Your First Guitar?

I still have the guitar I started playing as a teen that my parents bought for me in a head shop off El Camino Real near San Francisco in 1967. It’s a “Westbrook”. I believe they paid $40.00. The strings haven't been replaced for 20 years & neck is a bit warped but it still sounds good (to me).
Tell me about your first...

 

I have a 1963 Fender Jaguar in natural finish. I saw Tom Verlaine of Television playing one at CBGB's and I went to Medley Music in Brynmar PA and saw one and bought it for $175.00. I have never seen another one. Mine is like the one on the band shot on the inner sleeve of Maquee Moon. I still have it and 70 other vintage guitars. I will post a pic soon.

 

First guitar and only guitar I've ever had was one I made in a high school woodwork class!

Wanted to build it so i could play, it but havent gotten around to it unfortunately.

 

I started playing in and around 1982. I had some piece of crap no name acustic, graduated to Fender Squire electric, then to Fender Strat [ american made ] and now also have a washburn acustic. i find myself playing the acustic more. I also put a set of electric strings on my acustic, gives it a more tinty sound. i play almost everyday.

 

I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, but never had the paitence to actually sit and learn.

 

teach yourself, I did. Never took a lesson in my life. Start off by learning the basis chords then go from there.
When I play for my friends they cant believe I never took a lesson.

 

Karen, in all seriousness, post up a video of yourself playing, would love to see and hear.

 

1969 fender stratocaster used for $150 when I was a kid in the late 70's. The guy needed money for a plane ticket and my dad bought it for me.

 

1966 Fender Melodymaker single pickup. Black with white pickguard.

 

Thats great!! How ya been Ed?? When you coming back out this way again?? I feel like partying with ya again!

I bought my 1st axe, a white "Aria Pro" electric guitar. Cost me AU $150 back in 2000 when I started to learn to play. I still have it, but now its painted black. It is seriously a POS guitar that is almost ****ed, sounds like **** and NEVER stays in tune but I love it and I wont get rid of it.

It sits happily next to both my ESP's in my guitar rack.

 

Hey Pap, I am dying to get back, doing Cruefest this summer so I am stuck in the states. If you come over here you know you are in.

 

Excellent, thanks mate!

 

I have played keyboards of one form or another since the mid-60's. I played in bands, did some side-work, spent a small amount of time in studios as a musician (and much more just hangin').
Decided a couple months ago- don't ask me why- that I needed to learn how to play guitar at the age of 54.
Am working with a great instructor and have surprised myself about how much I love the process. - I know music, can read, have a good ear, etc., but translating that to the guitar is sometimes extremely frustrating and is only overcome by hours of practice, and knowing when to let go, walk away, and come back to the instrument. I now spend time thinking about the notes, and technique, when I am not saddled up with a guitar. I read avidly, buy sheet music, and have gone back to many early recordings for simple blues and rock riffs- Freddie King, Elmore James, etc.
Oh, and I bought two guitars. A Gibson Les Paul- new- which was tweaked by Larry Corsa. And, a Fender Tele '52 reissue 'Hot Rod' (it has a mini-bucker in the neck pickup position). Both guitars sound distinctly different (particularly when the Tele is set to the bridge pickup for that country twang). I am running them through a low wattage hand-wired Marshall tube amp. I am loving some of the sounds I am getting, even though, truth be told, I totally suck (right now). This also inspired me to look for a new piano. More on that later.

PS. I also got some great insights from members of this board in emails and phone conversations.

 

my first axe was a Fender strat, in lake placid blue. no clue what year it was made in. i kept it for about a million years and traded it off. i have had a bunch of guitars, i used to buy / sell them like to do cars , when i was bored. now i keep the good ones, as guitars don't take up much room!

i really prefer a well set up les paul to anything else. i have had many of the "other" makes, and tried out the various hot rod stratocaster axes, but i prefer simple guitars. i detest tremolo's and i dont need a "whammy bar" to sound good.

guitar, amp, guitar cord and pick are all i need.


no fancy pedals or effects racks.

 

1971 Fender Tele (Navaho White, Maple Neck)

 

I was just having this converstion the other day and had a good laugh about the first guitar. It was 1984, the guitar was a Palmer red/white Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein knock-off. It was terrible. But it was bought from Don at Greenshift Music in Tampa...a great store for used gear.

After many years and many guitars, I currently have and play a Fender Highway One Tele, a Fender Strat, a Fender Jagstang, and a Takamine acoustic.

 

squire strat..was fun but terrible..i have a gibson sg now..i love it!!

 

Gibson B25-12; yep, a 12 string to begin with and then moved up to a B45-12. It was the early 60's and folk music was the thing.

Then went into rock and Fenders. Fender Bass V was the first solid body I had.

 

+1

My first was a 1984 Les Paul Jr. I bought new. Very basic set up, but I loved it. Still do!