These two are not really like-for-like. JustinGuitar is best known as a large, free, structured curriculum that covers the whole instrument. Adam Loves Guitar is positioned as a narrower, soloing-focused course. We haven't used either one ourselves, so this guide compares how they're positioned and tells you what to verify. Confirm current contents, pricing and policies on each official site before deciding.
The Short Version
- Choose JustinGuitar first if your timing, chord vocabulary, theory or general technique has gaps, or if you like a graded path and want to spend nothing to start.
- Look at Adam Loves Guitar if your fundamentals are solid but your solos keep falling into the same licks and box positions.
- Use both if you want free fundamentals plus a dedicated soloing framework.
How They Differ in Approach
| Question | JustinGuitar | Adam Loves Guitar |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Broad, graded lessons across many topics, widely known for beginner material | A focused method aimed at soloing, per its positioning |
| Cost | Known for free lessons; check the official site for any paid app or extras | Check the official page for current pricing and terms |
| Best fit | Beginners through intermediates who want structure across the instrument | Players who already know the basics and want to improve at soloing |
| Main risk | A big library can leave you browsing instead of finishing | A narrow focus won't fix gaps in rhythm, chords or theory |
Where JustinGuitar Is Strong
The appeal is clear: a large body of structured lessons you can start without paying. If you have never followed a sequenced path, that matters. Progress in guitar is mostly consistency, and a curriculum that tells you what comes next removes a lot of friction.
It also covers more than soloing, including rhythm, chords, songs and theory. For a player with years of experience, that breadth can fill in the unglamorous gaps that quietly limit improvisation, like shaky time or a weak grasp of chord tones.
For a deeper take on this, see Is JustinGuitar enough to learn to solo, or do I need a separate soloing course?
The Tradeoff
Breadth is not depth. A general curriculum has to serve many goals, so soloing is one thread among many. If your specific problem is phrasing, target notes, or breaking out of the pentatonic box, you may find yourself assembling your own path from a big menu. Check the current lead guitar and improvisation material to see whether it matches your level.
Where a Focused Soloing System Can Help
A focused course is useful when you already play competently but your solos sound like your last ten solos. A tight method can give you a repeatable way to practice: what to play, over what, and why. The value is in narrowing choices, not adding content.
The tradeoffs are real too. It's likely paid, it assumes a baseline you may or may not have, and any single teacher's approach may not suit your style. Before buying, check the official page for the curriculum outline, sample lessons, what skill level it assumes, and any refund policy. Don't rely on a summary, ours included.
Recommended for youAdam Loves Guitar vs Fender Play and Yousician: Beginner Apps vs a Soloing Course for Players Stuck in a RutA Practical Way to Decide
- Record yourself. Play two minutes over a backing track in a key you know. Listen back and note what's wrong: timing, note choice, repetition, or running out of ideas.
- Sort the problem. Timing, chord knowledge and theory gaps point toward broad fundamentals, where free structured lessons make sense. Repetitive phrasing and a lack of direction point toward a soloing-specific method.
- Trial the free option first. Spend a couple of weeks on relevant JustinGuitar material. If it solves your problem, you've saved money.
- Evaluate the paid option with a narrow goal. For example: "play a chorus that outlines the chord changes using chord tones." Judge the course against that, not against how impressive the lessons feel.
- Re-record after a few weeks. Compare honestly. No course can promise results, because they depend on your practice.
Making Either Work
- Pick one lick or concept per session and use it over a backing track, not just in isolation.
- Limit yourself, for example to three notes or one string set, to force new phrasing.
- Transcribe a short phrase from a solo you like each week.
- Finish a section before starting another.
Keep Comparing
If you're weighing more than these two, our hub, Adam Loves Guitar vs Alternatives, maps the wider field. Related comparisons:
- Best Guitar Soloing Courses Compared: Top Picks for Intermediate Players
- Adam Loves Guitar vs JamPlay, GuitarTricks and TrueFire: Huge Lesson Libraries vs One Focused Method
- Adam Loves Guitar vs Fender Play and Yousician: Beginner Apps vs a Soloing Course for Players Stuck in a Rut
- Adam Loves Guitar vs Guitareo, Marty Music, Rock Guitar Universe, Paul Davids, Guitar Mastery Method and ArtistWorks
- Is a subscription site like GuitarTricks or TrueFire better than a one-off course for learning pentatonic soloing?
- Is Fender Play any good for intermediate guitarists who want to improvise?
Bottom Line
If you're unsure where your gaps are, start free and structured. If you know the problem is soloing itself and your fundamentals hold up, a focused system is worth a close look. Either way, verify current content, pricing and refund terms on the official sites, and judge by whether your playing changes, not by how good the marketing sounds.
Keep reading
Adam Loves Guitar vs JamPlay, GuitarTricks and TrueFire: Huge Lesson Libraries vs One Focused MethodShort version: if you need breadth (genres, styles, gear, songs, a bit of everything), a big librar…
Adam Loves Guitar vs Guitareo, Marty Music, Rock Guitar Universe, Paul Davids, Guitar Mastery Method and ArtistWorksIf you've been playing for years and your solos keep circling the same three box shapes, the questi…
Is JustinGuitar enough to learn to solo, or do I need a separate soloing course?Short answer: JustinGuitar is a strong, well-regarded foundation, and it does include material beyo…