The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 07-11-2014, 02:11 PM
Sixfir Sixfir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 508
Default "V" neck and fingerpain

Hello, I bought a wonderful Furch OM 32SM six months ago (vintage series with a V neck shape), and was wondering if some people had experienced some fingerpain with those kind of V necks? It's pretty obvious that this kind of neck make the barre chords more tiring, but that's not a problem, the point is rather that the phalanxes hurt almost a little bit after have been playing a while, like if the articulation was undergoing to much pressure despite the action is pretty low (I have thin fingers), and I have even tried with extra light strings. I have never been experiencing those king of subtle pain on other kind of neck, and have been playing guitar during many years, so I was wondering if the fact that the V necks being a little bit chunky, and holding the thumb a little bit more far away from the fingertips, could maybe explain this feeling, and would require some extra pressure from the fingers?
If anyone have any opinion on this subject I would be glad to hear it, thank you very much!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-11-2014, 02:28 PM
David-NJ David-NJ is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 242
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sixfir View Post
Hello, I bought a wonderful Furch OM 32SM six months ago (vintage series with a V neck shape), and was wondering if some people had experienced some fingerpain with those kind of V necks? It's pretty obvious that this kind of neck make the barre chords more tiring, but that's not a problem, the point is rather that the phalanxes hurt almost a little bit after have been playing a while, like if the articulation was undergoing to much pressure despite the action is pretty low (I have thin fingers), and I have even tried with extra light strings. I have never been experiencing those king of subtle pain on other kind of neck, and have been playing guitar during many years, so I was wondering if the fact that the V necks being a little bit chunky, and holding the thumb a little bit more far away from the fingertips, could maybe explain this feeling, and would require some extra pressure from the fingers?
If anyone have any opinion on this subject I would be glad to hear it, thank you very much!


I don't see how -- if anything, it seems to me that fatter necks make it a lot easier on your fretting hand if you play for long periods. V necks seem pretty awesome if you wrap your thumb around the neck but I don't do that any more -- just keep my thumb in the center -- and I find it's better to just have more of a low profile but wide neck, if that makes any sense. That being said, you can get used to just about anything!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-11-2014, 06:00 PM
Russ C Russ C is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 1,634
Default

A thicker neck keeps the thumb and fingers closer to mid-way in their range of movement. This feels more natural to me and "seems" more physiologically safe than nearer to either extreme.
It's only a minuscule difference though so I can't see how it would matter.

If you keep the ball of your thumb in the centre of the neck the v may not be so comfortable.
I have a few different neck shapes and adapt in an instant - don't even think about it. Used to like thin necks 40 years ago, tend to prefer thicker ones now.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-11-2014, 06:27 PM
oxygenman oxygenman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Boston and Kraków
Posts: 924
Default

I had to get rid of a D-18V and a Collings D1A because I couldn't handle the V necks. Every time I played them, I had pain in my left elbow. I still have one guitar with a V neck, but I only play it every three or four weeks. I always feel a little bit of discomfort the next day, but not a lot. I suspect it's individual, because I don't often hear of people having that problem.
__________________
website: https://www.steveyarbrough.net

Bourgeois, Collings, Eastman, Gibson, Martin
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-11-2014, 07:00 PM
teletaylor teletaylor is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 563
Default

Sorry to hear about your hand.

I've been G&G through my own wrist pain/discomfort for anything but certain Gibson necks and an occasional Tak.

