Fellow Geezers, Lets Hear It

[markerdown]

I'm just curious about how may other older folks have found their way back to playing the guitar again. And want to share their story

As for me, I had a 40 year layoff during which I got into Kaw 900's, mopar musclecars, and travelled the world via uncle sam for 23 years. I still have the Kaw's and a pair of cuda's.

I was at a friends house one day and spotted a squier and amp in a dusty corner of his garage. He bought it for his kid a few years back but his kid was more into playstation. It was funny because when I picked it up, I belted out those same 3 chords in Dave's CCR video ..DAG. .. the intro riff to Bad Moon Rising. The kids all freaked out, and kept after me to play more. Their interest lasted for about the weekend, but I remained hooked....again!

Thats my story. I still have trouble with barre chords........markerdown

Oh yeah, Dave, if you read this, I had a grin from ear to ear when I watched your CCR video. That was one of the first songs I learned and played in a garage band as a kid :D :D :D

[streetsweeper]

I started again after about 35 years. I lost my guitar in a burglary back in the 70's and with a new wife, kids on the way and all of the other things that came with them, I couldn't afford a new one. After the kids graduated and went on their own, I impulsively walked into a music store and bought a new one (about 6 months ago). This site has made my comeback a lot quicker. I'm having a blast even though my finger joints ache a little more than they use to, he-he.

[slinger]

After some 50 years of playing air guitar, I was sitting around watching one of those infomercials on TV of guy looking like zorro, playing and peddling guitars. He looked at me and said he wanted to give me the gift of music, all I had to do was get one of his guitars. So I hung up the air guitar, bought a real one and started on my musical journey.

Now I'm hooked big time trying to learn and having a blast trying to recapture my youth. When I'm not practicing I surf around the net trying to pick up tips on how to make those melodious sounds. I found YouTube and there is this guy with his hat on backwards saying he wants to give me the gift.......all I have to do is..........:eek: :confused: :rolleyes: ;)

[guymenton]

It was Esteban on the Home Shopping Network wasn't it?!?! LOL...not to take away from him, but there is an awful lot of controversy surrounding his "claims" to have studied under the legendary Segovia and his peddling of poor-quality guitars. My friend lent me his 5-DVD guitar lessons, and he doesn't even come close to David and his teaching...just my 2 cents. I thought this article was interesting:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/issues/2000-09-21/news/feature.html
But no matter how we all found our way here, it's a good thing, and I would say, Rock On!!! :D

PS. I just started playing last year at 35, so I'm an old geezer too. :rolleyes:

After some 50 years of playing air guitar, I was sitting around watching one of those infomercials on TV of guy looking like zorro, playing and peddling guitars. He looked at me and said he wanted to give me the gift of music, all I had to do was get one of his guitars. So I hung up the air guitar, bought a real one and started on my musical journey.

Now I'm hooked big time trying to learn and having a blast trying to recapture my youth. When I'm not practicing I surf around the net trying to pick up tips on how to make those melodious sounds. I found YouTube and there is this guy with his hat on backwards saying he wants to give me the gift.......all I have to do is..........

[slinger]

It was Esteban on the Home Shopping Network wasn't it?!?!

But no matter how we all found our way here, it's a good thing, and I would say, Rock On!!! :D



Yep, It was Esteban.....he managed to reel me in. No complaints or regrets. With only air guitar experience, I was a newbie to the real world of guitars and music. The first guitar Esteban offered was a nylon string classical which for the price turned out to be a good starter, since the strings were easier on the fingers and the fretboard a little wider for fingering. Along with the guitar came only 1 indroductory DVD to get me started with basics.

I too have heard the stories on Esteban, but all in all he's a good player and manageing to make a living. If I could get anywhere near his ability I would be very satisfied.

Now maybe Dave and Tim can help to the nextlevel :)

[flyallnite]

I'm 41, and been at this for a whole week. After so many years I guess I'm just looking for new ways to get my wife in the mood. And if it doesn't work, I'm having fun anyway!

