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I agree with the previous posts! Especially Baldguitardude. As Twiddle mentioned, the locking nut is a pain...when settling in new strings, it's a constant loosen the nut (or leave it loose until strings stretch and settle). If you use open tunings...it's once again having to loosen the locking nut. I put locking tuners on mine making it much easier and faster to change strings (plus no slippage) ...and as Harding mentioned, get some Guitar grease for the nut.
A lot could depend on your bridge set-up too. A Floyd Rose or Kayler will have fine tuning knobs to tweak and adjust your tuning once everything is locked down...
I have a pretty good collection of guitars...but my go to Electric these days is one that I assembled and set-up from after-market parts. A Warmoth Telecaster body and neck with a TV Jones Classic P/U (just one), a volume and tone, circuit... Just a plain and very basic instrument...but it's capable of much more than I am.
Russell...I really like that Custom Strat! It's not only a "Players Guitar" but it's also awesome looking.
I have a couple of Les Pauls and have removed the Pick Guards...I like the looks, plus I like to rest my pinkie on the body at times...
That's a loaded question. Do you play now? The reason I'm asking is to see if you have an idea of what your preferences are. A basic American Made Fender Strat is roughly $1000.00. A basic American Made Gibson Les Paul is roughly $2000.00. I say roughly because there are lots of variations between the models. Then you have models that are not American made, but still very high (or sometimes even better) Quality. My suggestion is to play several and determine what you want in a guitar...then go online to Musician's Friend, Guitar Center, etc. and do some price comparisons and read reviews. Once you know what you want, set a budget and go for it!
Hope that helps...probably not much of an explanation but I'm willing to give opinions...jg
Baldguitardude wrote:I used to put it stage left and stand stage right, angling it ever so slightly toward me. You don't want it in front of the singer. Your ability to monitor sound will suck.
Best way to eliminate feedback is to turn it down. 
Agreed, main thing is to make sure that that none of the mics are pointing directly at it....if you are dealing with a sound system, then mic your amp into the system and have sound person set you up in the monitors. He or she will know how to control feedback problems...
Just think...there must be well over a hundred variations of the Fender Stratocasters! And the Les Pauls? Or Tellys? Then the thousands of clones of those three! Hmmmm, solid body with Single coil pickups or Humbuckers? What about a hollow body electric? GAS will get ya!
I have an older Les Paul Standard and it's a dream to play! But it is awful heavy! Also have a Les Paul Classic that has the chambered body, is much lighter, and has different pickups and it's also a great player. I always thought that the Les Paul Supreme is one of the best looking (and playing) guitars out there.
Some really great advice here about using a Metronome, backing tracks, following on youtube, etc.
I know it can sometimes be awful boring...but learn a few chords and scales, turn on the metronome and start playing. Soon you'll be making smooth changes and suddenly you'll start adding extras and will be amazing yourself. Something like a three chord pattern of C-F-G or A-D-E and just start strumming to different speeds on the metronome.
That's a very open ended question...sorta like "what's the best car to drive?". A lot depends on the type of music you play and the sounds you expect to get out of your guitar. Then a lot is simply personal preference. What sounds good, easy to play, suits your style of music, and looks right. Historically, a Fender Stratocaster or Gibson Les Paul can do just about anything...most others are some sort of variation of these. The Stratocaster is an "improvement" design over the Fender Telecaster, but almost all of the real players have a Telecaster or two in their collection. I collect and currently have several of each...I like classic rock, gospel, country, contemporary christian, and just about everything in between and yet I find my favorite guitar is an old Telecaster. I guess what I'm saying is find what works best for you and that would be your best guitar.
Good Info from the others! My input would mirror the suggestion to check the set up of the guitar and make sure the action is not to high and hard to handle. Then check your fretting pressure...many of us (especially when performing and nervous) use far more fretting pressure than needed. I've known several folks who would sometimes dab a little bit of super glue on the tips of fingers to harden them up and help them get thru a playing session. I think the main thing is to play a little every day and eventually you'll develop the callouses needed to protect your fingers. Glad to have you back playing and hope you really enjoy! jg
If you have the original bridge and want to save some money, just simply remove the springs and cut a solid wood block to wedge in and convert the bridge to a fixed bridge.
Doc Watson and Doyle Dykes...
