Look after those hands Patrick. Not referring to those initially sore fingertips which is very temporary and will soon pass as you develop calluses, but chronic hand pain which may develop which simply wasn't an issue of any concern for me either forty plus years ago that it presents now. As I want to and do play most every day, I've found before and after stretching exercises and adequate warmup help enormously. And -am I permitted to suggest (?), being older the body is less resilient to dietary intake of foods medically acknowledged as adversly impact arthritis in particular?

[br]Look after the body, follow GTs 'bouncing ball', reinforce through rote repetition practise what is taught, and so far I've found the rest will fall naturally into place.

Originally Posted by: Papa RichYou will be able to play Gilmore's solos. Just stay the course. I did and can play those types of solos with two years experience.

That's most anecdotally encouraging Papa Rich.

I'd set personal short, medium and extended term conservative goals I'd deduced achievably realistic, but wasn't sure they were. So far I'm exceeding them, so your anecdote suggests my hoped for 12 month and 2 year targets will be too.

Would you mind offering some idea of your age? Not suggesting older age a mental impediment of significance or a psychological one unless it is fostered as one, in fact to the contrary. Rather it can present a memory motor skill and possible physical encumberance due potential older age related degenerative issues such as arthritis, diabetes or other life time accumulated injuries.

Regardless of minor physical encumbrances, having a then vs now hands on basis of comparison I find being of older age actually an asset to the process of learning guitar for a number of reasons I've identified which largely offset said minor physical encumbrances - but which I won't elaborate upon further here for the sake of brevity of an already unintentionally lengthy post.