the-trooper
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,619
Y'all old.
Are you Experienced ?
- Thread starter Stone
- Start date
gearJunkie
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,399
In the summer of 1985 after moving to Central Florida, my first new friend let me borrow his Harmony department store guitar. He taught me a couple on chords so I could play rhythm while he practiced his lead.
I didn't get my own guitar for almost a year until I began taking lessons from a talented young instructor, Chris Juergensen (https://www.youtube.com/@chrisj64). I studied with Chris until he left to study at Musicians Institute.
Picture is from 1990 with my first original band.
My journey continues.
{edited for spelling & added URL for Chris Juergensen}
I didn't get my own guitar for almost a year until I began taking lessons from a talented young instructor, Chris Juergensen (https://www.youtube.com/@chrisj64). I studied with Chris until he left to study at Musicians Institute.
Picture is from 1990 with my first original band.
My journey continues.
{edited for spelling & added URL for Chris Juergensen}
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deepskyone
Groupie
- Messages
- 33
I started in the summer of 2019 at age 33 
10+ years ago when I was still in university, I told a fellow student who played guitar that I would also learn guitar in my next life. He looked at me aghast and said: "What's that supposed to mean 'in your next life'? Why don't you just learn guitar if you want to?". Yeah, why didn't I? Guess I was too busy drinking beer and skipping classes...
Took me almost a decade to understand what he meant. I may be too late to become as good as Blackmore, Morse, Petrucci, or EVH but I don't need to. If all goes well, I'll have another 4 to 5 decades of playing guitar (and buying gear) ahead of me, which is something great to look forward to.
Glad I started playing and found this forum (so I do not need to make all the mistakes myself)
10+ years ago when I was still in university, I told a fellow student who played guitar that I would also learn guitar in my next life. He looked at me aghast and said: "What's that supposed to mean 'in your next life'? Why don't you just learn guitar if you want to?". Yeah, why didn't I? Guess I was too busy drinking beer and skipping classes...
Took me almost a decade to understand what he meant. I may be too late to become as good as Blackmore, Morse, Petrucci, or EVH but I don't need to. If all goes well, I'll have another 4 to 5 decades of playing guitar (and buying gear) ahead of me, which is something great to look forward to.
Glad I started playing and found this forum (so I do not need to make all the mistakes myself
)
Jarick
Shredder
- Messages
- 2,365
Got my first guitar in 1995, so nearly 30 years. I had been drumming for a year and started a band with friends in middle school, and when they left their gear at my house, I started learning to play. I did take a break for a few years in the late 2000's and again in the early 2010's.
From a playing standpoint, obviously I made the most progress the first few years. I got probably 80% of my playing ability then, from learning chords and scales to vibrato and picking and all that. Since then it's been a lot less, mostly because I haven't been super focused. I don't have concrete goals so don't work towards them, and spend way too much time fussing with gear. But that's also kind of fun.
From a playing standpoint, obviously I made the most progress the first few years. I got probably 80% of my playing ability then, from learning chords and scales to vibrato and picking and all that. Since then it's been a lot less, mostly because I haven't been super focused. I don't have concrete goals so don't work towards them, and spend way too much time fussing with gear. But that's also kind of fun.
spawnofthesith
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,582
I guess it's been 16 years
but I play more like its been 16 days
but I play more like its been 16 days
SillyOctpuss
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,111
Got my first guitar on my 13th birthday in '93 so bang on 30 years.
TravisG406
Roadie
- Messages
- 184
Creed - One Last Breath, picked up my mom's old Yamaha acoustic guitar 2001 - 
itchyfingers
Roadie
- Messages
- 503
Been playing since 98, but really only started learning wtf I was doing in the last 5 years or so. More lessons, less gear. 
laxu
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,768
Don't worry, the 1970s are coming back in vogue so soon we will have 2021-23 + blow dryers and feathered hair, large collars wide ties and lapels, velour and polyester, etc etc.And I used to think how awful the 1970s were… crime, inflation, Vietnam war, pollution, no gasoline, disco, weak ass heroin and coke, blow dryers and feathered hair, large collars wide ties and lapels, velour and polyester, etc etc
Until 2021-23 hit lol
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 4,333
Way too long for what I'm capable of. Started in 81.
- Messages
- 3,932
30+. Started when I was 17, will be 49 in a few months. Wow, the time goes by fast.
I did get a plastic Bee Gees toy guitar when I was 5? I have a picture of me holding it then and it looks so natural like I'm actually playing. Funny thing is, I never picked up a real guitar til I was 17.
I did get a plastic Bee Gees toy guitar when I was 5? I have a picture of me holding it then and it looks so natural like I'm actually playing. Funny thing is, I never picked up a real guitar til I was 17.
, but I vote 30 
Coalface1971
Groupie
- Messages
- 99
~36 years, started at 15 when I saw Vai as Jack Butler, turning 52 this year. But I've not done 35 years of development as a player. I'm comfortable with at least in the respect that it's my hobby, not my profession.
Dabbled with gigging as a youngster, and again in my late 20's/early 30's. But my local scene from a networking standpoint was full of drug-fucked losers, thieves and dreamers (probably a familiar sight). I wasn't cut from that cloth. Was still playing sport into my early 30's.
So, from that point on (early 30's), I couldn't be bothered. I regret not taking steps negotiating that - it is so much fun playing music with others, and meeting people to do it with as I've got older is such a mysterious and difficult pursuit.
I've pretty much always been a "go to work" kind of guy and have had a solid income as an electrical tech. So, though I still improve every year on the guitar, my vocation has fueled the interest in rig building, gear and amp mods - has transcended just playing, for better or wor$$$e.
Dabbled with gigging as a youngster, and again in my late 20's/early 30's. But my local scene from a networking standpoint was full of drug-fucked losers, thieves and dreamers (probably a familiar sight). I wasn't cut from that cloth. Was still playing sport into my early 30's.
So, from that point on (early 30's), I couldn't be bothered. I regret not taking steps negotiating that - it is so much fun playing music with others, and meeting people to do it with as I've got older is such a mysterious and difficult pursuit.
I've pretty much always been a "go to work" kind of guy and have had a solid income as an electrical tech. So, though I still improve every year on the guitar, my vocation has fueled the interest in rig building, gear and amp mods - has transcended just playing, for better or wor$$$e.
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- Messages
- 42
I got my first guitar when I was 13 and I turn 33 next month so pretty much bang on 20 years. My playing is wildly inconsistent considering that time! I could play you a decent sounding tune one day and struggle to play a clean power chord the next 
