frustration is a common undercurrent to us all, particularly when trying something new on an instrument that "seems" familiar...i can speak from experience that usually i have a "reality check" moment when i'm feeling pretty good about my playing, or some improvement i've made, and then i try something just a little different...and lo and behold i have to start from zero yet again...for instance maybe as a rhythm player you can fly through chord changes with your eyes closed and can easiy substitute an open position chord with any of of the CAGED shapes or add a cool little extension...but then try arpeggiating ! same notes, but vastly different technically...
always slow down, and use a metronome...practice is equal parts boring, and thrilling...but anyone who is decent put in the work
if you're not digging guys like beck, you have to ask yourself "what do i want to play"...what groups do you like ? who still inspires you ? whatever the answer, pick a song that does it for you and start to transcibe it your self...little by little, note for note, or as close as you can get...you will enjoy it, learn more, and absorb it so it becomes your own...if you don't care too much for hendrix, why would you bother learning a bunch of his licks ? the only reason would be academic or to better a particular technique, and that is OK, but you won't be passionate about it...sometimes time in the woodshed is just work, so don't get too hung up on it
stick with the music that moves you, that made you pick up guitar in the first place, or that you enjoy listening to...sometimes that's harder - there are a million lessons on how to be a great blues player - but what if that's not your cup of tea ? well, you gotta go get your own if you know what i mean...
for what it's worth, i've been playing for a year and a half, and was breezing through the beginner lessons as a brush up...i hit the arpeggiation lesson for "house of the rising sun" and had to start the metronome at 90 BPM and slowly bump it up every 5 minutes or so, it was embarassing and frustrating...i still don't have it quite, but it's a technical skill that i need to work on so i'll put in the time - when i'm satisfied that i have gotten it down reasonably well, i will NEVER play that song again - i hate it to be honest - but it's a good vehicle to facilitate one of the many many skills we need as guitarists
remember mix it up...set goals in your practice. technical skills, theory / knowledge, and most importantly MUSICALITY...playing music is where it is AT, everything else just helps us get there
cheers
