Gary Nelson

@gmills. Just to be clear, these aren't Steve's arrangements. It's a Hal Leonard book. I've heard Steve talk about putting out a book with some of his arrangements, and there are probably a lot of us that would love to see that. He has shared a few during live lessons in the past. For example, he shared his arrangement of "It is Well with My Soul" around Easter time last year so it might be available on a download. He is also starting that new Academy Series soon where we will get 4 hymn arrangements from him along with instruction. Might be worth considering. He usually has material arranged to fit players of varying levels of experience.

@gmills Steve has a Fingerpicking Hymns book that I believe he sells in his online store. I picked one up at the last Gathering. It has about 15 hymns in it that are geared toward beginner/intermediate. I’m still very much a novice when it comes to fingerstyle and I’ve been able to work through several of these hymns.

Wonderful story @Eduardo I have learned that quid pro quo often applies in our search for that perfect tone. My problem is that I live very close to Nashville. So every time we are there (pre-Covid anyway) I would stop in at Gruhn Guitars, or Carter Vintage Guitars or one of the local Guitar Center stores. My wife would never complain (she plays the violin and piano). But she would insist that we also stop at one of the Nashville violin stores as well! So my trips to Nashville can get very expensive!

I think a lot of folks would say that a 6 string steel string acoustic is probably the most versatile. But as @DonMerlin suggested, this will depend on the style of music you want to play. I have heard Steve say that if he was on a desert island, he would want his nylon string classical. I think most would agree that regardless of the type of guitar you choose, be sure to have a good setup done by a reliable guitar tech so that it is enjoyable to play. Good luck on your journey!

A 12 string has been on my list for a while now. Since I came of age in the 70's, a lot of my favorite music was done on a 12 string. Interesting to hear how Doyle Dykes strings his 12 strings with the top 2 strings reversed, with the lowest bass string on top of the octave string. This suits his thumbpick style. I've also heard other players removing the E and A octave strings so they get more bass ringing out. I tend to like the chimey 12 string sound though.

@Adam429 I think Steve would tell you it is certainly not impossible! It is definitely a journey one step at a time. Don't rush. Start slowly and get the basic techniques correctly under your fingers. The speed will come. How long it takes to get to 160 bpm would depend on the individual I suppose. I know I'm not there yet but I'm definitely better than before I started!

@Adam429 Honestly it's been a while since I reviewed these exercises. You've reminded me that I could stand a refresher! When you ask about timing, are you talking about the musical timing? 4/4, 3/4, etc? I think he approaches those exercises as if you are playing individual quarter notes. The first video that shows you the exercises is meant to just introduce you to the basic patterns he will be using throughout the series. In the subsequent videos Steve uses these same basic exercises at different points on the neck and at increasing speed to help you gradually build up your speed. You'll notice in the later videos he is using a metronome to help you keep time and gradually get faster.

I remember asking the same question when I got the Fretboard Workouts Bundle. The Speed and Agility workout does not have an accompanying PDF. Major Scale Mastery (both levels) , Money Chords and Jazz Chords do have the PDF. Just follow along with Steve in the video for this one.

Very nice Mike. If there were any "warts" there, they sure sounded nice.

I had a lesson this weekend in how preconceived notions of "favorite" brand can easily change. I mentioned above that I was considering a Cordoba nylon string based on the online reviews I had seen. Well, I was able to play a couple of examples at a Guitar Center over the weekend - and the feeling just wasn't there! I can't tell you why - but the feel, the sound just wasn't what I was hoping for. So, feeling a bit disappointed, I came back to a local music store in my hometown and tried an Alvarez of all things. This is a brand that was more popular back in the 70's and I hadn't even considered one - until I picked up one and played it! This particular guitar had the feel and sound I was hoping for. So I won't say that Alvarez is my new favorite - but this one will waiting for me under the Christmas tree this year.

I'm a bit like @matonanjin - looking forward to the discussion that this thread generates. Like a lot of folks, I was familiar primarily with the Martin, Gibson or Taylor names, mainly because I had friends that owned one of those brands or they happened to be the most available in the local music stores. As far as "favorite" brand, I guess it depends on what type of guitar I am looking for. When I upgraded from my beginner instrument, I found a pre-loved Bourgeois dreadnaught and after a proper setup from Greg Voros, it's probably not going anywhere. Fantastic sound and a great all-around guitar. I was not familiar with Bourgeois, so that was my first lesson in "don't pay attention to the name on the headstock". If I were buying a smaller body guitar, I'd have to consider a Martin Sinker Mahogany. I was able to play one at Gruhn's and for a brand new guitar has an amazing sound. For a 12 string - I'm still undecided, but would have to consider a Takamine, or perhaps a Seagull. They both have similar shaped headstocks with less crowding of the strings than on a Taylor or Martin. My next purchase will likely be a mid-priced nylon string - considering either a Yamaha (have to consider that one since that is what Steve has) or a Cordoba. Cordoba's have good reviews generally and also include a truss rod - perhaps not needed on a nylon guitar, but a nice feature. But as I said - looking forward to other responses that could certainly change my mind.

