Rank: Guitar God  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,312 Points: 3,960 Location: Northern Tier, EEUU
|
This came up on another thread, & I didn't want to drag it off-topic.
I'm 5'11 but slim. I've got small hands: I wear size 7 protective gloves at work, when most of the women take at least an 8. My index fingers measure 3.5 from mid-knuckle
But I've never had a problem with playing guitar. In fact, the few chances I've had to play a boatneck, I loved it.
This is odd, as my first non-POS guitar was a Univox "High Flier," which has a really distinctive shallow-U profile that bugs hell out of most of my playing friends who try it. I haven't measured but it FEELS like it's barely 1/2" thick, & almost vertical sides.
But I think part of my non-problem is that I was never able to "clutch" with my left, so I stayed with a looser grip. I was reading every word of Guitar Player by 1975, & a Carol Kaye tutorial said she kept her thumb centered in the back of the neck, pointed back toward the head. That's mostly what I've done.
Plus, I'm a promiscuous player. I've played some classical, plenty of 12-string, a fair bit of mandolin, & some gigging as a bassist. The centered thumb has been the most universal left-hand position -- it even does okay on fretless bass, 6-string bass, 13-string lute, & 7-string electric.
I think it's great that Agile has slim &/or wide necks. (And I like the idea of a chambered body on an LP-type.) The best tool, after all, is the one that feels best to you.
But is a slim neck necessary? I'd enjoy hearing thoughts & experiences.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Strummer  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/9/2009(UTC) Posts: 27 Points: 81 Location: California
|
While I wouldn't say that a slim neck is necessary for me, it's certainly a lot more comfortable--especially when I play a lot of barre chords.
Often, when I play a lot of barre chords or power chords, I start to feel pain in my wrist and the back of my hand. It's probably a combination of factors, like age and not having played for many years prior, and possibly gripping too hard. The C-shaped neck and light strings of my Squier make it possible to play longer before I have to rest. I grip the neck with my thumb and 1st or 2nd finger opposing each other, as if pinching the neck. One thing that helps is to play songs with mostly open chords in between each barre chord song that I play, or to play songs with both open- and barre chords.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Rank: Administration  Medals: Groups: Administrators
Joined: 8/4/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,937 Points: 5,566 Location: Allen, TX
|
I've got small hands, but I like big necks and I can not lie! And I like to reach around with my thumb. I should add though that I almost never play barre chords rather focusing on the notes which give the chords more color (3,7,9, etc) and let the bassist cover the root.
I learned on thin shredder style necks and the Fernandes Tele which was my number one for years had a fairly thin neck. But as soon as I got a hold of some fatter profiles, it was an eye opener for me. | | Check out my music: http://willchentrio.com | http://www.reverbnation.com/willchentrio |
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Strummer Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/13/2009(UTC) Posts: 46 Points: 138
|
I also have relatively small hands, and years of martial arts and sprained fingers hasn't helped!
I prefer necks that are on the thinner side, like the 60's Les Paul neck, for the most part. My Gibson Les Paul Special, Jr., Fujigen gakki Les Paul Customs, and MIK Hamer Special all have that neck profile in common.
That being said, I have an Epi Dot with a thicker than average neck that plays like a dream, although the fattest necked guitar in my collection is a 70's Guild F412 jumbo that I bought at a Frugal Guitarist $550 price from ex Television bassist Fred Smith. That guitar is a battle to play, but the gorgeous lush tone makes it worth the effort.
I have no problem playing bass, surprisingly, on 34" scale instruments, most likely because I don't chord very much and also do some tapping with my right hand.
Small hands can really be a detriment when playing keyboards. I am impressed my female keyboard players like Hiromi, who put in hours of training to get around the short fingers obstacle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guitar God Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,312 Points: 3,960 Location: Northern Tier, EEUU
|
Yeah, with keyboards the "span" is such a huge barrier.
And I've got some busted-up knuckles. I play a little bit of pennywhistle, & have to reverse hands or two fingers kink up & can't even move.
Guitar is one of the more forgiving instruments of hand-size. Though I've often envied a Hendrix! When I see some guy with the tip of his thumb resting on his index nail, I admit it'd be nice to try a proper choke-hold in this lifetime.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Administration Medals: Groups: Administrators
Joined: 8/4/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,937 Points: 5,566 Location: Allen, TX
|
JohnSS wrote:I also have relatively small hands, and years of martial arts and sprained fingers hasn't helped!
I prefer necks that are on the thinner side, like the 60's Les Paul neck, for the most part. My Gibson Les Paul Special, Jr., Fujigen gakki Les Paul Customs, and MIK Hamer Special all have that neck profile in common.