I started playing mandolin in a church praise and worship group several years ago...guitar is my usual weapon of choice but we already had a couple of really good guitar players, so I bought a mandolin. It took me a little effort to learn how since the chords and fingerboard are quite different...but the sound is definately worth it! For basic stuff like chording and rythym it's fairly easy for a guitar player...but like a guitar it can be very difficult to master.
You've already got the overdrive and reverb...perhaps a delay and chorus pedal could "enrich" your sound a bit! A compressor can help "tighten up" things a bit... That's a area where everyone has an opinion and my suggestion would be to see if you can go to a large music store and try out a few pedals.
I'm amazed at how many variations of sound one can get by simply playing around with the different settings and knobs with a stock amplifier and guitar...ie: Guitar volume at max with the sound level set at amp...amp volume at max with sound level controlled by guitar volume knob...etc
The Chorus to Rich Mullens song "Awesome God" is easy to play and most people know the words! It's also one of those songs that can be "Rocked" up with some power chords and lead riffs too!
"Sinner Man" is another easy one and can be played different styles... Like "Wayfaring Stranger" it has that cool sounding minor chord!
Pickguards are designed to prevent damage that occurs by some playing styles...resting a thumb or a finger on the guitar will cause wear to the delicate finish and eventually the wood. I remember when Willie first got his guitar (1969) Martin and years of hard hard playing and resting his little finger has damaged the guitar... I have a spot on my Mandolin that has worn thru the finish and into the wood. Most of my other instruments have pickguards.
Congrats on the new guitar! The ones I've seen (Martin mahagany models) had that beautiful warm, but resonant tone that is so good for rythym and slide work instead of that bright bluesgrassy sound that Martin is usually noted for! I love the looks of those dark models too!
Are you looking for a different sound? Easy playing? Slide? Many players will drop the low E (6th) to a D to add a distinct and rich sound to D based chords. Others will tune to an open tuning such as "A" or "G" for fingerstyle and/or slide playing. To get different keys with the same chords you can use a capo. Lets us know what you are looking for and I bet many of the folks here can help!
BTW...I often try to make things as basic as I can to accomodate folks of all different playing levels...I've been frustrated myself many times when asking a question and the response is "way over my head"... so please don't thing that I'm trying to talk "down" to anyone...just willing to offer opinions that will hopefully help!
Good advice from all...I would wonder if perhaps you are trying too hard and moving too fast? Starting slowly and deliberately and making sure the positions are correct and then practice, practice, and practice. Same way with scales! Also try practicing with a metronome...once the positioning and accuracy is there, then speed up!
I had an Aria (Japan) 12 String that I bought new back in the mid 70's...also a few years ago had a Les Paul Copy made by Aria.... I should've kept both of them!
Congrats on the rediscovery!
ZZ Top! Three Piece and nothing thin about their sound! But they are exceptional!!!
You mentioned not having full power in your fingers...are you able to support the thumb pick with your index finger? I often play with a thumb pick and three fingers, but most of the upstrokes are with my fingers. Sometimes I'll grip it similar to a flat pick but it's a bit awkward for me.
If you can view Youtube videos then check out Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, and Brent Mason for some thump pick playing...amazing stuff! Hope this helps some...jg
Those are nice guitars. It's really unfair to compare one in that price range to something like a Gibson Les Paul Standard, but when properly set up those Epiphones are a good value and a very playable guitar. I bought an Epiphone 100 LP off ebay about a year ago...restrung it and played for a while and then sold it (very cheap) to some neighbor kids who have a heavy metal band. If you like your guitar then play and enjoy it and don't worry about what others might think...I'm sorta of a collector and guitar snob, but I love seeing some of the Professionals playing instruments that snobs look down upon. You couldn't hardly give a Dan Electro away until Jimmy Page appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone with one!
craig23 wrote:I think a compressor to even out highs and lows when fingerpicking. Reverb to fatten up the sound, and if your guitar doesn't have one onboard, an equalizer. Don't be that doofus at the local bar playing "brown eyed girl" with 20 effects maxed out. When using effects with acoustic, the listener should almost not be able to tell you're using any. Unless you're that guy from CAKE who uses distortion with a classical guitar, and does it proudly.
I strongly agree with this...if you want lots of effects and sounds then simply play an electric guitar with all the Gee Whiz stuff. For and acoustic/electric you can "fatten up" and "enrich" the sound with Reverb, Chorus, and Delay...but fight the temptation to overuse the effects. The compressor (as mentioned) can even out the highs and lows.
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