I started learning guitar about 5 years or so ago.  But after a year or so family life got in the way and I couldn't find time to practice.  Though I bought both types, I really only played acoustics before.  Gonna give the electrics a go this time.  I just took a Les Paul I bought back then in for a setup and new strings, and have signed up for lessons again starting next week.  Hope I can keep the GAS in check this time around.

Enjoy! I find the 30-60 minutes a day I spend playing really washes work off me. It's what I was missing in my 40's.

I hung guitars throughout the house to force me to see them. Even by my bed lol.
Even if i only play for 10 minutes,  i play everyday pretty much.

Now, pushing myself  and getting outta my comfort zone is another story.
My big problem is a rut i get in every few months.

I really need to pony up for a lesson or two , and finally get a good electric.

Qft!  I have been playing for about 18 months. I find myself practicing about 40 minutes a day, but need to expand my horizons and start taking lessons.

I taught myself how to read music and some theory, but i need to formalize my practice.

Self taught 100%.
Im at that stage where it's...stay campfire strummer or go...
But thing is....there is a lot to that..especially if singing is involved...

There is a real difference between playing and practicing.
Practice makes you a better player when you play but takes more discipline. I like to just play.

I picked the guitar back up again in my early 60’s and also have guitars laying all over the cabin so keep at it!  I’m actually playing better than I ever have (when my fingers will cooperate).

I mix it up... I set aside certain songs i really enjoy and aspire to play that work well as practice exercises. Eric Johnson for example. Even learning his work in slow speed really challenges you. Of course the early RHCP John Frusciante stuff makes for good flexibility exercise lol.

This is a pretty good interview to watch. They get into some technical stuff and life stuff, but there's some good tips about learning things and keeping motivated ect.



And here's the vid they talk about. Good stuff.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/ixcfVBdsV9I[/youtube]

Ive been trying to learn a new bluegrass song each month.  I want to get about 15 songs in my song list.  Mostly flat picking stuff, but want to be well rounded.  I put about 30 min a day in on guitar.  More on some nights.

I bought an American Telecaster a few years ago.  Still had the factory strings on it, but played fine.  I took it to the small local music store a few days ago for new strings and a setup, and upon getting it home noticed it buzzes like crazy.  It's even noticeable through the amp.  I took it back and picked it up again yesterday.  Still buzzing like crazy, after they supposedly corrected it and said it wasn't buzzing anymore (they swore it wasn't buzzing the fist time either, but heard it when I brought it back).  Apparently something changes in the three minute drive from the store to my house.  Maybe there's something wrong with the guitar, but I suspect the tech there isn't very competent.  A store near my job supposedly has the best luthier in the area, so I guess I'll be dropping it off there today and paying for another setup to find out.  Been trying to avoid that store, as I'm kinda wanting a strat style guitar and I'm afraid of looking at the PRS Silver Skys and Suhrs they carry.

That tech probably lowered the saddles or tweaked the truss rod to flatten the neck out. And it's possible that picking style is coming into play. If that tech has a lighter picking technique with more finesse, that may be why he doesn't have any problem with the current setup. So, I'd just explain that the current setup is too low and that you prefer a higher action. He's probably just used to everybody wanting their action lower than whale shit.

American Tele's are crap anyway.  I PM'd you my address so you can send it to me for disposal, I'll even pay for shipping ( just b/c I'm a nice guy and don't want your friends talking about you behind your back).  You won't ever have to look at it again. Now go buy a silver sky!

That's pretty much what my instructor said when I took it in today.  Nothing wrong with the setup, per se, just set up with really low action.  He thought it was too low as well.

Neck may need a proper relief too. Should be about .04" at the 12th fret if you press the high-E to the 1st fret and the 22nd (if you have some feeler gauges you can measure, or you can pretty much eyeball it).

If it's dead flat, it will wanna buzz even with a decent set up. And, humidity can pull it just enough here or there to take the relief out.

Lots of YT vids on truss adjustment and setting relief, but something to watch for.

Something that REALLY helped me as I got older and picked the guitar back up again was dividing a 30 minute (or however long you feel like playing) into 3 10 minute segments. First was 10 minutes of scales, finger practice, drilling on CAGE patterns, dedicated practice. Then 10 minutes of playing something I like, songs, doing some leads I like, whatever. Then, I'd let 10 minutes be creative - trying to come up with new riffs, licks, or sounds.

Sometimes it blends into hours....sometimes I can only do 30, but it shot my playing and writing leap years better than it had been when I was young and just wanted to make loud songs with my friends.

Cheers!