Seeking a smaller bottom
 

Bummers! The osteoarthritis in my right shoulder has gotten worse so I can no longer play a guitar with a large lower bout -- not even the Taylor GS-Mini (sigh). So I must switch from acoustic electric to electric since "size doesn't matter" with an electric, right?

So I request your guidance concerning brand/model info for a small-lower-bout electric guitar that will sound & play pretty good for under $400.

Aloha from Hawaii & thanks for any help you can give me -- I am a total doofus when it comes to knowing anything about electrics.

bellgamin: welcome to the AGF!

what about a uke? or a traveler guitar?

for electric, danelectro. note that you'll need an amp too.

i have bursitis in my right shoulder. i do warm up exercises prior to any playing. i start with smaller guitars and work my way up to my hd28. still, after about 1/2 to 3/4hr., it becomes tough to play and i move back to smaller guitars.

play music!

Take your pick. Most popular solid body electrics will have smaller and shallower lower bouts. Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters will all be more comfortable if the Mini 's too fat, and there are any number of inexpensive versions of each. Where you'll see an increase in size will be the longer scale...so I hope your left shoulder is OK ;)

You might also consider a smaller acoustic like a Vintage Viator which is only about 11" across the lower bout and 3.5" deep. I think the combination of that and short scale length of 21.5" would be about as comfy as an acoustic guitar can get.

Before you do anything, however, have you tried resting the Mini on your left thigh with your left foot elevated on a low foot stool? That position will bring your right arm in a lot closer to your side.

What about a weight relieved Les Paul. It might be that Epiphone makes a weight relieved version that is in your budget.

BTW, just because you are inexperienced with electrics doesn’t make you a dufus. Welcome to the forum.

Telecaster/Stratocaster or a Gibson Firebird. The Firebird is a pretty lengthy guitar, but is fairly narrow and thin; and is not especially heavy compared to something like an ES-339 or Les Paul.

Something like the now discontinued Fender Acoustasonic might work well for you - it's a lightweight hollowed out Telecaster shape that uses a piezo pickup.
You'll need an amp, too, with this guitar. An acoustic amp like a Fishman Loudbox mini would probably work well here.

Of course if you REALLY need a guitar with a tiny lower bout, check out the Steinberger, which has taken small body electric guitar design to the nth degree.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...18965000002000

Seeking a smaller bottom
 

Many Gibson (not Epiphone) low-end SG models scale in somewhere in the high-five to very-low six pound bracket - you may be able to find a used one in the low $400 range...

Then again, salads really worked for me... :cool:

Go to Reverb and type in - Yamaha Thinline Cutaway - Natural. I think this could work well. A best of both worlds guitar.

I was going to mention an SG. Very light guitar and thin guitar. Worth at least trying one at the guitar store, even if unplugged just to check the comfort level.

The guitars that have the most consistency for playability in my book are PRSs. Their consistency is unmatched by anyone but Taylor. Usually out of the box I am wanting to raise the action a bit. The PRS SE line can be bought used easily for your money. Strats are always comfortable to play- a used Mexican strat or a Squier Classic Vibe fit the bill. I also agree with the SG comments. They tick a lot of boxes for me. I have not played the more reasonably priced ones in a while but generally they are very comfortable and easy to play.

Some great suggestions here. Pick 2 to 4 models and try all you can for each model. Something will eventually speak to you. Have fun.

Check out the Epiphone Casino Coupe. Full hollow body, light weight and smaller, thinner lower bout. For acoustic an Ibanez AVN1 is smaller too. Good luck with your search.

Used Carvin AC 375, AC175, or the nylon crossover CL450 version.

These are thinline acoustic electric guitars. New, they are above your budget, but used might be close if you wait for a good buy. Carvin made and makes several versions of the thinline acoustic electric:

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...413954660.html

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/decade/images/01-cl450.html

Maybe stretching your budget a bit, but you might look into the Supro Island series guitars ( Hampton, Jamesport, Westbury) I picked up one of their top of the line Hamptons for $400 (full price, $1099) on a blowout sale from Sam Ash and I really like it. Great sound and quality build. There are plenty of video reviews. I see Reverb has some listed within striking distance of your budget though nothing quite like the deal I got :D

Size-wise, it fits in a Les Paul case almost like the case was made to fit it, and it's very comfortable and lightweight. In fact, I bought two
at the same time and they came in one box. I was shocked at how light that box was, and asked the Fedex driver if he had the other box in his truck.

+1 on Gibson SG

Also, check out the G&L Tribute Fallout. The G&L Tribute Bluesboy is awesome, but a bit on the heavy side.

I would assume that with osteoarthritis weight is also a consideration? I still remember the first time I picked up a solidbody electric after having only played acoustic guitars - yikes!

So with that in mind, maybe a Gretsch G5426 Jet Club, around $300. Maybe spend a bit more than your stated budget & get a Fender Modern Player Thinline Deluxe Telecaster, around $500.

These are both "chambered" - smaller, solidbody shape but with some areas of the body hollowed out. Actual hollowbody electrics - like the Gretsch Artcore - tend to have larger shaped bodies, more like the size of an acoustic.

There are reviews of the two I mentioned on YouTube.