Are Acoustic Players An Older Lot.

[parsky1]

... and have an incredible amount of respect for people who can play this style well.

That makes two of us  B)  

[Fergy07]

Shoot, I just got all bummed when I realized in 9 months I move out of the majority. We're planning on adjusting this for age progression aren't we?

Andy

[rpg51]

53.
But my son who owns and plays a Larrivee D05 on a daily basis and never touches his Les Paul is 24.
I guess that kinda cancels out.

[rrgguitarman]

Pushing 53. Picked up the electric at 10 played in a couple of rock bands and as i've gotten older I find myself picking up my acoustic more and more...I can't remember when I last played my strat.

[drathbun]

I'm 50

I'm not! ... yet ...

[dreamsinger]

I'm 52, my earliest memory of playing is on a uke I got for my 5th birthday. My mom says she threw cheap plastic stringed things in my crib from birth. First paid electric gig at 12, first acoustic gig at 13. Twiddled my thumbs in a dozen odd bands but being a victim of the Great Folk Scare of the 60's I found my greatest affinity was for acoustic.  Played bass because it was good money and easy gigs but really preferred the solo acoustic gigs. Dropped out of Berklee as a bassist (good enough to get in, not good enough to thrive).  Still enjoy playing bass on the rare occasions I can hook up with a good blues or jazz band.  Didn't play electric 6 string again until a few years back when I realized that Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck fingerpick their Strats, giving me permission to persue my electric chops. I can't flatpick worth a crap.  Learned much of what I know about luthiery from Bob Benedetto and Augie LoPrinzi. Might have persued it as a career had I thought I had a snowball's chance of being anywhere near as good at it them. Worked in music retail in high school and have the dubious distiction of throwing Paul Reed Smith out of the store for asking too many(what seemed at the time) stupid questions.

[Ed R.]

I'm 45... started out electric, worked up to Les Pauls and a HiWatt Stack, long hair, that was the stuff...  working a lot, kids, too much noise in life made me appreciate the gentle call of the acoustic... also, no lugging equipment, just plop down and play...  joy.     hummmm...  short hair, lots of gray, connection?   maybe...

[btbill]

49, have hair... grey, also have a few extra lbs.

[dreamsinger]

49, have hair... grey, also have a few extra lbs.

Count your blessings in that it's only a *few*.  I went past that long ago.

[Randy_R]

I want to put together a Led Zepplin retro band to help me work off a few pounds..  :mellow:

[egordon99]

I'm 28, although when I was in HS in the 1990s, my parents said I should have been around in the 1960s, as I listened to alot of classic rock. I started out playing electric (Fender Strat  ) in Junior High and HS, but got my first real acoustic (Martin D16H) when I was a sophmore in HS. I grew more drawn towards acoustic music as I progressed through HS and college, eventually selling off my electric/amps/etc when I was a Junior in College (~1997/98), and I've been 100% unplugged since then!  :GRN>

[btbill]

49, have hair... grey, also have a few extra lbs.

Count your blessings in that it's only a *few*.  I went past that long ago.

That's the main reason I had to get the Jumbo, I thought that it would make this old guy look skinny, :WNK>
It didn't work!! I posted the pic at "J-10 concerns", if you need a laugh, besides being over weight I look hung-over, and I don't even drink!! Life is rough!
btbill

[dreamsinger]

49, have hair... grey, also have a few extra lbs.

Count your blessings in that it's only a *few*.  I went past that long ago.

That's the main reason I had to get the Jumbo, I thought that it would make this old guy look skinny, :WNK>
It didn't work!! I posted the pic at "J-10 concerns", if you need a laugh, besides being over weight I look hung-over, and I don't even drink!! Life is rough!
btbill

295#, size 14 gloves and my next guitar is a 00. This could begin to resemble that circus stunt where an apparent never ending  parade of clowns exits the VW.

[dbirchett]

295#, size 14 gloves and my next guitar is a 00. This could begin to resemble that circus stunt where an apparent never ending  parade of clowns exits the VW.

Sort of like this?  :WNK>

[dreamsinger]

295#, size 14 gloves and my next guitar is a 00. This could begin to resemble that circus stunt where an apparent never ending  parade of clowns exits the VW.

Sort of like this?  :WNK>

That is the smallest 614CE I've ever seen!

[btbill]

You may have me beat, in this photo I am around 270. I was really hoping that the Jumbo would slim me down!! :WNK>

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[dbirchett]

That is the smallest 614CE I've ever seen!

Actually, its a DDSM but in my hands it looks like a parlor.

[el guitana]

Smack dab in the majority at 48. Got my first, a 3rd hand Kay archtop with fake "flame" painted into the sunburst, at age 13. Been semi-serious about playing a lot since about 18. Even during my rock band days, I used to want to go acoustic, but the boys thought that was lame.  Now one of them is my acoustic duo partner!

[jambrose]

42. Not bald. :lol:

Deb

This gave me a good laugh!

Tx Deb

[sologuitar]

There is a large population of older acoustic players, and I think there are several reasons for it. The baby boomers, who started playing back in the 1960's, are aging now. But they love their guitars. Many people have more time on their hands. Maybe they're retired or the kids have grown up. I know a lot of people who started playing the guitar in their 50's and 60's. They have the money to take lessons and the time to practice.

Another reason is the availability of high-quality guitars today. You can get better guitars for less money. Anybody who wants a nice guitar can have one. You can get a used Larrivee parlor for $500. Back in the 60's we didn't have those options. CNC machines and laser cutters didn't exist. Jean Larrivee in those days was hand-building classical guitars at home.

I started playing 40 years ago. Today I'm playing better and enjoying it more than ever. I think experience and maturity improve guitar playing in ways that are difficult to describe. Segovia knew that. He often said that guitarists should not attempt to play the famous Chaconne until they were at least 50 years old. I know what he meant, and I believe he's right.

Guitar players seem to last a long time. Leo Kottke still tours. He played in my city recently. This Friday I'm going to see John Renbourn. Larry Snitzler, an incredible classical guitarist and Segovia protege, came through town a while back. He sounds as good as ever. All of these guys are in their 60's (at least). And they all perform solo. Those of you who play solo know how hard it is, just you alone against the world, and nobody else to fall back on. If you screw up, there are no excuses.

My bias is obvious, of course. Some will say I like old guitar players because I am one. Whatever the case, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ashby