Older pickers and D size guitars?
 

I have read a number of times over the years where a guitar picker would say he/she moved from larger D size guitars to 000/OM size guitars because of some problem associated with age. I have never asked before what the problem may be associated with age and larger guitars. Perhaps rotator cuff problems. Can some share with me what the issues is with larger guitars and our senior years.

Well, I'm an older player (72,) and never played D sizes, but not because of age. I'm a six foot tall guy, but my arms are about 2" shorter than average for my height. Almost all of the shortness is in the humerus (upper arm) and that makes large body instruments just uncomfortable to play. Love 000s but find myself really wanting a nice little parlor size ;-)

I am 68 and I have 3 dreads. 1 square shoulder, 2 slope shouldered. The slopes are more comfortable to play.

But even they can become no fun to play. In the winter time, especially. You are correct. Rotator cuff, shoulders in general. One's body become less tolerant of the mid-western cold. Arthritis seems to come on.

Because of that, I have become fond of 00 guitars.

Gettin' old ISN'T for sissies!

I had read about this for a few years and always shook my head wondering what could be wrong with those geezers until I took my old D to a music festival for a week. Before the week was out I realized I couldn't play the thing for hours a day anymore, especially (or perhaps because of being) seated. It just a slight twinge/pinch in the right shoulder, and yes, probably RC related, as I have an ongoing issue with the left RC (which probably has caused me to reduce some exercise routines that kept both shoulders in better shape).

Maybe it's just loss of elasticity or dehydration (not to be ruled out in that festival setting ;)), but it was a wake up call that some adjustments might be in order. I do play a grand auditorium size guitar regularly, so it's not a problem with that, so far...

As usual, there are no generalities or one-size answer. If dreads work for you then you should play them and if they don't, do not. My experience has shown me that it's more than the D body shape. I find the (scale + neck profile + neck width) divided the body shape over the player's body shape + arm length + hand size = playing comfort. Not literally but everything taken into consideration will determine playing comfort.

I've seen too many people that play one or two (pick your guitar size) and determine that, that specific guitar size doesn't work for them. This is unfortunately wrong. THAT dread or 000 may not work for you due to short scale or wide/thin neck or.... However, I believe anyone can play any body size guitar if all the other factors work for them. So, as I always say, PLAY and find a guitar that works for you and make it yours. DO NOT use generalizations or on-line advice (ironic huh?) or what works for others to make a decision for you (universal you).

Example: For years I wouldn't entertain the idea of buying a Bourgeois or Collings because I did not like the first ones I played. However, when I found THE Collings and THE Bourgeois that changed my mind, they helped me realize that I need to evaluate every guitar individually rather than making a snap decision based on maker, size, woods, scale or any other single factor.

I am 68 and still play a Kay K-24 with a 17 1/8" lower bout and 26" scale. While my aging hands have forced me to change the way I approach a guitar, now relying primarily on only my thumb and one finger on my right hand while my left tends to not get along with F chords like it once did, the body shape does not come into play.

72yr old. I sold my D 28 and picked up a Taylor mini GS. It was so very more comfortable, especially 3AM while curled up in the easy chair. I keep a full sized scale guitar near me so as to keep 'finger memory' for my L5 pro playing.
Also, I like the armrest I installed on it. It lifts my arm to a more comfortable position.

Gosh... Aren't we a bunch of old farts?

I'm 67 1/2 (as if the 1/2 really counts at this age:) ) and I have a bunch of dreads and a couple GA's. As we all can attest, age steals joint flexibility from us. I didn't even think about the comfort of a dread until I got with you bunch!

Rotator cuff issues? Yeah... me too. I hurt both of mine in separate skiing falls over a couple years, taking my one obligatory fall in each of those years. I think the first one was when I was 59. The soreness comes and goes. But while a dread isn't as un-noticeably comfortable as it was years ago I'm happy to report that there are no issues and I don't avoid them. However, having two GA's, both electrified and one with a faux arm bevel I'm inclined to grab one of them when I go on gigs. The power of the dreads just seem to get lost as soon as one plugs in. As the famous lover Fernando once said "It's better to look good than to sound good"... or is it the other way around...or is it to feel good???

The other thing I noticed is the vertical angle at which the body sits has to do with comfort. At the beginning of the year I was 48 pounds heavier and my tummy made the bottom bout stick out more, angling the body in. Now it sits more vertical and my elbow has to extend out more. I've had to adjust my strap length to find the most comfortable position, which in my case raised the guitar a bit.

Who says that age is just a number? :confused::rolleyes::mad::lol:

I'm 64. I have a jumbo, a dread and a 000. They all have their pluses and minuses that I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on.

At 67 I certainly have my fair share of ailments but shoulder problems aren't on that list....yet.

Up until a couple of years ago I couldn't get comfy with a dread. I blamed everything but the obvious reason: my girth. For health concerns I dropped almost 50lbs and am quite happy now weighing in at under 200. As an added bonus I discovered I could comfortably wear a dread. I own two now.

I plan on getting a 00/000 in the near future but it's nice to realize that'll be by choice rather than necessity.

I played a D-28 exclusively from the time I was 20 through my mid-40s. I never gave it a thought. Played it sitting and standing and probably laying on my back. It was just my guitar. Then I wasn't playing it enough and sold it.

When I got back into playing a few years ago and went shopping for a nicer new guitar, I played everything and realized playing a dread was really uncomfortable now. Didn't expect that. Don't think I have any SPECIFIC problems, but I am 60 now. Also, I don't need the volume anymore for how I play. So, I play smaller guitars now and they meet my needs wonderfully.

Maybe if I'd never stopped playing dreads I'd still love them and be fine with them. But I did. And now I don't like to anymore.

-Ray

Haha! I can relate to pretty much all of that. I'm in the process of getting rid of about 50lb of "divorce fat", and it does effect what I can and cannot play comfortably.

I'm a youngster at 61...and have had wrist/tendon surgery in the last year. My shoulders are not getting to be an issue, but a week ago my left forearm started aching badly. So...who knows? Maybe I'll need a 12-fretter before long. ha!

Duplicate post

I am almost 77 and had only one real 6-string guitar for the past 50 years, a D-35. Never played others in that time, and didn't know much about action. But the D-35 was never that easy, and later my left hand got broken and then had two Dupuytrens operations.
Last winter I got a parlor guitar, and was pleased at how easy it was to hold, but not in how it sounded. Then I got an OM with a wide nut and 2mm at the 12th fret, and was like a D-35 parlor. Easy to hold, and to play, but with no sacrifice in sound.
I just now got the D-35 to play easier after the saddle was sanded down close to the bridge, but the box now seems huge, the neck long, and the strings close together.
That is a larger guitar in my, and it's, senior years. If/when I go to one guitar, it will be the OM.