What's the biggest mistake a guitarist can make

[Mandobart]

My biggest mistakes were (as a few others have said):

1. Waiting too long to start regularly playing music with other people after I left school.

2. Waiting too long to branch out into other instruments and genres.

3. Waited to long to get a "good" acoustic guitar.

4. Placing such a high priority on my personal knowledge and experience that I discount the knowledge/experience of others.


Mistakes that I believe I observe in others I've played with:

1. Afraid to learn basic knowledge (often called "theory.)

2. Staying on a permanent beginner plateau (ties in with 1. above).

3. Believing all the hype about guitars and certain "new breakthrough gear" that will miraculously improve your playing.

4. "Noodling" and calling it writing to the point that playing their "originals" sucks all the life out of a friendly jam.


Mistakes that I believe I observe in others here on the AGF:

1. Letting OCD rule what guitar you can have, how many you can have, what songs you can play, how you can learn, what you're capable of...

2. Agonizing over minutiae that really makes no difference

3. Pretending to ask for advice when all you really want (or will pay heed to) is confirmation that yes, whatever you're contemplating is a good idea.

4. Posting the same exact questions that have been beat to death here (strings, picks, tonewoods, humidity) without even searching the forum first.

5. Believing all the hype about guitars, unicorn tonewood and certain "new breakthrough gear" that will miraculously improve your playing.

6. Whining about changing strings.

[DaveG]

Originally Posted by koolimy

My biggest mistake was playing with bad technique until my hands and wrists hurt, and trying to push through that pain far too often. Now my left hand and wrist are permanently in pain and I cannot play in certain shapes. Toughing it out, especially when it comes to hands and wrists, is not the answer!

Yeah, I did pretty much the same thing. I could barely play for over a year.

[min7b5]

Originally Posted by rollypolly

...starting off in the whole buying multiple guitars game..

Spending more time thinking about buying stuff than actual music making is the biggest sand trap I personally see as someone that has taught guitar for thirty-five years. And seems to have gotten way worse since the internet really kicked into gear in the last decade-ish.

[kizz]

No regrets, there is a reason for everything...

[brijas99]

Biggest mistake was ending up with GAS. I probably should have had an intervention, let a ton of outstanding instruments (and money) pass thru my hands

No regrets though, other than I waited too long before I started to learn how to play guitar, early 40's. Then once I learned a few things there was the lack of focus and goals of where I was going with music, but eventually landed in the "The Blues" camp, and love every minute of it and am quite happy with where I am with it !

[Mr. Jelly]

Working or modifying a guitar when you don't know what you are doing.

[Arapaho G]

Originally Posted by Bob from Brooklyn

The biggest mistake would be giving up.

+1 to this. If only I had never put it down...

Originally Posted by kizz

No regrets, there is a reason for everything...

This is very true. I spent a good part of last year regretting having given up too easily when I was younger. But now, I see there are advantages to trying to learn guitar as an older adult. Discipline and maturity are very important when undertaking something as complicated as guitar, acoustic especially. What I may currently lack in finger dexterity, I more than make up for with self-awareness, sticktuitiveness and patience. I will be chipping away at learning guitar for the rest of my days on earth. (And I feel so lucky about that!)

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

Comparing yourself to others rather than enjoying your journey.

Here here well said

[jmagill]

Biggest mistake?

Forgetting the chords in the middle of a performance...

[Pdubs76]

Trying to sound like someone else instead of creating your own style. (I still do this a lot.) Also, thinking that when you find the right guitar, you’ll suddenly blossom into the player that you imagined.(I still do this a lot.)

[Mcross67]

Originally Posted by kizz

No regrets, there is a reason for everything...

I like this one. I have started telling myself each morning that I will try to see how many “mistakes” I can make that day.

As a wise man (and pretty good musician) once wrote: There’s no success like failure

[rstaight]

My biggest mistake was made at 14 by turning down an audition to play for Mel Tillis.

Now I am approaching retirement and I realized long ago that was my opportunity.

But I am having fun with my guitar playing today at the local jams.

[Glennwillow]

I think the biggest mistake guitar players make is not working on new music on a regular basis. Too many guitar players just play the same stuff, year after year.

- Glenn

[Jdogblues]

Wasting too much time focusing on gear. Buying gear was/is this false sense of progress until I started doing open mics and performing in front of people and started focusing on improving that. Now I'm seeing real progress.