It can be interesting, entertaining and informative to read these stories.

Here's mine--such as it is.

I don't know why I wanted to play guitar--I just always have as far back as I can remember.
I remember telling people as a little kid that I wanted to play guitar.
For Christmas when I was 5 or 6 I got a plastic guitar that more than a toy--not quite a real guitar, but close.
It had six strings, you could tune it--and it came with a songbook and a tuning record--I had no idea how to use it correctly--but I sure tried.

So fast forward a couple of years and I started piano lessons, not guitar, but piano.
My parents had looked into guitar lessons and been told it would be better to start with piano and learn the basics and then switch.

So I took a detour through piano.
I enjoyed most of it--except the last year when my previous teacher moved out of the city and my new teacher had a method that ignored almost all I'd learned the two years previously, and put me off lessons.

So I quit piano at that time and was determined to teach myself guitar--after all I knew the timing and the notes, etc.

That summer I got a cheap acoustic and tried to teach myself.
I never bonded with that guitar and was never sure if I was getting things right.
So I told my parents I wanted to take lessons.

I started on classical--which was fine by me--I just wanted to play guitar.
That Christmas I got a good student model classical for Christmas, and I still have it--but I sold the cheap K-Mart special I tried to teach myself on--the only guitar I have ever sold.
I was ecstatic when I saw the guitar as my Christmas gift.

Eventually that novelty wore off just having a guitar and as the goal was to play rock, I wanted an electric. I kept making direct requests and hints to get an electric. Thankfully my parents didn't get me some of the electrics I tried to get.
After two years of classical lessons my teacher was quitting teaching, so I switched to a new teacher and started on electric.
I got a Les Paul copy that was a decent starter. I still play it and recently modded it with new pickups and stuff.

Eventually the thrill of having an electric copy wore off and I wanted something better--eventually I was old enough to have part time jobs and summer jobs and decided to put some towards better guitars, and I never looked back. One of those guitars was a Fender Mustang.

I jammed a lot, had bands through my lessons and started up bands with friends, and met others through music stores, but nothing ever took off and so I didn't get to pursue a musical career that way.

But I did wind up teaching for a number of years, and through it all, I have kept playing--sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes more serious, sometimes not.
But I still enjoy it.

I've left out a lot--some of which appears in other posts here, but that's the gist of how I got to where I am now.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

I was an 80's MTV child. Watching videos of bands(remember when they used to do that) made me want to be in a rock band. Especially when the camera would pan over the audience, and the girls were going crazy. I wanted to play drums, but lacked the space for a set in my bedroom. So in 8th grade, I decided to try and get a guitar.

Back in 5th grade, my cousin got a guitar and received lessons. I begged for a guitar, but my parents thought I wanted to do it because he was doing it, and thought I wouldn't keep with, thus they would be wasting money, and they didn't have much to waste back then.

It wasn't until my 9th grade year (1986) that I got my first guitar. A Memphis copy strat with 1 humbucker that I got for $70 from a friend who had upgraded (still have this one). I was a trumpet player in school, so I was already musically ready. My school had a Gibson Les Paul "The Paul" that the band director let me check out for the whole school year. I thought I was a superstar.

I am a self taught guitarist, using guitar mags as my teacher. That's what my first band revolved around. Whatever was in the mags, was what we played, mostly Poison, Skid Row, and the like. During this band, which started out as Boys in Black and changed to Filthy Habits, I got an Ibanez RG550 in Desert Sun Yellow (still trying to rock them 80's)

Got kicked out of that band(1991). Took it kinda hard, as I was a founding member. Put down the guitar, got married, then divorced a few months later. Then it was party time. I literally took Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll seriously, the second one a little to serious.

1996- Joined a hard rock band called Absence of Silence. Still using the Ibby. After 2 shows, the band dismembered.

1999-This is when I got into playing the blues through an open jam with a band called Professor Blues. I traded in my Ibby for a California Series Strat in 3 color sunburst with maple fretboard. The Ibby had the same and I like the maple, so I stuck with it. The Strat had been hanging on the wall for 2 years. It was still brand new, plus he had a 50% off tag on this and 2 other California Strats. So bye-bye Ibby, hello Fender! Did this open jam for over 2 years, or it could of been longer.

2001-Got an audition for a band that had the 2 sons of the late "Mean" Gene Kelton. It was a cover band that played classic rock, 80's rock, new rock and blues. Got the job. Used the Strat exclusively with this band. Played 2 shows and they had a personel change, which put me out. Guess I was kinda like a hired gun.

2006-After that, I just went back to playing open jams again. And then, GAS really hit me hard. Before I knew it I had 10 guitars, ranging from Epiphone, Jackson, Tradition, Fender, ESP, and a partscaster that look like a Jackson custom. All cheap, pawn shop guitars. During this year I moved to Central Texas. Hooked with a band called Kemistery. I thought this band was going somewhere. We won a Battle of Bands in Houston, a preliminary, and later placed 2nd in the Finals. So 2 shows, then a dismemberment again. Anyone see a pattern here!

2010-At this point, I realized it would be better to have 1 or 2 high end guitar, rather than 10 medium priced guitars. So I sold everything but the Fender and Tradition (wanted to keep 1 Floyd equipped git). But as fate would have it, all my gear was stolen. My beloved Strat, that I had for 10 years was gone, along with my pedal board, the Tradition, a bag of goodies, and my amp head. I guess the 4X12 cab was just to big.

2011-I'm back in the Houston area. Came back to work here in 2009, moved back in 2011. Decided I would start my own blues band. Posted an elaborate post on Craigslist back in Nov. Hooked up with this drummer that has a passion for the blues like I do. We have several bassists to choose from. It mainly a jam band for now. Nothing serious yet. But I am itching to get back on stage. We took a break through the holidays. At the turn of the year, everyone seemed to be busy. Then I started a turnaround on Feb. 1, 2012. Been on nights since. Can't wait to get back to jammin'. Hopefully next week, I'll be back on days. I hope so, I want to sign up for GC's Battle of the Blues contest.

I hope you enjoy reading my story, as I have enjoyed the others. Sorry for the long story, but I'm still on nights, and I'm bored!

Hey Tyronne. A very touching story. That brought a tear, but I'm a man, and held it to only 1. Plus, I'm the only one here at work at 1am. Keep jammin' those 3 chords brother, AC/DC have been for over 30 years.

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2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster
2011 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 50's
2007 Epi Les Paul Custom
90's ESP Eclipse
JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Crybaby
Analogman KOT
Korg Pitchblack
Boss NS-2 PH-2
Blues Deluxe Reissue
1999 & 2007 Marshall TSL 100 w/1960BV cab

started back in 1437, had a bit of a hiatus during 1703-1879, but then got back on the fetboard. first person i found to play with was son house in 1931. i am now currently touring venus with me, myself and i.

has been a bit of a journey

Go solo, like sea sick steve and countless other musicians. find a peice of wood that sounds good when you stomp on it to keep beat. all as you need now is a stage name and your ready to play as a solo band.

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former user radio_friendly_unit_shifter