How many 0s is a Manzer wedge worth in shoulder comfort?

[dberkowitz]

The question of a 00 or 000 has less to do with body depth and more to do with the width of the lower bout. The Manzer wedge helps alleviate the stress from hyper rotating the shoulder around the lower bout of a larger instrument.

Posture has as much to do with this stress as does body size. Moving to a classical playing position will help.

Most people do not play sitting perfectly erect. There is some degree of leaning forward from the waist. Consequently, the incidental pitch created by the wedge should not be a problem. I've built each of my bodies -- concert at 15.5 x 4.375, jumbo -- 16.625 x 4.75 and Dreadnaught -- 16 x 4.75, each with the wedge of 1" split across the central axis of the guitar. I find it more comfortable regardless of body size and don't find the pitch to increase my back stiffness. I certainly would not use a more drastic wedge.

It would behoove you to try a smaller wedge body to see whether given your own playing position you could go to a 000 or similarly sized guitar. Adding an armrest helps as well.

[timmayock]

I am very late to this but, I too have shoulder trouble, an impingement in my neck. I play a Harmony Sovereign 1203 it is less than 4 inches deep. I love it! It is not anything like a martin and that is okay.
I bought a washburn comfort series WCG18CE, ($300) laminate top, laminate back and sides, it felt great, played great, but sounded less than inspiring so i sent it back. I am thinking about a guild f-130.
I also have a Goya OM. It is 55 years old and pretty beat up. i have thoughts of hacking it to make it more comfortable. It is a maple back and sides, spruce top.

[Larry Pattis]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

I'm working with the manufacturer of the Guitarest to have a product with more friction between the strap and the pant-leg. The shoulder-pad that is their current solution to this does not work particularly well for me.

More, later...

My update to this thread is that the GuitaRest folks did indeed come up with a *perfect* product upgrade.

I have discarded all other support-devices in favor of the GuitaRest product, and heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a variety of ergonomic solutions; i.e., guitar body/thickness issues, guitar-positioning comfort, discarding a footrest, etc.

[fetellier]

I also have a bad shoulder and have built 10 Mazer wedge guitars in sizes from J200 full jumbo down to a 000/OM and they all are real comfortabe for me to play. I can play the 000/OM size without a wedge with no pain but did a OM wedge and it was really comfortable. The plan was to keep that one for myself but someone with a worse shoulder than me and a pocket full of cash talked me out of it. I am presently working on a small jumbo body baritone combining both the wedge and armrest bevel and so far though I have not yet actually played it, the level of comfort when trying it on my lap in playing position is exceptional.

Fred

[BBWW]

For me after one shoulder surgery, a small guitar with at least an arm bevel is mandatory. I prefer a wedge. Like Larry said, it's really a personal choice. I think it helps my comfort level a lot, especially for gigging.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by JohnnyDes

I'm reposting this question here after a quick thread death in the main forum.

Due to ongoing comfort/pain issues, I'm considering looking into a Manzer wedge. If so, I wonder could I actually move up in guitar size?

If I'm more-or-less comfortable with a 00-sized guitar, would I find the same comfort in a Manzer-wedged 000?

[Edit: Just to be clear my question is whether a 000 with a Manzer wedge would have the same comfort as a 00 without a Manzer wedge]

JD

Are you ever in the Bay Area? If you are, let me know. You can come over and try my Manzer wedge beveled baritone.

Edit: I just realized this is an old thread. Oops.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

My update to this thread is that the GuitaRest folks did indeed come up with a *perfect* product upgrade.

I have discarded all other support-devices in favor of the GuitaRest product, and heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a variety of ergonomic solutions; i.e., guitar body/thickness issues, guitar-positioning comfort, discarding a footrest, etc.

Is the upgrade available to everyone?

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

My update to this thread is that the GuitaRest folks did indeed come up with a *perfect* product upgrade.

Larry,
Could you provide some details on upgrade? I have the original GuitaRest.

Steve

[Larry Pattis]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

Is the upgrade available to everyone?

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

Larry,
Could you provide some details on upgrade? I have the original GuitaRest.

Steve

The upgrade to the GuitaRest product (or better to call them "product changes") is a leather strap with a soft/grippy silicone material on the underside, which keeps everything perfectly in-place on my pants-leg.

I believe that there are different frame options (I use the "martini" frame), but all likely come with the leather and grippy surface.

I am quite a bit MORE than happy with these things...I have several now, and won't use anything else. Can't improve on perfection...

[BBWW]

For me I play standing. So the wedge/bevel makes a big difference. Now I need to continue to work on better posture and having equal weight on both feet. Over the years I have a short side and a long side because of how I stand...my psoas major is pulling to one side causing back issues. I tend to stand will all my weight on my right leg and over the years have put a major twist in my lower back. I'll need a cubist guitar soon that wraps around my body.