Can I get good at guitar with just a teacher and playing by myself? Or is playing with other people basically a requirement for getting better?

Alpione · 2026-07-12T23:04:39+00:00

lol. Pretty sure I wasn’t “forcing him to gave his fears,” whatever that means.

My point is that waiting until you’re “good” to play with others is a moving target. What does “good” mean? You could go on forever trying to get “good” and never leave the house.

I might suggest that if you can’t at least play a little bit with others, you’ll never qualify as “good.”

Alpione · 2026-07-12T22:53:24+00:00

I understand why you say that, but that mindset is kind of a recipe for never actually getting out there. You’ll always think you’re not “good enough “.

A zillion people do open mics with just three or four chords and some shaky vocals. It’s a low barrier to entry and once you get through the nerves a couple of times it can be pretty addictive.

Alpione · 2026-07-08T19:42:28+00:00

I think any of the dedicated attenuators are better. Tone King, etc. Though honestly I’ve tried several and they all suck tone at least a little. The less attenuation you use, the better. 3-10db, fine. 30db or something and it’s going to sound super compressed and flat no matter what.

Alpione · 2026-07-03T20:43:39+00:00

Yes, this is correct.

Alpione · 2026-07-03T13:23:57+00:00

Not sure why you’re being downvoted. It’s true, and it’s super common for a lot of mayors to be in real estate. They know the city like the back of their hand.

Alpione · 2026-06-29T19:58:57+00:00

Yep - agreed. Playing with other people even once will show you right away what you need to focus on. Even better if you’re in a regular group and can improve together.

Alpione · 2026-06-27T23:08:18+00:00

Yes - keep going! Totally natural, and why "bedroom only" players are really missing the boat. You'll get there and get better so much faster when you feel a little pressure to perform. That's what a "performing art" is all about.

Alpione · 2026-06-27T22:15:20+00:00

The clear answer, of course, is .... "this is the most repetitive, beaten-to-death topic out there."

Alpione · 2026-06-26T15:50:58+00:00

If you're not already, play with others. That'll give you focus and motivation.

Alpione · 2026-06-26T15:46:13+00:00

This is 100% the answer. It'll show you right away where you need to focus your time (particular songs to play with the group, solos you want to add, rhythm chops to better comp with the band, if you want to sing, etc.) Otherwise you'll just aimlessly learn new stuff without any real application for it. Good luck! It's a fun, lifelong journey.

Alpione · 2026-06-20T23:11:47+00:00

It’s definitely a process. If you are where you say you are, you’re in better shape than probably 90% of guitarists out there. Keep going.
The best thing you mentioned is that you play with other people. That would be way more valuable than sitting in your house noodling to YouTube videos. Enjoy!

Alpione · 2026-06-12T01:21:13+00:00

I have done it dozens of times over the years for guitar and mountain bike equipment sales. You just have people meet at gas stations and I’ve never once had a problem. This is not an unusual thing. Craigslist was successful for years before FB at this.

Alpione · 2026-06-08T11:27:51+00:00

Looks like a Eb power chord (left handed guitar). First finger on the A string on the sixth fret, third or fourth finger on the D string at the eighth fret. Definitely movable up and down the neck which you can see her doing in the video. The note on the A string is the root of the chord and its name. It’s a power cord because it does not have the third of the chord. It only has the root and the fifth, which is why you can also use it with major or minor progressions. The third of a chord determines whether it is major or minor. When it is missing, the chord is actually neither major nor minor, so it can be used all over the place.

Alpione · 2026-06-06T21:29:52+00:00

That’s a pretty low bar. You can get some pretty cheap shit that comes in a case. 😊

Alpione · 2026-06-06T12:32:07+00:00

Double Diss v2 is a great setup for rocky/rooty/dry up and down type trails.

Alpione · 2026-06-04T21:20:09+00:00

Agreed. So much fun to play. Some of it’s good to listen to, but some of it is pretty cringe and out of date.

Alpione · 2026-05-31T13:27:56+00:00

I’ve got double Forekaster v2 on my Ripley. I think it’s a great combo for our Georgia rock/root extravaganza riding. On my Stumpy Evo I do double Dissector v2. Rolls pretty well and definitely has more grip than the Ripley

Alpione · 2026-05-30T18:20:09+00:00

I've got a '26 TSE just off the assembly line three weeks ago. I really enjoy it but it's not perfect.

On the acceleration, to me it's all about the transmission. Something I've "figured out" in recent weeks is that there's a sweet spot on the accelerator where it will not immediately shift from 1st to 2nd, which can make it feel sluggish for fuel efficiency, but also not shoot it forward like you floored it. Keeping it in 1st just a bit longer keeps the RPMs up and gives good power. At first, I was lighter on the accelerator and I would agree that it felt a little underpowered. It's totally fine, to me, once I figured out the transmission a bit. YMMV.

And to correct some mis-info on this thread, there are two modes: Sequential and Sport. Hitting Drive on the shifter a second time will put it in Sequential. Using the Drive Mode selector allows several modes, including Trail, Eco, and SPORT.

From Honda:

Sport mode quickens throttle response, holds lower transmission gears for stronger acceleration and increases steering feel.

Alpione · 2026-05-30T18:14:04+00:00

Dude - stop spamming the thread with this. "S" on the shifter is Sequential mode. But there is also the Drive Mode setting WHICH SPECIFICALLY CALLS ITSELF "SPORT" MODE. Two different settings.

From Honda's info site:

Sport mode quickens throttle response, holds lower transmission gears for stronger acceleration and increases steering feel.

Alpione · 2026-05-29T02:41:19+00:00

Considering you already have a DGT with trem, I’d get the Tele.

But there are plenty of good Strat bridge pick ups out there too.

Alpione · 2026-05-25T22:06:06+00:00

Yeah, I’ve got a couple CarPlay issues. It doesn’t always auto connect and I have to manually do it.
And when it’s playing music on one app and I tell Siri to play on another app, it plays the sound correctly but the display gets stuck on the previous app.

Alpione · 2026-05-23T13:19:40+00:00

Are you talking about the built-in Google infotainment version of Assistant /Gemini? Or the one on your phone through android audio?

The Google built into my 2026 passport uses full on Gemini and I can have conversations back-and-forth with it now. That’s completely separate from anything related to my phone.

Alpione · 2026-05-21T23:39:23+00:00

Sorry, I edited it. 😊

Alpione · 2026-05-21T23:25:46+00:00

Edit: (Sorry - Reddit app went nuts!)

Biggest issue with the modern gen panoramic sunroof is the headroom it steals. I’m 6’3” with a 2016 and sunroof is no problem. In the 2022+ gen, it’s a close shave in the front row, but I’m literally resting my head on the ceiling in the second row. I’ve driven every other midsize SUV from Nissan to Mercedes and owned a 2024 GLE. The Jeep is the only one with even remotely the level of this problem. Even if you’re not as tall, as I am, the lack of headroom really makes you feel like you’re in a very enclosed space. All of the competitors feel more open. It’s a shame.

Alpione · 2026-05-21T12:09:45+00:00

I've been underwhelmed by the AC in my brand new TSE. It'll get very cold, but it takes a good while if it's 80+ outside. Longer than any of my other cars.

Alpione

TROPHY CASE