That being said, I have an Epi Dot with a thicker than average neck that plays like a dream, although the fattest necked guitar in my collection is a 70's Guild F412 jumbo that I bought at a Frugal Guitarist $550 price from ex Television bassist Fred Smith. That guitar is a battle to play, but the gorgeous lush tone makes it worth the effort.
I have no problem playing bass, surprisingly, on 34" scale instruments, most likely because I don't chord very much and also do some tapping with my right hand.
Small hands can really be a detriment when playing keyboards. I am impressed my female keyboard players like Hiromi, who put in hours of training to get around the short fingers obstacle. Man, Hiromi blows me away. Incredible player... | | Check out my music: http://willchentrio.com | http://www.reverbnation.com/willchentrio |
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guitar God Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,312 Points: 3,960 Location: Northern Tier, EEUU
|
Aha! I'm resurrecting this thread. Decades ago, I read a few articles by Carol Kaye, a studio bassist with small hands. She had some great insights into the ergonomics of playing, which helped me much. But for all those people who think they can't play bass (or guitar) because of tiny hands... well, you oughta know what a skinny little girl can do with a big chunk o' bass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...LJho&feature=relatedI'm also now a fan of Adachi Kumi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...tCtk&feature=related
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Shredder  Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/6/2010(UTC) Posts: 134 Points: 405 Location: Kansas City
|
I have small hands well. The biggest factor working against me isn't that my hands are small, it's that my fingers are short, stubby, and kind of fat and that I don't have a lot of flexiblity. I've never met anyone that wears a wedding ring as big as mine. I think I wear a size 12 ring on my ring finger. I can put on most of my friends rings only on my pinky. I can drop my wife's ring (size 6) completely through my ring.
I prefer a thin neck just because it's more comfortable to me. My hands are small enough that I can't really do any thumb wraps. If I try really hard, I can get my thumb to barely fret the string and the rest of my hand is about to be pulled off the chord. The best example is a common D chord with a thumb wrap. Just can't do it.
And because I am not very flexible, I like a narrow neck. That is why I mainly play Teles. I have two Strats and I can play them, but I require a lot more warm up exercises before I can play. The Tele neck is just a little more narrow than the Strats I have, especially close to the body. But because I play narrow necks and have fat fingers, I have to constantly watch that I'm not muting strings because they're so close together.
Hand size was a big concern of mine when I first started playing. Now I have come to realize that it's not so much the size of the hand as it is the length of your fingers and more importantly, your flexibility.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Strummer Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/15/2010(UTC) Posts: 36 Points: 108 Location: So. Cal.
|
I also have small hands and don't really have any issues with any guitars I pick up. I also play (incorrectly?) with the the rock grip with the thumb over the top. I thought a 7 string would be a challenge but it really isn't. If the necks are too thin I feel like I am pinching it rather than gripping it, if that makes any sense. Heck, just look at how good some small children are on youtube (you have to wade through all the crap and bedroom rockstars of course...  ) playing full size guitars. Doesn't seem to bother them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guitar Hero  Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/20/2010(UTC) Posts: 269 Points: 810 Location: Denton, TX
|
Cirrus wrote:I have small hands well. The biggest factor working against me isn't that my hands are small, it's that my fingers are short, stubby, and kind of fat and that I don't have a lot of flexiblity. I've never met anyone that wears a wedding ring as big as mine. I think I wear a size 12 ring on my ring finger. I can put on most of my friends rings only on my pinky. I can drop my wife's ring (size 6) completely through my ring.
I prefer a thin neck just because it's more comfortable to me. My hands are small enough that I can't really do any thumb wraps. If I try really hard, I can get my thumb to barely fret the string and the rest of my hand is about to be pulled off the chord. The best example is a common D chord with a thumb wrap. Just can't do it.
And because I am not very flexible, I like a narrow neck. That is why I mainly play Teles. I have two Strats and I can play them, but I require a lot more warm up exercises before I can play. The Tele neck is just a little more narrow than the Strats I have, especially close to the body. But because I play narrow necks and have fat fingers, I have to constantly watch that I'm not muting strings because they're so close together.
Hand size was a big concern of mine when I first started playing. Now I have come to realize that it's not so much the size of the hand as it is the length of your fingers and more importantly, your flexibility. Funny, Cirrus, I wear a 13 for my wedding ring. Since I wear stainless steel, it's like having the end of a box wrench on my finger. My issue is that my pinkies are uber short. It's a genetics thing, thanks to my mom's side of the family. my pinkies barely make it past the first knuckle on my ring finger for length. I can play most things, but Eruption, for instance, has a few licks that I simply cannot reach. I fake it by tapping with my left hand when needed. It's not quite as smooth as ye olde EVH, but it works. And as for Kids playing all that stuff... I hate em! :-) Jealousy of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
|
|
|