Question 2 of 21

The pre-cursor to the modern guitar was likely a long-necked version of this classic European instrument.

... From the third to the sixth century, European musicians used a long-necked lute with a sound box that was similar to the modern guitar.

Question 3 of 21

By the 15th century, how many strings did most guitars have?

... By the 15th century, guitars had four courses of double strings, for a total of eight. This instrument was very popular in Europe through the 16th century.

Question 4 of 21

What did legendary guitar maker Les Paul call his first prototype, which he built in the early 1940s?

... Paul attached half of an acoustic guitar to either side of a 4x4 piece of pine lumber, then installed magnetic pickups. He named this early prototype "The Log."

Question 5 of 21

What type of guitar was most common from 1600 through the 18th century?

... The Baroque guitar dominated from 1600 through the mid-18th century. This model generally had five double courses of strings, and was larger than earlier guitars.

Question 6 of 21

What happened to the Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix famously set on fire at London's Finbury Astoria in 1967?

... In 1967, Jimi Hendrix set fire to his Stratocaster on stage in London. More than 40 years later, the guitar sold at auction for more than $500,000.

Question 7 of 21

What musician, inspired by his wife, gave his guitar the nickname "Lenny"?

... Stevie Ray Vaughan named his guitar Lenny, after his wife Lenora. Guitar Center purchased the legendary 1965 Stratocaster at auction in 2004 for $623,500.

Question 8 of 21

When was the first electric guitar patented?

... The first patent for an electric guitar was issued in 1937 to G.D. Beauchamp for his "Rickenbacker Frying Pan."

Question 9 of 21

Which Beatle told Rolling Stone that he wasn't a great guitar player, but he sure could "make it ... howl"?

... In an interview with the magazine, John Lennon said, "I'm not technically good, but I can make it … howl."

Question 10 of 21

In 2012, the PBS show History Detectives aired an episode in which they claimed to have found a lost guitar belonging to this musician.

... In 2012, "History Detectives" did a show about a Stratocaster that Bob Dylan may have played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. The guitar is famous because it's believed to be the one Dylan was playing when he shocked his fans by "going electric." For the record, Dylan denies that the guitar is his, though the evidence portrayed in the show is quite convincing.

Question 11 of 21

What record label rejected the Beatles in 1962 because, "guitar groups are on the way out"?

... Decca Records sent the Beatles packing in 1962. Fortunately, George Martin at EMI signed the group six months later.

Question 12 of 21

Who auctioned off his guitar "Blackie" for just under $1,000,000 in 2004?

... Eric Clapton built his guitar, nicknamed "Blackie," out of parts from several different Stratocasters. He auctioned it off for charity in 2004 for just under $1,000,000.

Question 13 of 21

When was the oldest surviving six-string guitar crafted?

... The oldest surviving six-string dates back to around 1779, and was crafted in Naples, Italy.

Question 14 of 21

When were the first steel guitar strings introduced?

... Before steel strings were introduced in the 19th century, guitarists relied on traditional gut strings. Today, steel strings are used to create pop or rock sounds while classical guitarists stick to nylon strings.

Question 15 of 21

Fact or fiction: Gibson couldn't keep up with demand when it introduced its futuristic "Flying V" in 1958.

... Fiction: Buyers steered clear of the Gibson Flying V, so the company produced just 98 units of this model before it was discontinued the next year. Years later, this guitar became popular among rock musicians and was re-released.

Question 16 of 21

The Hawaiian steel guitar is also commonly referred to as this.

... The Hawaiian steel guitar is often called a Dobro, after a popular manufacturer. The steel guitar is a basic Spanish guitar that is coated with metal and played with a steel bar.

Question 17 of 21

This musician told Guitar Player magazine that, "Sometimes ... you’ll hate the guitar. But all of this is just a part of learning, because if you stick with it, you’re going to be rewarded."

... In a 1968 interview, legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix offered these words of wisdom for budding musicians.

Question 18 of 21

Who told Guitar Player, "Playing guitar is like telling the truth. You never have to worry about repeating the same lie if you told the truth"?

... In 1967, B.B. King compared playing a guitar to telling the truth.

Question 19 of 21

What event triggered a charity auction in which Canadian musician Bryan Adams orchestrated the most expensive guitar sale in history at that time?

... After the devastating 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, singer Bryan Adams teamed up with Fender to auction off a Stratocaster that was autographed by more than a dozen musicians. The guitar sold for a record-setting $2.7 million to a royal buyer in Qatar.

Question 20 of 21

This legendary musician once said, "I played guitar for 10 years before I realized it wasn’t a weapon."

... In 1997, Pete Townshend told "Guitar World" magazine it took him 10 years to see his guitar as an instrument rather than a weapon.

Question 21 of 21

Fact or fiction: While most guitars have a single neck, you can find models with five, six, or even seven necks on a single instrument.

... Fact: Double-necked guitars are fairly common among skilled players, but some musicians take it a step further. The band Cheap Trick frequently uses a five-necked guitar, while other bands have rocked guitars with six or seven necks.

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