Another thing is hot licks tapes can teach you stuff too.Also in the beginning start off with simple solos to get a feel of things trying to learn fast ripin stuff at first can get reall hard if you haven't got the basics.
As far as scales I find that most rock solos especially from the bluesy players like Page,Clapton,Gilmour etc.. that you can play out of the box scales.Mainly I play outta the Major and minor pentatonics and add in half steps(notes within and serounding the pntatonic box).All your minor notes,minor 3rds and flat 5ths(both blues intervals)are just half steps in the box.Finding were these half steps works though is purly through expieramentation(unless you know your theory).Really unless you know theory it gets hard to use the other scales like the modes system.
I'm not a theory player I've read enough books in my days to understand the modal systems but by that time was so used to my methods that I stuck with them.Hey it worked for Michael Schenker though.
Also I once had a book call the complete guitarist it was written or Co-written by Les Paul.This gave me good insite on scales and steps.You'll ind that the box scales are actually just one section o the modal scales once you see them layed out in a book.
Good Luck

[Edited by Guitar-Sam on 12-08-2003 at 03:41 AM]