Leaderboard

Added this to my collection but then changed the Marshall to the Orange Supercrush 100 combo which is a better amp PRS SE Swamp Ash

Douglas, It does - thank you again for your insights. Adam.

Thank you both for your replies - they are appreciated. In response to the bits I've picked out (although all was appreciated): Yes, certainly "master of none". I've come to the guitar through a variety of instruments, most of which I ended up being "very intermediate" at! It took me a long time to accept I was never going to be brilliant at any one of them (although I did sing professionally when I was younger, which I suppose is as near as I got to being "good" at anything). However, it means that, now I'm over that psychological hump, whatever progress I make with whatever I'm playing, I'm happy with - but I do have to make some progress, I think, keep things fresh, or else I end up moving onto something else anyway. The reason for saying all that isn't outrageous boasting (I promise!), but to acknowledge the 100% of popular opinion so far that says "go with the acoustic". I'm happy to be led. Either choice would probably be "fresh" but the acoustic (this one, in case anyone is interested - https://www.andertons.co.uk/alvarez-artist-parlor-acoustic-electric-non-cutaway-eq-tuner/ ) does offer a bigger departure from what I've been doing and more scope for new technique than a new LP as you've observed. I particularly wanted to say that I appreciated your comments on "rhythm playing". To be frank, musically, I've ended up doing things in completely the wrong order. Again, intended humbly, I grew up in a classical background and for various reasons relating to early education, my theory knowledge is good and was in place long before I was ever good (or intermediate!) at playing anything. But on the flip side, much more significantly, the repertoire of music that I know for guitar is very, very limited (worship songs, mostly), even in terms of listening (I'm trying to remedy this) and I find lead guitarists / shredders / anyone who can move around the fretboard at speed downright intimidating! Being brutally honest, I lack both idiomatic sense for any particular genre and much of the experience of listening to bands, knowing their songs and trying to copy / learn them and so on. As such, I've sort of defaulted to trying to learn rhythm playing and chord progressions as it's the closest thing to traditional harmony you can do on a guitar and probably the thing that matches up best with my previous experience. No doubt my constant looping around satisfying progressions irritates my family and the neighbours! But I have been working slowly through Rhythm Guitar 365 by Troy Nelson and to be honest, it was the exercises marked "Acoustic Guitar" in that book that put the idea for acquiring an acoustic into my head in the first place. Whatever it is I do, it's enough for a few songs at church (not my thing either TBH, but it my wife's and I love to play) every now and again. So in a sense I have an advantage as far as attempting your suggestion of trying chord substitutions, which I will try to incorporate: at least I'll understand the instructions and should be able to apply them sensibly! I'm going to have to look up "drop-two chords", but the rest of your pointers I think I can follow and although some of them are within what I already try to do, I'll use your suggesting them as an opportunity to refocus on technique and less on playing personally-pleasing, but probably not developmental things for the foreseeable. Sometimes, I guess, you need someone else to tell you to do what you know deep down you should be doing but let slide. ATB.

I can only recommend the strings that I've been using for a couple of decades, now, on all of my guitars (solid electric, archtop or acoustic...). Slightly more expensive than some other brands, but they last far, far longer, keeping their tone and intonation, even if playing very regularly. Disclaimer : I have 'acid' fingers, that tend to leave marks and corrosion on other strings; I switched from Fender Bullets to Elixir for this reason, and no longer have this issue. Others may well chip in with other recommendations and experience ; this is mine ...

Every guitar player should have an acoustic in their arsenal IMO.

Whoa there, Tiger..! The starting point would be to get the guitar in the best condition possible, before thinking about upgrades. A new set of strings, obviously, and a good clean whilst the old strings are off. Slight traces of rust is very normal on the exposed pole pieces of pick-ups like these, and do no harm. A brush-over with a washing-up sponge will remove this discoloration, if it bothers you, and a dab of clear nail varnish once they're polished up will keep them rust-free. As for the frets... Don't even think of removing them..! If they, too, are discoloured, buffing them up will restore their brilliance. Try rubbing them with a hard pencil rubber; that will do a lot to clean them up. On stubborn cases, a fine wire brush (no, not the one used to clear rust from a car's underbody; a fine one..!), or 0000-gauge wire wool will do the job. Mask the fingerboard whilst doing this, and mask, too, the magnetic pick-ups, to prevent them from attracting any metallic dust or residue. Give the whole guitar a clean with a slightly-damp cloth. I can recommend, from personal usage, Dr Duck's Ax Wax... ... Only a couple of drops on a lint-free cloth will remove grime, finger marks etc, from the body, neck and hardware. It works very well, and a small bottle lasts years, as it is used so sparingly. Once all of the above is done, and the sparklingly-clean guitar is freshly strung up and set up with new strings, play it for a few weeks, then re-appraise any upgrades that may become apparent. I doubt that there'll be much; Tender Loving Care does wonders. Hope this helps.