If only I didn’t have this physical limitation...
I will never be the player I could be because I lack the physical ability to wrap my thumb over the top of the fretboard.
It feels good tho say it in public but it makes me sad nonetheless... |
When I was in my teens I had an acquaintance who played classical guitar. Bach, Mozart kind of classical. He had fingers that would not only handle a 2" wide fret board but could span 5 frets. It looked like a tarantula crawling around as he played.
My physical limitation is short stubby fingers. At least that's what I tell myself. David practiced more in one session than I practice in a week but I tell myself it was his fingers. :) |
I will never be the player I once was because my hands no longer work as good as they did when I was younger.
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Best, Jayne |
I have short stubby fingers too, (although they are getting scrawny now, and fat/flat fingertips - so I play guitars with wider fretboards and although its not very long (my thumb!) I can curl it over enough to fret the 6th string - you don't actually need to press that hard.
I put this video up recently, I am playing a Harmony with a 2" nut width, and you'll see that I'm not actually folding my thumb "right over" - just "peering over the top like Chad. I'm saying this because I hope it might just help. |
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I will never be the player Django Reinhardt was even though I have use of all ten fingers.
Perspective. |
Take a look at world-class Classical guitar players and see how many wrap their thumbs over the top of the neck to play. Virtually none, that I know of.
When I was taking Classical lessons, my teacher forbid it. I had been wrapping my thumb over the top for years to play full chords, so had to unlearn it to conform. I learned how to stretch and strengthen my fingers to play full chords in different positions. Some chord changes became harder, but I adapted. You can also choose a narrow and shallow neck profile and a narrow nut width to accommodate your hand size. Electric guitars have some very shallow and narrow necks and players routinely go over the top with their thumb, up and down the neck. Acoustic players can do the same with the right neck profile and width. Low action also helps, so you can play cleanly and without strain when reaching the outer limits of your physical ability to stretch and fret cleanly. |
Someone beat me to the django Reinhardt comment. He was one of the greatest. Only had full use of his index and middle fingers.
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D'jango had his left hand horribly disfigured in a fire and became one of the greatest players ever. Tony Iommi and Jerry Garcia were missing digits and whole fingers. I used to play with a woman who was missing her entire right arm below the elbow. I used to duct tape a pick to her stump. The only thing most people are missing that limits them is guts and attitude. |
I've never wrapped my thumb, and don't know why one would need to (other than personal preference)? Not sure what I'm missing by not doing this, but what I don't know can't (and hasn't) hurt me.
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