I totally aggree with everyone has said so far: play with good players, take chances, get some looping equipment, etc.
Two tricks have worked for me...
I'd say say learn the major scales first, and learn the modes for each major scale (1-7). You can always transpose to the minor equivalent later. Learning the minor scales first, I think, can make it tough to learn anything that isn't a box pattern and the player becomes content with familiar fingerings. Nothing wrong with that, as it lends to a player's style. But with major scales and their modes, a player can jump around and make a lot of different stuff work. Playing a song in Dm7? Treat it as a II in C major and
use the modes. Doing a dark blues improv in plain 'ol G minor,
use the modes in Bb major. When you can jump around like that, that's a HUGE tool to have available in your techinque toolbox.
Another trick which might break the pentatonic stranglehold on your improvisation is chord visualization. Learn as many different chords as you can stuff in your head. When it comes time to improvise, visualize the chords for your solo on the fingerboard, and creatively play the notes within the chords. The only problem I've had with this is I hate learning chords.
