Lots of great advice here but I especially like M.Ted's comments. You're moving from an instrument that forces you to think in terms of melodic phrases and scales to one that forces you to think in terms of chords and the chordal structure of music. This isn't as big a problem for your fingers as it is for your head. Unless you already play piano or some other instrument heavily dependent on chord construction, you'll find the guitar demands different thought processes. Even the melodic lead guitar styles are built around chords.

Still, one of the finest guitarists I've ever heard, Kenny Baker, is primarily known as a bluegrass and swing fiddle player.

      - Mark