I just realized something.*sigh*

Well yesterday I went to my friends house to play a new guitar he got (and teach him somethings cause he can't play a lick). I've been playin for years just not with a Electric (I have a crappy Behringer now) and well he got a Fender Strat and I played it and couldn't put it down it was so much better I don't want to play mine anymore. So what I've realized is I been working my fingers to the bone playing a subpar guitar and all this time I've been playing something that wouldn't let my skills shine.

Welcome to the club.
I suspect most guys probably go through the same thing.

on the other hand, playing an old dog of a guitar may well improve finger strength !

Many of my axes are strung with 10s or 12s instead of 9. After playing the axes with 10s or 12s for a while, moving to an axe string with 9s is a dream !

Originally Posted by: Dr_simonon the other hand, playing an old dog of a guitar may well improve finger strength !

Many of my axes are strung with 10s or 12s instead of 9. After playing the axes with 10s or 12s for a while, moving to an axe string with 9s is a dream !

The Doc said it. I started off playing a Fender something acoustic, and down on the higher frets it was like a quarter inch down just to get the string to hit the fret board. I played that for 4 months and switched to a Squier Strat, which isnt even a good electric--felt like friggin heaven. I play my 12 string sometimes just so I can go back and have it feel so easy on my electric.

Keep jammin on the junker. Itl pay off.

I think any guitarist who's put in years of effort deserves a good guitar - Treat yourself

I think its all ok, so long as your instrument inspires you to play.
Theres nothing wrong with cheap guitars, (so long as its set up nicely, any guitar can be relatively nice to play).
And like the Doc said, a guitar thats hard to play builds dexterity in your hands...so even that is not too bad...

I do alot of my finger excersizes on my baritone, the strings are really heavy guage...so when it works my fingers more...and speed excersizes are fulfilling...cos they start slow on the baritone, then speed up, and then I move them over to my Prs, that is equipped with 9's, and I just fly...boosts the confidence!

These guys are 100% right. I've got this cheap crap guitar that's real hard to play. This is great because whenever I play another guitar I look great. :)

From what I've read and heard from other people, a cheap first guitar is a rite of passage. I don't think that I've read anything about the great guitarists that didn't seem to start out with "My first guitar was a $5 special from Sears and Roebucks ... and I spent hours and hours with it....blah, blah, blah..."

It's all just part of the journey.

beringer isnt THAT bad, now.