Richie Sambora says players should spend more time with their guitar than girls: “If you really look at a shape of a guitar, it’s really like a woman”
Richie Sambora has never been short on guitar wisdom, but his latest tip for beginners comes wrapped in an analogy you probably won’t hear from your local guitar teacher.
During a recent Q&A on his YouTube channel, the former Bon Jovi guitarist was asked what advice he’d offer aspiring players. His answer began with a reminder to spend as much time as possible with their instrument.
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“Good listening habits. Try to have one in your hand as much as possible, maybe more than girls,” says Sambora. “Because if you really look at the shape of a guitar, it’s really like a woman, you know what I mean?”
It’s hardly the first time a guitarist has compared the six-string to the female body. Ironically, though, the traditional guitar shape has long been criticised by some players for being uncomfortable for women. That was one of the motivations behind St. Vincent’s signature Ernie Ball Music Man guitar, which she famously designed with room for “a breast – or two”, creating a body shape that better accommodates female players.
The design has since found a fan in Olivia Rodrigo, who used the guitar on her Guts world tour and later described it as “fucking cool looking”, saying: “It’s cut so that you can have boobs and play guitar, which is so awesome.”
Back on the subject of playing, Sambora rounded out his advice with a reminder not to overlook the basics.
“Just play. Learn the fundamentals first,” he says.
The guitarist also reflects on the musicians who shaped his own approach to the instrument, singling out Jimi Hendrix as his biggest inspiration.
“For me Jimi Hendrix was the epitome of improvisation. As far as I know, that was what I wanted,” Sambora says. “I listened to those records, especially the live ones like Band Of Gypsys over and over and over again. Then I moved on to Texas blues with Johnny Winter and the Allman Brothers. And then moved backwards to Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Albert King, BB King.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