Best of luck with your endeavor!
__________________
Gibson J-150
Gibson Songwriter Deluxe EC
Gibson Hummingbird Artist
Anderson Crowdster Plus
Anderson Crowdster 2+
Takamine EF-360S
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-12-2014, 11:26 AM
boombox boombox is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by oxygenman View Post
I had to get rid of a D-18V and a Collings D1A because I couldn't handle the V necks.
I too moved on Collings due to the neck - my OM2H was the best sounding guitar I've ever played/owned too. It's strictly a C profile for me: my Avalons and Collings C10 suit me perfectly.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-12-2014, 05:37 PM
mercy mercy is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Inland Empire, So California
Posts: 6,246
Default

V necks might be alright for strictly chording in open position but as soon as I have to put my thumb anywhere behind the neck it is over for me. It really gets in the way of my playing. Even Martins mod V as a no no for me.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-12-2014, 07:35 PM
Kupuna50's Avatar
Kupuna50 Kupuna50 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,231
Default v

I actually prefer 'V' necks.
As with any part of the guitar, be it size, scale length, fretboard width, neck angle, each will 'fit' an individual.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-13-2014, 09:57 AM
roeg roeg is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 293
Default

everyone is different.the only way to be sure is to play a different neck for a while(like a martin low profile) and see how your body responds.for me a rounded neck more evenly distributes the pressure on the thumb.i tend to hold my v neck(hd28v) a little differently.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-14-2014, 01:28 AM
skimballc skimballc is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Houston
Posts: 52
Default

I can't do V necks unless they are very subtle. I do however like a chubby round neck- just no V. It's more about the shoulder and curve for me. I occasionally lament that some of the guitars I liked the most tonally I could never buy solely due to the neck shape. Fit and feel are as important as tone to me.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-14-2014, 01:44 AM
guit3090 guit3090 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,580
Lightbulb

V necks really flame up the nerve pain in my hand.
__________________
Recording King Parlor guitar- Cherry Sunburst

Snark Tuner
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-14-2014, 02:03 AM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 7,908
Default

All I know is a V neck hurts like hell if I try to do a thumb-wrap.
__________________
Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01
Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking
Breedlove American Series C20/SR
Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA
Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212

https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-14-2014, 05:19 AM
cspencer cspencer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 729
Default

I love V-necks or asymmetric Les Paul traditional necks. I suspect you are developing new muscles and hence feeling some pain - like first time playing golf.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-14-2014, 01:17 PM
Sixfir Sixfir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 508
Default

Thank you for all your answers, it seems that it's a pretty individual matter, for me it's pretty obvious that the barre chords become more tiring, but it makes thumb playing easier, but I am still wondering if the fact of placing the thumb higher behind the neck (which seems to be the natural tendencie on a V neck) increases pressure on the phalanxes, maybe because the thumb cannot act like a plier the same way, anyway for those who loves V necks you really should try the Furch/Stonebridge OM 32 SM which realy is a terrific Sitka/Mahogany OM
__________________
www.guitar-addict.fr

Furch OM 32 SM
Cordoba Maple Fusion 14
Jackson US Soloist
Esp Horizon NT-2
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-15-2014, 08:49 AM
bobdcat bobdcat is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,004
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ C View Post
A thicker neck keeps the thumb and fingers closer to mid-way in their range of movement. This feels more natural to me and "seems" more physiologically safe than nearer to either extreme.
It's only a minuscule difference though so I can't see how it would matter.

If you keep the ball of your thumb in the centre of the neck the v may not be so comfortable.
I have a few different neck shapes and adapt in an instant - don't even think about it. Used to like thin necks 40 years ago, tend to prefer thicker ones now.
+1
I had issues with a statin drug about 10 years ago - joint pain and swelling, muscle weakness, etc. I had to sell my beloved Guild F50 I bought new in 1974 because the narrow, low-profile neck had become painful to play. Hand cramping due to the narrow neck was the main issue, but the large body also began to hurt my shoulder. Now my main guitar is a custom Martin 00-28VS with long scale and 1 3/4" modified-V neck. The V gives my thumb purchase and holds it in a position where I do not have to flex it too much to close my hand enough to get clear notes. It's like the difference between a Kyser and a Shubb capo: the Kyser grabs with all its available spring tension, the Shubb applies just enough pressure to get clear notes.
__________________
Roger

Several Martins, 2 Guilds, a couple of kits and a Tilton (ever heard of those?),
some ukes and a 1920s Vega tenor banjo


Neil deGrasse Tyson — 'The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.'
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Tags
furch, pain, v neck

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:41 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=