[PhilC]

I'm 47. I've always wanted to learn and as I get closer to the grave I'm wondering "what's stopping me?" What am I waiting for? So, here I am... and I'm enjoying every painful minute! :D

[drogstad]

OK - Here it is. I am now 40 although I don't feel like it.

I bought a guitar back in the olden days, (1986) but never played much.

Flash-forward to this last Christmas, my oldest son wants a guitar. I dug out my original Epiphone a few weeks before the holiday and we started to mess around. Now he has a new guitar and I am playing my old one.

I have had more fun just learning a few songs with NLG than any other lesson. Dave makes it fun and easy.

[disobedience]

36 years young here...been playing off and on for over 20 years...still not where I want to be ;)

But then..that's what I love about the guitar. You never stop learning and improving.

[hbooker]

well I guess Im a geezer afterall, I thought the term retrobate was more on target.
At one time I was in a few bands, but back then we needed BIG hair and twards the end we needed headbands..
I grabbed my first guitar on the way home from school, my buddy was taking guitar lessions in high school. He showed me the rock and roll progression..
After about 4 weeks I made it to the entire round. then I learned some other "old things back then"
I was hooked on music and thats for sure.
That Christmas My mom got me a cool Axe.. (It was a Aspen strat copy) It was 1976 we picked up that and a Les Paul Deluxe for some odd reason...
I added a Mitchell Sand Amp to that and was in love again...
I loved that guitar, changed those knock off pick\ups into double humbuckers for the strat. (If I even locate one of these things I would snap it up in a minute)

We started playing and learning new top 40 songs. (back then) and continued to "be the legends of the garage" for years to come.
With the "great calibur" of tallent we possesed (LOL) we were set on course to be the Mid 80's Party band.
Then we did something a bit offbeat.
We took our crap show on the road.
Now I say on the road, I mean on the road. We built a stage and had lighting and a generator we played up and down the coast for a full summer. Everynight a different Beach, we even somehow gained a following of sorts.
THey would show up and gather people.. We went from there to a show in some country joint up in the sonora area, or somewhere it was a huge house seated probably 5000 folks and it was packed. Here we were a Rock band that played floyd, dire straights, loverboy and aerosmith being intorduced to a 100% country joint.
We had to pull it off, they loved sultans of swing and then I headed into the babies head first - strummed to a country beat - who knew it would go over..
they asked us back (I was in shock)

Playing the party - had its downfall, and so did I LOL...
The bands I participated in were interesting at best.
I tried out for a few and made it into one called Interstate 5, well uhh that went well for 1 day, I was too "cool so I thought" they wanted me to practice and play without any "liquid courage or anything else for that fact" ohh well..

As the years went on my life troubles caught up with me and I ended up making some life changing decisions. One of them was to "get clean" and that meant stopping going to places were I use to perform.
Years Later I still missed it bad.
about 8 years ago I owned a Website Marketing company, we promoted websites I bought a full band outfit on a whim, drums PA guitars base and amps, just to knock arround.
I got to sit in on a live show at a ampethetor and got some decent
compliments.
That leads me in a roundabout way to today...
I have just joined here and Like your concept.
Im 45 and have 5 grandkids Its funny to see them watch and dance to the "relic songs" that I play sometimes.

My Name is Mike H Booker is my nickname.
See ya online!

[willf]

Well I am a geezer. I am 47 years old but the funny thing is when i look in the mirror I dont see a 47 yr old guy. Anyway a few months a go my 13year old son started taking guitar lessons. He lives in queens with his mom & I live in manhattan. He comes over every weekend But he didnt bring his guitar till about two weeks ago. I was impressed at what he learned from his teacher & from the internet. When I was about 12 I took guitar lessons for a long time. My teacher tought me to read muisic & play all the notes on the top three or four fretts. I had a lot of trouble changing cords. & the teaher seemed content to just let me play the notes in the cream song book I brought. The notes i was playing never sounded like the songs on the record. I think they may have been piano notes. with the cord diagrams above. Anyway I gave up feeling like a looser. And every time one of my friends learned guitar I felt worse. Well with my sons progress as insentive i am tring again. After only short few weeks I can already play better than i did after at least two years of "study". Thanks david I can do this!

