What was your first "real" guitar?

[TBurst Std]

1979 Gibson LP Std.  Saved and bought it new at age 15.
Still have it (though it is time for a refret - note the low E bridge adjustment due to very worn frets). Will put a new nut on it as well as replace the bridge again (it has flattened some) and may treat myself to a new tailpiece.

Needing new insurance for my stuff and was blown away by replacement costs for the pups in it (as pictured). Going price I saw for Timbuckers on the low side was 1000 for the pair.

 

[Cagey]

Good luck with the insurance thing. I've been sorta looking into that lately myself, and am amazed at what they want. Everything's covered now, but only barely. I'd lose my shorts if the place burned.

 

[pabloman]

A '92 SG Standard! In '93 I talked my parents into getting me a $500 Randy Rhoads for my 16th birthday. We walked into Holze Music in Killeen, TX, I proudly showed my dad the dark blue Jackson. He took one look at it and said "that's ugly." He looked around and grabbed the only thing in arms reach and said "get this instead." My dream guitar was a Les Paul Standard so I was blown away. I had the same bound neck, the same trapazoid inlays, same pickups. It was awesome. Me and that guitar had lots and lots of special moments together. Anything I've ever done that was worth a shit on guitar was with that thing.

 

[mrpinter]

My first guitar was an Aria acoustic, but the first one I got really serious about music with was a used Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean that my guitar teacher co-signed for at a music store in the early 1970s. It looked very much like this:

Stupidly, I sold it to fund a Japanese Strat. I guess I didn't think I could have more than one guitar at a time back in my youth.

 

[Cagey]

I guess I didn't think I could have more than one guitar at a time back in my youth.

I maintained that attitude for many years, young or not and heeled or not. Always figured if I couldn't do what I wanted with what I had, then I needed more instruction or practice. I suspect that's true much more often than not.

 

[kboman]

Stupidly, I sold it to fund a Japanese Strat.

Ouch! You sold a Gretsch hollowbody to fund a str*t?!

 

[Steve_Karl]

I guess I didn't think I could have more than one guitar at a time back in my youth.

I maintained that attitude for many years, young or not and heeled or not. Always figured if I couldn't do what I wanted with what I had, then I needed more instruction or practice. I suspect that's true much more often than not.

I used to do a similar think but I called it "guitar wars."
I'd always have 2 and buy a 3rd and then the least favorite would get sold to fund an other contender.

I lost a lot of great guitars that way. Thinking back on it now, I wish I had kept every one.

 

[Jcurl02]

My first real guitar is an early 80's Gretsch BST 1000.  I bought it for $250 from a local rip off music store.  Thing is I still have it!  If you get a chance, read up on it.  It's a pretty neat little guitar.  "Zero fret", DiMarzio Twin Humbuckers, single tone and volume conntrols.

My good fried had a John Lennon style Rick and he often stated he'd rather play mine.  (I'd have to agree!)

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Miss this one  :sad:

LOVE this guitar!

 

[whitebison66]

My first guitar was a Memphis LP copy. My first good guitar was a 1981 Gibson XR-1, bought used in 1983.
Cherry sunburst, no binding, dot neck. Mini-switch for coil tap. Supposedly it was the guitar that became the LP studio. Steve Clarke of Def Leppard played a tobacco burst SR-1. All I remember is that it weighed about 30 pounds and was a fretless (not)wonder(ful). I sold it a few years later. I really don't miss it.

This is just a photo I found, not my actual XR-1. Mine didn't have that much wear.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I found a pic of me playing my first "unreal" guitar at a gig at Western Penitentiary ( Pgh. PA ) in the "yard" ... probably 1971 or close to that. It was a National "Towne and Country".  Yea, I was messing with that one also ... put a p90 on it for a while,
but eventually put the HB back on it.

