# What was your first guitar?



## caaustin02 (Nov 1, 2007)

Getting Nostalgic,

I walked into a music store knowing nothing about Fender or Gibson, and about 5 min later I walked out with a sunburst Epiphone strat clone, $150 with case. I had no idea how to play, so it doesn't take long to ask for the cheapest used guitar in the store. 

I think the body was plywood, and the neck had quite a bit of flex to it. The store, L&M on Bloor Street set it up, but it didn't stay in tune very well. Despite the shortcomings, I sometimes wish I still had it.

It was kind of counterproductive for Ephiphone/Gibson to make it, because I got used to the Strat type style, and have been a Fender Strat player ever since.


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## soundhound6 (Jun 30, 2008)

*1st guitar*

Boy...this brings back memories.

1970....Salvation Army thrift store...+ one ugly no-name jumbo acoustic.

No markings on the guitar at all. But...it did have a cute cowboy on horseback
and 2 giant cacti silhouetted in black against a bright yellow-orange ground!

I asked the lady how much? She says..Umm...$13? Had a good feeling about it
and grabbed it. Almost ran home with my new treasure and proceeded to sand off the "elvis on black velvet artwork".
Spent a couple of dollars on new strings and found the tone was fantastic.

Sure miss that beast...Thanks for making me smile and have a good chuckle!
I really needed a boost right now...:food-smiley-004:
Jan


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Mine was an Aria Pro II that I got at a pawn shop and subsequently discovered I paid entirely too much for it.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

My first guitar was the one on the right in this picture. Taken in our family's cabin...note the lack of bridge or strings...LOL! Coincidentally, the guitar on the left is my NEWEST guitar...










Here is a pic I found online of a guitar the same as my first electric (a Raven copy of a Mossrite-I wish I still had it-it's kinda funky):










-Mikey


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## satch09 (Jul 26, 2008)

haha great stories...mine was my dads old hondo acoustic...It was funny because I'm left handed so I originally snuck into his closet took it out and started playing it, but because of my freakish left handed-ness i was playing it "upside down" I was using this old chord book, and I used the diagrams and picutres to play a G chord...man it sounded so horrible haha, I was like "the guitar is a stupid instrument even the chords from the book sound bad" and then my dad caught me due to the racket and bad noise, and finally straightened me out, and got me to hold it the right way...I still have it, but its been retired...good times, great thread


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

An old Framus single cut.


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## Ringwraith (Nov 17, 2007)

First guitar was a used Silvertone I bought off a friends brother for $25. This was about 26 years ago. The guitar was a total POS & now I see them sold for a few hundred because they're "Vintage"!! LOL I played one not so long ago & it's still a POS!! 

My second guitar is a more interesting story. Maybe about a year after I bought the Silvertone I saved & saved my paper route money to the tune of $300. Now remember this was about 25 years ago so it would be like $1000 these days! Any ways, I bought my first GIBSON off a friend of my older sisters friend. I was so excited because it was an SG, Just like Angus! hehe Turned out to be a fake with a Gibson decal!! That was one of the most crushing moments of my childhood! Of course looking back it was so obviously not a real Gibson but I had no clue. Imagine ripping off a 14 year old like that?

Cheers
Sean


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Yep, I can say my story is similar. After the Raven, I had 2 Les Paul copies, a Mann and a Mansfield. Neither of them pretended to be Gibsons in name like yours did, Ringwraith, and they certainly didn't pretend to be Gibsons in quality or sound either (although in retrospect they probably weren't all that bad), but it was still the best day when I got my LP Standard in 1975!
-Mikey


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## cdub66 (Dec 13, 2007)

I just jumped into the guitar world as a mid-life hobby so no interesting stories here :frown:

I spent a couple weeks here (and on other forums) and heeded the most often given advice-went to L&M and bought the one that felt "right".


