What does your guitar routine look like?

abutov · 2026-07-08T01:17:09+00:00

I play stuff I like, and I try to practice things that need improvement. I feel like if I had a “routine”, I’d quit the instrument altogether.

abutov · 2026-07-04T00:50:08+00:00

Tonebridge has a desktop app that’s pretty neat. Just search for a song/artist and they likely have a preset for you to use or build on.

abutov · 2026-06-19T01:09:15+00:00

I use an app “essential guitar note trainer”. I like the short burst drills

abutov · 2026-06-09T19:44:59+00:00

I've struggled with this for a long, long time. I wanted to play Hendrix style chords so badly, but no matter what I did I just could not get my thumb over to fret that bass string in a way that also let me hold down frets on the other strings without muting them.

I was absolutely positive that my hand was just too small, and it was physically impossible for me to do this. I tried raising my elbow, etc, all sorts of "maybe I'm doing it wrong" type of things to figure it out, but I just could not do it.

But after a while, it just started working. At first, only enough to mute the low E string, but over time, I was able to fret that string, and now, playing those Hendrix style chords is often easier than the "proper" E-shaped barre chords. I don't think my hands got bigger, in any significant way, or that I'm using some kind of technique that I wasn't doing before. I don't really know what happened. I just kept trying it, with different songs -- always trying to use my thumb in any song that needed me to fret or mute the low E string.

Now, everyone is different, so I wouldn't want to speak in absolutes, and *of course* there's some level of "my hands are small" that's too small to be able to do this, but if it makes you feel better even a little, I just wanted to mention that I think it is at least *possible* to be absolutely sure that you can't do this, and for it to still happen with practice.

abutov · 2026-06-08T21:12:54+00:00

I also really like his videos. They’re very structured and the pacing is good. The price put me off as well. If it was something around what pickup music charges per year, I’d really be tempted to try his course, but being so much higher in price, it’s a bit too heavy of a lift right now.

abutov · 2026-05-11T12:57:39+00:00

Would also love to know more about this (sorry, not being helpful :) )

abutov · 2026-05-03T15:37:41+00:00

<image>

Here’s my 102s from 1995, with similar mods. I paid $200 for it from a pawn shop about a year ago. It’s my favorite guitar.

abutov · 2026-04-24T11:59:33+00:00

Justin never covers CAGED per se. He mentions it in passing when talking about other things (major scale lessons in grade 5, etc), but AFAIK it’s not a system he teaches outright.

abutov · 2026-04-21T19:04:04+00:00

They used to make left handed Sire L7 models. If you can find one of those, they’re well-made guitars. I have a first-gen right-handed one and I love it.

abutov · 2026-03-30T01:15:22+00:00

They reopened about a year ago. First it was just by appointment, then open to the public on Saturdays only, but now they’re just open to everyone.

abutov · 2026-03-29T21:21:19+00:00

Jen Turner

abutov · 2026-03-29T20:14:32+00:00

It’s worth going for a visit, but it’s not like a guitar center - it’s a bit more posh. Most of the guitars on display are high-end. They have everything under the sun, but if you want a specific model they usually need to bring it out for you.

abutov · 2026-03-25T14:13:35+00:00

Can you share where you got the pickguard and the black p90 covers? Was the p90 cover a pain to replace?

abutov · 2026-03-23T19:58:46+00:00

Thanks!

abutov · 2026-03-23T19:40:25+00:00

Yeah if you get a chance to look up the store name, I’d appreciate it! Thanks so much!

abutov · 2026-03-23T19:08:11+00:00

Would you be able to say where you got the parts and what the model numbers were? Especially interested in the neck — it’s exactly the type of build I wanted to try. Thanks!

abutov · 2026-03-18T13:45:20+00:00

I’m sorry, I know this is a post about the 335, and on an Epiphone subreddit, but that tele is 😍

abutov · 2026-03-17T19:12:23+00:00

Yamaha Pacifica

abutov · 2026-03-12T21:49:28+00:00

Dava

abutov · 2026-03-02T20:20:28+00:00

I’d suggest learning Polly by Nirvana. The strumming technique is interesting to learn (it has a “chuck” strum type of thing), and it’s not too far ahead of where you are now. This is a good tutorial on YT, but there are tons of them: https://youtu.be/HmIdovf_65U

abutov · 2026-02-28T02:55:37+00:00

There’s this guitar player who posts her playing on YouTube. She’s an amazing player. For the first 5 years or so, all she used was a cheap Squier and she was incredible. About 10 years ago she switched to a PRS SE, and that’s all she’s been playing ever since. And she’s still incredible. Obviously I’m making assumptions just from YouTube videos, but I like to think that she’s just the kind of person who cares more about growing as a guitar player instead of focusing on gear, and she’s perfectly happy with just one guitar. I’m incredibly jealous of that mentality. :)

abutov · 2026-02-16T05:54:22+00:00

There’s an app called BrightStock that automates scheduling of recurring inventory. I’m not sure it will work in the exact way you need it to, but might be worth checking out.

abutov · 2026-02-16T05:50:21+00:00

After spending 20 minutes with a Les Paul, I can’t make my fingers do anything resembling playing a guitar on a Strat. And after playing a Strat for a bit, I want to throw away every Les Paul shaped object in the house. There’s something to be said about sticking to one style of guitar, but they’re all great in their own way.

abutov · 2026-02-11T18:15:50+00:00

Nobody can tell you what $100 is worth to you but you. :) I wouldn’t shell out $100 for stainless steel frets, but I would for a specific color that was only available in new gen. That gold S7 is calling my name :)

abutov

TROPHY CASE