The guitar, with its rich history and unparalleled versatility, has been a cornerstone of musical expression for generations. From the soulful blues of B.B. King to the electrifying riffs of Jimi Hendrix, guitarists have captured emotions, told stories, and inspired countless listeners with just six strings. Whether it’s the soothing strum of an acoustic or the powerful roar of an electric, the guitar transcends boundaries, becoming a voice for those who wield it. This collection of quotes from legendary guitarists offers a glimpse into the minds of the musicians who have shaped the soundscape of our lives. Dive in and let their words resonate, reminding us that, in the hands of a passionate player, the guitar is not just an instrument but an extension of the soul.
Guitarist Quotes
“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” — B.B. King
“Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know.” — Slash
“Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded.” — Jimi Hendrix
“To me, a guitar is kind of like a woman. You don’t know why you like them but you do.” — Waylon Jennings
“I just go where the guitar takes me.” — Angus Young
“I never practice my guitar. From time to time I just open the case and throw in a piece of raw meat.” — Wes Montgomery
“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” — Jimi Hendrix
“If you pick up a guitar and it says, ‘take me, I’m yours,’ then that’s the one for you.” — Frank Zappa
“When you play, never mind who listens to you.” — Robert Schumann
“Guitar is a lot like life, it doesn’t come with instructions.” — Dave Mustaine
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” — Bob Marley
“The guitar has a kind of grit and excitement possessed by nothing else.” — Brian May
“The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice.” — Andres Segovia
“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“You couldn’t not like someone who played the guitar.” — Stephen King
“Playing guitar is like telling the truth. You never have to worry about repeating the same lie if you told the truth.” — B.B. King
“I am the sum total of everything I have heard, seen, felt, and forgotten.” — Joe Strummer
“You can’t play a sad song on the banjo. It always comes out so cheerful.” — Steve Martin
“Every time you pick up your guitar to play, play as if it’s the last time.” — Eric Clapton
“A guitar is like an old friend that is there with me.” — B.B. King
“Guitar playing isn’t really for everybody.” — Charlie Byrd
“The guitar is a much more efficient way of expressing the infinite variety of the human condition.” — Laurence Juber
“You don’t find a style. A style finds you.” — Keith Richards
“As long as you keep yourself challenged, you’re always going to grow as a guitarist.” — Kirk Hammett
“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.” — Miles Davis
“Guitar is the soul of music.” — Unknown
“The guitar was my weapon, my shield to hide behind.” — Brian May
“I am not an entertainer. I’m an agitator.” — Chuck Berry
“I never wanted to be a rock star. I was interested in playing the guitar.” — James Hetfield
“There’s something about the sound of an electric guitar that’s so iconic and appealing.” — Lindsey Buckingham
“If you really love music, people can tell that you love it, and you’re not really ashamed of it.” — George Harrison
“The guitar is a wonderful instrument which is understood by few.” — Franz Schubert
“Music is my religion.” — Jimi Hendrix
“The guitar is the easiest instrument to play and the hardest to play well.” — Andres Segovia
“Guitar playing is both extremely easy for me and extremely difficult for me at the same time.” — Kirk Hammett
“I never stop learning. As a guitarist, you can never have enough knowledge.” — Joe Satriani
“Sometimes you have to get up really high to understand how small you are.” — Felix Baumgartner
“Learning music by reading about it is like making love by mail.” — Luciano Pavarotti
“To play guitar you must learn to be comfortable in the company of mistakes.” — Richard Thompson
“I want every girl in the world to pick up a guitar and start screaming.” — Courtney Love
“You just have to keep moving forward.” — Layne Staley
“Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.” — Jon Bon Jovi
“If you hit a wrong note, it’s the next note that you play that determines if it’s good or bad.” — Miles Davis
“The guitar is the easiest thing to pick up and the hardest thing to put down.” — Jimmy Page
“Music can change the world because it can change people.” — Bono
“I think of the guitar as a tool. It’s like a hammer – you can build a house or break one.” — Paul Gilbert
“I believe every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it.” — Jimmy Page
“Guitar is a never-ending journey. You never really stop learning.” — Joe Bonamassa
“I love the sound of the guitar, but I also love the sound of silence.” — Paul Simon
“It’s not the notes you play; it’s the notes you don’t play.” — Miles Davis
“I feel my left hand cramping up if I don’t play guitar for a few days.” — Joe Perry
“Playing guitar is not a job, it’s who I am.” — Eddie Van Halen
“I play a lot of instruments, but a guitar is something that’s easy for me.” — Tom Petty
“Life is too short to play a cheap guitar.” — Paul Reed Smith
“Guitarists spend half their life tuning and the other half playing out of tune.” — Unknown
“I never wanted to take the guitar solo. The solo was to be the vocal line.” — John Lennon
“You can’t buy a better sounding guitar than the one you already have if you don’t know how to play it.” — David Gilmour
“When you’re happy, you enjoy the music. When you’re sad, you understand the lyrics.” — Frank Ocean
“The guitar has a kind of grit and excitement possessed by nothing else.” — Brian May
“My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself.” — Joan Jett
“Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know.” — Slash
“I just go where the guitar takes me.” — Angus Young
“To be successful at playing guitar, you must be willing to fail.” — Brian Setzer
“If you pick up a guitar and it says, ‘take me, I’m yours,’ then that’s the one for you.” — Frank Zappa
“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” — Jimi Hendrix
“A good player can make any guitar sound good.” — Tommy Emmanuel
“Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded.” — Jimi Hendrix
“The guitar is a miniature orchestra in itself.” — Ludwig van Beethoven
“Guitar playing is a never-ending journey of discovery.” — Joe Satriani
“If you play the guitar, it doesn’t mean you have to play it in one way. The guitar is a versatile instrument.” — John Frusciante
“Guitar is not a hobby; it’s a lifestyle.” — Unknown
“I play the guitar because it lets me dream out loud.” — Michael Hedges
“The guitar is like a whole world in itself, and you just want to explore it all.” — Eddie Van Halen
“When the guitar was invented, it was a miracle.” — Andres Segovia
“My guitar is a tool to express my soul, my mind, my heart.” — Gary Clark Jr.
“Guitar is the best therapy in the world.” — Anonymous
“The guitar is the easiest way to express yourself if you are that way inclined.” — David Bowie
“Playing guitar is like telling the truth.” — B.B. King
“I am not a guitar collector. I own some guitars because I play them.” — Mark Knopfler
“Music is my life, and the guitar is the instrument that holds everything together.” — Slash
“The electric guitar is a unique instrument; it’s like an orchestra in your hands.” — Steve Vai
“It’s a wonderful thing to play the guitar.” — Richard Thompson
“The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice.” — Andres Segovia
