The long and honorable history of guitar face

[tjcurtin1]

Thought you might all be interested to know that 'guitar face' predates the guitar - it actually started out as 'lute face' (if it doesn't go back even further - maybe the ancient Greeks had 'Kithara face'). An early 1600's lute tutor has a great line (sorry, I can't find it now to quote exactly) to the effect that 'when playing, do not grimace, roll your eyes or throw your head or arms about, as it is most unseemly and distracting to the listeners.' Plus ca change, as the French say...

[sunvalleylaw]

Early chick band, more smile than Joan Jett snarl at this point.


http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/180px-Jan_Vermeer_van_Delft_013.jpg

Not quite sure about this, but may be early bass face, though it appears to have 6 strings. Had not evolved to Brian Krashpad standards for bass face at this point.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/180px-Guitar-like_plucked_instrumen.jpg

[markb]

You'd pull faces with 19 gut strings to keep in tune :D

[SuperSwede]

http://cmunki.net/v-web/gallery/albums/junkdrawer/guitar_solo.jpg

http://www.gallen-kallela.fi/artnoir/img/Strindberg_kitara7.gif

[wingsdad]

Here's one of those 'lute faces'..."Jester With A Lute", from 1620 or so.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/jester_lute.jpg

[tjcurtin1]

Wow! Great job finding pics, you guys! Makes you feel connected down the centuries...:D

[R_of_G]

http://cmunki.net/v-web/gallery/albums/junkdrawer/guitar_solo.jpg

Nice. I had no idea Saruman was a lefty.