be fun to see others with their first guitar, whenever that might have happened. Or something about how you got your first guitar.
Mine was Christmas, 1968. From Sears, it was a no-name. Cost maybe $60. Terrible action.
First Guitar
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auntlynnie
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So I decided to change my profile picture, couldn't find the one I was looking for. Instead I found a photo of me, age 10, probably taken on the Christmas morning I received it.
I thought it would be fun to see others with their first guitar, whenever that might have happened. Or something about how you got your first guitar.
Mine was Christmas, 1968. From Sears, it was a no-name. Cost maybe $60. Terrible action.
I thought it would be fun to see others with their first guitar, whenever that might have happened. Or something about how you got your first guitar.
Mine was Christmas, 1968. From Sears, it was a no-name. Cost maybe $60. Terrible action.
I got my 1st guitar for my birthday in 1964 when I was in the 1st grade! I was 7. I believe it cost $20 new. I expect that it was never really tunable. I don't even know what brand it was but it looked something like this:
Love the thread idea, Lynn! :cheer:
I'll chip in with what I've got about mine....
Around the mid 90s, after I'd borrowed someone's spare guitar for a few weeks and decided I was enjoying plinking around on it, I decided to buy one. I was stationed in Montgomery, Alabama at the time and picked a music shop almost randomly from among the Yellow Pages listings (pre Google). The guy there was well versed in talking complete n00bs through the purchase process, and he helped me pick out a relatively inexpensive (just under US$450 if I recall aright) starter guitar that was still better than a pawn shop beater and that, to my tender ear, sounded great. I thought it looked pretty cool, too.
Here's a recent picture of it; the only alteration in this image from the original is the added strap button on the neck:
I alluded to some "turbulent times" in another thread; well, in the late 90s I ended up in Upstate New York with essentially no possessions but what I could cram into my hatchback, and the guitar was one of the things that made the cut. I went through what pictures I have and this is the oldest I could find of it and me together. This from my (second) wedding, August of 2000. Those are my new brothers-in-law, who'd played as a duo in the local area for many, many years. We had hired a DJ for the reception but everyone thought it would be cool to have Sterling Thomas (their stage name) play a set and have me join them. I did two songs, my first (and only) experience playing in front of people. This was "Peaceful, Easy Feeling" by The Eagles and they played it as a nod to it being one of the only songs I knew all the chords to.
I think I already posted this one elsewhere, but since it fits the narrative here 'tis again. This was after I retired from the military, on the front lawn of my brother-in-law (the one far right in the pic above) during a family gather. I'd taken to bringing my guitar and some printed chord sheets with me when we went places, just in case there was some spare time I could spend playing.
Then...I started my own business and began the slow death spiral into overwork and burnout. The guitar was forgotten, gathering dust in a corner.
Until the past few months, when I realized I needed something to keep me from slowly killing myself and that music would be a wonderful balm. I found you guys, rekindled the love, and here I am. Also, here she is, my Grand Old Dame, in her latest incarnation as an acoustic-electric and still sounding great:
Mark
I'll chip in with what I've got about mine....
Around the mid 90s, after I'd borrowed someone's spare guitar for a few weeks and decided I was enjoying plinking around on it, I decided to buy one. I was stationed in Montgomery, Alabama at the time and picked a music shop almost randomly from among the Yellow Pages listings (pre Google). The guy there was well versed in talking complete n00bs through the purchase process, and he helped me pick out a relatively inexpensive (just under US$450 if I recall aright) starter guitar that was still better than a pawn shop beater and that, to my tender ear, sounded great. I thought it looked pretty cool, too.
Here's a recent picture of it; the only alteration in this image from the original is the added strap button on the neck:
I alluded to some "turbulent times" in another thread; well, in the late 90s I ended up in Upstate New York with essentially no possessions but what I could cram into my hatchback, and the guitar was one of the things that made the cut. I went through what pictures I have and this is the oldest I could find of it and me together. This from my (second) wedding, August of 2000. Those are my new brothers-in-law, who'd played as a duo in the local area for many, many years. We had hired a DJ for the reception but everyone thought it would be cool to have Sterling Thomas (their stage name) play a set and have me join them. I did two songs, my first (and only) experience playing in front of people. This was "Peaceful, Easy Feeling" by The Eagles and they played it as a nod to it being one of the only songs I knew all the chords to.
I think I already posted this one elsewhere, but since it fits the narrative here 'tis again. This was after I retired from the military, on the front lawn of my brother-in-law (the one far right in the pic above) during a family gather. I'd taken to bringing my guitar and some printed chord sheets with me when we went places, just in case there was some spare time I could spend playing.
