---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier…"
description: "\"I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas, then spent ages trying to make a bottleneck. At that point, I was meant to be developing my fath..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg"
---

#  I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas…

![“I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas, then spent ages trying to make a bottleneck. At that point, I was meant to be developing my father's ice-cream cafe into a global concern, but I spent all my time in the stockroom playing slide guitar.” quote by Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg)

> “I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas, then spent ages trying to make a bottleneck. At that point, I was meant to be developing my father's ice-cream cafe into a global concern, but I spent all my time in the stockroom playing slide guitar.”

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator wasted time on music instead of developing a family business, illustrating distraction and misplaced priorities.

**In simple terms:** Music obsession delayed business growth.

Key Takeaway

Balance passion with responsibility.

Themes

career distraction priorities

Mood

reflective determined

Type

advice personal

When to use this quote

- entrepreneurship
- personal development

Key Concepts

music family business time management

Questions to Reflect On

- What priorities are you neglecting?
- How can you allocate time wisely?

A Different Perspective

Focus can be hard to regain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I spent ages figuring out things like viewpoint, how you tell the story, and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-spent-ages-figuring-out-things-like-viewpoint-how-you-tell-the/)

[Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/)

> [I'm honored when young people say they've gone to school on slide guitar with my records. But people get their influence from my live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-m-honored-when-young-people-say-they-ve-gone-to-school-on-slide/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [There was nobody at the time who was playing slide guitar like Johnny, and nobody, or no white guys at least, that was playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-derringer/there-was-nobody-at-the-time-who-was-playing-slide-guitar-like-johnny/)

[Rick Derringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-derringer/)

> [I've been using slide guitar, banjo, stuff like that for yonks. But if people haven't seen me live on stage, they wouldn't have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakin-stevens/i-ve-been-using-slide-guitar-banjo-stuff-like-that-for-yonks-but-if/)

[Shakin' Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakin-stevens/)

> [You can play slide on any guitar, but to be serious about it you have a tough set of strings, otherwise you don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/you-can-play-slide-on-any-guitar-but-to-be-serious-about-it-you-have/)

[Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/)

> [With slide guitar, you're just hanging this piece of glass on your hand. It's a really beautiful instrument in that it's so responsive, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/with-slide-guitar-you-re-just-hanging-this-piece-of-glass-on-your/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [I'm more of a rhythmic player. My soloing is pretty much limited to playing slide guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-m-more-of-a-rhythmic-player-my-soloing-is-pretty-much-limited-to/)

[George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/)

> [I used to go and do some sitting in with Robert Nighthawk when he were playing at the 708 Club in Chicago. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-wells/i-used-to-go-and-do-some-sitting-in-with-robert-nighthawk-when-he/)

Junior Wells

> [The best slide guitar, unless you're playing the Muddy Waters-style, is the old '52 Goldtop Les Paul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/the-best-slide-guitar-unless-you-re-playing-the-muddy-waters-style-is/)

[Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/)

> [I also generally play slide guitar in standard tuning, which enables me to switch back and forth between using the slide and fretting notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-haynes/i-also-generally-play-slide-guitar-in-standard-tuning-which-enables/)

[Warren Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-haynes/)

> [I'm glad I get singled out for my slide guitar-playing, which isn't that difficult to do. I didn't take guitar lessons, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/i-m-glad-i-get-singled-out-for-my-slide-guitar-playing-which-isn-t/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/)

Richard Doll

> [Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework - and enforcing it - we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/although-religion-might-be-useful-in-developing-a-solid-moral/)

[Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/)

