This Is Spinal Tap Quotes

Context

This line is spoken by Nigel Tufnel, played by Christopher Guest, in the film This is Spinal Tap, directed by Rob Reiner (1984).

Master fake documentarian Christopher Guest (clarification: a real master of fake documentaries) has studied the behind-the-scenes actions of pet shows in Best in Show and fold bands in A Mighty Wind. But his most famous film chronicles the heaviest of the heavy metal bands, Spinal Tap. 

When guitarist Nigel Tufnel shows off his amps to Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner), he shows him the loudest one of them all—all its knobs go to 11, which is, as we learn, "one louder" than 10. Take that, other bands.

When Di Bergi asks, "Why don't you just make 10 louder and make 10 be the top number?" Nigel dismisses that ridiculous inquiry by simply saying "These go to 11." 

Now that's metal.

Where you've heard it

When things get loud, they've been turned up to 11.

Additional Notable References

• It was referenced in an xkcd comic.
• The dice game "These Gö to 11" has only a 4 average rating on Board Game Geek.
• A real Swedish amp maker calls themselves These Go to 11.
• This t-shirt goes to 11.
• Shmoop actually heard someone tell Christopher Guest (during a Q&A) that he named his child "Eleven" after this quote. We kid you not.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

The pretentious factor on this one goes to 11. (Not really, but it was just too easy.)