In 18th and 19th century Russia, the Spanish guitar was very popular — it usually was a six-string guitar with 19 frets, very similar to the one that is now considered classical. Moscow masters soon developed the so-called Russian, or Gypsy, seven-string guitar. It was used to accompany romances and folk songs and was the most common guitar in Russia before the October Revolution.

In Soviet times, the guitar became even more widely available. The family of Pavel Petrovich Bazhov also owned this musical instrument. On special occasions and in good weather, the family gathered in their garden at a table under a linden tree, drank tea from a samovar and talked. The guitar was one of the invariable attributes of such gatherings. This musical instrument was played by two people in the house: the writer’s wife and his son.

Alexey Pavlovich Bazhov had a good ear for music and a pronounced interest in performing. His relatives wrote that he played whatever he had to, extracting sounds from any objects. Alexey learned to play the accordion and mastered the mandolin and guitar on his own. The latter is now displayed in the children’s room of the House-Museum.

Bazhov’s wife, Valentina Alexandrovna recalled about this instrument:

In addition to household duties, music lessons, reading and needlework were part of the daily life of the mistress of the house. In one of the letters sent to Bazhov during his work trip to the Irbit district, Valentina Alexandrovna complained that she was supposed to learn 50 guitar lessons while her husband was away, but she never opened the textbook because of household chores.