The third time is a charm.

Hey Everybody,

I’m a 47 year old who just can’t shake the dream of playing guitar. I’m from Pittsburgh, PA, and I joined about two months ago. My first try at playing came in the early 80’s. My parents bought me a used Hondo II Les Paul copy. I quickly got lost between “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Iron Man.” I didn’t know how to tune it very well. Thank was black magic in those days. My second try came in the late 90’s when I was single and had a good job. I was surrounded by guitar players, so I found a Rickenbacker 360 and started to learn again. Unfortunately, I moved to a different building the next year, and nobody played. I drifted away from playing, and, in the early years of my marriage, the Rickenbacker was liquidated to pay bills. This is my third try. I found myself surrounded by players again, so I dusted of a cheap guitar that one of my kids played with. The cost of a decent setup would be about half the value of the guitar. Fortunately, I discovered Guitar Tricks, and I’ve been working at it for about two months.
This time will be the charm. I didn’t have a tuner when I was a kid, and I didn’t have such a great instructor as Lisa McCormick. I'm putting together what little I’ve learned over the years with the fantastic Guitar Tricks instruction. I’m quietly saving for a Fender Standard Telecaster, and I know that this time will be the time that I get it right.

Hey man, thanks for sharing! And I absolutely agree that this shot will hit the mark for you.

Either way, stick with it and keep playing whenever you can. It'll start to click and just become part of your routine.

I'd also suspect that once you get your Tele (i.e. not a second-hand guitar) your motivation to play and stick with the instrument will shoot up quite a bit

Good to have you and best of luck!

Hey dude, new here as well. I'm also in Pittsburgh Pa. Just though that was cool. Although I'm half your age(not that that matters or anything) this is my 3rd time trying to learn to play as well. Your post reminds me much of my failed attempts in the fact that I've never had other musicians to talk with and no one I know cares about music in a way I do. Anyway long story short just wanted to say hi as I'm trying to meet other plays to help keep me motivated this time around.

Originally Posted by: sparkyoneonetwoI've never had other musicians to talk with and no one I know cares about music in a way I do. Anyway long story short just wanted to say hi as I'm trying to meet other plays to help keep me motivated this time around.

Thanks for saying hello. I hope you are making progress, too. I feel like I'm getting a solid musical background here. I understand more than ever. As always, I'm trying to get the most of the time I put in. Right now I'm taking a look at my practice space. I'm getting nudged out of the family room by my teenager. I just bought a Fender Mustang 1 V2, and it hooks up to the computer for amp editing, so I might move into the bedroom for privacy.

Take care!

PS What kind of music are you into?

Hey welcome to gt! :-)
You need to have a goal for yourself, if you don't have a goal you won't know were your heading!
Ask yourself why do I want to play guitar. To be in a band, amuse my friends or a campfire player ect...

These are the things we all went through, I wish u the best of luck.
Your motivation has to come from within, because if it doesn't, you won't be motivated to practice EVERYDAY!.

Best regards
Axe.

Originally Posted by: davidderguteThanks for saying hello. I hope you are making progress, too. I feel like I'm getting a solid musical background here. I understand more than ever. As always, I'm trying to get the most of the time I put in. Right now I'm taking a look at my practice space. I'm getting nudged out of the family room by my teenager. I just bought a Fender Mustang 1 V2, and it hooks up to the computer for amp editing, so I might move into the bedroom for privacy.

Take care!

PS What kind of music are you into?

Your are welcome dude. I'm making a lot of progress actually. Learning stuff way faster than ever thought I would. A lot of the first few lessons where more a refresher than anything but learnt so much more that I ever knew before.

I don't really have the best practice space either. I share a room in a teeny tiny apartment that's only got a bed room kitchen and bathroom. My roommates pretty cool about not buggin' me when I practice but some privacy would be nice gets annoying practicing to an audience all the time.


As for music I'm into. I like all kinds of stuff from blue grass to jazz, classic rock, folk, most of all though I love 80s metal. White Snake, Def Leppard, kiss, Cinderella, Warrant and most of the other bands like that.


How do you like the Fender Mustang 1 V2?? Right now I've got a 10+ year old Create Amp that I bought used at a pawn shop back in 2005. Been looking into getting a new amp though, I normally practice using guitar rig but having a new amp to take place would be awesome.

Originally Posted by: axe2Hey welcome to gt! :-)
You need to have a goal for yourself, if you don't have a goal you won't know were your heading!
Ask yourself why do I want to play guitar. To be in a band, amuse my friends or a campfire player ect...

Axe.

Thanks,

Focus is one of the things that an older learner brings to the party. I'm enjoying myself and learning with GT.

[QUOTE=sparkyoneonetwo.

I don't really have the best practice space either. I share a room in a teeny tiny apartment that's only got a bed room kitchen and bathroom. My roommates pretty cool about not buggin' me when I practice but some privacy would be nice gets annoying practicing to an audience all the time.


[/QUOTE]

I finally have things set up in my bedroom. I like the privacy, and I don't like teenagers touching my stuff. "Hey, what is my capo doing in the grass behind the shed."

Unfortunately, the volume pot on my guitar needs replaced, so I've been out of commission for the last week. It should be fixed early this week.

I'm loving the Mustang 1 v2. It does those Fender tones that I love really well, to my ears. There seems to be a ton of practice amps out there for $100 to $120 that are awesome. If you like metal, Peavy Vipers might be awesome. If you, like me, are afraid to try out amps in the store because you don't have 5 minutes of hot stuff music to run through, you can have them demo it for you, or you can do your homework on Youtube.

I really love the Mustang 1 v2, and I can't wait until it is reunited with my guitar. I'll give it a review after I live with it for a couple of weeks.

Later

Welcome to GT!! Interestingly enough, coming here was my 3rd shot at really doing something with guitar. First time around I had learned from a friend in middle and high school. As an adult I took private lessons for a year. Then a few years ago I discovered this place! The lessons here and the work I put into them propelled me to a whole new level! Lots of great stuff here.

Axe is right...there's a lot to be said for having goals. Otherwise, it's sooo easy to get lost in the sea of information that's here, on youtube, and on the 'net in general. You want to go in 20 directions at once!!!

Good luck and have fun learning guitar!

The Hondo mention really sent me way back in time. Some Hondo guitars were better than others, but some...I'm not sure they were tune-able. So maybe it wasn't you! :D

Each guitar feels different in your hands. If you want to enjoy playing as you work to progress do not decide on a guitar maker or model before you buy.

Go to more than one music store and play many different makers and styles. At some point you will grab a guitar and your hand will like it. Sounds odd, but it will tell you it likes this guitar, cords will fall into place you will feel different playing it. Buy that one, be it $300.00 or $1,200.00
It will keep you playing. Do not listen to your head, listen to your hand.

Originally Posted by: haghj500Each guitar feels different in your hands. If you want to enjoy playing as you work to progress do not decide on a guitar maker or model before you buy.

Go to more than one music store and play many different makers and styles. At some point you will grab a guitar and your hand will like it. Sounds odd, but it will tell you it likes this guitar, cords will fall into place you will feel different playing it. Buy that one, be it $300.00 or $1,200.00
It will keep you playing. Do not listen to your head, listen to your hand.

I agree. I spent way too much money trading in guitar after guitar, until I went to the music store every week and tried out every guitar on the wall. It was very confusing and frustrating but I knew I had to have a PRS after I kept going back to the SE custom 24 over and over again because it felt SO good to play.