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Guitar Brain-Buster Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge of the guitar, its history and some of its most famous exponents.

A multiple-choice quiz by Duncan76. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Duncan76

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
79,571

Updated
Jul 13 24

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
14 / 25

Plays
3463

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Who plays rhythm guitar in Aerosmith? Hint

Brad Whitford

Bob Rockford

Bill Bruford

Bert Pickford

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Question 2 of 25

2. Which of these guitarists never played guitar in the Yardbirds? Hint

Eric Clapton

Jeff Beck

Jimmy Page

Jimi Hendrix

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Question 3 of 25

3. Can you name Eric Clapton's black Stratocaster? Hint

Layla

Betsy

Blackie

Beauty

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Question 4 of 25

4. Which famous guitarist wrote the soundtrack for Death Wish 2? Hint

Joe Walsh

Brian May

George Harrison

Jimmy Page

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Question 5 of 25

5. Which company produced the first steel-strung guitar? Hint

Vox

Gibson

Martin

Rickenbacker

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Question 6 of 25

6. Which guitarist first used a 100 watt amplifier? Hint

John Lennon

Eric Clapton

Pete Townshend

Jimi Hendrix

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Question 7 of 25

7. Which of these was one of the first guitarists to intentionally use distortion on a recording? Hint

Eddie Cochran

Link Wray

George Harrison

Jerry Garcia

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Question 8 of 25

8. Which David Bowie track did the late Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan famously play on? Hint

Ashes to Ashes

Jean Genie

Space Oddity

Let's Dance

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Question 9 of 25

9. What's the name given to the device clamped across the neck of a guitar to create an artificial nut? Hint

Capo

Pickup

Plectrum

Wangbar

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Question 10 of 25

10. When did Les Paul create 'The Log', the first solidbody electric guitar? Hint

1948

1942

1939

1936

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Question 11 of 25

11. In 1977, which company launched the first guitar synthesiser? Hint

Zoom

Boss

Electro-Harmonix

Roland

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Question 12 of 25

12. Eddie Van Halen soloed on Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. Who provided the riff? Hint

Slash

Steve Lukather

Tony Iommi

Brian May

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Question 13 of 25

13. What did BB King name his guitar?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 14 of 25

14. What is the make and model of Queen guitarist Brian May's amp of choice? Hint

Vox AC30

Fender Twin

Marshall Stack

Roland Jazz Chorus

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Question 15 of 25

15. Who founded the G3 tour? Hint

Saskwatch

Santana

Satriani

Sinatra

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Question 16 of 25

16. Who released an album called Passion and Warfare in 1990? Hint

Dave Matthews

Slash

Steve Vai

Radiohead

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Question 17 of 25

17. What do you call the bell-like sounds created by resting left-hand fingers lightly over the fretwire at the 12th fret? Hint

Harmonics

Pentatonics

Barre Chords

Pizzicato

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Question 18 of 25

18. Who makes a guitar called a Fly?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 19 of 25

19. Who invented the humbucking pickup? Hint

Seymour Duncan

Larry DiMarzio

Leo Fender

Seth E. Lover

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Question 20 of 25

20. The non-music system of guitar notation is known as what?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 21 of 25

21. Where did Jimi Hendrix famously set fire to his guitar onstage? Hint

The Fillmore

Woodstock

Monterey

Isle of Wight

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Question 22 of 25

22. This country guitarist played guitar for Elvis Presley? Hint

Danny Gatton

Merle Travis

Chet Atkins

Albert Lee

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Question 23 of 25

23. Which of these is the legendary Spinal Tap guitarist? Hint

Ronnie Pudding

Nigel Tufnel

Derek Smalls

Hank Marvin

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Question 24 of 25

24. Which of these terms is a Spanish technique involving a strumming motion across the strings? Hint

Diablo

Cadenza

Rasgueado

Bastardo

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Question 25 of 25

25. Can you name the first Fender guitar? Hint

Newscaster

Telecaster

Esquire

Stratocaster

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who plays rhythm guitar in Aerosmith?

Answer: Brad Whitford

Joe Perry plays lead.