Then...I started my own business and began the slow death spiral into overwork and burnout. The guitar was forgotten, gathering dust in a corner.
Until the past few months, when I realized I needed something to keep me from slowly killing myself and that music would be a wonderful balm. I found you guys, rekindled the love, and here I am. Also, here she is, my Grand Old Dame, in her latest incarnation as an acoustic-electric and still sounding great:
Mark
This is a photo of a guitar like my first one, a Harmony 6 string. I learned "The House Of The Rising Sun" on it. The action was so high that it wasn't long before I replaced it. Otherwise I would have quit the instrument. I still have the bad habit of pressing too hard on the strings with my left hand. Probably because of that guitar. 
Bill
Bill
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TGNesh
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What a great thread Lynn and what a fantastic pic of you too!
This is indeed my very first 'real' guitar. (I was seven or so when I got it) Before that i had played first a soprano ukelele and when I got a bit bigger, a baritone one. Not long after, I also got an electric guitar.
This is indeed my very first 'real' guitar. (I was seven or so when I got it) Before that i had played first a soprano ukelele and when I got a bit bigger, a baritone one. Not long after, I also got an electric guitar.
Lynn this is a great idea for a thread. I hope lots of the community post their photos. I'm enjoying seeing everyone's. Ness you and Tamara were so CUTE!
Here's me. I think I was about 14 or so and I had a Riviera, which think must have been a fairly cheap brand. I learned a few chords after going to night school. And I remember playing a few strumming songs for Oma and Ota at Christmas time like She'll be Coming Round the Mountain, and O'Taunnenbaum.
But I DON'T remember EVER having a tuner... believe it or not. I remember having to tune the guitar relative to itself by listening to the note by ear and by feeling the beats between the notes when you play and open string and the fourth fret on the string below it. I remember it took aaaaaaaaages. Gosh! If only I had a clip on tuner at the time. AND If only TG existed. Now THAT would have been EXCELLENT for moulding me into a guitar player from an early age.
In many respects, I feel like I didn't really start learning to play properly until I joined TG.
I never was good st looking natural when asked to pose for a photo. I'm not sure what sort of D chord I'm supposed to be playing here. But I was NOT flipping the bird.
I'm smiling in this one. I notice that I've always placed the guitar on my left leg. Interesting.
Here's me. I think I was about 14 or so and I had a Riviera, which think must have been a fairly cheap brand. I learned a few chords after going to night school. And I remember playing a few strumming songs for Oma and Ota at Christmas time like She'll be Coming Round the Mountain, and O'Taunnenbaum.
But I DON'T remember EVER having a tuner... believe it or not. I remember having to tune the guitar relative to itself by listening to the note by ear and by feeling the beats between the notes when you play and open string and the fourth fret on the string below it. I remember it took aaaaaaaaages. Gosh! If only I had a clip on tuner at the time. AND If only TG existed. Now THAT would have been EXCELLENT for moulding me into a guitar player from an early age.
In many respects, I feel like I didn't really start learning to play properly until I joined TG.
I never was good st looking natural when asked to pose for a photo. I'm not sure what sort of D chord I'm supposed to be playing here. But I was NOT flipping the bird.
I'm smiling in this one. I notice that I've always placed the guitar on my left leg. Interesting.
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neverfoundthetime
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These are great pics! Lynn, Ness, Shel and Mark, cool stuff! I'm struggling to find an early photo of me and guitar.... can't get back beyond about 34..... No idea what my first guitar was, probably my mum's Spanish Classical.
Well, no joy. Youngest I can find is this one with my 27 year old Takamine....
Well, no joy. Youngest I can find is this one with my 27 year old Takamine....
neverfoundthetime wrote:
M
My GOSH you're a photogenic man Chris! Damn! Great photo.These are great pics! Lynn, Ness, Shel and Mark, cool stuff! I'm struggling to find an early photo of me and guitar.... can't get back beyond about 34..... No idea what my first guitar was, probably my mum's Spanish Classical.
Well, no joy. Youngest I can find is this one with my 27 year old Takamine....
M
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neverfoundthetime
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Those were the days Shel! Thank you, too kind! I was looking for a dorky kid photo of me with an early guitar but, nothing! Still can't find an earlier photo than that, which really surprised me. Which got me thinking.... I have no recordings at all of me playing anything until I came to TG. I wonder.... anyone got an early recording or video of themselves playing? That would be cool. Bill?
I deleted it.