A little help with thumb fretting

[daniel1703]

I've been trying to use my thumb to fret the 6th string. My thumb actually reaches the 6th string but I just can't seem to apply enough force on it. Consequently, it buzzes when I play.

When I just started playing the guitar, I seem to need to use more strength to fret. But when the calluses appeared, I seemed to need less strength. Might some calluses help too when thumb fretting?

[Bob1131]

Funny you mention that...I use my thumb fairly frequently on the 6th string and never thought about callus formation. However, examining my thumb, there is a little toughness there but nowhere near the calluses on my finger tips! I think the key to using your thumb is placement. Try to get placement as close to the fret as possible. If the placement is too far behind the fret, there is insufficient vertical pressure at the string-fret interface to prevent the string from sliding horizontally on the fret, thus resulting in buzz.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by daniel1703

I've been trying to use my thumb to fret the 6th string. My thumb actually reaches the 6th string but I just can't seem to apply enough force on it. Consequently, it buzzes when I play.

When I just started playing the guitar, I seem to need to use more strength to fret. But when the calluses appeared, I seemed to need less strength. Might some calluses help too when thumb fretting?

Hi daniel...
Unless the action on your guitar is high, or the neck very fat, or your hand very small, fretting the 6th string with the thumb is not a gargantuan effort.

Is any of these I mentioned a possibility? High action would also make playing barre chords difficult, and a fat neck, well is just a fat neck. Have you tried this on other guitars within different spacing or neck profiles?

[mmmaak]

What is your nut width and the distance between the 6th string and the edge of the fretboard?

What chord are you attempting?

I thumb-fret a lot (certain things are physically impossible without it) but have yet to build up any appreciable callouses on the pad (there is a callous on the side where it rubs against the fretboard). I would say building flexibility is much more important in this regard.

[daniel1703]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi daniel...
Unless the action on your guitar is high, or the neck very fat, or your hand very small, fretting the 6th string with the thumb is not a gargantuan effort.

Is any of these I mentioned a possibility? High action would also make playing barre chords difficult, and a fat neck, well is just a fat neck. Have you tried this on other guitars within different spacing or neck profiles?

I'm Asian so my hand might be smaller than you guys (but I've a larger palm than most of my friends of similar ethnicity, hence my attempt at thumb fretting). I made measurement and it seems like from the tip of my middle finger to my wrist, it's almost 8 inches.

I also tried my dad's guitar, which is a 14 fret dreadnought. It seems easier on that one. I guess it might be my palm size, paired together with the fat neck of my own guitar (a cheap Johnson Student guitar, 12 fret).

Currently, my muscles are aching from the practice. Ouch.

[mmmaak]

Originally Posted by daniel1703

I'm Asian so my hand might be smaller than you guys (but I've a larger palm than most of my friends of similar ethnicity, hence my attempt at thumb fretting). I made measurement and it seems like from the tip of my middle finger to my wrist, it's almost 8 inches.

I'm Asian too and mine measures 7 inches, so you should have no problems in that regard. Of course, there *are* certain physical impossibilities for small hands like ours even with regular thumb fretting, for example 4x6767 which I have to play with the thumb "over" the fretboard. Aches are good - you'll get the strength and flexibility in time. Sharp pains are a no no.

[shawlie]

I thumb-fret a lot (on the G, D, F, C, B7) and it does get easier with practice, it seems. On the B7, for example, I used to have a lot of buzz, too, but that went away after a month or two.

It doesn't seem to take a whole lot of pressure, just make sure it's in the right place. I hook it around the neck most times, but with a C or B7, it's not hooked at all. It just takes a little bit of skin under the thumb to fret the string down, at least for me (kind of like just resting your thumb on the string, not pushing it down).

Like mmmaak points out, don't let it hurt too much. I double-jointed mine that way, when I was young - kept doing it even though it hurt like crazy, now it pops out at the big joint by the palm. Take it slow and let your hand get used to it.

As for a callous - I have a very big one where the thumb tip bends (only on my fretting hand, so I assume it's from playing). But it's not where I fret, I think I got it from sliding around the neck on the edge of the fretboard.

[TBman]

Its the neck, no doubt about it.

[daniel1703]

Originally Posted by TBman

Its the neck, no doubt about it.

yeah that's what I believe too. Well, I guess I'll compromise a bit and thumb fret when I can, and barre when I err... can't

[BigRed51]

I have seen many instances where the neck position a player is trying to use makes using the thumb very difficult. If you are playing in the "classical" position, try lowering the headstock until the neck is near parallel to the ground, and see if it's a little easier.

Also, "peekers" can have problems. If you tend to tilt the guitar so you can peek and watch your fingers on the strings, see if straightening it back up so the guitar faces directly away from you helps.

[mmmaak]

Originally Posted by BigRed51

I have seen many instances where the neck position a player is trying to use makes using the thumb very difficult. If you are playing in the "classical" position, try lowering the headstock until the neck is near parallel to the ground, and see if it's a little easier.

Agreed, though personally, I find the advantages of an elevated neck outweigh that minor problem, especially for players with small hands

[daniel1703]

Originally Posted by mmmaak

Agreed, though personally, I find the advantages of an elevated neck outweigh that minor problem, especially for players with small hands

i rest my guitar on my right leg. Anyway, I see that you're Malaysian. Me too.

[mmmaak]

Originally Posted by daniel1703

i rest my guitar on my right leg. Anyway, I see that you're Malaysian. Me too.

Hi Daniel, good to see a fellow Malaysian on the forums. Sorry about my PM inbox rejecting your message; I have a bad habit of allowing it to overflow all the time. I cannot see your email address via the forum, so please contact me at mmmaak [at] gmail [dot] com.

Would you happen to be in the Klang Valley?

[daniel1703]

Originally Posted by mmmaak

Hi Daniel, good to see a fellow Malaysian on the forums. Sorry about my PM inbox rejecting your message; I have a bad habit of allowing it to overflow all the time. I cannot see your email address via the forum, so please contact me at mmmaak [at] gmail [dot] com.

Would you happen to be in the Klang Valley?

I used to study in Sunway College, but now I'm in Singapore.

[Bern]

Originally Posted by TBman

Its the neck, no doubt about it.

That and/or the size of one's hand, obv. Some people also have trouble bending their thumb joint. However, as shawlie said. it does get easier with practice.