Am I the only one here that can't play guitar?

MikeD

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Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
132
Location
North of Detroit, Michigan
I know I have to in the minority here but the reality is that I can't play guitar.

It seems that I just don't have the talent no matter how much I practice.

I bought my first guitar when I was 12, I'm 48 now and in all honesty, I've barely improved over the years

I can play a couple of intros and sloppy pentatonic scale but not much more. And everything I play is without rhythm and with plenty of mistakes. And all this after a short 36 years.

Now if I'm being honest, I don't really play/practice as much as I should. I'll go at it pretty good for a couple of months then not pick up my guitar for many months (if not years).

But even when I'm playing a lot, my improvement is painfully slow. Then I get frustrated or just lose interest.

Sometimes I think I can spend my way into playing better so I'm not shy about throwing money at gear. Speaking of which, I have a brand new Custom 22 coming in from Brian's Guitars on Monday.

Yes, I paid full retail price for one of the finest guitars made when I have the ability that deserves a $99 Fender Squier :rofl:


So I'm alone in this, right?
 
Think of it this way: a great piano is ten times the price of a great guitar.

Just think how much better off you are not being able to play guitar, than not being able to play piano. :top:
 
THREAD OF THE YEAR!!!!

Kudos to your candor, bravery and honesty!!

I would say, after all these years...I've progressed to a decent rhythm guitarist and maybe...MAYBE a short solo. Think "Paul Stanley" or "Tom Scholz"......LOL...

But yes, I have no issue throwing money at the problem! The way I see it is--if there's a nice instrument in front of me, I respect it as a piece of art and work hard to make it "sing". A $99 Fender would find the dumpster pretty fast and leave me uninspired.

As an aside...with the advent of the Internet and guitar forums, you begin to actually believe that the world is inhabited by undiscovered Jimmy Pages and Eddie Van Halens!! I'm pretty sure there are a LOT more like us lurking about!

Great post... :)

Tony
 
Now if I'm being honest, I don't really play/practice as much as I should. I'll go at it pretty good for a couple of months then not pick up my guitar for many months (if not years).

But even when I'm playing a lot, my improvement is painfully slow. Then I get frustrated or just lose interest.

This is what I find to the biggest hurdle to improving. I try and play everyday even if it's just for a few minutes. I also look for some things I can play well and then keep playing them while I work on some more challenging licks. You have to enjoy it, it's a big stress reliever for me. I'm never going to be EVH or John Mayer but I do enjoy playing and collecting new gear.
 
I'm with you, I am 40 and started playing when I was around 12-13. I am nowhere near am as good as I should be. I also have issue playing with others around.
 
Love PRS guitars and can't play crap. I got my first one in 2012, a Bernie. 2 more SE's, a S2 and a McCarty later I now have 5 PRSi, one for each chord I can play. My biggest problem is I apparently have no rhythm. My strumming sucks. I started this with the plan of being able to play in my retirement days. So I have around 10 more years. Hopefully I'll get there. If not I'm going to enjoy the ride.
 
I'm with ya... 53 tomorrow, and have to work hard just to approach hack / wanker status.
I do have decent rhythm though ... used to be a decent hack bass player...

I just love the feeling of strings under my fingers, and when I actually learn something musical, it's very rewarding!! :top:
 
:hello: I suck. I was getting pretty good in high school, but when that ended and I had a traveling job the guitar went in the closet.

FF 20 or so years and now I work with some other guys with the same desire and lack of skill.

So we get together, cook out, do shots and record "albums". Horrible, horrible albums. Then laugh about it.

But I fell in love with the feel of my 1st PRS, and It's my only real hobby.
 
I learned on the family acoustic and didn't get an electric until I was married and in my 30's. So I can play chords ok but I struggle with solos. I've played more in the last 8 years than the first 30 put together. It's starting to pay off, but it comes much slower to us older folks. If we are all 12 again we'd pick it up much faster. Still I love playing a fine git fiddle.
 
I just try to be creative... Sometimes that means I play guitar more often and sometimes not, don't judge yourself on proficiency, make something.
 
This came as a complete shock to me, but it turns out that playing guitar is not a competitive sport!

It's something else entirely.

I also recently learned that no license is required to operate a guitar!

I mean, you have to get a license to drive a car, and that's something that's a lot easier to learn, even though so many people aren't any good at it.

Another thing about guitar: You can drink and play guitar at the same time and not get arrested for drunk guitar playing!

This is called 'guitar player immunity.'
 
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Well, I guess I'm the contrarian.
I can't imagine paying the price of a core PRS if all I can play is "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" or "When The Saints Come Marching In".
Just me, everyone is different.
 
Big Mard;159714 one for each chord I can play. [/QUOTE said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

That's awesome, and also means that since I already own two, I get to buy one more!
 
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