Calling all guitarists!

[Ikaria]

Just curious who among our members plays the guitar.

I started in H.S., played for about 6 months, but ended up quitting. After a 30 year hiatus I've decided to give it another shot. Been practicing 3 weeks, so far. It hasn't been pretty, but it has been fun.

Post your guitar stories/experience!

[owennewton]

Like pachinko and cars I also collect guitars. I have been playing (poorly) for about 14 years now and find it very entertaining (even if it annoys those around me)

[Habious]

My small collection.

Bonus points for the first person that notices what's different about them.

[Ikaria]

Both left and right handed guitars.

[Habious]

Both left and right handed guitars.

Close.

Not a right-handed one in the bunch.

[Ikaria]

Close.

Not a right-handed one in the bunch.

Ah well... The headstock on the one threw me off.

[Microbus99]

Got a few myself. I also started in HS about 33 years ago. At one time I was in a local band in the 80's (along with my Heavy Metal hair). I actually got good but never that great and realized that college and a real job was the way to go. I dont pick them up as much as I'd like but they are there and I love them.

I have 5 guitars:

1974 Fender Telecaster Deluxe. White. (my baby!) bought it in 1983 with my tax return at a Pawn Shop. That was a big deal for me back then.
2002 Fender Stratocaster Deluxe Fat Strat w/Floyd Rose. Metallic Gray.
2004 Epiphone SG copy (think Angus Young from AC/DC). Red.
2006 First Act VW edition guitar. White. that was offered with the purchase of a new VW back then. Mostly a novelty item. Not the best quality but it has VW logos inlayed in the fretboard and on the volume knobs.
Unkown year Takamine acoustic guitar (70's I believe)

1982 Fender champ amp
2002 Marshall 2 x 10 combo amp

I also had a couple others I sold:

1978 Ibanez Tiger. Black finish. That was a very nice looking and playing guitar but HEAVY.
1979 Gibson Explorer. Another HEAVY guitar. Cool looking of course with natural wood finish and gold plated hardware. I thought that would be my ultimate Heavy Metal delivering guitar but the weight was too much for me.

This when I realized I liked the lighter Fenders and the necks were a little narrower for my finger size.

Good luck to your refound hobby. Prepare for sore finger tips!!

[RaymondV]

I started out back in junior high school playing drums.
After moving 10 times and sometimes not having enough room to set the kit up, I bought a guitar about 15 years ago.
I have been playing off and on (more off) since then.
I currently have a black Dean EVO 2000 series electric and I also have a no name acoustic guitar.

[jc1444]

Well it looks like to me one is a twelve string guitar!

[Habious]

Here's a better pic of the 12-string.

I'd always wanted an Ovation 12-string. I ordered this while I was stationed in South Korea (back in 94), and picked it up the day I got back to the states. Since it's a lefty, the 12-string cutaway was a made-to-order only...with about a 12 month wait.

I've had it about 15 years now, and still LOVE the way it plays and sounds.

The only thing that sucks is...the year AFTER I had it made, they changed the electronics package slightly, and added a built-in tuner. Dang, that would have been nice to have!

[derek1960]

Why do people say left or right handed Guitar?
When i see people play they use both hands

[Habious]

Why do people say left or right handed Guitar?
When i see people play they use both hands

True, but the hands aren't doing the same thing. Guitars are not symmetrical at all.

Some left-handed people just learn to play right-handed...which isn't as easy for them, but gives them more options with guitars (left-handed guitars are both rare and expensive (relative to their right-handed siblings)).

Some left-handed people choose to buy a right-handed guitar and simply string it and play it left-handed (Jimi Hendrix did this). This is easier on some guitars than others. Jimi's fender Strat had the control knobs above the strings instead of below (because he held it upside down).

Still other left-handed people (like myself) choose to only buy purpose-built left-handed guitars. Since this requires complete retooling (almost no parts are compatible with both left- and right-handed guitars of the same model), and they don't produce/sell nearly as many left-handed guitars as right-handed guitars (I'd guess maybe 5% or less guitars out there are left-handed), they are more expensive...usually something like 20%+ premium, and much harder to find.

When I go to a guitar store with literally hundreds of guitars hanging on the walls, if I'm lucky...really lucky...they'll have 1 or 2 left-handed guitars. And, these left-handed guitars are usually the cheapest model. The stores don't want to tie up inventory cash on an expensive guitar that might hang on the wall for years before a lefty comes in and wants it.

[derek1960]

True, but the hands aren't doing the same thing. Guitars are not symmetrical at all.

Some left-handed people just learn to play right-handed...which isn't as easy for them, but gives them more options with guitars (left-handed guitars are both rare and expensive (relative to their right-handed siblings)).

Some left-handed people choose to buy a right-handed guitar and simply string it and play it left-handed (Jimi Hendrix did this). This is easier on some guitars than others. Jimi's fender Strat had the control knobs above the strings instead of below (because he held it upside down).

Still other left-handed people (like myself) choose to only buy purpose-built left-handed guitars. Since this requires complete retooling (almost no parts are compatible with both left- and right-handed guitars of the same model), and they don't produce/sell nearly as many left-handed guitars as right-handed guitars (I'd guess maybe 5% or less guitars out there are left-handed), they are more expensive...usually something like 20%+ premium, and much harder to find.

When I go to a guitar store with literally hundreds of guitars hanging on the walls, if I'm lucky...really lucky...they'll have 1 or 2 left-handed guitars. And, these left-handed guitars are usually the cheapest model. The stores don't want to tie up inventory cash on an expensive guitar that might hang on the wall for years before a lefty comes in and wants it.

I know, i was just being a twit

[Habious]

I know, i was just being a twit

Hey, I didn't know!

Some people really don't know much about guitars!

[KimbaWLion]

I bought my daughter a Fender Statocaster and SO it sits unplayed as she was so into it for awhile..

[owennewton]

having worked in a guitar store I learned that most brands only offer left handed guitars in the lowest and most expensive models only plus they cost a lot more. If we get them in stock people will pick them up and be ticked off that it is a lefty or if they are looking for a lefty they complain about the price being higher so we ended up just not stocking any other than the 3 5+ year old ones still on the wall

one company that is lefty friendly is B.C. Rich, no up charge for left handed models in any range. the cheapest one to the $5000 custom shop are the same price as a right hand guitar

[yose]

When i was young kid, i tried to play the guitar. But being a southpaw myself, I just couldn't get my right hand to cooperate.So i gave up. That was along time ago,and there just weren't left handed guitars around then.

[Habious]

When i was young kid, i tried to play the guitar. But being a southpaw myself, I just couldn't get my right hand to cooperate.So i gave up. That was along time ago,and there just weren't left handed guitars around then.

I started out playing keyboards. A friend bought a guitar and wanted to learn to play it. We both worked on figuring out how to read the chord charts and finger the chords (no snickers on my language, please).

I could see what he was trying to do, and could see he was doing it wrong but, when I tried to play his right-handed guitar, I was worse at it than he was.

So, I went out and bought a cheap (a Cort) left-handed guitar basically so I could finger the chord properly and go "Here...like THIS" and show him.

That's how I started playing guitar.

[Eddie]

I play have 3 Guitars had a nice collection at one time.