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Guitarists Unite!

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Sephiroth_52
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13 Jun 2009, 8:11 pm

I can't help but wonder who here plays guitar.

I started playing guitar about 8 years ago. I'm not a pro by any means, but I think I'm pretty good. I can play along with songs on the radio, for instance.

I play a Fender Strat knockoff with heavy guage acoustic copper wounds on it (My thickest string is .056 since I'm trying to make my fingers stronger). I play Drop-D tuning and I am considering buying a bass, because chords are especially hard for me since I do not have full mobility with my left pinky finger, since it is way shorter than my other fingers (for the most part) and also due to past hand injuries. Playing Guitar Hero has helped me learn to use my pinky more, albeit with limited use (it hurts when playing GH, and can only reach three strings on the real deal.)

I like playing riffs from bands like Tool, Metallica, Santana, Days of the New and generally anything catchy that's not pop or punk.

So, back to the root question. Do you play?



protest_the_hero
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13 Jun 2009, 9:00 pm

I play electric guitar.



DarrylZero
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13 Jun 2009, 10:30 pm

I've been playing guitar for about 14 years, mostly blues or some jazz on my Strats (SRV is a big influence). I'm impressed by your use of heavy strings. For a while I had to make my own set using 12-56 gauge strings (standard tuning), but repeated hand injuries pretty much forced me to tone down to a set of 10's. I haven't actually played for a while because I've had too much going on recently, including an accident where I pretty much filleted my left index finger when I slipped with a knife...it's healed (more or less) with no nerve damage, but it's still a little too sensitive. If you go to the Member's Only forum under the "What do you love?" thread and find my post you can see a picture of my gear.



Wilco
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14 Jun 2009, 12:37 am

I've been playing for about 11 months now. I can play many simple rock songs like 'Prayer for a refugee' or 'Time of dying'. Also been doing the somewhat harder songs like 'BYOB' and 'Over the hills and far away (nightwish version'.

IDK how good that is. I'm more of a fast rock / metal player and my teacher is more of the blues side. This means he gives me the most annoying practises I can't really use in my type of songs but it's good because it does increase my overall skill alot as it's always a whole new practise and I can develop my own playing style this way.

I think :S



pakled
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14 Jun 2009, 1:14 am

played for about 30 years or so, had about 4 guitars/bass/acoustic, etc.

Taught myself to play, so I play backwards and upside down...;)



ThatRedHairedGrrl
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14 Jun 2009, 11:22 am

Yup - another one here.

I played on and off from the age of 14 or so, but used to get really discouraged and give up for years at a time. I started playing again seriously about five years back, and have carried on and gotten far enough to write some songs and start doing open mic.

I have a Fender Jag-Stang and a Takamine G series acoustic. I mostly learned to play from listening to Nirvana songs, so you can judge from that how good a guitarist I am :lol: .


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amazon_television
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14 Jun 2009, 11:49 am

Sephiroth_52 wrote:
I can't help but wonder who here plays guitar.

I started playing guitar about 8 years ago. I'm not a pro by any means, but I think I'm pretty good. I can play along with songs on the radio, for instance.

I play a Fender Strat knockoff with heavy guage acoustic copper wounds on it (My thickest string is .056 since I'm trying to make my fingers stronger). I play Drop-D tuning and I am considering buying a bass, because chords are especially hard for me since I do not have full mobility with my left pinky finger, since it is way shorter than my other fingers (for the most part) and also due to past hand injuries. Playing Guitar Hero has helped me learn to use my pinky more, albeit with limited use (it hurts when playing GH, and can only reach three strings on the real deal.)

I like playing riffs from bands like Tool, Metallica, Santana, Days of the New and generally anything catchy that's not pop or punk.

So, back to the root question. Do you play?



I've been playing for 13 years, I'm probably below average skill wise for having played that long, but I can definitely play. I have a fender tele, a busted old fender acoustic (which is what I play for the most part) and a dean 12 string acoustic.

