Fat & Frustrated with Fret Hand Position

[BarChord]

Week Two Update!

1. I installed a strap button in the exact location that Gibson recommended for the J-45
2. While standing, I positioned the guitar off to my right hip area, instead of centering.
3. Up angle of 30-45 degrees
4. Able to reach frets better, but thumb too high. Bad habit!
5. Learned to dip shoulder to get under neck more.
6. Changed factory strings to Elixer PB Extra-Lights. Sound was horrible.
7. Put on some D'Addario EXP16 PB Lights 012-0.53. Sound is better!
8. Finger tips hurt. But, goes with the territory.
9. Relaxing elbow more

I find myself wondering about my choice to buy the J-45. I didn't realize ahead of time that it was a 24.75" scale. Versus a normal scale of 25.5". Am thinking that the 25.5" may have been a better scale for my short fat fingers. Ant thoughts on scale length?

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by BarChord

Week Two Update!

1. I installed a strap button in the exact location that Gibson recommended for the J-45
2. While standing, I positioned the guitar off to my right hip area, instead of centering.
3. Up angle of 30-45 degrees
4. Able to reach frets better, but thumb too high. Bad habit!
5. Learned to dip shoulder to get under neck more.
6. Changed factory strings to Elixer PB Extra-Lights. Sound was horrible.
7. Put on some D'Addario EXP16 PB Lights 012-0.53. Sound is better!
8. Finger tips hurt. But, goes with the territory.
9. Relaxing elbow more

I find myself wondering about my choice to buy the J-45. I didn't realize ahead of time that it was a 24.75" scale. Versus a normal scale of 25.5". Am thinking that the 25.5" may have been a better scale for my short fat fingers. Ant thoughts on scale length?

You mention sore fingers, which does happen. Try a capo at the first fret. Does it play easier? If so, then perhaps the nut slots can be lowered.

[SRL]

I know you said you don't want advice on losing weight, but it really is the solution. Get rid of the gut, no more fat fingers, play big guitars comfortably, not to mention living a longer, healthier, happier life with more guitar playing years. There's been a lot of threads like this one and it makes me sad that people just write off the real solution.

If I may be so bold, I'd suggest seeing a doctor (MD) and/or a dietician (RD/LD) for help designing a weight loss plan involving daily exercise and a calorie limit. Nothing wrong with consulting the experts, and they can really help. Or, if that's not an option, there are plenty of sources online for creating and maintaining a calorie deficit, usually involving a combination of exercise and tracking food calories. A lot of people use the app MyFitnessPal to keep track.

[ssynhorst]

SRL:
You are on the wrong site, and are rude! Get out of here!

You do not understand the issues other people may have to deal with. - Stevo

[lowrider]

Welcome to the AGF, we are now somewhere around week two so I hope thing are improving!

I think you're on the right track with this;

2. While standing, I positioned the guitar off to my right hip area, instead of centering.

I sometimes play with a girl who plays with a strap standing or seated with the guitar hanging off her right hip and pointing out not across. It kind of remind me of this pic of Phil Ochs if the guitar was pointing forward;



Keep working at it and keep posting here. It's a great diverse group of players. And don't worry about where you put your thumb. Let it find it's own place. It will all work out!

[BarChord]

That is a cool device! Probably best for when not using a strap. I tightened my strap so I can achieve the same angle, whether sitting or standing.

When I had the body of the guitar centered on my stomach, the top would roll backwards, creating an angle. That angle made it very hard to reach the frets. So, I put a small towel between the top back of the guitar and my chest. That helped.

But then, after watching a Neil Young Video in which he positioned his guitar out on his hip, I tried that, and it allowed my guitar to stay vertical and gave me better fret fret hand reach.

This is a total relearn for me...

[rollypolly]

Try silk and steel strings, if only for a short time to practice. I find them much easier. I had trouble going from playing electric to acoustic and they helped. Then after a few weeks or months move up to regular strings. I had retros on my long scale om-15 and I was getting lots of muting. Silks are much easier! Volume ain’t bad either.

