Buckethead began playing guitar at the age of twelve. He had been quoted as saying, however, that he did not become serious until a year later when he moved from Huntington Beach, CA to Claremont, CA. His playing began improving by taking private lessons from various teachers at a local music store, Styles Music. His early teachers included Max McGuire, Johnny Fortune, Mark Hammond, Pebber Brown and Paul Gilbert. Buckethead played a tribute to all his early teachers when the Deli Creeps played a show at Styles Music's 25th anniversary. Buckethead then later began making demo recordings of both his playing as well as his writing styles, which would be released as acoustic albums in the future.