The History And Background Of The Guitar - by Mike Hayes

The History And Background Of The Guitar - by Mike Hayes: "Compared to some musical instruments, the guitar is a relative newcomer dating from the Middle Ages. It's origins, go back to long before the beginnings of recorded history.

The first instrument was probably nothing more than a bow in the hands of a prehistoric hunter. One day, some nameless innovator attached a hollow gourd to the shaft of a bow. By hugging the gourd to his chest and bending the shaft back and forth with one hand (to change the tension on the string), he produced resonant notes by plucking the string with his other hand. Primitive instruments of this type are still played in various parts of Africa."