What inspired you to start playing guitar?? (Page 2 of 3)

Thanks for the kind thoughts Derek,
Doc said the shoulder would hurt for several days and it would be a couple weeks before I could pick up my guitar.  Day after the surgery it felt better than it has in years and I slipped my arm out of the sling and played a couple of tunes last night.

DE

My dad played when I was a kid. Mostly folk songs and the like. He had a Yamaha classical guitar and a Yamaha ( I think) 12 string. We were not allowed to touch the 12 string. It was a beautiful guitar.

In the seventh grade my school had a guitar class so I took it. My first guitar was a Cahuenga classical. I never got that good with it as it was too hard to barre with but I did learn to play "House of the Rising Sun" on it. Most of the other songs I learned were folk songs which I forgot how to play immediately. The only songs I remembered were "House..." and "Country Roads" by John Denver.

I never played much after that but my brother kept it up and passed his passion on to my nephew (he is self-taught and is an impressive player). I just looked longingly at his guitars when I visited.

My oldest daughter, seven years ago, decided she wanted a guitar for Christmas. We bought her a steel string acoustic and a beginners book. She tried to play but did not like the pain that she caused her fingers and gave it up after a few weeks.

Fast forward to about five months ago: My daughter (oldest) talks my wife in to letting her get a rabbit, (against my wishes but two women against one man? Not gonna win that one...). Daughter then goes off to college and we get stuck with a homicidal lop-eared rabbit. Wife tells me we have to let the rabid rabbit run around outside of the cage as often as possible. We do it in daughters room as she is gone. I get stuck with the chore. About two months ago I am in the room, avoiding looking straight into the eyes of the rabbit (challenge to her I guess, not gonna chance it I think she carries a switchblade), and pondering 45 minutes of pure delight. I spy daughter's dusty guitar case, open it up and start playing.

I had fun. I figured if I had to spend time in the room with Bun Bun I would make the most of it. I also figured the dreadnought would make a good weapon in case the rabbit got any ideas about offing me.

Birthday on 10-30 and wife gets me an Epiphone acoustic/electric starter pack. Unsolicited. Cool!  Been playing (trying) any time I can find it. Been playing so much I have not played Call of Duty 4 (which my wife hates more than lima beans) online for about three weeks.

Now I want an electric.

Rabbits.  Fearsome creatures. 

You have a way with words Bunbun.  I look forward to some new rabbit war songs once you've got things under control.

If some of this isn't inspirational, then I don't know what is.  Great stories by all!  It seems each of us have our own reason for doing what we do and that is what makes us all so special.  Keep it up, the more stories of beginnings the better.  I find them very entertaining and solidify the support everybody here on Chordie had demonstrated.  I think I will go play my guitar!

I was drawn to guitar as a young child of 5 when i though that Elvis was the only pro musician alive even though he had already passed away. I grew up with 5 uncles that were always playing guitar in kitchen jams and in the bars and i got the itch to learn too so my parents bought me a Roy Clark acoustic guitar and a few lessons. Well i stuck with it for a few months then the guitar got busted by an angry dad early one morning. Time went by about 20 years i guess then the guitar started calling to me again so this time my wife bought me a Jasmine acoustic by Takamine and a beginners lesson book. I taught myself the basic chords including the B and the F and all barr chords and worked at it with online lessons and now i am better than my uncles ever were and still learning. I play everyday with one of the five guitars i have and have written 3 complete songs just this month. I still only play out of my love for it and the relaxation benifit and use it in my personal worship time. I just hope one of my kids will want to learn so they too can feel the passion for real music.

First time on this forum..  been looking at Chordie for some time finally decided to join in..  got my 1st guitar at 12 yrs old.. for Christmas..  1968.  With a chord book and a ton of desire, I learned how to play..  never looked back.  A few guitars later, I decided to buy the guitar I always wanted..  HD28 Martin.  Absolutely love that guitar.. I'm part of an acoustic trio, playing at least one gig a week..  Honestly never imagined I would be doing gigs at this point in my life but wouldn't have it any other way..  absolutely love it..  To all the beginners out there..   press on.  It is so worth it.. 

Deb P

Welcome, debrap.  I'll bet you like the Hd-28.  I am getting ready to buy one in the next couple of months.  I absolutely love the sound of them.  Good luck.

Well, I've convinced myself the last few months that its the one I want.  It's good to hear someone else say how good it is.  I can't wait.  I'm saving up for after the holidays.

Two things got me started. First, I got rid of my t.v. and needed something fun to do in the evenings. Second, I was watching my son play his Epi and asked, "Could you teach me how to play some chords?" He did, and we went out and bought my first guitar, a Fender C60 acoustic. Although I've moved on to an Art & Lutherie, I think learning to play that cheapo Fender saved my life.

Two things...

The first was "X-Static" by The Foo Fighters.
I learned how to play that song on the low E-String on an acoustic guitar my college sweetheart bought for me.
Then when we split up I hocked the guitar and got into building motorcycles.

The second was years later after being married and on my 30th birthday.
My wife bought me a Walmart brand "First Act ME440" electric guitar (My First) and all the memories of learning that first song came flooding back to me.
I ran with it this time.
Still with my lovely lady and still playing music everyday!

=]
Dm

"Red House" by Jimi!  Ever since I had to play the guitar.