BECAUSE, HE GOT WET.

Guitar instrumentals have been around as long as guitars. That you know. When did surf music become a thing? One could argue that the Ventures and Duane Eddy, along with others, laid the groundwork in 1960 and 1958 respectively. That's not really that much of a stretch, but my money is on the year 1961, when guitar instrumentals started charting in higher numbers. That in itself isn't enough to pinpoint the inception but something else happened that year. Dick Dale and the Deltones released "Let's Go Trippin'". It's notable that the record did not have reverb on it (that was right around the corner). Why would that be considered surf? The guitar player surfed.

Here's a few instrumentals that were hits in 1961. And two that didn't make it out of Southern California.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~ 

Listen:
The Ramrods - Ghost Riders in the Sky mp3 at Internet Archive
Jorgen Ingmann and His Guitar - Apache mp3 at Internet Archive
John Barry Seven - The Magnificent Seven mp3 at Internet Archive

Dick Dale and the Deltones - Let's Go Trippin' mp3 at Wish I Were There
Dick Dale and the Deltones - Deltone Rock mp3 at Review Stalker