What is your personal guitar related "wisdom and experience list"?

[Strat God]

Commitment is everything.
Play every day no matter what.
Weekly band practices give you the edge.
Change strings before every gig- no exceptions.
Always have a backup.
Wear gloves when loading and unloading to protect your fingers.
No internal band fighting during the gig- wait till later.
Do not get drunk/high at any gig - be professional - get wasted later.

[guitarsjb]

Anything in your chain (guitar, pedals and amp) can die, malfunction, refuse to cooperate. Plan head and have extras, or a backup plan.

[Grandturk]

I'll contradict a few things...

- Just because a bunch of people insist its the BEST don't make it so
- Never listen to EVH or Billy Gibbons about their gear because they're lying
- Heavy strings suck
- If you cannot make a whammy sound musical, don't even try - use it for noise instead
- a cable is a cable is a cable - except when its a speaker cable
- If you can, stay the hell out of Guitar Center
- A stack of cases with expensive Custom shop guitars is usually directly inverse to the talent of the owner
- "Relics" and "Road-worn" guitars are nonsense
- More wood = tone = false
- Prince really can play, but he's still an ass
- I don't like flame, quilt and birdseye
- Boogie's really do boogie
- Right or wrong, you get what you pay for

[Grandturk]

Plan head and have extras, or a backup plan.

I always plan for head and it never works out.

[SEEGERMANY]

Best advice. POOP before the gig!

[triplehold]

Best advice. POOP before the gig!

Classic!!! My sentiments exactly, probably the best pre gig advice to anyone. Comfortable footwear is recommended as well.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

by default, the bass player takes the big chick

[Soap]

Anything in your chain (guitar, pedals and amp) can die, malfunction, refuse to cooperate. Plan head and have extras, or a backup plan.

True words of experience indeed. Good stuff.