Tell us your age, gear, stlye or genre and how well you can feel you can play.

[MattLivingInVan]

Im 21.

i play mostly in punk/hardcore/psychobilly rockabilly bands.
my primary playing style roots from 50's rock and roll and blues.

i have a gretsch endorsement.as well as a gibson pick endorsement.
i have a collection of gretsch guitars.
a few gibsons.
a couple telecasters and a modded j mascis signature jazzmaster with tv jones pickup.

amps: marshall mode four 350.
mesa road king
2- fender deville 212s
2 mesa grill front 412 cabs/road cases owned by rocky george of sucidal tendencies.
custom loaded behringer 412

and i say my playing is well rounded

[Mr.Grumpy]

I'm 48, and I've been playing since I was 20.

Guitars:
Aria ProII PE-1500, bought used at a pawn shop.
MIJ Fender Telecaster, bought new 1991 or so.
G&L Tribute Legacy - bought used last year
Home made guitar - sort of a shredder/pointy guitar. Home made mahogany body mated to a generic japanese shredder neck. 2 humbuckers, strat-type hardtail bridge. Work in progress, the body still isn't finished (as in painted)
I also own a cheapo Silvertone acoustic and a Cort headless bass.

Amps: Mesa Studio .22, Music Man HD-212, original POD

Genres: Rock, psychedelic, blues, ects... In the early 90's I played in a "neo psychedelic" band, and we actually gigged for a year or two before it fizzled out. The band leaders were record collectors and got on a "retro" trip long before it was cool.

Skills: mediocre to passable. Creativity is LOW. I find it hard to come up with anything new.

[nuke_diver]

49 years old, been playing for 2 1/2 years, play mostly Strats, I feel like I'm at the same level that a younger person would be after a year. IOW, I suck, but I still love gear. Lately I've been thinking about giving up as I'm not making the kind of progress I had hoped to.

Doc...don't do it

I also would like to progress further than I have, I work hard (2hrs a day usually on top of a 12hr a day job) and still don't know why certain songs are so hard or why I cannot remember how to a song that I've played dozens of times goes old age I guess

But every once in a while I "feel" the music I play and even if it might not sound good outside of my room it can give me goosebumps.

Thats why I still play every day

[55gibby]

I'm old

I have old gear


I play old songs

[BlackCat]

I

[55gibby]

I almost said...

I'm 93... play a tele thru a twin and play mostly death metal.












but I didn't

[neffrocks]

I'm 20. My gear fa-ha-ha-haaaaar exceeds my ability. I favor a 58 RI Les Paul through an AC30 with minimal effects - mostly the odd modulation. I'm currently trying to do something of a folksy rock kinda sound, I guess? I dunno how to describe it. I want a violinist or violist in my next band, maybe horns. I want to branch out from the "guitar, bass, drums" thing. I play live, but I haven't in two months. My last band was grunge / hard rock, which is still fun to play, but I don't feel it's "my thing," you know?

Nice. I also have a 58 reissue Les Plaul. LOVE the fat neck. I use a Matchless DC/30 amp which is very similar to a Vox AC/30. Sweet combination. Good choice.

My Strat sounds killer through the DC/30 as well.

[Kuroyume]

I'm 45. Have been playing since 1981 (on and off but mostly on).

 

My gear is in my sig.

 

I play blues, rock, metal, neo-classical, some jazz, some classical. I haven't been in a band since most of you were in diapers (or not even twinkles in your parents lovefest) but I have definitely improved a lot over the past ten years. Pro or not, band or not, I just love playing (to the shagrin of all around me).

[A_saVANT]

21 here.

I play violin (18ish years), bass (8 years), and guitar (7 years).

On violin I play everything from classical to jazz to blues to country to irish/celtic to post rock instrumental to just making orchestra sounding crap with a loop pedal and a Whammy. Just about anything, really. Electric violins are fun stuff.

On bass, I started off learning punk but slowly progressed into more blues and funk territory. Slappy stuff. I took an indefinite hiatus to focus on guitar and picked it back up and now am taking more of a progressive/post-rock direction. Utilizing slapping to hit drone notes is fun while fingerpicking or just picking. Makes for good bass toanz. I want to get a five string with the B, specifically an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5 HH. I primarily play in Drop D on bass, though tune up to E if I want to do blues or funk. Though if I got the Five string I'd have to do A-D-A-D-G or something equivalent.