 

[stubhead]

One of these, bought used in 1972:

I probably thought that you could have more than one instrument, but you couldn't play both bass and guitar, so I sold that to help fund one of these in 1975:

I actually really liked both of these, but that was in an era when if you wanted a guitar, or an amp, or a car, you had to pay for it yourself. I can't even remember how it was legal to work full time (summers) at the age of 12, but we did.

 

[GearBoxTy]

A B.C. Rich NJ Mockingbird is a pretty good first guitar!

My first "real" guitar was a Cort Stratocaster copy that my Dad bought me on April 10, 1984.  I consider that the day I really started playing guitar.  A few years later I put an old beat up Fender neck on it then the guitar was later stolen from my car. 

I'll try to add a picture I took of my friend playing it after the Fender neck was on it....here goes...

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

A B.C. Rich NJ Mockingbird is a pretty good first guitar!

My first "real" guitar was a Cort Stratocaster copy that my Dad bought me on April 10, 1984.  I consider that the day I really started playing guitar.  A few years later I put an old beat up Fender neck on it then the guitar was later stolen from my car. 

I'll try to add a picture I took of my friend playing it after the Fender neck was on it....here goes...

It would be a nice guitar if it weren't so obnoxiously nose-heavy.  The nose just dives.  It's so bad, it's near impossible to play while standing up.  If it weren't for its nose-heaviness, it'd be okay.

 

[DangerousR6]

I found a pic of me playing my first "unreal" guitar at a gig at Western Penitentiary ( Pgh. PA ) in the "yard" ... probably 1971 or close to that. It was a National "Towne and Country".  Yea, I was messing with that one also ... put a p90 on it for a while,
but eventually put the HB back on it.

I have in my midst a National from 1954

I think it's a model 1122

 

[Updown]

I found a pic of me playing my first "unreal" guitar at a gig at Western Penitentiary ( Pgh. PA ) in the "yard" ... probably 1971 or close to that. It was a National "Towne and Country".  Yea, I was messing with that one also ... put a p90 on it for a while,
but eventually put the HB back on it.

Ah yes ... Steve_Karl, the 70's indeed, ciggy while playing  :icon_thumright:
Don't see it that much these days.

Great shot !!

 

[DocNrock]

I won't go into the details of first guitars (Arbor, Aria, Sears...)

Anyway, I would consider my first "real" guitar a Gibson The Paul.  If you're familiar with that model, its a solid body flat top stripped down version of a Les Paul.  I got it when I was in college at 19 for like $200, then promptly put a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge spot.  :icon_biggrin:

That guitar got sold, why I don't remember.  But later, during my first year of med school, I picked up a Kramer Stagemaster and a year later a Peavey Sarzo bass.  They were both brand new but I got them for a steal.  The owner of a local music store was a coke-head and if you walked in with cash, you could get more than 50% off on anything! 

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I won't go into the details of first guitars (Arbor, Aria, Sears...)

Anyway, I would consider my first "real" guitar a Gibson The Paul.  If you're familiar with that model, its a solid body flat top stripped down version of a Les Paul.  I got it when I was in college at 19 for like $200, then promptly put a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge spot.  :icon_biggrin:

That guitar got sold, why I don't remember.  But later, during my first year of med school, I picked up a Kramer Stagemaster and a year later a Peavey Sarzo bass.  They were both brand new but I got them for a steal.  The owner of a local music store was a coke-head and if you walked in with cash, you could get more than 50% off on anything!

I remember the "The Paul."  A buddy of mine's first guitar was one.  I don't remember it being a bad guitar.

 

[DocNrock]

I remember the "The Paul."  A buddy of mine's first guitar was one.  I don't remember it being a bad guitar.

I remember it being a really good player.  Nice low action with no fret buzz whatsoever.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I remember the "The Paul."  A buddy of mine's first guitar was one.  I don't remember it being a bad guitar.

I remember it being a really good player.  Nice low action with no fret buzz whatsoever.

Back when Gibsons were decent guitars.  :icon_biggrin: