There are a lot of guitarists and not a few of them are jerks.

A friend of mine who maybe maybe not coined the phrase "another jerk with a Strat" has a good perspective which we share. We both love Strats.
Not so much on this forum at all, thank God, but if you want to save on gas (not guitar GAS) dip into other websites where there's no shortage and proof positive. One could easily now say, "another jerk with a Tele" or "another jerk with a Les Paul" as my experience has demonstrated. It's just that Strats are more popular. Frankly, I think there's a greater sense of brotherhood on this website. As a newbie here I just want to say appreciate that and preserve it, esp. as we are all tempted at times to lose it. And for what?

You'll meet a lot more happy bassists in your travels than guitarists in general. There are always fewer bassists, and good ones are in demand. I think that historically this has always been true.

A metronome is better company than any guitarist who especially is a show off (minus desire to share) or someone who deliberately attempts to intimidate.

BTW, I find the whole "show down" approach even between the great ones, living or deceased a real nerd fest. Great venue for an audience full of guitarists and their drunk girlfriends, complete with the denied, yet cringeworthy "guy crush" factor set on max.

Google search for Keith Richards statement about how it takes "Five strings, two fingers and one..."

Hands down my favorite guitar quote of all time.

Check out Ukelele Boy (I'm Yours) on YouTube....

I admit it, I like to show off sometimes. i have a guitar friend and it drives him crazy. also, when we play together, I will attempt to play what he played. He thinks that I am just trying to show him that "I can do what you can do but better". This is not true, I like his licks, and want to pick them up for my self.

I am just having fun, and not trying to piss anyone off, but it happens. Many guitarist have inferiority complexes, and they use the guitar as their way to show they are superior. When someone plays better than them, that inferiority complex comes out big time. They get pissed like its some personal shot at them. That is how I see it.

I have never been angry at other guitarist for being better than me....it actually makes me smile. I don't need to play better than the next guy to feel good about myself, but I alway try to improve my playing, and the best way to do that is to learn from other guitarist. Put the ego aside. I actually feel a bond with all musicians

Anyway, learning an instrument is tuff. Sometimes you have a mental block. For me, I still have to work hard to do some stuff, and other stuff comes with ease...it just depends on the uniquness of the part. But about 1-2 years in my playing as a kid, I would experience what I call a breakthrough. Where something suddenly wouldb just click and I could do it. Part is mental,...keep trying do not give up

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

I've read some where it takes about 10,000 hours to fully develop a skill, like playing guitar. At that point your brain, muscles, eye hand co-ordination are as good as they are going to get.

So I don't really worry about it, I've got about 365 hours in so far. In 30 years, give or take, when I'm at 10,000 hours, I'll decide then if I should keep playing.

I put my guitar down if I get frustrated. And go get it the next day. I told myself before I bought my guitar I am doing this for my enjoyment. So have fun and keep practicing. Your showing improvement and learning even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes.

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08 Fender Highway One Tele-Sunburst
09 Squier Custom Tele II-Blonde
04 Squier Standard Strat Antiqueburst
07 Washburn D10SCE natural with Rosewood backing
Fender Mustang II amp


Experience is the best teacher

WOW - Alot of what I have read describes my feeling perfectly. I first picked up the guitar about 4 years ago, I bought a MIM Tele and a blues junior. 4 years later I have 4 guitars and 3 amps, all very expensive, in fact if you were just to see my gear you would think I was awesome. But in actuality I can't play much of anything. I'm 50 and I know I'll never be Clapton, so I'm in it for the fun...and it can be fun and frustraing at the same time and I practice 1 - 2 hours every night.
Sometimes I want to sell everything and other times I want more. I'll keep at it and maybe someday I'll sit in on a jam. But until then, I'll guess I'll keep at it.

Yeah, keep things loose, but time for playing?

1 hour a day for most people is simply not enough. If it wasn't enough for Hendrix, SRV...how can it be for you? It's not enough for people who study music formally, who major in it in college or a place like Juilliard...they practice maybe 4-6 hours daily.

