Probably the most amazingly diverse and useful instrument ever. Probably also the most frustrating too. There's a real love-hate relationship happening, mostly stemming from three points:
Firstly, I lack a great deal of technique that I would like to have. My left hand is pretty solid but my right hand lets me down. I certainly can't do this or this! I get bored of my brand of reliable fingerpicking, and I can't use a plectrum without feeling like I'm doing something I shouldn't. In general I don't get excited by what I can do with the guitar.
Secondly, aside from a select few, I don't really like most guitarists out there. Blues solos? Power chords? In general, no thanks. Truly I find it very difficult to find inspiration. I tend to get inspired by people who play other instruments altogether.
Thirdly, I'm getting more and more into styles of music where you don't find so much guitar, and when you do, it's heavily treated and disguised in some way so it doesn't sound like a guitar at all most of the time. Ulrich, Cocteau, MBV spring to mind.
BUT - in spite of my own limitations as a guitarist, I find it is one of the best tools for songwriting, so I'll keep going back to it. Around half of the songs I've ever written were written on guitar.
AND - it's not all hate! I'm quite digging the tasteful application of guitar in certain songs at the moment, mainly when it isn't the underlying driving force behind the music. Nice lead lines and sustained chords seem to be the order of the day at the moment. Too many people use the guitar as the central basis for an entire sound. Although there is usually a good reason why you would do that (can't play anything else).
ALSO - there are always new things to do with guitars. Alternative tunings, MIDI pickups, finger tapping, software audio processing, ebows, cello bows, twelve-strings, left-handed guitars, custom guitars, etc etc. Plenty of mileage in that lot.
So the jury is out. To lunch. Since 1992.
