My first guitar was an AGS

Throwback Thursday Thoughts

“What’s an AGS?”

I’ve been asked this by friends when I tell them about my first guitar.

It was a cool 1960s Japanese electric guitar my uncle gave me.

I remember being so enamoured in the presence of an actual ‘electric’ guitar. It was like some unattainable magic wand that rock wizards used.

And I dreamed of one day learning to play it.

Here’s a pic of me with it:

In the photo, you’d think I was looking down the hall at someone to my right.

But no.

I was POSING.

At 8 years old I was in full pretend-rock mode and my Mom was the willing photographer.

Some things to note about this pic:

• Cool ‘electric’ AGS guitar

• I have no idea how to make a chord

• No guitar strap

• Ever-present KISS Army t-shirt (Sgt. Baker had recently welcomed me in)

• K-Way jacket (tucked in?!)

• High-waisted jeans (they’ve made a solid resurgence of late, you know the ones)

• My full-on Gruesomes hair was a few years away, but I had a decent start

Eventually I’d learn a few barre chords on the AGS.

I remember dazzling a buddy in my bedroom with my new found powers. It was AC/DC’s “TNT” that I fumbled through, plugged into a tiny vintage amp.

I was learning to control my magic wand.

I was bitten by the rock ‘n’ roll bug and well on my way.