Guitar anyone? Electric or accoustic

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

Looks like a nice guitar, is yours a lefty?

I wondered if someone would catch that!  Naw the picture is a lefty but mine is a righty.  GOOD EYE!!

[Jill F]

It seems we have a lot of leftys here as well.  Like a disproportionate number.

I am left handed, and when I got my first guitar in 1977 I wanted to play it lefty and the guy in the shop told me not to learn it that way because good lefty guitars are few and far between and I'd spend my whole life trying to find them.  I couldn't play either way at the time, so it was no big deal.

I can play a bit left handed, and oddly enough I have an easier time singing (badly) at the same time when I do so.  It's like it takes some relief off of a brain hemisphere or something.  Don't know for sure, but that's what it seems like.

[V M]

Yes, I play lefty so I tend to notice stuff like that 

The guys at the music stores would tell me the same thing about the unavailability of good lefty guitars so...

I tried to learn right handed at first but that didn't work out and I ended up switching the strings over and playing left

It just felt more natural to me


LOL... My mom nearly lost her mind when I bought my first guitar 

[Jill F]

LOL... My mom nearly lost her mind when I bought my first guitar 

OMG, so I got this crappy classical style guitar in 1977.  In 1985, some of my friends were getting electrics and I wanted one, as you couldn't exactly shred metal on mine.  I told my mom that I wanted one, and I remember to this day what she said. 

"I absolutely FORBID you to bring an electric guitar into my house."

Challenge accepted!  Come on, mom, I was 16.  You might as well have engraved me an invitation. 

The thing was that one of my stoner friends turned out to be musically hopeless, so I got his Japanese lawsuit model LP copy, small Gretsch tube amp and orange Boss distortion pedal for $100.  I made the money in one day by selling, umm, herbal refreshments at school.  Oddly enough, I sold the guitar back to him in 1990, and bought it back again in 1996.

[V M]

My first guitar was a steel string acoustic, a cheap Martin knockoff 

My mom would take my two older sisters shopping at a mini mall that had a cheesy music store and a cool record shop

They'd bring me along for lack of a babysitter and leave me to my own devices to meet back up at the car later

I had my paper route money so first there was the dismay of me showing up with Led Zeppelin records and such

Then came the guitar and they and the various church ladies were certain I was "Full of the DEVIL!!!"    LOL

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

My stories are so boring compared to yours.  I went to the guitar store and wanted a knock off Gibson SG.....so I borrowed some money then bought it.  I later had to sell it to the pawn shop.  And thats it.  sigh....

[Jess42]

I've played guitar since I was 11.  For the most part I've been an electric guitar player, but I've been focusing much more on classical the past year or so (although I suck at it).  I'm all over the place in terms of styles and interests (prog, metal, punk, folk and classical being my music generes).  My main electric is a gibson sg that I was given as a child and my classical is a Manuel Rodriguez.  I love both, but unfortunately the g string on each guitar never properly tunes.  It drives me insane, especially on my classical guitar.

WOW. That's one hell of a span there LTL. Mix'em all together and you have your own style which is really what you need. There will only be one of everyone and if you play their style all the time all you will be is in cover or tribute bands. Number one rule in being a guitarist is to make your own sound, even if playing someone else's songs. There are only one of each famous guitarits and that is all there will ever be. Look at Rhinobucket and the similarities to AC/DC.

As for the G string staying in tune, I have never had a guitar that the G string stayed in tune for more than two songs. I have a $5,000 Gibson Les Paul and have the same problem but that is the string that I bend the most. I have 6 guitars 1 Gibson SG, 1 Gibson Les Paul, 2 Epi SGs, an Epi Les Paul and a Fender Strat with the Tex-Mex Pickups for Texas style blues. The Epis see a lot more action than the Gibsons, believe it or not. But Epi plastic or Gibson bone nuts, the G string only stays in tune for so long.

Yes, I play lefty so I tend to notice stuff like that 

The guys at the music stores would tell me the same thing about the unavailability of good lefty guitars so...

I tried to learn right handed at first but that didn't work out and I ended up switching the strings over and playing left

It just felt more natural to me


LOL... My mom nearly lost her mind when I bought my first guitar 

Tony Iommi is a lefty with prosthetic fingertips at that. Albert King plays a right handed guitar upside down and Jimi Hendrix flipped his strings over on a righty Fender Strat. I don't think any of these three would be what you call bad guitarists, as a matter of fact just the opposite. Most people that work at music stores are totally imcompetant in my opinion. I ask questions about products and usually have to come home and do the research myself.