On guitar, I started off just transferring what I knew from bass and going from there. I was in a big classic rock phase at the time, so I slowly developed into a strange rhythm bluesy guitar style. Then I started listening to grunge and 90's "nu"-metal/industrial and that had a direct influence. In the past few years I've found sludge, doom, post-rock, ambient, and all that {censored}. I can't really classify anything now. My leads sound bluesy, but sludgy, dirty and dingy at the same time. I bounce around a lot on guitar, trying to break as many genre boundaries as possible while still sounding cohesive. I originally played in Drop D but have since moved on to Drop B (B-A-D-G-B-E) and am saving up for a traditional B-b Baritone Guitar. I kind of play rhythm guitar.

My style/genre, though I try not to pigeon hole myself, if I was to record what I've been doing lately would likely be labeled post-rock/experimental mixed with blues. That's the best I can come up with. Lots of layers, and experimentation looping guitar/violin and switching instruments. Provides for some pretty interesting textures.

Gear wise, right now, I'm pretty set on guitar.

I have two Fender Jaguar HH's, one of which I'm in the process of modding. I like them because I can get classic Fender lead tones and also get nice growly Gibson tones. On the lead circuit, they sound almost like single coils with a nice bright high end and crisp mids. On the rhythm circuit, the guitar sounds like a damn Les Paul. I'm about to replace the pickups, which should deepen my tonal capabilities greatly. I want a Fender Baritone Special tuned B-b, because it would accent the stuff I'm playing and the direction I'm going. Other than that I don't see me getting a new guitar for a while unless I find an awesome deal.

I am currently running a B-52 AT-100 Triple Rec, and though I can squeeze good tone out of it, I'm not exactly fond of it. It does way too much to actually achieve the tone I'm looking for. It's actually my room mate's, but he never plays it.

I also have a Roland JC-120, but that is mostly for Violin. The cleans are superb, but they're almost too clean for guitar. Good with pedals, but doesn't have the tonal signature of some of the tube amps I've played.

I just picked up a Sunn Studio P.A. that is currently being worked on by my tech, so I think I'll be happier with it's single channel.

Bass, I just have a Ibanez Soundwave 100 115 Combo. It's not great, but it gets the job done. The Sunn Studio P.A. will be good for bass whenever I get it back. I also have a Fender Jaguar Bass that I got in a trade from someone. I know I'm a Jag Fag, but the neck on the Jag Bass is awesome, that was the selling point on it for me.

Violin, I use the Jazz Chorus and miscellaneous pedals.

Anyway, skill level wise? I'm pretty good at violin, though there is always room for improvement. Bass wise, I can keep up with drummers and lay down a good bass line for pretty much anything besides jazz...working on that of course.

Guitar is a completely different animal. My approach to guitar has been more songwriting based than learning theory. Every time I pick up the guitar, I try to come up with new riffs based off of what I played last time. This process hasn't gotten me any better at actual musical theory, but it has increased my ear by leaps and bounds. My playing of guitar has helped me develop a style all my own that has transferred to violin and bass.

Skill wise, I can't really base guitar wise, because I'm focused on my writing and tonal signature more than anything else. Though, I am learning the neck and being able to move around a lot more and change keys much better than before.

I need to start a new band.

Whoa, tl/dr.

[notcool]

Tell us your age: 48, but I always tell people my body is getting older yet my mind is still young.

 

Gear: About a dozen guitars, mostly electrics, but I also have two acoustics, a bass, and a pedal steel.

 

For recording I use a Strat with standard single coils for rhythm and a Les Paul for lead, and when I perform live I play Strats with hot single coils.

 

Six amps: one POD XT, one Marshall half stack, and four Fender combos.

 

Best sounding amps: Fender Princeton 112 with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker (recording), Fender Roc Pro 1000 (live). I don't buy the argument that tube amps sound better, especially when a lot of players use buzzy preamp tube distortion or use stompboxes for grind.

 

Style: Influenced by early 1970s classic rock. My own style: heavy rock with a demented weird alternative slant. Not spooky or creepy - just plain weird.

 

How well you can feel you can play: I have good days and bad days. I don't play a lot of notes, but I play with passion. I feel good if I can make the amp wail and howl or shake the ground by hitting a nasty 'A' chord filled with barking mids.

[Alecto]

Age: I'm gonna be 40 in April. However, the wife and I got ourselves back in shape last year so I'm looking pretty good for my age, IMO.