[BarChord]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Welcome to the AGF, we are now somewhere around week two so I hope thing are improving!

I think you're on the right track with this;

2. While standing, I positioned the guitar off to my right hip area, instead of centering.

I sometimes play with a girl who plays with a strap standing or seated with the guitar hanging off her right hip and pointing out not across. It kind of remind me of this pic of Phil Ochs if the guitar was pointing forward;



Keep working at it and keep posting here. It's a great diverse group of players. And don't worry about where you put your thumb. Let it find it's own place. It will all work out!

Thanks! I appreciate the support.

[ssstewart]

Originally Posted by ssynhorst

There are two very fine guitarists that are very burly: Scott Tennant and Richard Smith. You could check their positions on You Tube.

But I observe that they both place the guitar sloping upward about 30 degrees and with the upper bout close to the chin. The right bicep rests on the lower bout which requires the guitar neck to extend well to the left.

They sometimes use an aid to hold the instrument in position, but not always. I find a strap to the head stock to allow most any position.

But I predict that some positions that are painful now will in six month's time be easy peasy. Or maybe a year later. - Stevo

well said, i was gonna say the same on Richard smith, plays it very high and angled to keep it off his belly, and is one of my fav players, should of been a CGP imo, but thats another forum post.

[BarChord]

Originally Posted by rmp

First question: Was the guitar setup?

Gibson Acoustics don't come factory fresh with a very exact setup.

The action is almost always too high for the average player.

I'd seriously get it looked at, as soon as you can.

this shouldn't be a Cage Death Match between you and that guitar.

I also agree with some of the other comments where you're not giving yourself very little room time wise to feel like you can get going again. 30 years is a long time away from it.

1: Get a setup
2: Take it one day at a time
3: Come back and tell us how it's going this time next month.

What do they do in a setup? Is it specific to the J-45 or my playing style?

[ssstewart]

always should be done to YOUR playing style. in a perfect world if you have another git set up..bring it in and tell them...just like this one

or play other gits they have in the shop until you find one that meets your approval for feel, playability etc etc and tell them to emulate that one

or articulate what it is you want based on what you play and how you play.

nothing beats a professional set up and worth every cent..depending on where you are/ the guitar/and what you want $75-$180 +++++.

we all have different preferences...i like very low action for fingerpicking, yet my buddy has his j-45 set at 1/2" action (just how he likes it) lots of extremes.
same as string spacing, they can change the nut and space the strings as you wish, or change the nut material altogether: tusq/bone/plastic lol the other value from playing other gits in the shop is you can see how different types of strings feel for you. I keep 40-60 packs of strings at all times everything from nylons/silks/steels/ low tension/retros/9/10s/11s/12s/13s bwahahaha each of them offer a different flavor on each different git

anyways, a set up will tailor the git to YOU if you direct them as such

good luck and happy picking/plucking

[ssstewart]

Am thinking that the 25.5" may have been a better scale for my short fat fingers. Ant thoughts on scale length?[/QUOTE]

you may find that you have scale length preference , some of us do, however it is important to note i feel that your fingers and brain will build the muscle memory over time & durability and it will become easier as you play more. The MASTER Andres Segovia had these short, chubby fingers yet was the Masters of Masters of the classical guitar (imo) and played up until 3 days before a recital he had planned before his death at age 94 on June 3rd (my birthday) he is famous for saying the guitar was the easiest instrument to play, but the hardest to play well I watched a vid of him on you tube last week where he showed how the guitar is the whole orchestra in one instrument and then began to show how by emulating each instrument on his git ( piano/horns/violin/etc) he was my idol as a young person trying to study classical guitar, he would mesmerize me

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by Italuke

See JP Cormier's videos. Quite the gut on that chap and he plays like a monster in any position!

Ha! I was going to post the same!

[dadio917]

wouldn't a smaller body guitar be a little easier? I'm not a big guy but my 00 is my most comfortable to play.

[Silly Moustache]

These just might help :



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