These days there seems to be a day to celebrate almost everything! And wouldn’t you know it, we also have a day to honor our axes – National Guitar Day!
The origins of this day are steeped in mystery and intrigue as nobody really seems to know when it originated, or indeed, who even started it!
Still, according to a recent survey, the only instrument more popular than the guitar is the piano, so a day for celebration is certainly warranted!
National Guitar Day 2024
When Is National Guitar Day?
National Guitar Day (also known as Get Out Your Guitar Day) is observed every year on February 11th. So, for 2024, the big day will fall on Sunday, February 11th.
How To Celebrate National Guitar Day
There are a number of ways that the event is meant to be celebrated, and you won’t be surprised to hear that they all revolve around the guitar in all of its various incarnations!
1. Rekindling A Forgotten Hobby
Are you one of the many people who previously bought themselves a guitar, but found that life got in the way and stopped you from becoming the rock god you were destined to be?
Well, this is the perfect day to finally dust off your instrument and restart your journey to virtuosity with renewed vigor! Reacquaint yourself with the instrument by checking out my guitar parts diagram!
Perhaps commit to some weekly lessons from a tutor, or take out a subscription to an online course to ensure that this time you stick with it.
Follow some of the best Instagram guitar pages and other social media channels for daily inspiration to keep going.
If you’re a little rusty, why not dip your toe back in the water with my guide to 150 simple songs on guitar?
2. Inspiring New Players
The second purpose of national guitar day is to try and inspire new people into picking up this incredibly rewarding instrument. It is hoped that by doing this we can grow the worldwide guitar community and help inspire the next generation of Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix level players.
If you are looking for some great ammunition to help convince others to take up guitar, check out my article on why the guitar is an awesome hobby.
3. Inspire Yourself!
Ultimately, this is also a day for YOU! It is a day for finally putting together that new band, heading out to catch a new gig, writing some new music, at long last nailing that impossible solo, or treating yourself to a shiny new piece of gear!
If you have a friend, partner, or family member who plays guitar it could also be a great gesture to buy them a shiny new piece of gear! Have a peruse of my list of 101 gift ideas for guitarists for some great choices!
Or you could wait until National Buy A Musical Instrument Day on May 22nd!
One of my favorite ways to get inspired is to fire up YouTube, put on a live performance or interview from one of my favorite guitarists, and then just let YouTube do its thing and take you down the rabbit hole!
You could also get the creative juices flowing by having a night in and enjoying one of the many excellent guitar-related movies and documentaries. Check out my list of 50 movies that musicians will love!
It is also a day for nostalgia. Remember when you first picked up guitar and finally nailed that first riff, lick, or full song? Well, today is the time to revisit those old favorites and remind yourself of just how far you’ve come on your musical journey.
4. Learn More About The History Of Guitar
We all play guitar, but do you know anything about the rich history of the instrument? For example, did you know that the oldest known representation of a guitar being used is a stone carving from around 1300 BC?
Today is the perfect time to dig a little deeper and educate yourself about these wondrous tools we all know and love.
Use #NationalGuitar Day On Social Media
If you spend as much time glued to your Instagram feed as you do playing guitar, then make sure to also join in on the fun by using the #NationalGuitarDay hashtag. Don’t use #NGD as this means something else entirely – New Guitar Day!
You can also use the hashtags #GetOutYourGuitarDay or #WorldGuitarDay, but these are less widely used than the one above.
Tag your guitar pictures, recordings, and videos to interact with other guitarists from around the globe. Failing that, why not share this article or the sweet graphic below to let all of your friends know about this special day.
National Guitar Day Poster
Below you’ll find a handy Get Out Your Guitar Day poster which you can share to help spread the word to friends and family about the big day. Why not print it out and pin up a few copies around town or in the office.
If you share the graphic on social media please also remember to link back to this page!
For those who would rather print the graphic then you can click here to download a larger A4-sized version (will open in a new window)
Get Out Your Guitar Day Sales
If you own or work in a guitar store then what better way is there to help highlight this day than by hosting a special one-day-only sale?
As the day is also about promoting the instrument to new players it could be the ideal time to run a special on beginner guitar kits as well.
Other World Guitar Day Holidays
Did you know that there are other special days for us guitarists? Here are a few more that you can take part in. Advance warning – some of them are just plain ridiculous!
1. National Electric Guitar Day
National Electric Guitar Day is observed annually on November 27th. The aim of this day is to celebrate all things electric guitar – no acoustics allowed!
2. International Guitar Month
If a day wasn’t enough for you, then how about an entire month?
International Guitar Month takes place throughout the full month of April and is the perfect time to celebrate one of the world’s most popular instruments.
3. National Bassist Day
National Bassist Day is held annually on October 12th and is an event specifically for our 4 and 5-string friends. Related post: 41 Famous Left Handed Bassists.
4. Hug A Bassist Day
If you fancy showing the bass player in your life that you appreciate them, then October 12th is the ideal day to do it! Or drummers can join in on the shows of affection during National Hug A Drummer Day a few days prior on October 10th.
Or! November 13th is National Hug A Musician Day if you want to go crazy with the hugs! Seriously, who comes up with these days…
Fun Guitar Facts
To round off this guide, here are a few fun facts which you can use to impress your musician friends this Get Out Your Guitar Day!
- The most expensive guitar ever sold is Kurt Cobain’s 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic.
- The world’s largest playable guitar is 43ft (13m) long which is roughly the same length as a bus!
- The world’s smallest playable guitar measures just 10 microns long, or 1/20th the width of a human gair!
- Fender produces around 90,000 strings every working day!
- The world record for the longest time continually playing guitar is a whopping 114 hours!
Craving MORE facts? Check out my article on 43 Amazing Facts About Guitar!
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