The Playing The Guitar Thread

[Neil]

Anyone got or played an Epiphone Dot before? I'm thinking about getting one.

I had one a few years ago. Cracking guitar. Looks very pretty hanging on the wall too.

[Neil]

I've been playing for about 15 years with a few years break until mid last year. Before the break, I sold most of my stuff including 5 guitars and countless pedals. Since then I've been buying up lots of gear again and so far I've a Fender tele which has a warm 3 colour sunburst and I've modded a killswitch onto the control plate. Pedal set-up at the moment is a DOD 440 envelope filter into a Digitech Whammy into a Boss "Roland Space Echo" pedal into electro-harmonix Big Muff Pi. I use a Boss line-selector to switch the laptop running MaxMSP into the chain for messing with the sound. Don't have an amp (though eventually, a Fender Twin) so when I'm recording I run the audio into the laptop into NI's Guitar Rig or Waves' GTR 3.

[Gaz]

A massive, massive BUMP for this thread.

So aye, I've been playing on and off for about twelve years now. I'm a reasonably capable rhythm guitarist but a limited lead guitarist. I know my scales but I'm pretty slow at them. Circumstances over the past few years (going to Uni, getting married, having a wean) mean that I've pretty much plateaued over the past few years.

I'd like to be able to progress but I'm not very good at picking songs and techniques to practice that are appropriate to my skill level. I'll either pick something that's far too hard and give up because I'm not capable of playing it, or I pick something that's far too easy and don't feel like I've achieved something.

Any tips on how I could progress a bit from here guys? To give you an idea, I've had a look at some of the grading exams and their pieces and I find Grade 2 pretty easy but Grade 3 a bit tricky. So I'm probably halfway through between Grade 2 and 3 for those who are familiar with exam pieces and skill levels.

[paranoid android]

Any tips on how I could progress a bit from here guys?

Maybe play along to your favourite records.

Have your guitar on you when you're watching the telly - play along to incidental music, adverts, etc.

Play with other people - organise a jam with mates, or, better still - join or form a band.

Whatever you do, enjoy it.

Hopefully, other folk will be along with better advice shortly.

[WILLIEA]

I've sold off a few of my guitars over the past year. Left with Martin 000-16 acoustic and Fender 50th anniv. Strat. Both of which I love.

I started off as an acoustic player so, although I have tried in the past I don't use a pick. I play everything including lead with my fingers. If it's good enough for people like Jeff Beck it's good enough for me. ( not that I'm anywhere near the player that he is )

Play with some friends from time to time. I also have a Line 6 amp which you can input Cd's or mp3's from the computer. This is great for playing with favourite tracks or practice tracks from Guitar Techniques etc.

[ginge123]

I'm in the same boat Gaz and for the same reasons. I've been playing for the same amount of time as well.

Recently I just went back to the start and began playing fairly basic versions of standard songs, Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and I Shall Be Released for example, and just building my way up from there. My biggest problem is my memory is awful so I tend to forget what I've learned a day or two after. I built myself up a "set list" so to speak and just constantly play that when I'm about the house but everyday I try and add something new in, even if it's just a small thing like a new scale or a new lick. I don't know if that would work but it's helped me a bit with just keeping my practicing up.

Martyz Songs on YouTube has been a big help at times as well, even though he is a total pain in the hole at times.

As has been said before, getting together with a few mates is probably the best way, that hasn't worked for me because I don't know anyone else who plays an instrument.

[PrestersKTID]

Been playing for around 12 years now since i was starting secondary school. Never liked the fact I wasn't great straight away so practising felt tedious and I often didn't bother.

Since then however I started listening to a lot more heavy metal and hard rock which got me inspired and I went back to lessons and learned the techniques to play some of my favourite songs.

Don't play as much as I should but when I do I end up playing for a good few hours. Its a fantastic instrument if you have the patience to learn it corectly.

