Guitar suggestions

[Gizzmonic]

Starting my 2nd OWA/SnS guitar thread-

I am a novice guitar player, been playing about 6 months.  My primary guitar is a Mexican Telecaster.  While I love the way the guitar sounds, I have a problem.  I have small hands and it absolutely kills my wrists to barre.  My Telecaster's neck is a "C" and I was thinking of either getting another shaped neck (U, V, or D) or selling the guitar and getting a guitar more suited for small hands, such as a Jaguar.

I haven't been playing long enough to have much of a style but I like playing surf, rockabilly, ska, and bossa nova/jazz.  What do you guitar people think I should do?

[tophfar]

get thee a semi-hollow.

[HudsonHawk]

Starting my 2nd OWA/SnS guitar thread-

I am a novice guitar player, been playing about 6 months.  My primary guitar is a Mexican Telecaster.  While I love the way the guitar sounds, I have a problem.  I have small hands and it absolutely kills my wrists to barre.  My Telecaster's neck is a "C" and I was thinking of either getting another shaped neck (U, V, or D) or selling the guitar and getting a guitar more suited for small hands, such as a Jaguar.

I haven't been playing long enough to have much of a style but I like playing surf, rockabilly, ska, and bossa nova/jazz.  What do you guitar people think I should do?

Get a Daisy Rock.

http://www.daisyrock.com/

[Gizzmonic]

Oh, I forgot to add that I have some problems barring on some regular sized, or large guitars, like my crappy no-name acoustic and my friend's Gretsch, but I can do it without pain on another Tele with a "V" neck, every Strat I've played, Jazzmaster, etc.  And I think the pain in my wrists is from carpal tunnel syndrome.

[Gizzmonic]

I looked, but I don't think I can afford the custom HudsonHawk edition with the rhinestone strap.

Get a Daisy Rock.

http://www.daisyrock.com/

[HudsonHawk]

I looked, but I don't think I can afford the custom HudsonHawk edition with the rhinestone strap.

I've actually played a Daisy Rock and believe it or not, they are pretty good quality guitars.  Yes, it's hard to find one that isn't pink and sparkly, but hey, it's all about the sound, right? 

[HudsonHawk]

Oh, I forgot to add that I have some problems barring on some regular sized, or large guitars, like my crappy no-name acoustic and my friend's Gretsch, but I can do it without pain on another Tele with a "V" neck, every Strat I've played, Jazzmaster, etc.  And I think the pain in my wrists is from carpal tunnel syndrome.

The other thing to consider is that if you've only been playing 6 months...it'll get easier.  Of course, you could just play power chords in Drop D and none of that matters.

[tophfar]

Since you've already played on a Gretsch, I would definitely recommend something like the G5120.  Great price for a really good guitar.

[Gizzmonic]

Ah, I thought you were teasing me.

Maybe it will get easier.  I've been through the callus phase and the ripping-callus-clean-off-doing-bends phase.  I have no problem with pain, so long as I know I'm doing it right.  But I have to shove my thumb out awkwardly to barre with my guitar's neck whereas I don't have to do that with smaller guitars.  What would make it better?  Gaining finger strength?  I already play 1-2 hours every day.  Being on the computer 8+ hours a day is a necessity for me, so I doubt my wrists will "toughen up" or get better.

I've actually played a Daisy Rock and believe it or not, they are pretty good quality guitars.  Yes, it's hard to find one that isn't pink and sparkly, but hey, it's all about the sound, right? 

[Rebel Jew]

Ah, I thought you were teasing me.

Maybe it will get easier.  I've been through the callus phase and the ripping-callus-clean-off-doing-bends phase.  I have no problem with pain, so long as I know I'm doing it right.  But I have to shove my thumb out awkwardly to barre with my guitar's neck whereas I don't have to do that with smaller guitars.  What would make it better?  Gaining finger strength?  I already play 1-2 hours every day.  Being on the computer 8+ hours a day is a necessity for me, so I doubt my wrists will "toughen up" or get better.

what do you mean by "shove my thumb out awkwardly?"  is your thumb still touching the neck at all when you do this, or are you pulling your hand closer to the neck and essentially grabbing it to get your fingers solidly on the strings?