[V M]

Most people that work at music stores are totally imcompetant in my opinion. I ask questions about products and usually have to come home and do the research myself.

Yes, I do my own research before buying anything    But I was just a bright eyed dumb kid when I bought my first guitar - Wasn't even driving yet

Wow!!! It's hard to believe that was about 40 years ago 

[Jill F]

So true about incompetent tools working in music stores.   Not all of them are, though.  I know serious professionals who know EVERYTHING about guitars that have to work in these places.   Usually older people know quite a bit more than the kids.

Some sales people at chain stores are just there to push certain items in inventory, and their "opinion" is nothing more than a lie they tell so they can continue to work there.

I tend to comb the local GC for extremely resonant guitars with large profile necks, and some of the "advice" I have received lately was laughable.  I had to school a twenty-something guy recently who thought he knew everything and tried to cover his lack of knowledge with utter BS. Yes, kid, this old lady knows more than you ever will, so shut up, go away and try not to scratch the merchandise.

[Jess42]

Yes, I do my own research before buying anything    But I was just a bright eyed dumb kid when I bought my first guitar - Wasn't even driving yet

Wow!!! It's hard to believe that was about 40 years ago 

Allright VM, enough if that cursing. But yeah, live and learn. First guitar being a crappy guitar is a good thing 'cause if you can make a piece of crap sound good, it sounds amazing on a good guitar. When I was younger, 30 some odd years ago a crappy guitar that wouldn't stay in tune helped me learn to compensate for when you can't stop in the middle of the song to tune up. Besides I don't believe a first guitar should be anything really nice and expensive because I have seen people buy thier kids 700-800 dollar guitar and give up before they even get open G, C, and D down.

So true about incompetent tools working in music stores.   Not all of them are, though.  I know serious professionals who know EVERYTHING about guitars that have to work in these places.   Usually older people know quite a bit more than the kids.

Some sales people at chain stores are just there to push certain items in inventory, and their "opinion" is nothing more than a lie they tell so they can continue to work there.

I tend to comb the local GC for extremely resonant guitars with large profile necks, and some of the "advice" I have received lately was laughable.  I had to school a twenty-something guy recently who thought he knew everything and tried to cover his lack of knowledge with utter BS. Yes, kid, this old lady knows more than you ever will, so shut up, go away and try not to scratch the merchandise.

No Jill, not all are incompetant. There are really good ones and there are ones but there are some that don't know what is what. I had one guy tell me that bar chords were the money maker and he only played songs using bar chords. Hmmm, when I showed him the different scales, taught him how to bend and the different sounds you can make with that and slides, it opened a whole new world for him. The songs he was playing in bar chords only sounded so much better when using open and powerchords with a slide added here and there and little hammer on and pull offs to fill in areas.

When I go to GC, the only help I want is for someone to get something off of the high rack for me. Other than that, leave me alone. I don't care about the circle of fifths or anything about theory other than what works for me. I try to hit it early before all the aspiring musicians get there and all you hear is too loud chaotic noise they learned from youtube. When I go to buy something the only thing that I play is chords and scales in standard tuning and if that sounds good the I may do a couple of little riffs to see how hot the pickups are. Then I come home change the strings, tune it up, adjust the intonation and then crank it up and then if I ain't satisfied, take it back and return it.

[Jill F]

I really feel like playing today, but my nails got too long to even play over a scalloped fingerboard.   I really don't want to cut them because they're awesome right now.

I guess it's a slide day.

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

I really feel like playing today, but my nails got too long to even play over a scalloped fingerboard.   I really don't want to cut them because they're awesome right now.

I guess it's a slide day.

Oh you're missing out Jill.  I played all day today trying to put a song together.  My nails are short but it felt so good creating music. ^.^

[Jess42]

I really feel like playing today, but my nails got too long to even play over a scalloped fingerboard.   I really don't want to cut them because they're awesome right now.

I guess it's a slide day.

That is the one bad thing when you are M2F and play the guitar. You can still paint them though. Even Orianthe( I guess I spelled her name right) has extrememly short nails.

Never really got the slide down too good. Just enough for a little bit of Freebird and that's about it, even though I love that damn sound, especially on a Dobro.

