I got lessons for about two months a long time ago, I learned two things. Key of C major basic scale over 2 octaves and a pentatonic scale over two octaves. That’s all I ever learned and it help a lot by demonstrating alternate picking and the basic shape patterns employed by "most" scales.

Personally I know my way around the fret board and can bang out most arpeggios and licks by ear but I can't even name the six strings on my guitar, all I know is high and low E and A! I never know what key I am playing in and couldn’t tell you if I was playing a dorian or a phrygian, all I know is that if you play enough you will get your own style and will be able to read the fret board by feel and will be playing theoretically correct, by ear.

If I sit down and try to analyse something it starts to sound like every other piece of lead out there, up and down fiddly diddly without any feeling or direction. I'll admit it though, most players swear by learning as much theory as possible and it probably a good idea if you are just starting to play.

However, I found I played better when I through it all out the window and made up what ever sounded best by ear.

Terrible advice but it works for me;-)