Update

Still practicing and playing - I've missed 2 days since my last post - one through travel and one through being sick.

Averaging about an hour a day and mostly what I've cut is soloing over backing tracks.... not sure why, I think I'm just in a bit of a rut.

Still stuck on 1/8 notes @ 132bpm on the major scale - I just can't seem to get it clean enough to give me confidence to move on.

On the upside my fingerstyle work on Steady Thumb Blues has shown notable improvement but I'm still struggling with the barre'd bit - another couple of weeks and I think I'll be ready to move onto the next one on the Justinguitar Solo Blues DVD - I probably should move along on the Blues Lead DVD too.

I have been playing a lot of my old electric guitar songs and riffs as well now that the 2 new girls are in - Sally Strat and Tina Tele are just gorgeous. Sally is currently in getting a string upgrade (.010's - 0.046's), the bridge locked down (not a fan of tremolo) and a professional set-up.

At first I was a bit grumpy because they delivered a Rosewood fretboard on the Strat (I ordered Maple) but on reflection I'm now really glad I got the Rosewood - so all is well that ends well.

The Strat is just sensational to play - the ergonomics of the body and the C shape neck are a delight - the sound coming out of the bridge pickup is suitably crunchy and despite the Rosewood fretboard the American Strat pickups deliver a very bright and pleasing sound - can't wait to try it with .010's on.

The Tele is all grunt - the Vintage Hot Rod '52 is a point and shoot weapon - no subtlty here. The Custom Vintage Tele pickup on the bridge sounds a bit tinnie to my ear (maybe I just need to tinker with the amp settings a bit more) and the Seymour Duncan Mini Humbucker on the neck is a little noisey on its own - but where this guitar comes into its own is when you select the middle position and combine the two pickups - it is hard to describe the sound - it is fat and crunchy but kind of rounded and mellow at the same time - Blues licks and soloing using the minor pentatonic with it sounds just awesome.

As they are so different I can't really say I favour one over the other. I'll play the Tele and think it is the best guitar I've ever played, then I'll play the Strat and think it is the best guitar I've ever played - then I'll play the Tele again.....

If I had to pick on anything it would be the U neck vs the C neck - for me, I definitely find the C neck on the Strat a little more playable in my hands.

All good :)