I lived in the Southern California just before the changes started.
The use of guitars at Mass was never considered and thought of.
There use at a sacred function was never discussed and talked
about.
I first experienced a guitar mass in my few years in Washington, DC
and I walked out because I thought it was most inappropriate.

Quote from: RomanCatholic1953

I lived in... Southern California just before the changes started.

The use of guitars at Mass was never considered and thought of.

[Their] use at a sacred function was never discussed and talked about.

It's awesome to think that you could have personally been present at every discussion and were somehow aware of everyone's thoughts just before the changes started.

Amazing!

.

He was giving his general understanding of what he believes peoples' thought were at the time.  Don't be a wise$$$

I can't comment on what was afoot before Vat.II with guitar music at Mass, but immediately after the council, there were local groups getting together to make the liturgy "more meaningful."  

So I know this was happening in 1968, and from what I recall, it seemed to have some kind of history already by then.  But I can't be definitive.

I know that Evlis Presley had his start in "gospel" music, mostly voice.  And there was a large popular movement toward young people singing in small groups with one or more guitars present.  Therefore, when they sought to make the liturgy "more meaningful," the first step was to import a guitar to the Mass.  

There was a profusion of typewritten song sheets with guitar cords drawn in between the lines.  Writing in the guitar cords was easier than having music staves that show two or more vocal parts.  So some of this was due to expediency.

I was in a 99.9% anglicized environment in my earlier years and this may
be the reason. The guitars were associated with secular environments such
as the music of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. And were to be avoided.
I have no idea what was going on in Hispanic's cultures since I had a very
few if any contacts in those years.
When the first guitar mass was celebrated, they just came in as sort of a
cultural shock. You either got use to it because they were part of
secular culture such as the popular music of the times. And this why
even today many young people drop out in going to Mass and the
practice of religion.