Tip for progressing: Youtube is your friend, tabs and music scores don't show you how to play licks and songs as well as a teacher, I've learned tonnes from tutorials on youtube. Also Guitar pro 5 is a godsend if you want to learn a song or compose. All tabs are free to download for it aswell.

A wee tip for getting your speed up is to simply play the first four frets of each string in succession alternate picking on the other hand. i.e 1 2 3 4 on low e string 1 2 3 4 on D string etc. Its a bit boring but its a great warmup and will get your speed up if you keep at it.

Can mix it up doing it the opposite way i.e. 4 3 2 1 up and down strings. Then try using hammer ons and pulloffs.

[11thHour]

I first started playing guitar when I was about 18 (I'm now 27) and I quickly learned a few riffs here and there but dropped it after a few months and never picked it up again for a good five years then me and a few mates decided to get a band going, it quickly fell on its arse but laid the foundations for when we started it up again this year. Been going to the studio for a good few months now and have 7 songs written.

I'm alright on guitar I suppose but nothing special what-so-ever. Competent I would say as I never really find the time to practice and i've got a lot of bad habits cause im self taught.

ETA: my main guitar is my Jackson Kelly. I also have an acoustic (cant remember the make) and a Kerry King V that a mate gave me. Looking to get rid of the Jackson though as I dont enjoy playing it anymore.

[the aggressive beggar]

Ma baby.

The only guitar I've ever seen and thought I must have that!!!

It's an Italia Maranello Z bass. saw it on the Italia website so went to the guitar shop next to callander square in Falkirk, (apparently it's the only place in Scotland which sells Italia guitars) and asked about it, the lassie had never seen it before so she phoned up the sales rep from Italia and he'd never even heard of it!!

So I checked about on the internet and could only find them in Italy and America and it was gonna cost about £700 inc shipping etc which was well out ma reach. 2 days later the wife phoned me at ma work to tell me she'd found one....................

20 miles from ma house.........

for 300 notes!!!!!

walked straight off site drove home emailed the guy and bought it by 6pm. Buzzin.

turned out they only brought a handful of them to Britain when they were made. the timing of it all was really uncanny. must be fate!!!

[bob the tank]

Kennys Music in Dunfermline also sell Italia guitars(or they used to).Not been in for a while but had quite a good selection on my last visit

Fender baja telecaster

Schecter PT

Lag Roxanne

Ibanez Talman

Vintage acoustic

Currently modding a Samick into a 'frankenstrat'

[bee thousand]

Been playing for around 12 years now since i was starting secondary school. Never liked the fact I wasn't great straight away so practising felt tedious and I often didn't bother.

95% of people I know who've ever picked up a guitar felt the same way and just jacked it - it's worth sticking at it though as it 'clicks' eventually.

Learners have it a lot easier these days with YouTube, chord/tab sites etc, Apart from the odd book and magazine I used to resort to live photos in the NME and work out where on the fretboards their fingers were

[CALDERON]

Played for about 6/7 years now. Play a Fender Tele Thinline Deluxe, with P-90 pick ups, love it!!! Use a Fender FM212R 100 watt amp, got it for £100 and its a great amp for anyone starting out in a band. Solid state, but takes pedals really well and easily copes with live/rehearsal environments. Used it at a gig at the Tunnels in Aberdeen and it more than held its own, and I will never ever play at a venue bigger than that.

Pedals wise use Boss DS-1 Distortion, Boss SD-1 Overdrive and the Boss Chorus Ensemble - all picked up second hand for buttons. Use some "Glx" branded boss clones for Distortion and Chorus from time to time as I quite like their sound.

For the first 2 years I was honking at guitar, but it suddenly clicks, and then its great fun. Im average enough, capable rhythm guitarist but limited at lead stuff, still enjoy it though.

Learn on accoustic though!

[gingapar]

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Ma baby.

 

The only guitar I've ever seen and thought I must have that!!!

 

It's an Italia Maranello Z bass. saw it on the Italia website so went to the guitar shop next to callander square in Falkirk, (apparently it's the only place in Scotland which sells Italia guitars) and asked about it, the lassie had never seen it before so she phoned up the sales rep from Italia and he'd never even heard of it!!

