Never too late to have another go StG. The internet helps a great deal, because yo can get so many vague questions answered, without a load of effort. It helps you on your way.
Nice story, sounds like you've made really good progress in just a couple of years. I started having lessons at school when I was six or seven years old, and I used my Mum's old acoustic which she had owned since she was a kid. After a few years of using that, I got my first electric - a Squier Strat, of course - and later on, my Takamine. I also have an Epiphone Explorer with a Floyd Rose locking tremolo, which looks badass but frankly is a pain in the arse to maintain and currently is in dire need of a good fix-up. I'm currently working towards my goal of buying a Fender Blacktop Telecaster, because they're incredibly versatile and they look and sound fantastic. My amp is slightly more lavish. It's a 150W Line 6 Spider III, which set me back a great deal more than any of my guitars, but was a necessary investment to fulfill my goal of playing in a band. For quietly jamming alone in my house, though, I have a slightly more practical 30W Marshall. For the last three years, I've been at University and living in a small house with other students, so I haven't had many opportunities to make some noise with my Strat. Mainly I've been jamming with my acoustic, trying to branch out into some genres which are rather unfamiliar to me. Recently I've been trying to learn a lot of classical stuff, particularly Francisco Tarrega, which can be really challenging but also very satisfying.
Nice gear, Joe. I thought that Floyd Rose tremolo apparatus was of very good quality, unlike some other types which allow the guitar to go out of tune, almost in mid-play. I nearly went for a 50w Line 6 about 6 months ago, but decided I didn't want the neighbours to hear my mistakes. There are times when I wish I'd had guitar lessons at school. If only, eh..? But it was not to be, and anyway, I had a small opportunity to learn in my teens and gave up, because I wanted to be Jimi Hendrix in 6 months. we both know that isn't going to happen. Nowadays, my ambition and effort have finally crossed paths, and it was time for another go. I'll only make it to mediocre, at best, but I'm original, and I like to try things. You seem to be at a very nice stage in your playing. Practice much..?
The Floyd Rose does a great job of keeping a guitar in tune, but simple tasks like changing the strings, or even just changing tuning, become far more complicated. I don't know exactly what's wrong with my Epiphone at this point, but it doesn't stay in tune at all and is pretty much unplayable. I will have to take it to some experts to get it fixed. Yeah, I practice every day, and there are always a couple of tunes which I'm in the process of learning. I have most recently learnt to play an adaptation of the Game of Thrones theme, which is in Open C Minor tuning. A lot of people have their own versions, but I thought this guy's version was the best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRCQYRW2hok&feature=plcp. I think it sounds amazing, and it's far easier than it looks.
I like the Explorer. It's almost an SG for the ultra modern era, with its 22 fret neck and double humbuckers. Does sit go massively out of tune and quickly too..? I take it this is not due to temperature changes - ie. steel expanding very nicely in the warm weather, thank you - and that you play for a few minutes and already the tone is flattening out..? My cousin gave me a tip to look at machine heads. If the guitar is going really out of tune, then tune up the guitar to perfect, and get a pencil and mark where the string holes are positioned. Sometimes you get movement. I'm told it happens much more on certain acoustics head types, but it's worth looking at, all the same. You may need to get yourself some genuine Grovers, although to be fair, Trevor Wilkinson guitar parts are well respected, I believe. http://www.jhs.co.uk/wilkinson.html
Hi all, Really good to find some fellow pickers in the Saints gang! Some great videos on this thread too. If there's one thing I've learned it's that it's never too late to start! I first picked up a guitar when I was about 6, it was a dirt cheap nylon string from a car boot sale which my mum had bought for my brother. I spent about 5 minutes twanging the strings before my brother got the hump and whipped it out of my hands! Something must have stuck though because from then on I was always interested in guitars, guitar music, pictures etc. I think I was a bit in awe of them which is probably what stopped me biting the bullet and getting my own until the ripe old age of 17! I was in college at the time and I'll admit that playing guitar wasn't the main ambition. I also thought that if I was the college rock star that I'd also get all the girls! That didn't, and still doesn't ring entirely true but at least I can play now! I got into it in a huge way, spent at least 7-8 hours on it every day (at the expense of college, where I failed miserably). I had a few lessons to start off with with an absolutely fantastic teacher called Chris Pearce who was based in Hedge End. I found out recently that he'd gone through some very bad times personally and ended up committing suicide. Such a shame as he was a top bloke and a very, very fine player. If you're starting out and not looking to shell out on lessons then I can't recommend Guitar Techniques highly enough. After my few lessons with Chris to get started, I basically taught myself from this mag and listening to my Dad's record collection. GT mag has articles covering various genres every month, comes with a cover CD for reference and backing tracks and the contributors are all top players. I used the mag and my ears for about four years until I got myself into BIMM at 21, a music college in Brighton. Here I was fortunate enough to have been taught by some of the very best there are out there. I had Guthrie Govan, Jamie Humphries, Tristan Seume, Stuart Ryan and Phil Hilborne as tutors and it was there it took off for me. I've been very lucky to have carved out my own career as a tutor and session guitarist since then and now work at Thr Academy in Chapel Road (stone's throw from the stadium!) I love all guitar music, I play as many different styles as I can learn and at the ripe old age of thirty, I've now been gigging professionally for 11 years! If there's anything I can do to help or any pointers you'd like then I'd be happy to help out!
