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  #16  
Old 01-03-2021, 06:01 PM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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Sounds like a bottle neck slide would be a good accessory for your playing future!
Stick with it. I will say though, a dread with a slim neck is probably not the easiest guitar to learn on, even without that finger issue.
But, if that is what you want, then go for it.
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  #17  
Old 01-05-2021, 09:33 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ds114 View Post
The only suggestion I can offer is don't let your injury discourage you..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Iommi
I'll see your Tony Iommi, and raise you a Django Reinhardt:



Look out for the solo at 2:10.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django...age_and_injury
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  #18  
Old 01-05-2021, 09:39 AM
Wooly Wooly is offline
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All of the suggestions to look for a guitar with a wider nut which would equal wider string spacing are good. It seems to me that Yamaha with a 1 11/16 nut width tends to have even a narrower string spacing as compared to some other brands with the same nut width.

If worst comes to worst, you could switch to nylon string classical. 2" nut width is common with those guitars.

A fellow I played with had the tips of three fingers crushed on his fretting hand. Although being a right handed player, he learned to adapt by learning to play left handed and did quite well at it too.

Good luck and keep at it.
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  #19  
Old 01-05-2021, 11:04 AM
sam.spoons sam.spoons is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
And of course there is Django Reinhart who completely lost (as I recall) 2 out of 5 fingers on the left hand.
Not lost but badly burned his LH ring and pinky (along with over 50% of his body and legs, he refused to let them amputate his right leg). See the video linked in JohnPR's post above.

So my answer would be to ignore all other styles and dedicate your life to playing Gypsy Jazz if it's good enough for Hank Marvin, Tommy Emmanual and John Jorgenson...

More seriously, use the width of your LH ring fingertip to your advantage and fret two strings simultaneously with it where possible (A shapes, E shapes, open C, open G, play D shape with a barre across the 1-3 strings so you don't need to use it etc). Django could use his damaged fingers to fret chords but many GJ chords involve deliberately muting certain strings, you can do the same with certain chords in more traditional guitar playing.
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  #20  
Old 01-11-2021, 02:49 PM
JERZEY JERZEY is offline
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If you are just starting out consider getting a lefty guitar before you get to far. Its much easier to learn on a lefty and be short on the picking hand then short on the fret hand imo.
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  #21  
Old 01-11-2021, 06:19 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emtsteve View Post
See if you can find a used Seagull S6 wide (not slim) - it will have a 1.8" nut. These are easy to play and sound great. Should be less that $400 in like new condition.
Hi emtsteve
The string spacing on a Seagull 1.8" nut is exactly the same as 1¾" nut string spacing.

The 1.8" is misleading…it is arrived at because Seagull (and other Godin product lines) are produced in French Speaking Quebec, and built to metric measures (44.72mm)

When they convert the metric figure to US/Imperial measure it comes out 1.8" instead of 1.75" - but the strings are still spaced to a standard 1¾" spacing.. There is not really wiggle room to cut a new nut and try to widen the strings (.05" - 5/100 inch) split up among 6 strings is pretty small.

It was attempted several times in years past by experimenters here on the forum and just resulted in either the 1st or 6th string being constantly drug over the edge of the finger board.

A better solution might be to buy a 12 string with a wide fingerboard, and have a new nut made for it and string is as a 6 string guitar.

Or the original poster may want to try-out a 1¹³⁄₁₆" spacing, or full 2" (or wider) nylon string classical guitar.






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  #22  
Old 01-11-2021, 08:55 PM
emtsteve emtsteve is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi emtsteve
The string spacing on a Seagull 1.8" nut is exactly the same as 1¾" nut string spacing.

The 1.8" is misleading…it is arrived at because Seagull (and other Godin product lines) are produced in French Speaking Quebec, and built to metric measures (44.72mm)

When they convert the metric figure to US/Imperial measure it comes out 1.8" instead of 1.75" - but the strings are still spaced to a standard 1¾" spacing.. There is not really wiggle room to cut a new nut and try to widen the strings (.05" - 5/100 inch) split up among 6 strings is pretty small.

It was attempted several times in years past by experimenters here on the forum and just resulted in either the 1st or 6th string being constantly drug over the edge of the finger board.

A better solution might be to buy a 12 string with a wide fingerboard, and have a new nut made for it and string is as a 6 string guitar.

Or the original poster may want to try-out a 1¹³⁄₁₆" spacing, or full 2" (or wider) nylon string classical guitar.







Thanks for the education Larry. I still stand by my suggestion to try the Seagull. It should be quite a bit easier to fret than the Yamaha he has now. Or not, but worth trying, along with other 1 3/4” and wider nut guitars.
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