His life changed when he met David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) who lived next door.
They began jamming together in a toolshed in David's garden, influenced by (fictional) early blues artists like Honkin' Bubba Fulton, Little Sassy Francis and particularly Big Little Daddy Coleman, a deaf guitar player, and wrote their first song, "All the Way Home".
Tufnel's hobbies include collecting guitars; particularly noteworthy is his Sea Foam Green six-string Fender Bass VI with the price tag still attached, which he has kept in mint condition by not allowing it to be played, touched, pointed at, looked at, or talked about.
He also has a Gibson Les Paul 1959 model, whose acoustic properties and carved flame-maple top he praises.
"[1][2] In the run-up to 2011, Spinal Tap fans created a movement to make 11/11/11 "Nigel Tufnel Day.