[CalmRage]

how the hell did my sense of rhythm detoriate that much. I haven't been the same for almost 3 years now and last year, while it didn't slow me down as much as the previous year, also killed my spark. I just feel hollow and i play hollow. it's gotten better again.

one thing about me is that i'm playing against the odds. i have very low motoric skills. they're so low they're classified as a disability and they're also related to my asperger's, it happens in a lot of asperger people, but i managed so much more than i ever thought i would simply by practicing. I can overcome my motoric skills. i can do this. i did so much before.

ah, i needed that. i hope it'll work.

[Jess42]

how the hell did my sense of rhythm detoriate that much. I haven't been the same for almost 3 years now and last year, while it didn't slow me down as much as the previous year, also killed my spark. I just feel hollow and i play hollow. it's gotten better again.

one thing about me is that i'm playing against the odds. i have very low motoric skills. they're so low they're classified as a disability and they're also related to my asperger's, it happens in a lot of asperger people, but i managed so much more than i ever thought i would simply by practicing. I can overcome my motoric skills. i can do this. i did so much before.

ah, i needed that. i hope it'll work.

I really don't care what someone has, how much someone can learn or anything else. I can teach a monkey to play chords and riffs. It is all about practice, practice and practice, every freakin' day. Sometimes over and over and over again.

Believe it or not, go a week without practicing and your precision gets all messed up especially with metal.

As for rythme, I am probably the most unrythymic person that ever lived and lazy at that.

As for playing hollow, get into it. Move more, make it more entertaining if someone is watching you. The same song over and over again without getting into it will feel that way. Make every song you know by heart entertaining to an audience, even a phantom adience, entertaining and you'll feel like your doing something. Add your own touch and talent to a song. Add things like pickscapes, slides, fillers, tweak solos to your playing and it'll be more fun.

[CalmRage]

right now i'm attempting one of my favorite melodies. it's not that difficult and good scales practice.

i was taught to fight against the odds, but i do i have a choice?

i love playing guitar, so i have no choice in that regard. my fingers start twitching after a while without playing guitar.

[Jess42]

right now i'm attempting one of my favorite melodies. it's not that difficult and good scales practice.

i was taught to fight against the odds, but i do i have a choice?

i love playing guitar, so i have no choice in that regard. my fingers start twitching after a while without playing guitar.

This may sound crazy but let your fingers twitch on the fretboard. Scales are good practice. Chords are good practice. But playing someone else's songs'll never get you noticed other than in Nashville where there are no "bands" other than for hire. Or a cover band. I can never say it enough, make your own style, even with someone else's songs. Hell, twitching fingers if you can use them may be the next great sound. Hendrix Chords, the Devils Chord, just anything that sounds unique that is your's may get you noticed.

[CalmRage]

This may sound crazy but let your fingers twitch on the fretboard. Scales are good practice. Chords are good practice. But playing someone else's songs'll never get you noticed other than in Nashville where there are no "bands" other than for hire. Or a cover band. I can never say it enough, make your own style, even with someone else's songs. Hell, twitching fingers if you can use them may be the next great sound. Hendrix Chords, the Devils Chord, just anything that sounds unique that is your's may get you noticed.

well they only twitch a bit because they crave playing guitar, bending strings, picking strings......

[Jess42]

well they only twitch a bit because they crave playing guitar, bending strings, picking strings......

Go the with it hon. Believe me, any musician will tell you, aside from *cough cough* country, which is the new "bubblegum" pop music, you need to have your own sound when it comes to rock or metal. When they twich, see where it takes you. Some of the darkest, and believe me I have been in dark places, I have come up with some of the best darkes riffs and bluesy solos.

So thank you depression and suicidal thoughts.

[CalmRage]

Go the with it hon. Believe me, any musician will tell you, aside from *cough cough* country, which is the new "bubblegum" pop music, you need to have your own sound when it comes to rock or metal. When they twich, see where it takes you. Some of the darkest, and believe me I have been in dark places, I have come up with some of the best darkes riffs and bluesy solos.

So thank you depression and suicidal thoughts.

i did my worst stuff when i was completely depressed. you know i've been through a path of self-discovery only to arrive where i came from. i guess i just had an insane episode last year when i joined, all i know is that i played badly, i sang badly, i wrote awful. I'm better than then at least, but the fire is gone. I wish i still had that recording from when i still lived in the netherlands where i used that echoplex. I was way worse technically, but the fire, the inspiration has been missing since that time. The only thing i can get lost in right now is playing something funky.