Ritchie Blackmore Quotes

My first killer amp was a Sunn Beta Lead. It was solid-state, but that Sunn was incredibly loud. I used to say to my friends, 'Hey, check it out. It's only on two.'

I suppose I am a frustrated musician so I annoy my family by playing guitar in the house. I used to be into acoustic stuff but my son Joseph is learning drums, so now I have an electric guitar and we play Metallica. We have an amp and a PA in the garage with his drum kit.

I mainly use Stratocasters. I like a lot of different kinds of guitars, but for what I do, it seems that a Stratocaster is the most versatile. I can pretty much get any sound out of it, and I use stock pickups.

You'd always see a lady or a little girl sitting at a piano. I decided I wanted to play something more unexpected, so that's when I got interested in learning to play the guitar.

I went pretty much for one tone, and I knew at that time that I wanted to play a Rickenbacker.

Aww, come on man, I can barely handle 6 strings.

I started playing guitar back in '56. I was a teenager, and guitars had just come in, and I had a thing for it and got one. Started learning lead breaks from songs, because that was the easiest thing to do at the time. I had the guitar for two years before I learned any chords. Really.

I've always loved the electric guitar: to hold it and work it and hear what it does is unreal.

What made me pick up a guitar? It weighed a lot less than a piano.

I met Leo Fender, who is the guru of all amplifiers, and he gave me a Stratocaster. He became a second father to me.

I was bought an electric guitar when I was 12, but my guitar teacher beat me up. I didn't like guitar lessons and I got quite bored. My teacher was obviously bored giving me lessons, and one day I offered him a liquorice toffee, but he didn't answer. So I threw it at him, it hit him in the face, and he sort of beat me up.

The heavy guitars are the ones that sound good. They are not that comfortable, but they do sound great.

Unless the guitar works as a color, then I don't use it, so I haven't been playing guitar too much lately.

Every guitar I own gets used and has its purpose.

I've always liked the electric guitar better. Even though the acoustic can be a very sexy and mysterious instrument, I can go to way more places with an electric.

The guitar can go at a scream. It can yell at you.

I played a guitar with a file, and a synthesizer.

I live, breathe, and sleep guitars.

I play mostly Gibsons. In fact, they have just given me a signature guitar.

The electric guitar was a big step for me, but I didn't spend a lot of time trying to adjust. It wasn't like, 'Hey, little lady, come strap on this here big guitar.' We took it in steps as much as possible.

I know how to play the acoustic guitar, but I'm learning to play the electric guitar now. I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience.

The electric guitar was vital in helping what I've achieved where would I be without it? Playing awfully quietly, for a start.

I was interested in the electric guitar even before I knew the difference between electric and acoustic. The electric guitar seemed to be a totally fascinating plank of wood with knobs and switches on it. I just had to have one.

I like the idea of having an old Gibson [guitar], but I don't have one. The Gibson has a different quality, but it's almost like you need both.

Guitar is the most expressive instrument in the world. I don't play much any more. Maybe a bit in private.