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I started on my dad's guitars. He had a Hofner he bought while stationed in Germany with the Canadian Air Force as well as a Silvertone (Sears) semi.

The Silvertone was a POS but I sure would love to have that Hofner back. It was an arch top with F holes and nice block inlays. Beautiful.

The first guitar I owned was a Les Paul copy made by Mansfield. It was a bolt on as I recall. My dad bought it for me when I was 14 as a reward for helping out for the summer at the family business.

Sorry, no pics.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

BC Rich Mockingbird that I bought off a friend for $40 a day or two after seeing Bon Jovi & Ratt in Port Huron, Michigan back in '85 or '86. A buddy and I eventually made our way into BonJon's tour bus and spent a couple hours there while missing most of the Ratt show...

Probably fair to say those couple hours answered some questions for this then 15 year old and I came to the realization that learning to play the guitar wouldn't be a bad thing...

Wish I still had the Mockingbird. Pretty sure I've still got my ticket stub from the show around here somewhere though.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Small body Suzuki steel string acoustic, borrowed from my sister. I hated it, it was a miserable thing to play and sounded like crapperoo, but I wish I had it now as my sister is gone (cancer). It was quickly followed by a Kent two pickup solid body electric which played well but sounded like crapperoo. 

Most folks these days start on much better instruments.

Peace, Mooh.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

My first guitar was this Yamaha FG165s...about 1967-1969...








and a couple of years later I got my first electric...a Washburn 'wing series' Raven...it's about a 1979 or 1980...


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Kay's catalogue LP copy...which literally fell apart after about a week and wassent back and never replaced. Bummer. 
Then, a Hondo II LP Custom with DiMarzio superdistortion HBs. Holy cow, what a POS, a plywood guitar with those hot pickups. I loved it at the time of course, it squealed and did all that insane feedback stuff. Neck evenually snapped and I chucked it (should have kept the pu's). By then I was playing classical all the time anyway on a Yamaha I got from my brother's friend, who I really looked up to as he was a great player. Sold that a couple of years ago...
Sorry, that's kind of a first 3 guitars isn't it? 

That Kay was sure a POS. It's much easier now for beginners with all these Squires and Epiphones around, not to mention the low(er) end Ibanez / Reverend / Rondo. Might not be _great_ guitars, but you're less likely to get septicaemia from the rusty parts like in the old days 

Just realised, I've never had a steel string acoustic. Isn't that weird?


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## Luke98 (Mar 4, 2007)

Typhoon POS i paid way too much for with a s#&%ty Dean markley amp.


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## rbwi (Aug 5, 2006)

my first guitar was a 1977 Aria TE-500N,
a thinline telecaster copy like the one on
the right here :http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/catalogs/77_lclsst/77_lc-ls-st_pg5.jpg.html


i paid 25$ for it at the flee market about 12 years ago and
traded it after a few months for a 1989 yamaha rgx620 like this one : http://premium.uploadit.org/Elysian893/RGX620S.JPG


after these two, i turned to pointy guitars ( bc rich, jackson,dean) for a few
years( the metal years ) to return recently to more traditional shapes.
i play more blues and rockabilly than metal these days.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

This is me playing my first guitar - a nasty ass POS acoustic that I persuaded my parents to buy me. The strings were about 1/2 an inch off the fingerboard. I no longer have the guitar .. or the Marks and Spencers pyjamas.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

It was love at first sight.

She was hanging in a local hardware store (Marshell/Wells) a brown sunburst, single pickup, Japanese no-name beauty. Solid body, something like a Strat only stubby. $29.95
I was in grade 4, already in guitar lessons using one of thier "rentals" and I pestered my parents for months......finally they bought it for me.
Come to think of it, I bet the people in the hardware store were happy to see it go because I would stop there everyday on my way home from school and stand there drooling. lofu

My guitar teacher hated it. 

(the thing had a neck like a club and about 1/2" of action) :smile:


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Some cool stories.

