Guitars

• Type: Musical Instrument
• Owners: The Weird Sisters, Sirius Black
• Maker: Various; not specified

Guitars are a type of stringed musical instrument present in the wizarding world, appearing identical to those found in Muggle culture. Their appearance in the series varies based on their context and owner.

• The Weird Sisters: The popular wizarding band The Weird Sisters are noted to use “several guitars” during their performance at the Yule Ball. These instruments are part of a larger, somewhat eclectic ensemble that also includes a lute, a cello, a set of drums, and bagpipes.
• Sirius Black's Guitar: A single guitar was kept in Sirius Black's teenage bedroom at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. When Harry Potter discovered it, it was leaning against a wall amongst other relics of Sirius's youth, such as posters and a Gryffindor banner. The specific type of guitar is not described in the novel.

There is no indication in the novels that guitars possess any inherent magical properties. Their function appears to be identical to their Muggle counterparts: the creation of music for entertainment and personal recreation. They are used in professional public performances, as demonstrated by The Weird Sisters, and for private leisure, as implied by Sirius Black's ownership of one during his school years. Their presence suggests a degree of cultural crossover between the wizarding and Muggle worlds, particularly in the realm of music and arts.

Guitars appear on two notable occasions in the original series, establishing their place within modern wizarding culture.

1. In late 1994, The Weird Sisters performed at the Yule Ball, a major event of the Triwizard Tournament held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their use of several guitars was a key component of their popular sound.
2. In the summer of 1995, while helping to clean Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, Harry Potter found a guitar in Sirius Black's former bedroom. This implies that Sirius owned the instrument during his time at Hogwarts in the 1970s, well before his wrongful imprisonment in Azkaban.

The inclusion of guitars serves to build a more detailed and relatable picture of the contemporary wizarding world, showing that it shares cultural touchstones with the Muggle world and has its own popular music scene. At the Yule Ball, the music provided by the guitars of The Weird Sisters creates the atmosphere for several key character interactions and plot developments. These include the heated argument between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger regarding her attendance with Viktor Krum, and the moment when Cedric Diggory gives Harry Potter a clue for solving the Second Task. Sirius Black's guitar is a minor but effective element of his characterization. It reinforces his image as a rebellious and non-conformist youth, hinting at a life and interests beyond the pure-blood conventions of his family and suggesting an appreciation for Muggle youth culture.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Weird Sisters are visually presented as a modern alternative rock band. The members are shown playing electric guitars and a bass guitar, which is a more conventional rock setup than the mix of instruments described in the book. (film)
• The on-screen band featured a lineup of real-world musicians, including Jarvis Cocker of the band Pulp, and Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway of the band Radiohead, further solidifying the film's rock-and-roll interpretation of wizarding music. (film)