Rain ...
One thing I could never get though is how bragging about some obscure progressive rock bands would make anyone special.
I'm not bragging.
It's only that you think that because you heard ONE BAND, that the rest of the world is stupid and not able to play guitar or do anything worthwhile. YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THOSE FOLKS, ENOUGH to understand that, or what I said.
If you did, you would appreciate what I was saying, which was NOT to tell you to play what everyone else already knew, but something that might get folks going ... wow ... that's different ... but the only choice that will EVER stand up and make you the artist you can be is the one that comes from your heart, not the one that came from Black Sabbath or White Stupid, or Loud Grunt!
However, it IS your choice.
I don't dislike those things, but they are over heard and they are not the best. But you wouldn't never know, how good things can be when you are not willing or capable of hearing suggestions!
Maybe one day you can even find out where Jeff Beck learned some of his trix. Just put on "Eos" by Terje Rypdal and David Darling (skip the first cut!!!!!), and learn something, that you have no idea can be done with your instrument.
Criticism is not cool in my book, but CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is, but you are only defending your top ten ideas and knowledge, not challenging your ability!
Good luck! And look at the mirror. I'm not saying you are a bad guitarist or that you don't deserve the new one, or that you can't do what you want to do. But you can't criticize things that you don't know, and have never heard, and are automatically calling "bad", when you have no idea!
BTW, be it Germany, Japan, or Mongolia, it's still a Fender, or a Gibson, and what not, and those people are doing different things! Get a hold of that one!