My "first" was a plastic toy guitar--but it actually had 6 strings and could actually be tuned. It lasted until somebody-not me-stepped on the neck and broke it. It was red, and it was a cool gift, toy & "first" guitar. In some ways I wish it had survived. I'd try putting a piezo on it--just for fun.









Then a few years later, after a detour through piano lessons I had some extra summer money. We were in a K-Mart and they had a guitar for $10. I had to buy it. I was done with piano. I paid for it myself, and my parents bought me a couple of guitar books and some picks. I later sold it to one of my Dad's co-workers for $10. I've never missed it.









My first decent guitar was my classical--which was the best Christmas present I ever got growing up. I still have it, I still play it, and it's a good guitar. I can't imagine getting rid of it. The rosewood sides & back have a beautiful grain. While I'm sure experienced and talented classical guitarists wouldn't make it their choice for performing and recording, I love the tone. It's bassy, but clear.









That's it for now. I could post my first electric & first bass (only bass), but I'll leave it at these three.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> I no longer have the guitar .. or the Marks and Spencers pyjamas.


Sad to hear that you no longer have the pyjamas


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

my first guitar was an El Degas Strat copy...

i loved it when i first got it...it was a SSS, cherry red with a white pickguard...the thing sounded sweet...

but i got the itch...wanted something better...and traded it for a BC Rich warlock...
i love the warlock (minus the floating bridge, i now loath whammys)...but of the guitars i have, i'm lacking a single coil and now i miss that guitar...especially after i read that it may have been worth a little money...

but i'm happy with my current collection...soon...i will have a tele (or copy) and that will get me the single coil back (a tele mostly because i don't really care for strat's)


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

sorry...wanted to add a bit to mine too...

when i first started guitar lessons i used my dads acoustic...
he still has it

its an EKO guitar...12 string acoustic...thing is amazing...he got it back in 81 while overseas...paid $100 bux for it...

i did some research not to long ago, its one of the first made by eko, so its a rare guitar...


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## lola4 (Aug 14, 2008)

my first guitar is a first act lola sfa edition i bought for 150 at cosco


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## vfreeman (Aug 14, 2008)

My first guitar was an acoustic my Dad built.

www.timelessinstruments.com - he's still going.


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

My first is a 2005 Affinity Strat I got from Long & McQuade with a crappy Fender Frontman 15 watt amp.. I'm playing it as we speak. I got an '04 Fender MIM Tele in April but I still play my Squier regularly.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

vfreeman said:


> My first guitar was an acoustic my Dad built.
> 
> www.timelessinstruments.com - he's still going.


WOW...looking at your dad's website/guitars....you were one fortunate guy !! 

Any pics of the one he built for you?

Dave


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## blink (Jul 29, 2008)

My first guitar was a Kay sg copy. It had a plywood body and the usual 1/2 inch action. I had no idea about changing hat kind of stuff back then ..around 1980 or 81 or even about changing the strings. The strings were so old they were black I recall. I got it, a cool springy cord and a cheesy little amp of unknown origin from some guy who begged me to buy it. I think I paid $40 bucks for all of it, and thought I was getting a super deal. lol

I ended up doing a freaky paint job on it and it eventually ended up getting smashed A LA Pete Townsend at a party just for fun. I lived in a second floor apartment at the time and somebody plugged it in after smashing it, then dumped the whole squealing mess out the window.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

ezcomes said:


> ...when i first started guitar lessons i used my dads acoustic...
> he still has it its an EKO guitar...12 string acoustic...thing is amazing...he got it back in 81 while overseas...paid $100 bux for it...
> i did some research not to long ago, its one of the first made by eko, so its a rare guitar...


Those old EKOs are great - everyone I knew growing up seemed to have one. Made in Italy right?



blink said:


> My first guitar was a Kay sg copy. It had a plywood body and the usual 1/2 inch action.


My brother had one of those. Horrible. Apparently they're vintage now though...