2. Which of these guitarists never played guitar in the Yardbirds?

Answer: Jimi Hendrix

3. Can you name Eric Clapton's black Stratocaster?

Answer: Blackie

Eric has now 'retired' Blackie, due to the amount of abuse it has received from gigs over the years.

4. Which famous guitarist wrote the soundtrack for Death Wish 2?

Answer: Jimmy Page

One of Jimmy's rare projects away from Led Zeppelin

5. Which company produced the first steel-strung guitar?

Answer: Martin

It was called a 'Dreadnought'

6. Which guitarist first used a 100 watt amplifier?

Answer: Pete Townshend

Pete approached legendary amp-maker Marshall, and specifically requested an amp capable of producing 100 watts of sound. How long it lasted is another issue altogether, of course.

7. Which of these was one of the first guitarists to intentionally use distortion on a recording?

Answer: Link Wray

He poked holes in the speaker of his amp with a pen, thus creating the ripped fuzzy effect we all know and love in 1958. Others credited with early innovations in distortion are Ike Turner, Dave Davies of the Kinks, and Johnny Burnett.

8. Which David Bowie track did the late Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan famously play on?

Answer: Let's Dance

Stevie also played on James Brown's 'Living In America'.

9. What's the name given to the device clamped across the neck of a guitar to create an artificial nut?

Answer: Capo

It saves learning new chord shapes to play in different keys.

10. When did Les Paul create 'The Log', the first solidbody electric guitar?

Answer: 1939

Les Paul also pioneered delay and muti-track recording.

11. In 1977, which company launched the first guitar synthesiser?

Answer: Roland

They are still very much at the forefront of guitar-synth technology today.

12. Eddie Van Halen soloed on Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. Who provided the riff?

Answer: Steve Lukather

Slash provided guitar on Michael's 'Black or White', and 'Give In To Me' from the 'Dangerous' album.

13. What did BB King name his guitar?

Answer: Lucille

When BB flies, he buys a ticket for his guitar and keeps it in the seat next to him rather than put it in the luggage hold.

14. What is the make and model of Queen guitarist Brian May's amp of choice?

Answer: Vox AC30

Brian will use up to a dozen amps on stage.

15. Who founded the G3 tour?

Answer: Satriani

The G3 tour sells out almost every show.

16. Who released an album called Passion and Warfare in 1990?

Answer: Steve Vai

For many rock guitarists, this is still the quintessential rock guitar instrumental album.

17. What do you call the bell-like sounds created by resting left-hand fingers lightly over the fretwire at the 12th fret?

Answer: Harmonics

These are known as 'natural' harmonics. Other types include 'pinch' harmonics and 'harp' harmonics

18. Who makes a guitar called a Fly?

Answer: Parker

The Parker Fly is noted for its radical appearance, and its extremely light weight.

19. Who invented the humbucking pickup?

Answer: Seth E. Lover

Seymour Duncan teamed up with Seth to create what Seymour called his 'Antiquity' range - classic vintage humbucking pickups.

20. The non-music system of guitar notation is known as what?

Answer: Tablature

Tab is made up of 6 horizontal lines which represent the 6 strings of the guitar, and aremarked with number to indicate which fret of the should be struck, on which string.

21. Where did Jimi Hendrix famously set fire to his guitar onstage?

Answer: Monterey

Apparently he did it so he wouldn't be upstaged by Pete Townsend's guitar-smashing antics when The Who played after Hendrix's set.

22. This country guitarist played guitar for Elvis Presley?

Answer: Chet Atkins

23. Which of these is the legendary Spinal Tap guitarist?

Answer: Nigel Tufnel

Nigel, played by actor Christopher Guest, holds the title of an English Lord, Lord Hayden-Guest, and may sit in The House of Lords in London for any meeting. He is also married to actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

24. Which of these terms is a Spanish technique involving a strumming motion across the strings?

Answer: Rasgueado

25. Can you name the first Fender guitar?

Answer: Esquire

Fender released their Esquire guitar in 1950, and followed it with the Broadcaster the next year. The Broadcaster was renamed the Telecaster in 1951. Broadcasters and Telecasters differ from the Esquire in that they have two pickups, while the Esquire only has one.

Source: Author Duncan76

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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