How old were you when you started playing guitar?

First started at 20, stuck with it for a year and stopped after having a bad experience with a lousy teacher.

Started again two years ago at age 45 and loving it!

Started when I was 21. That was 3 years ago. I had wanted to play since I was about 18, not sure why I waited another 3 years before actually doing it--I could be twice as good as I am now and half as good as everyone else here. :)

Gotta love age threads - finally a question we all know the answer to... :P

I started at 58. :shock:

That was two years ago. I took 6 months off to learn clarinet, so I guess I've been playing a bit under 2 years. Most of that was just fiddling, but I'm now trying to work my way into learning more carefully.

I did actually buy a guitar over 30 years ago but, (as it was a very chaotic time in my life), I never got around to having a lesson or buying a book, or playing the guitar. So it sat unused in a case for all that time. :oops:

When I started I had pain in fingers of my left hand, and difficulty placing them on the frets let alone doing chord changes. Now the pain has gone and the hands move well. I can do several chord changes per second instead of per minute. I'm no Eric Clapton, but I'm now a fair "campfire strummer", and still improving.

I don't at all regret starting late, because the journey of discovery and improvement is so absorbing at all its stages. There's no imaginary end point with music where you know it all, and can do it all, so I just enjoy the ride. It's truly a joy to do. (And besides, it was a pretty busy and interesting 58 years, so it's given me plenty of songwriting material to call on... 8) )

I hope you all have fun learning, no matter when you start. :)

Cheers,

Chris

Gotta love age threads - finally a question we all know the answer to... :P

I started at 58. :shock:

That was two years ago. I took 6 months off to learn clarinet, so I guess I've been playing a bit under 2 years. Most of that was just fiddling, but I'm now trying to work my way into learning more carefully.

I did actually buy a guitar over 30 years ago but, (as it was a very chaotic time in my life), I never got around to having a lesson or buying a book, or playing the guitar. So it sat unused in a case for all that time. :oops:

When I started I had pain in fingers of my left hand, and difficulty placing them on the frets let alone doing chord changes. Now the pain has gone and the hands move well. I can do several chord changes per second instead of per minute. I'm no Eric Clapton, but I'm now a fair "campfire strummer", and still improving.

I don't at all regret starting late, because the journey of discovery and improvement is so absorbing at all its stages. There's no imaginary end point with music where you know it all, and can do it all, so I just enjoy the ride. It's truly a joy to do. (And besides, it was a pretty busy and interesting 58 years, so it's given me plenty of songwriting material to call on... 8) )

I hope you all have fun learning, no matter when you start. :)

Cheers,

Chris

Great post, Chris! I think music and the making of it, no matter how humble, is something that should be in everyone's life.

12 years old, 37 years ago!

I was 34. My wife got me a guitar for Christmas '78 from a Montgomery Ward catalogue. She thought I needed a hobby. That $35.00 guitar started me on a journey that I still love.

Realized I never answered the question. It was about a year ago and I was still in my 40s... :wink:

14 or so i think, but that was in the 70s and as i've said before,
"anyone who says they remember the 70s, wasn't there" :wink:

I was about 18 when I got my first guitar - and I only wish the internet and GN had been around way back then. Messed about for around a year or so, on a cheapo nylon-strung acoustic. Bought an electric. Got a girlfriend and a life, forgot about guitar. Took it up again 10 years later after divorce, it was like riding a bike...got a little better. Then got in debt - sold guitars. Then about 10 years ago my daughter's friend got a guitar, so she had to have one, which soon became neglected till I took it up. Still messing about with the same old chords - I could play you any song you like as long as it was either G/Em/C/D or A/D/E.....then about Nov 2003 I discovered GN...

Regrets? Yeah, same as anyone else of a certain age - If I'd known back then how much pleasure I'd get out of playng guitar NOW, hell, I'd have devoted a lot more time to it....

On the positive side, I'm still 18....in my head....

:D :D :D

Vic

I started on my 40th birthday, just over 2 years ago. One of the better presents I've ever given myself.

Started when I was 25, I'm 28 now. Really enjoy it, and wish I'd started earlier, but I don't really dwell on it.

TZ

I wasn't sure if I posted on this yet .... doesn't look like I did. 16 if memory serves. 30 years ago. I actually think I started around this time of year.

I must say I too am surprised at the number of 30+ beginners. I thought I was in the minority. I find it encouraging to know that its never too late.
Not going to dwell on the past, just looking forward to the future!

Similar story to others...

Short-lived lessons around age 12 or 13, then again around 16. In my mid-20s I had a great instructor and took lessons for several years. Wife, family & career ensued; guitar did not. About 15 months ago, at age 45, I started lessons with my then 10 (now 11) year old son. Six months later my younger daughter (now 14) started lessons. I'm having a blast!

37, almost 2 years ago. I have sung forever, played a little piano, etc. I really like the guitar and wish I had picked it up a number of years ago, but I didn't so I make up for it with lots of GAS.