Anyone here play more than the basics? I can play pretty much every green day song ever written(or borrowed), though thats not saying much when you think about it. I can play about 80% of Metallica's songs, solos included. Lots of Hendrix, Led Zeplin, System of a Down, Papa Roach, Rage, most of Three Doors Down's first album, all of Candlebox's first album, lots of TSO. Once you get the basic idea of working your fingers around a guitar, and you come to understand tablature(its difficult when you first start, and some people write it wierd), you can start on those. They're more intermediate. Im starting to learn some more stuff by Metallica(harder solos I couldnt previously play), some songs by Dream Theater(one of the best bands ever, period), as well as Liquid Tension Experiment(Petrucci's side project), and studying Yngwie's style, though i'll have to practice 10 hours a day until im 30 to reach his level of speed.
As for equipment, I have a Yamaha strat rip-off(basically a Squier), a Schecter Omen-6, and a Gibson Explorer(rebuilt with EMG pickups and chrome skull knobs).
I use a Crate 15 watt or a Marshall 15 watt, with a Morley wah and a Boss Metal Zone.
My tried and true setup is the schecter into the marshall, no effects. Havent needed anything better yet.
