Interesting that Kirk Hammett is one of your examples of a player considered to be good when I always see him getting slammed on the internet for using too much wha and pentatonic scales. If anything I think he doesn't get enough credit for the memorable solos he writes.

Guitar has so many levels that you will always be better than some and worse than others. To consider yourself good, you have to be happy with your own ability. Most of us never get there, because there is so much to learn.

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When you know you're "good" is when you get asked to sit in with a band that a friend is in. They briefly tell you the chord progressions of the next tune, and you happily follow along, sitting back playing rhythm. Then, after the lead guitarist takes a short solo, he stops after a few bars and looks at you to take over. You get thrown into the fire and don't play his act solo again, but you do contribute by coming up with a new solo and a new flavor for the song - all with a fly by the seat of your pants attitude. The band and the 25 or so people in the tiny little roadside bar & grill thought it was awesome!

I think there's a difference between technically great and playing guitar and making great music and writing great songs.

Steve Vai writes songs but he has never written anything like Satisfaction or Sympathy For The Devil.

Keith plays great rock n roll guitar. He's the lead on Sympathy For The Devil and it's an awesome solo. George Harrison does a great solo on the album version of Let It Be.

Keith may not be in Vai's league technically but what he plays always serves the song and he's probably the best rhythm guitarist in rock who can also rip out great leads when he wants to.

Many of the greatest technical guitarist do not show off but serve the song. Glen Campbell doesn't solo through all of his songs. He plays what is required. Same with Eric Clapton post Cream and James Burton and his work with Ricky Nelson and Elvis.

+1

This just dead nuts nails it for me. I spent sooooo many years trying to master the instrument, but it was when I started listening to the music and understanding what I could add that I truly started feeling good about my playing.

Recently I was invited over to a bud's house to sit in with 4 other guitar players and a mandolin player, we played from 7pm until 2 in the morning, damn near non-stop ( yes I did have blisters on my fingers by the end of the night ), Each of us throwing a song, a riff, or progression out and the rest picking up on it. About half way thru the night everyone stopped showing off for each other and the licks became more spaced out, the subtle interplay between the different "voices" became clear, and we started listening to what each other were playing and adding to it.

After a bit more then 40 years of playing this may have been the most perfect evening for me, no audience, no sound man, no club owner, just 6 guys letting it all hang out for each other. That night I think I actually was a good musician.

-Harry

ps: at the end of the night we all looked at each other and realized that no one had turned the tape machine on. Now that is focus,

When do you realize you a good guitar player?

When you can turn that into music.

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Gary

You know if you're good when someone stops you at Walmart the day after a gig and tells you they saw you play and liked it. (it happened to me )

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Ok..this is after all the standard requirements(knowing how to tune, memorization, consistent rhythm, can go from chord to chord without a question mark over your head, knowing a good drummer from a bad one)..

If I hear your song and instantly come up with a rough draft of a bassline..that's good.

If you can extend a song(jam out), or save a live mistake without too much panic...that's good.

Things that aren't so good:

Only knowing covers

Only knowing originals

Same chord progression in too many songs(Columbus Ohio is plagued with the E-D-C walkdown/walkup)...

Bad tone(play your highest note and look around for people covering their ears. If they do...it's not a good tone).

Too basic(campfire chords all the time, always 4/4)

Too much detail is also bad, but better than too much basic.

There are certain kinds/genres of music I don't care for..but that's only subjective.

When I was starting out, and for years after that, I just wanted to be good enough that I could play by myself and be able to stand listening to myself. It took a long time and it wasn't until after I finally learned my scales that I could actually enjoy listening to myself playing. When my wife started complimenting me on what I was doing, I knew I was on the right track.

I was strumming chords and writing songs back in the early 70s and I still perform some of those songs today, but it took me a long time to "master" the guitar to the extent that I am happy with what I can do today. I do a lot of solo performing live to this day and I get lots of good reviews - even been asked for my autograph!

I think once you are happy with your own playing you are getting there.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Good to see you back CR.

I used him as an example because he was the first metal player that came to mind.

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1995 Fender Mustang

How do you know when your a good guitar player? When you are good enough to NOT ask that question on a guitar forum.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Ignore all previous posts... get a cheap guitar, cheap leather jacket, worn out jeans, sunglasses. Then learn three chords on high distortion. Forget about leads.

Now change your last name to Ramone or Strummer and the chicks will tear you up!

Screw being good... just have fun! As soon as you stop having fun, you stop playing guitar... the its all over!

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Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs

Dude .. you are one complicated individual considering the simplistic nature of your advise.
I have no idea how to interpret the mood you intend to convey from that complex set of emoticons.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

That makes three of us. I'm just not that into the "widdley- widdley" style of playing- but I like it as long as it fits in in a GOOD song. ( I do like my metal!)

I think "good" has a lot to do with getting in with the right bunch of fellow musicians. As others have alluded to, even someone of meagre talent can become enormously successful in the right band!

Ha ha, very funny.

I am nowhere near a "good" guitarist. I put this post up to see what other people thought the definition of a "good guitarist" was. There's no need to be an a**hole about it.

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1995 Fender Mustang