Guitar wise......what do you know now that you didn't know 10-15 years ago ?

Telejester

Voxman said:

Instead of thinking the next piece of gear will make you sound better, learn to really understand and get the best out of the gear that you have

Learning about EQ is key, and having an EQ pedal on your board is the best investment you can make.

Less is more - it's at least as much about the notes you're not playing as well as the notes you are

Don't start with a crescendo of sound because you have no where to go - learning to build your sound is crucial

Whatever style you like to play, listen to lots of different styles of music...it's amazing what new things you'll discover, what familiar ground you'll find, and you'll also discover that what you think is new...isn't. 

Feel is way more important than technical skills - BB King can do more with three notes than most players can do with 12!

I've learned that slide-guitar and experimenting with different tunings is good fun

And finally...some of the best musicians and guitarists in the world are...and I'm being deadly serious here...country players!

Yep guys like johnny hiland are outrageous players, all those songs about hoss sheeyat and yeehaawr do nothing for me but those cats can play.

ToneControl

How to sound (almost) competent with no FX

Why (some) expensive guitars are worth it, especially acoustics

How to use that extra note when playing blues. Non-flattened 7th is it?

Stuckfast

Country players have always been amazing -- Chet Atkins anyone?

Teetonetal

Music should be fun, don't waste you time when it's a chore, just make the changes required. and move on.

Telejester

A fool and their monies are easily parted ( used analogman king of tone related )

darcym

Less is more in every aspect 

Holding back is priceless, even if it's for the whole gig and you never show your hand that gig. Serve the song. 

Listen to more players and styles than the one you like.

Learning these things has changed everything about me musically, I listen to different music for pleasure, I play different instruments and styles than I used to, I'm more open to musical ideas, I play much better than I used to and much less flash, and I'm much happier with playing and writing music than I have been in the last 20 years. 

HAL9000

ToneControl said:

How to use that extra note when playing blues. Non-flattened 7th is it?

Good shout. 

I was taught (and believed) early on that minor pentatonics were all I needed to play amazing solos. This, more than anything else,  restricted my thinking and I didn't really go beyond pentatonic widdly stuff for years.

Playing outside the pentatonic box opens up a whole lot of extra possibilities, especially 6ths, 9ths, and that flattened 5th thing.

adamm82

I found out that I don't like Strats as much as I thought I did and I never used to like Gibson guitars.
Now it's all reversed. 

stimpsonslostson

Don't play a resonator in the same house as sleeping children. 

Skipped

Seller in Classifieds: "Awesome guitar for sale. Truly one of the World's finest instruments. Will trade for your amp/acoustic/anything really"

Buyer: "This is an unrealistic proposition. Surely you are simply offloading your cruel  disappointment? The only way I can buy this premise is if I give you the benefit of the doubt against overwhelming odds and against the logic of any sane person."

Seller in Classifieds: Exactly! 

DrBob

The 'only' guitar I need is a Telecaster apparently...

Cirrus

What you play, what you play with and what you play through don't matter. The only thing that matters is that the sound you make means something to you.

crunchman

Stuckfast said:

Country players have always been amazing -- Chet Atkins anyone?

Or Glen Campbell

What people have said about listening to and playing different styles is important.

The biggest improvement in my playing has been from getting involved in the end of year musicals at my daughters' school.  Completely outside of my comfort zone, but has made me a much better musician.

Playing a different instrument helps as well.  I've been playing some bass, and I find that it makes me think about music in a different way.  These days I don't just listen to the guitar part, and I tend to pay attention to the whole arrangement.  It's definitely made me a better musician.

Lestratcaster

Rhythm is a big part of music let alone guitar. Need to be more accurate when playing riffs rhythmically.

Pickups and strings affect the tone.

 Bass is important in bands.

playing other styles will help improve.

timhulio

Buy many guitars. Buy them cheap and often! They'll stop you getting bored and each brings fresh inspiration.

TonyR

• Rickenbackers are not the only guitars in the world!
• Strats, Teles and Jazzmasters are really very versatile guitars
• Gretshes are awesome

merlin

1. EQ pedal.
2. Volume pedal. 
3. Practise, practise, practise. 
4. You'll be a much better and way more honest player if you have something to say and follow it

Not necessarily in that order.

Funkfingers

If anything, I probably know less than I did ten to fifteen years ago.

In the words of Homer Simpson, "every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain."

Philly_Q

Not a lot.  I know more about guitars and less about playing them.

MrBump

Metronomes/drum machines are really, really important.