[bobbunnell]

Who is the oldest geezer here?

I am 62. I had been an occasional guitar player (in the living room) since I was 18. Went on to fly jets for the USAF and retired after 25 years....
A friend invited me to attend a living room gathering and I got hooked. The group formed a "geezers" band 2 years ago and we play for community events, nursing homes, etc. Since we had many guitar players, I volunteered to learn the bass. The group is called the "Back Porch Band" and can be viewed at www.thebackporchband.150m.com .

I currently own a 68 Gibson 12 string, a 73 Martin D-18, a Rogue violin bass, a squier bass and am awaiting delivery of a Squier '51. I use a Roland Cube Bass 100 and a Cube 20X practice amp.

I am thoroughly enjoying my retirement!

[Ber]

I don't ride a harley....but my midlife crisis indulgences include woodworking, photography and now guitar. No big hog in the garage....just big, big woodworking machines, my nikon's and studio, and my black SG.....although I'm currently building two strats....one hardtail. I'm truely at peace with all of them. Doesn't hurt to have a understanding, smokin hot wife of 21 years either.

Bydand !

Berserker

[Ber]

Turned 47 in Jan. by the way

Berserker

[Ber]

and.......I've been married to my smokin, hot wife for 21 years........she's not 21. Cripes....I have a daughter that is 20. lol.

Berserker

[Phoenix]

Hello everyone...
My name is Phoenix, and ummm.. I'm a geezer...
I'm 43 and tried bass when I was about 12...
lost interest by 14....because I decided I would rather play guitar.
Well, deciding and doing unfortunately didn't happen at the same time.
First off I couldn't afford a guitar....I was 14...no job...no money...
Then I discovered girls....
That ate up most of my time....
Got married had two great kids....actually bought a guitar,
but it just sat around and got dusty while life kept me busy...stupid life...
So.... anyway... after 18 years of married....****BLISS**** got divorced, changed jobs, met my new wife, and decided to get a guitar, the old one having stayed in my ex-house with my ex-wife, with my ex-dog....
Long road... but I WILL MASTER THIS SIX STRINGED DEMON!!!


Someday... now I'm gonna take some time and learn how to play

[sdolsay]

I started playing in my 20's and stopped for 20 years, picked it up again at age 43, and I can identify with getting into Mopars :)

[markerdown]

Yeah, the need for speed never dies.... especially for mopars:D

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/markerdown/CopyofMC3717wb.jpg

[nlsstar]

OMG...when did i become a geezer!!!....wasn't it just yesterday when some "old" lady" called me a "long haired..teenage hippie punk"....:rolleyes:
I'm 46 now..but still play competitive Men's Ice Hockey against these punk @#&# teenagers i used to be....lol
I played clarinet and sax in a swing band when I was in grade school...and move up to guitar when I was mixing sound for local bands in the 70's...my partner in the sound company and I wanted to start our own band...but had to learn an instrument first...lol..duh!!!...and I guess I got the guitar in a coin toss....i wanted it anyway...but we really poured ourselves into learning and played our first gig about a year into learning...after that we had 2 bands together...then came the family..kids...yada yada yada...then 2 years ago our cable company offered "on-demand" features and there was "guitar lessons"...so i dug out my old V ..no amp or effects.. I took a lesson or 2..and got hooked all over... so i then took lessons for a year at a local music shop.. my teacher was very nice..but he was all about jazz guitar...and i'm a metal head..so we just didn't click...I "searched" guitar lessons on youtube...saw one of Dave and Tim's...and pretty much discounted the others... followed the path here...they are exactly what i was hoping to find in my local music store....but now...even cooler..they are in my living room!!!
Mitch