The aging guitarist....

[CharlieBman]

I'm 73. Age eventually catches up to us all. The secret is to never give up. Play more, not less. Don't concentrate on what you can't do, but focus on what you CAN do...and strive to do it impeccably. Try new ways of playing. Treat it as a life-long learning process. And most importantly, don't let age rob you of the love and joy you found when you picked up your first guitar. Playing and singing is my fountain of youth...from which I drink from voraciously.

[Arapaho G]

+1 for short scale and smaller body.

It's easier to tell you what doesn't hurt in the morning getting out of bed. I'm lucky as it still loosens up after an hour or so. Guitar playing definitely has an adverse effect on the shoulders. My dreads are probably on their way out. It will be fun replacing them!

[6L6]

I'm 78 and just finished radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Two shoulder surgeries in the past three years added to the fun.

I started playing in 1964. Happy to say that in 2024 I can still play pain free and pretty close to the best I've been over the years.

One thing I give huge credit to is maintaining hand strength via daily workouts with spring grips. In short, my hands are so strong that playing a steel string acoustic requires almost no effort at all.

Another thing that really keeps me going is the weekly Open Mic I attend at CAMERON'S PUB & INN, Half Moon Bay, CA. Every Thursday 6PM to 9PM, 3 songs or 15 minutes whichever comes first. Check out "Auri's Open Mic" on Facebook for lots of pics and do come by and join us if you're in the area. If you have a chance to go out and play, it motivates you to practice your instrument.

I've been an avid golfer and skier since I was a little kid. I still ski and enjoy it immensely. I love to play golf too, but the loss of distance off the tee is darn near heartbreaking. Still, I always use a pushcart and walk 18 holes to keep my legs in shape for skiing. It's more of a nature walk for me these days.

Stay mobile.

[Bluenose]

Take heart fellow aging guitarists. I saw Andre Segovia put on a 60 minute solo performance at the Queen Elizabeth Auditorium in Vancouver in 1975 when he was well into his eighties. He could still play pretty well at that point and I don't think anyone asked for their money back. I found him and his performance to be delightful actually as he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself.

[Glennwillow]

I am feeling myself having the same problems of aging, Barry, and I am older than you. I still keep at it and I still enjoy it, but sometimes, like you, I am confronted with arthritis and stiffness and the inevitable decline we all go through.

Hang in there and enjoy it while you can. I'm heading up to my studio now...

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Bluenose

Take heart fellow aging guitarists. I saw Andre Segovia put on a 60 minute solo performance at the Queen Elizabeth Auditorium in Vancouver in 1975 when he was well into his eighties. He could still play pretty well at that point and I don't think anyone asked for their money back. I found him and his performance to be delightful actually as he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself.

I would have loved to have seen and heard Segovia play regardless of how old he was. What a privilege!

- Glenn

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Bluenose

Take heart fellow aging guitarists. I saw Andre Segovia put on a 60 minute solo performance at the Queen Elizabeth Auditorium in Vancouver in 1975 when he was well into his eighties. He could still play pretty well at that point and I don't think anyone asked for their money back. I found him and his performance to be delightful actually as he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself.

I saw him at "A Very Fishy Hall" (Avery Fisher Hall at the Met) in 1979. He was great, as cantankerous as usual, etc. We were like six rows back, sitting in front of an insufferable, loud fangirl. At least there weren't cellphones at that point.

Bob

[L20A]

I belong in this group.
I have had to learn new chord shapes and can no longer play the key of C chords, let alone any bar chords.

Fortunately though, at age 72, my vocals are still good and I let my singing cover my guitar work.

My voice has gotten lower though and my guitars are now tuned down 1/2 to 1 full step for some of my songs.

I still enjoy playing music in a folk/grass band and also my solo assisted living shows.
Hopefully I will be able to play the guitar for many more years.

[brianwmay]

I'm well in excess of my 'three score plus ten' and play more now than I ever have.

As a compromise I've changed to a CEO-7 and my trusty 000-28 with Elixir Nanoweb Custom Lights.

That combination works for me and I find I'm now playing far better than I ever have. I've also finally cracked the barre chord version of B major (the A major shape moving up the neck).

I play the same old stuff that I always did, with the odd 'new' tune thrown in for variety and I absolutely love it. It's a real mood changer.

Stick with it for as long as you can.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by TBman

Not a pretty sight. Loss of dexterity, finger stiffness, any glimmer of speed has gone on down the road. My hearing is probably going too, but headphones help cover that up I suppose. Playing nylon almost 100% of the time has helped alleviate a lot of the finger soreness I was getting.

What a kick in the teeth. You work all your life and are now in retirement able to take the time to play any time of the day and now the hands aren't cooperating.

Worse things could happen though. Just another old guy rant

Hi Barry, I have just spent a few happy hours with the best sideman I ever had - a maestro mandolin, dobro, banjo and guitar player.
he is a year older than me (I'm 76).

I've lived through sepsis, peritonitis, lymphatic sarcoidosis (cost me ten years) heart failure, pneumonia and bronchiectasis, and throat & tongue cancer, which has deprived me of beard, taste, teeth and spit, and my voice, and damaged my hearing and eyesight.

I worked hard and painfully from May 2017 until 2019 to regain "a" voice (not the same, reduced range and nasal) but a voice.
I got it back, enough to plan a modest circuit of solo gigs starting in spring 2020 - then lockdown!

Of course I'm not the only one inconvenienced by Covid and so many of us didn't survive it, and neither did my trio, nor most of the venues that had booked me.

My new challenge is arthritic CMC joints which are affecting my playing but so much else.

My pal, who has certain spinal and leg issues from birth, has had triple heart bypass surgery and prostate cancer at a time when they "took it all away" and is now managing emphysema and cardiac issues and shares my hand issues.

We used to have a duo called the "Overthehillbillies"

Never was it more apposite!

This is the price we pay for not dying, and all things considered, I'd rather this than the alternative.

Strangely, every morning when I awake, I feel grateful for another day.

[seaveez]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

The same happens with golf, cycling, downhill skiing etc. The things I use to be able to do and the high skill level I had is now not quite there

BUT I can still get enjoyment from doing them.

... and I'll swap rock climbing for golf on that list. Climbed last night with some kids more that 1/2 my age. They're doing routes a grade harder than I can (now). I just give them encouragement and stay away from the "when I was your age ...".

Don't have issues with my hands; but, elbow can sometimes feel it if/when I play too many songs with a lot of barre chords.

[Talk2Me]

Maybe this will help some of you feel better...

https://www.ihopeidiebeforeigetold.c...tar-heroes.php

Lots of legends on that list and NONE are getting younger!

[BoxCar_Joe]

Fighting it.

Smaller body guitar - Martin 000Jr.
Easy to fret strings - GHS Silk & Bronze
realistic aspirations

right now happy

[jricc]

Hopefully this will be helpful to someone here. Some good tips.
https://acousticguitar.com/9-tips-fo...eid=7ac94f7dd6

[Scootch]

Almost 70, the last knuckle on both little fingers feel like they are on fire. Some other knuckles also ache. Plus my fingers feel like sausages. They don't look swollen but they feel that way.

I'm retired, playing more and better than I ever have before, but now it's painful. Great, just great.