## More by Chris Rea

> [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I actually, truly do love my family. It's not a public relations exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-actually-truly-do-love-my-family-it-s-not-a-public-relations/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [Nothing was ever clean enough for my father. You could never clean as good as he could; you could never clean as fast and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/nothing-was-ever-clean-enough-for-my-father-you-could-never-clean-as/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [Being on the road isn't hell - it's pure pleasure now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/being-on-the-road-isn-t-hell-it-s-pure-pleasure-now/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [My father used to control the wholesale of many ice-cream items in Middlesbrough. He was central distributor for most of the region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/my-father-used-to-control-the-wholesale-of-many-ice-cream-items-in/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway, oh no, this is the road to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/this-ain-t-no-upwardly-mobile-freeway-oh-no-this-is-the-road-to-hell/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [Music is a saviour for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/music-is-a-saviour-for-me/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I think all the business stuff - the promotion, the hype, the high-power lunches, and the permanently injected smiles - is boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-think-all-the-business-stuff-the-promotion-the-hype-the-high-power/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I never had a desire to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-never-had-a-desire-to-be-famous/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to-be-what-you-think-is/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [That is the music that I have always wanted to play: real, genuine guitar music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/that-is-the-music-that-i-have-always-wanted-to-play-real-genuine/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I'm lucky to be alive. I'm one of only 40 people who have survived the surgery I had, and when you've been that close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-m-lucky-to-be-alive-i-m-one-of-only-40-people-who-have-survived-the/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [If the heads of all the music companies had known about music and about Chris Rea fans, they wouldn't have worried about 'Stony Road.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/if-the-heads-of-all-the-music-companies-had-known-about-music-and/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [I've given up my Ferrari - the idea of going through my village in a 488... You can't drive them on English roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-ve-given-up-my-ferrari-the-idea-of-going-through-my-village-in-a/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

> [In a funny way, the illness spurred me on. I thought to myself, 'I've got to get through this operation to make a blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/in-a-funny-way-the-illness-spurred-me-on-i-thought-to-myself-i-ve-got/)

[Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

[Explore all 77 Chris Rea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/)

## More Developing quotes

> [Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework - and enforcing it - we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/although-religion-might-be-useful-in-developing-a-solid-moral/)

[Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/)

> [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/)

Richard Doll

> [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/one-of-the-most-powerful-concepts-one-which-is-a-sure-cure-for-lack/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/)

[Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/)

> [Consider developing your whole self with the same raw focus and intensity that you develop a particular skill set. Get focused. Go out, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/consider-developing-your-whole-self-with-the-same-raw-focus-and/)

[Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/)

> [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/)

[Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/)

> [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/)

[Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/)

> [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/)

Chris Kirubi

> [But tending machinery was one thing; defining what we were trying to do and why we were doing it, and developing ways to measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-richardson/but-tending-machinery-was-one-thing-defining-what-we-were-trying-to/)

[Elliot Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-richardson/)

> [When you ask for patience, what you get is a line at the bank. In other words, life gives you the people, places, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-mcmillan/when-you-ask-for-patience-what-you-get-is-a-line-at-the-bank-in-other/)

[Tracy McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-mcmillan/)

> [Developing fewer features allows you to conserve development resources and spend more time refining those features that users really need. Fewer features mean fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/developing-fewer-features-allows-you-to-conserve-development/)

[Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/)

> [People say that globalisation has negative aspects, but I don't believe globalisation is bad. It's criticised from a western perspective, but if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/people-say-that-globalisation-has-negative-aspects-but-i-don-t/)

[Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/)

> [Kids in the entertainment industry are at a risk of developing depression, as they see glamour at an early age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divyanka-tripathi/kids-in-the-entertainment-industry-are-at-a-risk-of-developing/)

[Divyanka Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divyanka-tripathi/)

Browse all 1,836 Developing quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas, then spent ages trying to make a bottleneck. At that point, I was meant to be developing my father's ice-cream cafe into a global concern, but I spent all my time in the stockroom playing slide guitar.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Chris Rea"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-for-32-guineas-then-spent-ages/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Developing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-for-32-guineas-then-spent-ages/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb5/chris-rea-8856_developing_i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-f_1108671.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I bought a Hofner guitar and amplifier for 32 guineas, then spent ages trying to make a bottleneck. At that…” — Chris Rea",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Chris Rea",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I bought a Hofner guitar and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-for-32-guineas-then-spent-ages/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-bought-a-hofner-guitar-and-amplifier-for-32-guineas-then-spent-ages/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