Gear: Between the wife and myself, we have 17 stringed instruments (she plays bass). We also have 2 accordions and an 88-key keyboard. Oh, and a kazoo.

When playing live, I either bring out my Strat (see below) or my Carvin, plugged into a Fender Blues Junior, Orange Tiny Terror or Marshall DSL100, depending on the musical style or size of venue.

Playing Style: Mostly rock with some R&B and funk mixed in. I mostly play with singer-songwriter types although I've done plenty of cover gigs as well. I've also done a few sessions for commercial jingles, soundtracks for short films/TV pilots plus the occasional pit gig. I can go from clean and delicate to ambient to sheer noise.

How Well Do I Play? I get the occasional whoop or applause after I take a solo, so I guess that's good. My biggest asset is the fact that I'm always listening: I like to complement what the other musicians are playing, and I really hate it when people just do their own thing without listening to what the other band members are doing around them. Here endeth that rant.

The wife is talking about having kids so I think my gigging days may be over, or at least severely curtailed.

[metalheadUK]

I'm 50, all bar the shouting.

I currently play in a 2 punk bands, a Metal Project, and a kick arse Blues outfit, with other stuff on the side.

My Gear is eclectic, and mostly, according to some, unsuitable for serious playing.

People tell me I play OK.

[neffrocks]

Thanks to all for not trolling or being a-holes. very intersting. Thanks for all the replies.

Mike

[neffrocks]

I'm 16, have been playing since last year's March. You can see my rig and my possible future gear plans in my sig. I'm self thaught and there's a really long way to go to become a good guitar player but I'm optimistic, I guess I have time. However, I've never taken enough time to simply learn scales or concentrate on working on my technique and stuff, which I realise that I need to do. I plan to really WORK on my guitar skills on holidays since school takes pretty much time. I mainly play (or try to play) hard rock and some metal songs (ACDC, Metallica, RATM, Guns N Roses, Van Halen, ZZ Top, nothing what's really br00t4l), but I really want to learn some completely different styles like blues, country, classical, maybe some jazz, etc.

 

 

I am so sorry.

[badhabit]

I'm 59 and started playing guitar at age 11. Surf guitar was big in CA at that time, so I played that. Then I got into rock, then blues by age 15. Played in high school cover bands till 19. Then joined an originals band. We eventually got a record deal playing what some called "bar band country rock". The album failed and I left to tour with a singer. I also played with a R&B show band on tour. At 25, decided to stay home ( LA ) and tried the session man thing and played any sideman gigs I was offered. Did that for 5 yrs. During that time, I played all styles. Folk, rock, jazz. disco, country, blues, rockabilly, you name it, I played it ( if it paid ). During this time, I studied with Howard Roberts and George Barnes to build my jazz chops. At 30, chose to ditch the pro scene to start a family and a business. I played in church for 8 years. An industrial left hand accident sidelined me for 12 yrs. I was told nothing could be done. In 2004, on the encouragement of my wife, I decided to try playing guitar again. I had to learn to work around my deformed, left hand middle finger. So for 6 years, I've been working on getting my chops back. But I realize they'll never be exactly the same. Now, I play mostly blues in a blues band with cats near my age. We do it for fun and bucks; mostly for the enjoyment of playing.

My biggest influences are probably EC, Freddie King, BB King and Mike Bloomfield. But I'll cop some ideas from anyone who I like.

I've had many guitars over the years. Currently, I have a 335, a Les Paul, two strats, a tele, a steel string acoustic and a nylon string acoustic. Lots of amps over the years as well. I've owned Fender Twins, Ampeg V-4, Traynor YB-1 Bassmaster, Musicman combo, solid state Yamaha, etc. I recently sold my 70's Marshall 50 watt JMP and custom 2 x 12 bottom. I'm now using a BF Vibrolux Reverb, a BF Princeton Reverb or a FUCHS modded DRRI.

I can get around a guitar neck. Many blues players are often about a lot of notes. I'm not that way. I prefer the Larry Carlton approach to less is more. Not to say I don't occasionally play many notes, it's just I don't do the machine gun thing. I tried to play more fluid. I push myself when improvising so inevitably, I'll hit some clams. It's fun seeing how far I can push it before total chaos ensues.

