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I've always had a problem with the way Guitar Center just lets kids and others just grab stuff off the hangers and start abusing and playing... I've seen teens sitting on the floor with high end guitars using quarters for picks. Seems that they should keep the "High" end stuff out of reach and then supervise or let people take the instruments into a sound room to play. I picked up an expensive Mandolin at Guitar Center and found out that it was actually split lengthways across the top. Most experienced players can pick up an instrument, look it over, and then play a few chords to check it out. Not really any need to sit and Jam with a bunch of others in the store. At Guitar Center we see them walk in, grab a guitar and plug into an amp and turn it way up and just "whang away" for seemingly hours! I can't stand it!

If you play primarily thru headphones then might check out the Line 6 pocket Pod. I have one that I keep out in my shop. You can plug headphones directly into it, or use it inline with an amp, or inline to your computer.

Depends on what sound you are looking for. A chorus pedal will add some richness and depth to your sound, a reverb can add depth but hopefully your amp will have that built in. For a little bit of "grit", a distortion pedal can help. My current set up is a Tuner-chorus-delay-distortion...I also have an RC-20 Loop pedal that's lots of fun! That gets most of the stuff that I like to play. Hope this helps!

And you still sound much better than me!

I don't have any idea but it must be hundreds just from Fender! So many Artist endorsed models. Different pickup configurations. And it goes on an on...

One would think that if your music store was oriented toward customer service, the dealer would show you his/her line of instruments and then offer to check to see if the instrument was available in a left hand version...many if not most are! Then he could order one for you.

Hi and welcome to Chordie! In answer to your question about hotrodding, not much limits to what can be done with Fender Strat or a Gibson Les Paul...truck loads of aftermarket goodies out there that can increase performance, change sounds, looks, handling, etc. I'm a big fan of the MIM Fenders and really don't see anything wrong with them once they've been properly set up (that goes for the American versions too). But if you want to change the sound then it's fun to try different pickups. Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan both have great websites that gives lots of info about pickup selections, wiring, and set ups. One can always change out hardware such as upgrading to better tuners, or perhaps locking tuners but that's depending on how much you want to spent and if you actually get any real performance differences. Painting can get interesting too! If you are good at it then strip it down and go for it...if not, strip it down and take your ideas to any automotive paint shop and they can paint it for you...
Most of us on this forum have a condition known as GAS...guitar aquisition sydrome...the immediate concern is that now you'll have to get another guitar to play while you've got this one apart being worked on...

Also the reason I mention turning your guitar pickup all the way up is that the volume can make a lot of difference with some pickups. I have some humbuckers that at 1/2 volume (on guitar) have a sweet sound...at full volume they get aggressive and distorted. Again, the possibilities can keep ya busy for a while...jg

To simply finding your tones...turn the guitar volumes all the way on and the tone volumes off...then start with your front pickup and adjust your amplifier to the volume and tone that you like. Play that combo for a while and then switch to your different pickup position and listen to the tones. Typically your bridge (rear) pickup will have a brighter tone in comparison to the front...in country music that would be your "Twang" sound! Each guitar and amp has nearly an endless supply of tonal posibilities to play with... Hope this can give you some ideas

I agree! Butch needs to catch the GAS (Guitar Aquisition Syndrome) that affects so many of us! I agree that I love the sound of a good acoustic guitar but that's best achieved by a quality deep bodied acoustic. Also love the convenience of being able to amplify and get that acoustic tone but that seems best (arguably of course!) by a thinner body with good electronics.

Also a Telecaster sounds like a Telly, Stratocaster sounds like a Strat, and a Les Paul is .... a Les Paul... then comes all the quality copies, customs, crossovers, etc...  and suddenly thousands of dollars, a room full of guitars hanging on the wall, and hopefully an agreeable spouse. Then toss in a few mandolins, a banjo or two, and it's never ending!

http://www.acousticon.com/mcintyre.htm
http://www.fishman.com/products/acousti … ickups.asp

   I would look into the Fishman or McIntyre Pickups for your Martin...both companies make excellent products used by many professionals. I'm going to have a McIntyre Acoustic Feather pickup installed in a Weber Mandolin...   Fishman makes a wide variety of pickups for guitar including soundhole magnetic pickups and under the bridge transducers...    Each type can have advantages and disadvantages...I agree with Doug about the magnetic pickups. Those require "electric" instrument strings and can limit your sounds.

Some of the best advice I got was to practice with a Metronome.

Hopefully to answer your question might be to try this. Listen to the song while sitting...relax and let your foot tap to the beat (should be natural if you relax and enjoy the music)...count the number of beats for 15 seconds and multiply by four. That will give you beats per minute. Then set you metronome and practice strumming at that beat...   Once you get comfortable with that beat then play the song again and try to follow... sometimes it takes a while but try not to get frustrated or in a big hurry... hope this helps!