While I am very inclined to be kind in this thread, the frustration can also be a false one and an unnecessary one with the 1 hour a day thing...

Sure, if you don't want to be a professional musician, play out regularly enjoy yourself...but if you do then play more than 3-4 hours/day enjoy that too (even when it's tough).

How many hours does it take to become anything? A teacher? A doctor? A pilot? Whatever? A good guitarist? Why should that be "easy?"

Do the math. After 300 plus hours in one year (of course much less)...what's supposed to be happening anyway?

I am saying these things to balance out even my own easy going posts...

I gotta commend you. You play more than some people who aren't in it for the fun. The best to you.

Music is not a competition. Just play... Exposure is the best remedy there is. Your practice will pay off. The hardest thing to practice is "not" worrying about what others think of your ability.

The guy that enjoys what he is doing and has confidence because of it.. will ultimately stick out amongst any player. Be natural and have fun...

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American HSS Mahogany Special Stratocaster-Limited Edition 2008
American HSS Special Stratocaster (Black) 2010

I think anyone who feels frustrated here and there about their playing should be applauded. Most folks spend their time being frustrated about their gear.

[/quote]I think anyone who feels frustrated here and there about their playing should be applauded. Most folks spend their time being frustrated about their gear.[/quote]

You got that right. There's always that little voice that wants to convince us all that if we had a high end guitar we'd get exponentially better because of it. Is that fret buzz really holding your playing back? I don't think so.

I think anyone who feels frustrated here and there about their playing should be applauded. Most folks spend their time being frustrated about their gear.[/quote]

You got that right. There's always that little voice that wants to convince us all that if we had a high end guitar we'd get exponentially better because of it. Is that fret buzz really holding your playing back? I don't think so. [/quote]

And most of the time it isn't even "fret buzz"...it "just doesn't have that sound..."

Believe me. I'm sympathetic to that too...

Hey, why don't American Standard Strats come with 2 pickup options...CS 69's or 54's?

Feel free to read between the lines here...

Jamming is the best way to success. If you can afford a training tool like a Pandora or a GDEC great! If not then there are many CDs by Jamey Aebersold or Music Minus One or such series which features backing tracks that you can solo over. DVD lessons of your favorite artists are always fun. If you're on a tight budget, search your favorite song on Youtube and I'm sure you'll find several lessons uploaded by some very talented fans. I believe though, that if you want to be a serious musician, one hour is the minimum. When I first started, I practiced 3-4 hours a day along with a day job. I used to just sit in front of the TV and do scales for hours on end. When my confidence was up, I got in a band on my first audition.

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"If I don't see you no more in this world I'll meet you on the next one and don't be late... don't be late." -Jimi Hendrix

How many hours a day do most people watch TV? How many hours a week?

Some people watch hours of TV per night while others none. That wasn't the point I was trying to make. The point was that a truly serious person spends at least 2-3 hours at day with a guitar slung on their shoulders. For me, one hour is barely a warm up.

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"If I don't see you no more in this world I'll meet you on the next one and don't be late... don't be late." -Jimi Hendrix

I've never had a hard time playing guitar. Takes hard work ofcourse! But it comes rather easy . What i see many people have problems with even after years and years of playing is their right hand/picking hand technique. People tend to overlook the picking hand and focus on the other hand. I have a private guitar teacher who focused the training on my picking hand. I played alot of metal at home which was pretty simple left hand work but it took some f*cking stamina, focus, precision and speed to get the right hand right. My teacher taught me some nice bluesy stuff When the picking hand is good then left hand speed comes rather easy! Also if you have great picking technique you can make the most simple things sounds #$@*&!% great!

Just take a look at your left hand when you play (this is not for shredders): Compare how much you move the left hand compared to the picking hand. The picking hand is working ALL the time while the left hand is changing chords or notes a lot slower.

Therefor im never embaressed when playing guitars in stores. I just take a fender off the wall, plug into a vibrolux and remembers my picking technique.