[ignatz]

I'm 45. I've been playing guitar since I was 12. I studied classical guitar for about ten years, and I've also played jazz, bluegrass, punk, rock in varying degrees of hardness, and traditional Irish music. I also compose (non-guitar-oriented) ambient electronic music. I've been in a couple of touring bands you've never heard of and I've played on a few albums you don't own. These days I'm gigging a lot in the Irish music world (weddings and parties and dances, they pay the bills and buy groceries), and I'm also getting a self-indulgent goth/shoegaze project off the ground with an old friend who is a tremendous singer.

 

I think I should be a lot better for having played as long as I have. But I enjoy my playing, and I get hired, so I must not be doing too badly.

 

Gear: Nothing to write home about. CV Tele, Reverend Daredevil HB, Guild D35, Vox AD50VT (perpetually set on the AC30 model), modded Crate V18, a bunch of pedals. I'm not a gear fetishist; if it gets the job done, I'll play it.

[prolog]

49 years old, been playing for 2 1/2 years, play mostly Strats, I feel like I'm at the same level that a younger person would be after a year. IOW, I suck, but I still love gear. Lately I've been thinking about giving up as I'm not making the kind of progress I had hoped to.

 

 

God, no, don't do that, doc. What are you working on, right now? How are you practicing? Do you have someone/people to play with?

 

I sometimes feel like I hit a rut, and then I find a way to break out of it. Recently, I've been practicing open G delta blues pieces, since I'd never done that before, and wanted a change. I found it helped immeasurably.

[Mark Wein]

Thanks to all for not trolling or being a-holes. very intersting. Thanks for all the replies. Mike

 

 

This has been a great thread...

[ExiledCrow]

I'm 40, I started learning guitar at 39. Mid-life crisis? Maybe, who cares. Anyway, I do NOT play well. I play ..... mmmmm, ok rhythm, lead not so much.

 

I had hoped that I might be farther along, but given my late start and lack of time to play (man, I don't know how you folks with jobs AND kids do it) I'm not. Not all that bothered by it really, it's FUN!

 

I tend to play mostly metal/rock ... 'cuz that's what I like.

 

Gear: Jackson KE3

Peavey Predator Plus

Epiphone LP

Epiphone Iommi SG (curently doing a bargain basement refin on that,

pics when 2.0 arrives)

 

Blackstar HT-5 half stack

Fender G-Dec Jr

 

Boss SD-1

Dano CoolCat Fuzz

Ibanez LF-7 Lo-fi

GFS tuner (hopefully when I get home today)

[realtree71]

40 something and have about 10 guitars and various amps.. see sig. All great gear Im luckey.

I've been playing since about 1978....

I'm not that great of a player but when I jam to my own tunes its usually interesting to my ears lol..

[hshaitan]

I'm 29... play post-rock and a sort of neo-classical thing of my own workings and I also play and sing on the ukulele... My gear is in my signature... I feel that I'm a slightly better than average player. I've been told that I'm really good but I don't feel that I am playing up to even my own standards. Recently though I feel that my playing has improved a lot since I became single and there is more time to focus on what matters most, guitar...

[hank_chaos]

my real name is kevin, i am 16 i have never really taken guitar too seriously until i got to high school, and now i kinda take it seriously, i try to learn something new each week or so, i play kind of an embarrassing rig of a epiphone g400 that is strait up my baby, a marshall mg30 and pedals, im kinda transitioning, but i like my ds1 and a jimi hendrix crybaby, (thanks royal c jhonson) but i am starting to experimental with building pedals. anyway i am now involved with lots of bands, but it is mostly blues rock inspired jams and stoner metal

[mnewb1]

45 I have been playing off and on since I was 15. I usually trade off between the Strat, Les Paul and PRS through the Mesa usually with a little RAT boost and carbon copy delay.

I mostly play along with blues or classic rock music I like, I certainly aspire to Jazz someday, but I am not there yet.

I am pleased with my playing especially in the last couple years... I certainly have a ways to go. The most important thing I could do would be to start playing with others to get a feel for playing a part in a whole and learning to use my ear to hang in with other musicians.

a couple examples:

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[mnewb1]

Man I posted and this tread faded away...did I threadkill it?

 

a good thread too.

[Boy]

I'm 29, and I play classical, metal, blues, rock and all the subgenres of rock, except punk, grunge, and pop. I try to play my classical everyday and, if I have time, my electric. I've been playing since I was 14, so I feel I am pretty advanced. I own 5 guitars, 3 of which are in my sig, and 2 amps. Once I get a good career going I will get another expensive amp. For about 5 years I quit guitar, and only since October of 2008 have I resumed my playing. Been taking classical lessons for about 6 or 7 months now.