Congratulations! I've been going through the Fingerstyle course as well - taking my time to make sure I can really digest it. I'm just now on Lesson 5 (classical) so a lot of great learning yet to come.

Dave, I took your advice and also took Greg up on his invitation to the second floor. That can be a dangerous and expensive habit to fall into. I played one of those Sinker OMs as well and almost thought about trading. I really like the small size compared to a dreadnaught. But I really enjoyed playing a vintage1932 Martin. Just not ready to spring for a guitar that cost more than my first home. But I really enjoyed speaking with George who honored me by allowing me to play his new dream guitar, a 1925 Gibson L5.

I'm there with @Eracer_Team-DougH Play it and enjoy it - and trust me, that comes from a guy that is the poster child for being OCD. I hear good things about the SE replacement locking tuners, so that might be a good $95 investment. Once you cover the back with belt buckle scratches, you'll probably forget about the other imperfections! And congratulations on that Core! I purchased a Korean made SE Custom 24 (after I laid hands on it at a Guitar Center). I had never played electric previously and frankly just didn't feel like dropping the coin for the Core model. I got lucky I suppose - no obvious flaws, but then again, I haven't placed it alongside a core model.

Sounds like a great trip in spite of the masks! I'm stopping by Gruhn's in a few weeks to get a bit of work done (one advantage of living a couple of hours from Nashville), but I doubt I'll get the royal treatment like you guys did!

Happy Belated Birthday Steve! Hope you were able to take some time to enjoy it.

I will spend more time on Lesson three of the Fingerstyle course. Just about ready for “Blackbird” so believe me, I can use the extra practice time!

I know we all hated to see this, but given the resurgence of this virus and the rollback of the Nashville reopening, it is definitely the best (and only) decision that could be made. In the meantime, I'll see you all virtually on Tuesday nights and I'll keep plugging away on the Fingerstyle course, augmented with a Skype lesson now and again.

I am hoping that Gibson has a handle on their quality control. But it takes a while to overcome all of the bad user experiences particularly in today’s connected world. I bought my first electric last November at a Guitar Center in Nashville. When I asked the store clerk for an opinion, he said that overall they saw better quality from the imported PRS guitars than Nashville built Gibson’s. So now I have a PRS SE Custom 24. I still want an ES 335 and it will most certainly be a Gibson, but I plan to take my time and may look for a good used one at Gruhns. If you haven’t seen them Gibson has a good series on their manufacturing process on Gibson TV. I’m sure this is an effort to bolster their quality image but it does give you some insight on how they are made.

First, thanks to everyone that commented on this thread. It's always great to get advice from guitarists that know more than I do (which is probably most of you). By way of winding up this thread, I wanted to correct my original assumption that Steve uses 10s on his J45. I must have misunderstood his comment, leading me to believe he used lighter strings. During a recent lesson with Steve (more on that later), I was able to confirm that he uses Elixir 12s on his J45. 10s on his electrics. So on the one hand, I'm sorry if my misunderstanding caused any confusion, but on the other hand we were able to share a lot of great information, and for that I am thankful. Now - if you've never signed up for a personal lesson with Steve, you're missing out! If you are struggling with any guitar related topic, it's a fantastic investment!

After going through The Learn and Master topics for barre chords you would think I would be comfortable playing them. Nope! Looking forward to these refresher lessons!

Well, I downloaded them. @matonanjin I agree with you. Now what to do with them! No guts, no glory!

Thanks Greg. I understand I struggle with hand strength and can have trouble with barre chords when playing them for an extended period. When I heard Steve mention he used 10s I thought it was an idea worth pursuing. After all, when Steve speaks , people listen.

Thanks for the feedback folks. I have always gravitated to heavier strings on acoustics for the perceived tone benefits. Will probably stick with the heavier strings on my Bourgeois but I may experiment on my “beater”. Nothing to lose but time and I certainly have plenty of that these days.