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## DimebagTributer (Aug 12, 2008)

mine was simply my moms accoustic, its a samick and blue burst... i liked it still have it to this day.


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## GTFPDQ (Oct 31, 2007)

1972, got an EBO Bass copy for 7pound from a neighbour. Then I found the Kays catalogue and after checking out the ladies undies, I found the guitars, got a Kay precision bass crapopy.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

greco said:


> WOW...looking at your dad's website/guitars....you were one fortunate guy !!
> 
> Any pics of the one he built for you?
> 
> Dave


Ditto...

Could he build each of us one?:smile:


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

A Zenon. Christmas 1964. From Simpson-Sears. Looked a bit like a Harmony H15 Bobcat. It was the Ultimate P.O.S. No truss rod. Wood seemed like a cross between poplar and balsa wood. Action felt like a half inch. No radius - perfectly flat fretboard. But I learned my three cord progressions on it. Lent to my friend. One day he was going into his room and his door wouldn't open all the way. So he gave it a good shove and - _CRACK! _I was glad it was put out of its misery.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I started learning on the Garcia classical on the left ... beautiful sounding guitar, but the huge neck and high action made learning difficult for a kid. About a year later I traded a cheap cd-walkman for the Westone. Absolutely horrible guitar, but at the time it was the coolest thing in the world! It served me well for the next few years. I still have both, haven't been able to part with a piece of gear yet.


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## GREENMACHINE (Aug 30, 2008)

Hey guys,
my First acoustic guitar is a SX (not sure what model), My first electric guitar is a Fender VG Stratocaster.

Cheers,
GREENMACHINE


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## nordlav (May 11, 2007)

My first guitar was a classical I bought off a guy in college for $2.00. I can't remember if it was a no name or Yamaha or what. I restrung it lefthanded (I'm a lefty), a buddy taught me Em, A and A7 and I practiced those 3 chords the rest of my college year, lol. I think I sold it after I graduated and when I started working I bought a used lefty 80's Ibanez Artist AR100CSL for my first electric and shortly thereafter got a 1987 Yamaha FG420L acoustic (new).


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

my first.......an indonesian made Squier strat......it actually plays pretty well - lots of noise from the pickups, but other than that it's pretty good.....I still have it and break it out from time to time for fun.


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## Baconator (Feb 25, 2006)

My first was a Tokai strat copy (Goldstar sound!!) that I bought using funds earned roofing three cabins at the family cottage. It was a decent enough guitar, but the neck twisted a bit so I ended up doing all kinds of stupid things with it. I've since refinished the body (half-assedly) and replaced the neck with a Mexican strat neck. Some day I'll make it a solid guitar again, but I barely have time to play the good guitars I own these days so that project will have to wait for a long time.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

December of 64' (Christmas) I got a Scala acoustic. For my birthday the following February I got an Aria electric- once I had showed my dad that I was serious about learning to play. I still have both guitars. The Scala has the original strings and a little strap my mom sewed for me. The guitar is still in as-new impossible-to-play condition. The Aria is the 335 copy in black/red burst with three single coils. It still plays quite well and I'm still serious about learning to play ....


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## Canadian Charlie (Apr 30, 2008)

I got my first guitar in 1979, thats when some door to door salesman knocked on our door and asked if I wanted to play the guitar. I was just a 14 year old kid back then who wanted to be Ace Frehley so I told my mom I wanted to learn. 

They signed me up at one of those conservitories and bought me a Granada Guitar and amp, plus a years worth of lessons. 30 years have passed and I still have it, its full of dents and battle scars but its something I regret doing to it. I learned that Aria built the Granada guitars from thier Japan factory.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Looks a lot like mine, except mine is lighter coloured.
I see it's got the same cream pick up rings.

Did you remove the pickup covers? Or did it come that way? Or are those new pickups?

I removed mine--I thought it sounded better--so I left them off.


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