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  #16  
Old 05-03-2019, 05:08 PM
PetesaHut PetesaHut is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slothead56 View Post
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...
I am now 65 and play fingerstyle, I recently tried taking my thumb over and I can get close, I tried not to exert to much pressure, but my hand hurt for weeks so I stopped.

Perhaps Im to old to be doing something new like that at my age, but after reading this post, Im wondering how much pain others have endured when trying to master thumb wrap?
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  #17  
Old 05-03-2019, 06:55 PM
Optofonik Optofonik is offline
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In descending order so to speak:

Mike Dawes with tarantula hands...



And...



Then there are those whose guitars are actually bigger than they are....



You can't make anything for yourself out of what other people posses.
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  #18  
Old 05-03-2019, 07:18 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slothead56 View Post
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...
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours."
-Donald Shimoda, Illusions, the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
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  #19  
Old 05-03-2019, 08:07 PM
Shortfinger Shortfinger is offline
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The two tunes I learned recently are "Louise" (Leo Kottke) and "A" Blues, both taught by my man Daddy Stovepipe on his YouTube channel, in both he wraps his thumb a lot, and since I can't, I've learned to do it without.

Louise, with the slide on my pinky, requires some gymnastics, but I have it down.
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  #20  
Old 05-04-2019, 01:55 AM
Monsoon1 Monsoon1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Optofonik View Post
In descending order so to speak:

Mike Dawes with tarantula hands...



And...



Then there are those whose guitars are actually bigger than they are....



You can't make anything for yourself out of what other people posses.
The toughest chords i've seen were by this guy. He regularly played chords that hurt to try and play, and I have pretty big hands.

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  #21  
Old 05-04-2019, 04:56 AM
lowrider lowrider is offline
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I'll see your thumb-wrap and raise you Richie Havens;



He could probably cover 5 strings with that sucker!
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  #22  
Old 05-04-2019, 06:18 AM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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When I started playing I had been told that a thumb wrap was considered bad. It took me years to get that nonsense out of my head and learn that there are time when it is better. The point of all this is that learning how to thumb wrap is not necessary; there are other ways to achieve the same result.
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  #23  
Old 05-04-2019, 07:32 AM
Silurian Silurian is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluemonk View Post
I will never be the player Django Reinhardt was even though I have use of all ten fingers.

Perspective.
Those two extra fingers must be useful though.
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  #24  
Old 05-04-2019, 08:04 AM
Bluemonk Bluemonk is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silurian View Post
Those two extra fingers must be useful though.
I'll admit they come in "handy."

Sorry.
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  #25  
Old 05-04-2019, 08:24 AM
Borderdon Borderdon is offline
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Love the pic of Mr. Holdsworth, what a sublime player !
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  #26  
Old 05-04-2019, 08:31 AM
s2y s2y is offline
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If not being able to do thumb chords is a big limitation, I should have quit years ago. My hands are way too small for that.
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  #27  
Old 05-04-2019, 09:20 AM
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DenverSteve DenverSteve is offline
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Hopefully Slothead's post was intended to elicit reaction but, if not, thank goodness Stevie Wonder, Jeff Healey, Rick Allen, Doc Watson, Tony Melendez, Beethoven, Ray Charles, Ronnie Milsap.....(and many others).......... didn't surrender to a little adversity.
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  #28  
Old 05-04-2019, 09:33 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluemonk View Post
I will never be the player Django Reinhardt was even though I have use of all ten fingers.

Perspective.
I was gonna post the same thing ...
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  #29  
Old 05-04-2019, 10:28 AM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lowrider View Post
I'll see your thumb-wrap and raise you Richie Havens;...He could probably cover 5 strings with that sucker!
Ritchie isn't a true example of thumb wrapping. He played in Open-D and used his thumb to "thumb fret" his guitar. You are correct, he could thumb-fret all six strings. Where most of us would use an index finger, Ritchie would use his thumb. He could have done it with any single finger like Dollie Parton and some other's who play in open tuning.
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  #30  
Old 05-04-2019, 12:17 PM
Slothead56 Slothead56 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverSteve View Post
Hopefully Slothead's post was intended to elicit reaction but, if not, thank goodness Stevie Wonder, Jeff Healey, Rick Allen, Doc Watson, Tony Melendez, Beethoven, Ray Charles, Ronnie Milsap.....(and many others).......... didn't surrender to a little adversity.
Hi...Slothead56 here.

My post was intended to be frivolous and lighthearted. My intended sarcasm did not show through. It obviously was a bad choice on a Friday afternoon.

I did not meant to demean, degrade or otherwise cast aspersions on any ones ability to overcome significant physical conditions or handicaps. I have many, many friends that face true physical hardships everyday from long term medical conditions or struggles they are having right now with treatments for various ailments, including cancer. Their struggle is real.

I apologize should I have offended anyone or caused anyone to think poorly of me or my “complaint”.

It is true that I can’t wrap my thumb. It has not caused me to stop playing and performing for the past 45 years. I only hope everyone is as fortunate as I to enjoy this hobby/avocation as much as I do.
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