Hi from John - a mature learner

[Richard_close2u]

Hello John.
Welcome to JustinGuitar and this fantastic community. Please take your time to look around and get to know the wider space.
https://community.justinguitar.com/categories

We are a supportive and encouraging group of students and guitarists from across the world. Essentially, we are all here for music and to improve as players. We truly are a ‘community’. Members help and support one another and a friendly, positive attitude underpins this. We hope that all - young or old, experienced or new players - adopt and foster the pay-it-forward ethos that Justin personifies and embedded all those years ago when he started the website and forum.

Also, please make sure to read the community etiquette announcement for some important information and guidance.

You tell quite a story - thank you and kudos to you for being open and sharing from the start of your time here.

@JohnMuttley

I later found out it was a sunburst Gibson Les Paul. At that time I didn’t even know the guitar was worth anything.

Eeeekkk. A sunburst Gibson Les Paul of that era would be worth several thousand pounds now. “Non, je ne regrette rien.”

@JohnMuttley

My father got fed up with me just strumming and decided I needed a new tutor. He always told me that players similar to Hank Marvin who mainly do solos are proper guitar players, and players who just strum a song arent worth listening to.

What a shame. That is such a common misunderstanding - the flash lead guitar player is the one with skill and the steady rhythm player in the corner is dull and uninteresting with little skill.
Rhythm and the ability to play good rhythm is the most fundamental skill. Playing rhythm is playing guitar. Rhythm is king. The stuff on top is icing on the cake. Each and every acclaimed lead guitarist has excellent rhythm skills. Period.

@JohnMuttley

I have started the lessons, most of which I already know so far, but it doesn’t hurt watching the lessons just incase something comes up that I didn’t know already.

That is a great approach - one that we recommend to all newcomers to JustinGuitar who played a little at some point in their lives and are starting again.

@JohnMuttley

I’m getting loads of adverts that constantly come up on my Instagram feed, am I right doing the Justinguitar lessons or are these better?

Everything you need is on the JustinGuitar website, free of charge, free from spam. Justin does have a social media presence across several platforms but that is not where you need to drift.

@JohnMuttley

I dont have the type of money that would buy me a high end £3k guitar but i dont want a rubbish guitar either.

Over in the gear section you could start a topic to ask for advice. Think about your total budget for guitar / amp / accessories and the sort of guitar that you have a natural attraction towards.
Eart are new, they are getting decent reviews though many online reviews are sponsored videos. There are many other alternatives.

@JohnMuttley

The thing I don’t want to do again is give up

Yes.

With that you’re on your way.

Richard