The guitar is about the most well known musical instrument in the world. Maybe a drum is really the most well known instrument. But there can’t be many people in the world who have never heard or seen a guitar.
One thing that makes guitars so appealing is their accessibility. Unlike a Piano, or a drum kit, a guitar is portable and almost anyone can pick one up. But learning to play a recognisable tune on guitar can be a lot of hard work.
I’ve met some exceptionally talented people who, within weeks of picking up a guitar, were good enough to start a band and begin to gig. But there are plenty of guitarists like myself, who’ve been playing for many years but still learning.
But this is one of the reasons why guitars are so compelling. There is always a new tune to learn, a new guitar to buy or a new guitar gizmo to try out. Learning to play the guitar is a massively rewarding hobby but be warned, it can take over your life.
Not only do I love to play the guitar but I also love to collect them. I am a lover of vintage resonator guitars. These are a form of acoustic guitar that uses a resonator cone made of spun allumnium to give the guitar extra volume. The resonator mechanical amplifier comes from the early 20th century, before electronic amplifiers were in common use. The resonator guitar sound is synonymous with the blues and this is the style of music that I love.
If you’re a guitar player or if you are lucky enough to know any guitarists you will already understand how obsessive they can become. Keen guitarists can find that their interest in guitars, guitar playing, guitar players and guitar music can take over their lives completely. And if you have a guitar playing husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend you will probably find yourself feeling less important than their obsessiion with guitars.