How old were you when you started playing? And what was the motivation?

[Whaleblue]

52, and started just a month ago. Well, I bought my first guitar about 10 years ago, but never really got going, so I'm going to count February 2015 as my true starting position.

Agree with the others who started late - it's never too late, and better to hit 62 with 10 years experience than start at 62.

Of course, if you're 62 already just think about how you'll be by 72.

72, 82? Go for it!

[fazool]

I grew up in the 70's in a household that was the neighborhood social spot. Always full of friends and people. I was the youngest and always surrounded by friends and family. There was music all around - all the time.

One of my older brothers was an audiophile. He had an unbelievable (thousands of) vinyl collection, a 4-channel mixing board, quadrophonic amp, reel-to-reel and of course amazing receiver, deck speakers. He was constantly going to concerts and had a full drum set in the basement and a guitar.

My other mentor liked music just as much and loaned me his old high school trumpet so I could take lessons (which I totally lost interest in). Later he was a guitar and banjo player.

Two other guitar players were close friends and regular visitors so I was surrounded by music aficionados and players.

When I was 12 or 14 -ish, I expressed an interest and they latched on and took me under their wing. On their own, they gave me coaching, mentoring and lessons throughout my teens. By their account I surpassed them at some point (although in my mind I am still the student and they are still the teacher).

The first song I learned to play was Closer To Home by Grand Funk Railroad.

[SFCRetired]

As most everyone else here I loved music from the first time I ever heard the radio. Of course the Beatles was an early influence, but those Elvis movies I watched as a kid was what told me I wanted to play music. John Denver was who really made me want to learn guitar though if truth be told.

I begged my parents for a guitar and lessons but money was tight with 6 kids so it never happened. Finally when I was stationed in Germany I bought my first guitar at the age of 22. A Kyoto. Pretty busy in the Army at the time and never got to take lessons, so it became a corner decoration. Could never figure out how to tune the thing. Then they started making electronic tuners and I started learning to a John Denver song book.

Then I met a girl, and married her, who's father could play like nobody I ever heard. He taught me a lot of stuff, and introduced me to Bluegrass music. I didn't know what it was at the time really because I was into The Stones, REO Speedwagon, etc.

So I guess I got serious around 24 or so. 56 now. Still what I would consider a late beginner or early intermediate, although I do know some stuff that people would consider experienced or newbie advanced.

[werkout52]

I saw the Beatles in St. Louis in 1966 when I was 14. I bought a Airline electric and amp with my paperboy money. Can still hear my mom yell "turn that **** thing down". She was a Daytripper

[drplayer]

I have always loved music...all different genre's of music. One day when I was in my mid-30's, I just decided it was time to learn an instrument. I was deciding between the saxophone and the guitar, and I chose the guitar because I thought I could make something resembling music faster on guitar than I could on the sax. Plus, I like to sing, and it's tough to do while playing sax.

I rented a Windham Hill VHS tape from the library and saw what was possible on solo guitar, and that really inspired me. Then shortly thereafter--being a big Clapton fan--the Unplugged CD & MTV performance came out, and that was it, hooked for life! No regrets...picking up the guitar has been the best, most enjoyable thing I've ever done personally for myself.

[kydave]

12 years old, although I'd seriously tried to get my parents to get me a guitar and start back when I was 7, watching the singing cowboys, Roy Rogers & Gene Autry on the little B&W TV. I was already a singer and simply wanted to play along on guitar while I sang.

Finally got started at 12, had my first band before I turned 15, was regularly making money at it by the time I was 16...

Never stopped and it's going on 52 years now since I started.

[piper_guitarist]

I was 13. Lo and behold it was my church youth praise team that kind of inspired me to play. Fourteen years and a faith crisis later I'm still playing. My original motivation is long gone but the pure enjoyment of the activity has kept me going.

[bbrown]

I saw Troy Alexander play solo guitar at the annual talent show at Haverford College in 1979. He played a lot of Leo Kottke, some John Fahey, Bert Jansch, and others. The playing was flawless and it totally blew me away. I never knew a guitar could produce such beautiful sound. I made a point of meeting Troy. He used to do concerts at the wonderful "Main Line" club in Bryn Mawr, where many great singers and soloists would come through.

Troy introduced me to Kottke and Fahey, who I sort of became addicted to for many years. I did have a phase where I played bagpipes, but it was hard to keep up the grueling practice and competition routines. I've listened and loved solo guitar since my 20's and basically had Fahey on the brain for most of my life.

College, grad school, work, medical school, family, etc. etc. kept me from learning guitar until age 51, when I figured I'd better get started, now or never!
I worked through Carcassi's fantastic classical method book, which is a great way to learn fingerstyle guitar. I'm on quite a learning curve and finding it a wonderful evening stress reliever.

[trek1500]

Wow! It's great reading all these responses! This is such a great forum for people who love guitars like I do!

The Beatles were such a great influence on many of us I see...

I was 10 in 1970 and I saw CCR on TV. That's all it took.

[talister106]

I was seventeen in the early seventies, surrounded by music that inspired me. The rest is history and what a journey it`s been.

[davidd]

My mom bought me my first guitar in 1962 when I was a 10 year old in Manchester, England. I had two sisters 10 and 5 years older than me so I was introduced to Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Dominoe, Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Tommy Steele, Lonny Donegan and Cliff Richard and the Shadows at an early age. By 1962 in the north of England the Liverpool and Manchester groups were really making a splash and I'd watch Juke Box Jury and Top of the Pops and listen to Radio Luxembourg and AFN with my sisters. That was it, there was no going back.

We emigrated to San Francisco in June 1964 just before A Hard Days Night was released. A 12 year old boy from Manchester, UK having little California girls swarm me at school to hear my accent. I knew I had to get in a band. 1965 I formed a little band doing Dylan, Byrds, Stones and Beatles stuff. A Montgomery Ward Knox guitar and amp and a harmonica. Played in a few bands in the late sixties and early seventies then quit playing for over 20 years. I hated disco and I wanted to be a grown up father of my two girls. 1999 my buddies bugged me to jam one sunday afternoon for a laugh and I've been playing in a band ever since. Going on 63 now and I still think I'm 17.....

[Knollhaven]

There's a picture of me as a toddler, admiring my teenage brother's acoustic guitar. Saw the Beatles on Sullivan, too. At the age of 10, I wanted to learn guitar, so the family got me an Eminee Tiger, but I never learned to tune it. (Brothers were married and gone by then.) Fast forward to age 45. Met my soul mate, a wonderful vocalist and guitarist with teaching experience. I'm 53 now and I've been learning steadily for the past 5 years. We play weekly in a small group at church. This group will play at our long overdue wedding later this month.

[cisco7]

Hi.. i was 16 years old and the motivation was the girl of course

[guitarelic]

15 yrs./ John Fahey.......get the picture?