Also that's weird you mentioned the left pinky thing, I'm just now learning to deal with "mobility issues" as you put it, in that exact same finger. I broke and dislocated it nasty like 7-8 months ago and it healed super f**ked up, I can't straighten it beyond 45 degrees. Mine can only stretch three frets also on the lower frets because when I stretch the bottom joint outward, the top one cocks inward. I've been working on it a lot though and I can now stretch 4 sometimes if I'm starting at the 5th fret or above.



starygrrl
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14 Jun 2009, 6:01 pm

I have been playing for 18 years. I play both electric and acoustic guitar.

By the way, I have problems with my left pinky finger too. But I have been playing long enough where it does not matter as much.



kalantir
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15 Jun 2009, 5:53 am

Been playing since I was 13, but not so much the last year or so.


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AngryJessman
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16 Jun 2009, 4:03 am

Ive been playing Acoustic for about half a year now, i know how to play:
Smoke on the water (main riff)
Blues Brothers Riff
Forever Young by Youth Group
Come as you are riff by Nirvana
Hello Operator by White Stripes
& last is Rebel Rebel riff by David Bowie
also in a day or so i will be getting a new b&w fender strat for my birthday, can't wait



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16 Jun 2009, 6:11 am

I can play a little.


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just_ben
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16 Jun 2009, 9:19 am

Yeah, I play. At the minute, I have a Cort M600, and 2005 Les Paul Standard, A 5 String Fender Jazz Bass and a Cort action bass ( I think). Also gonna be putting a down payment on an SG at the end of the month. Nice.


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Fudo
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17 Jun 2009, 9:17 am

Fudo plays the guitar.. 8)



Sephiroth_52
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20 Jun 2009, 10:26 am

amazon_television wrote:
Sephiroth_52 wrote:
I can't help but wonder who here plays guitar.

I started playing guitar about 8 years ago. I'm not a pro by any means, but I think I'm pretty good. I can play along with songs on the radio, for instance.

I play a Fender Strat knockoff with heavy guage acoustic copper wounds on it (My thickest string is .056 since I'm trying to make my fingers stronger). I play Drop-D tuning and I am considering buying a bass, because chords are especially hard for me since I do not have full mobility with my left pinky finger, since it is way shorter than my other fingers (for the most part) and also due to past hand injuries. Playing Guitar Hero has helped me learn to use my pinky more, albeit with limited use (it hurts when playing GH, and can only reach three strings on the real deal.)

I like playing riffs from bands like Tool, Metallica, Santana, Days of the New and generally anything catchy that's not pop or punk.

So, back to the root question. Do you play?



I've been playing for 13 years, I'm probably below average skill wise for having played that long, but I can definitely play. I have a fender tele, a busted old fender acoustic (which is what I play for the most part) and a dean 12 string acoustic.

Also that's weird you mentioned the left pinky thing, I'm just now learning to deal with "mobility issues" as you put it, in that exact same finger. I broke and dislocated it nasty like 7-8 months ago and it healed super f**ked up, I can't straighten it beyond 45 degrees. Mine can only stretch three frets also on the lower frets because when I stretch the bottom joint outward, the top one cocks inward. I've been working on it a lot though and I can now stretch 4 sometimes if I'm starting at the 5th fret or above.


The main problem with my left hand is I shattered my ring finger knuckle when i punched a wall (rather than a teacher), so I have bone chips in my hand that sometimes gets caught in my pinky joint. Hammer ons and pull offs move the chips around, and it hurts like hell. Doesn't affect my overall mobility, but the pain becomes too much after about an 15 minutes, and I have to stop using my pinky.

The weirdest bit of the whole thing is that I screwed up my ring finger, but it never bothers me. Only my pinky.



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20 Jun 2009, 10:38 am

Used to, from the time I was 11 all the way through the end of high school. I never got real formal, as in while I did learn a bit of chord play as well as pentatonic structure for soloing I barely ever remember thinking of playing in terms of theory; I was always more producer-minded in the sense of wanting to establish a feel to what I was thinking up and hoping I could find a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist in the same head space where I was (no luck there unfortunately). As of now its been almost 10 years, I'd imagine I could get myself decently good again if I gave it a steady month of practice, haven't found much reason lately though.