 

So I checked about on the internet and could only find them in Italy and America and it was gonna cost about £700 inc shipping etc which was well out ma reach.  2 days later the wife phoned me at ma work to tell me she'd found one....................

 

20 miles from ma house.........

 

for 300 notes!!!!!

 

walked straight off site drove home emailed the guy and bought it by 6pm.  Buzzin.

 

turned out they only brought a handful of them to Britain when they were made.  the timing of it all was really uncanny.  must be fate!!!

 

Hope you have flatwounds on it. The woody thump You get from a Semi hollow bass with flatwounds is absolute sex! I have my eye on a white hagstrom Viking bass that will cuddle up just braw with my di pinto belvedere deluxe bass, just braw!

[the aggressive beggar]

I've even heard of flatwounds before

I'm a complete idiot when it comes to technical stuff, to me strings are strings.

Just had a wee read up there, and I think roundwound would be best for me for what I play, but I'm curious to hear the flatwoulds would sound like. I think I'll buy a pack to try out in the near future.

[Hillonearth]

The "best" guitar I own is a late 80s Charvel Spectrum:

- wouldn't use it live if my life depended on it though - unnecessarily complex electrics and surprisingly weedy sound for a superstrat of that era. Plus it looks like someone's stuck a guitar neck on a bar of nougat.

For live I go for dependable, as follows:

Kramer Striker reissue - utter beast of a sound with quadrail pickups:

or Ibanez Millenium Destroyer - cracking wee general workhorse guitar, and avoids the pitfalls of the original such as feeling that you've got the front door strapped round your neck.

Add a nice wee Korean Squier strat into the mix for clean tones, which I picked up in a junk shop for about £40 and that's pretty much what I would currently go out with.

[gingapar]

I've even heard of flatwounds before

 

I'm a complete idiot when it comes to technical stuff, to me strings are strings.

 

Just had a wee read up there, and I think roundwound would be best for me for what I play,  but I'm curious to hear the flatwoulds would sound like. I think I'll buy a pack to try out in the near future.

To be honest, me too. I never got on with the metallic clank in my sound though, with any amp, or any bass. I play quite hard and with an angled pick attack. I convinced myself that it might be the "zip" across the bumps on the strings as I played and the finger and fret noise. Probably bullshit! I tried a set of flats though, ad the clank was gone, replaced by that woody thump. They are a bit more expensive but last a lot longer too, they don't corrode like roundwounds do, and a lot of people say they get better with age, I'm still on the first set I bought about 6 or 7 years ago. Silky smooth on the fingers too!

[CALDERON]

Anyone recommend a decent cheap tuner pedal??

[gingapar]

Anyone recommend a decent cheap tuner pedal??

I haven't used it, but the behringer TU300 pedal looks decent and can be picked up for under 20 quid online(try gear4music). Has all the capabilities of the boss TU2 tuner which I've used for years. Behringer generally make good quality copies of stuff whilst massively undercutting on price.

[Man of Aran]

Any bass players out there play an upright? I bought one last Christmas but I'm sorry to say it mostly just gathers dust in my living room. Looks beautiful though.

[Uncle Psychosis]

To be honest, me too. I never got on with the metallic clank in my sound though, with any amp, or any bass. I play quite hard and with an angled pick attack. I convinced myself that it might be the "zip" across the bumps on the strings as I played and the finger and fret noise. Probably bullshit! I tried a set of flats though, ad the clank was gone, replaced by that woody thump. They are a bit more expensive but last a lot longer too, they don't corrode like roundwounds do, and a lot of people say they get better with age, I'm still on the first set I bought about 6 or 7 years ago. Silky smooth on the fingers too!

If you buy Status Hotwire flats (direct from Status) they're only about £18 a set. Pretty good value and very good strings. Personally I love the feel of flats but don't quite get on with the sound. Over Christmas I'm going to try out some pressurewound strings and see what they're like.