I played for fourteen years, 7 string death metal and metalcore. Had a few bands, did a few EP's and local guest work, toured in support of The Absence and been local support for a few other bands that have come through DC area or are from here. Haven't even looked at a guitar in a few years. Grumble. I was teaching private lessons for a year before I quit, mostly theory.
I loved playing guitar, being a performance artist is what ruined it for me. I hate the music industry on all levels and most of the scene, though I've met a ton of really awesome people in the scene. The shit of it is really just that everyone else is fake as fuck or high on their own bullshit.
Once you comprehend all the personal trouble it is to do shows because half the band are unaccountable manchildren, half the people coming to you for networking are thieves, band members get married or have kids so time gets short every gig or jam session, the new bassist won't stop bringing hooters girls who flirt with everyone to practice, you're the one breaking up an argument between duder and homie's wifey while wishing you had gone to college instead so you could afford the software and recording equipment it takes to replace literally fucking everyone— but you realize you started doing this because you liked jamming with just your friends— once you go through all that for years it stops being fun. My imagination took a graceless lurch while leaving fourteen years of 6 hours a day practice to atrophy like a relationship with a girl who moved away and took my heart with it. All I have for the experience that has lasted is a crooked index finger on my right hand and fifty people up my ass about a new band every time I show my face in those old social circles.
That said, I wish I wanted to play guitar again. Never felt better than when I was jamming some death metal ass heavy shit with my friends in a smoky 95F garage. Once things go beyond that shit gets fucking complicated and eventually really old.