[HudsonHawk]

Ah, I thought you were teasing me.

Only a little.  Seriously though, some guitars have smaller necks than others.  You may have to just play several and fine the one that's most comfortable for you.

Maybe it will get easier.  I've been through the callus phase and the ripping-callus-clean-off-doing-bends phase.  I have no problem with pain, so long as I know I'm doing it right.  But I have to shove my thumb out awkwardly to barre with my guitar's neck whereas I don't have to do that with smaller guitars.  What would make it better?  Gaining finger strength?  I already play 1-2 hours every day.  Being on the computer 8+ hours a day is a necessity for me, so I doubt my wrists will "toughen up" or get better.

Not sure what you mean exactly, but yes, you will have to rotate your hand to barre chords.  You won't be able to keep the neck resting in your palm.  Unless you're Jimi Hendrix, who's hands were so big he didn't play traditional barre chords, he just wrapped his thumb around the top of the guitar.  At any rate, you may have to rotate it a lot, but I don't see why it would be *that* uncomfortable after a while.  How are you holding the guiat itself?  Rotating the postition of the guitar so that the neck is basically at a 45 degree or higher angle will help, especially barring higher up on the neck.  Also, if you're playing standing up, shortening the strap and having the guitar higher on your body will help.  It's not as cool as having your axe slung down around your knees, but it will be much easier to play.

[Gizzmonic]

When I barre, my thumb pops out parallel to the neck, and the part of the thumb that meets the palm pushes into the guitar neck.  I have to push down very hard with my index finger, otherwise I deaden some of the strings.  It has gotten a little easier, but it still hurts my wrist to play after about ten minutes.

[Rebel Jew]

When I barre, my thumb pops out parallel to the neck, and the part of the thumb that meets the palm pushes into the guitar neck.  I have to push down very hard with my index finger, otherwise I deaden some of the strings.  It has gotten a little easier, but it still hurts my wrist to play after about ten minutes.

first off, i would try what Hudson suggested about adjusting the neck angle and tightening the strap.  that won't solve your problem, but it will reduce the tension, especially to your forearm  and yes, you should have to rotate your hand, but like HH said it shouldn't be so much that it would cause too much pain.

try to keep your thumb on the back of the neck in an even line with your middle finger-- that is, wherever the middle finger slides try to keep the thumb in a somewhat fixed position behind it on the neck.  also, try to avoid mashing down on the strings with your other fingers.  i know this can be very hard if you're new to the guitar, but the strain on your wrist is likely due to the amount of pressure you're putting on your other fingers to hit solid notes.  the more you try it the more you'll realize that you don't have to apply nearly as much pressure as you think in order to hit a solid note, basically that you don't have to 'pin' the strings against the fret board, but rather press them just enough that they touch.

perhaps another thing to try would be to master playing power chords on the top two or three strings before going full out on barre chords.  get the two-fret separation between your second and fourth fingers down before focusing so much on barreing your second finger.  or you could practice the barreing of the second finger by playing a power chord with your fifth finger instead of the fourth.

[chuck]

What size strings are you using? Get lighter strings. I personally hate the sound of light strings and would never play anything less than .11s, unwound third, of course, but go get some .09s and see if that doesn't help.

[HudsonHawk]

What size strings are you using? Get lighter strings. I personally hate the sound of light strings and would never play anything less than .11s, unwound third, of course, but go get some .09s and see if that doesn't help.

Geez, .11's?  Who the hell are you, Stevie Ray Vaughn?  But you're right, lighter gauge strings will help with having to push down so hard, but if your hand is just too small to reach all the way around the neck, there's just not much you can do other than get a smaller neck.

[HudsonHawk]

perhaps another thing to try would be to master playing power chords on the top two or three strings before going full out on barre chords.  get the two-fret separation between your second and fourth fingers down before focusing so much on barreing your second finger.  or you could practice the barreing of the second finger by playing a power chord with your fifth finger instead of the fourth.

I always play power chords with my first (index), third (ring) and fourth (pinkie) fingers. 

[JackAstro]

or you could practice the barreing of the second finger by playing a power chord with your fifth finger instead of the fourth.

Antonio Alfonseca?

[Gizzmonic]

I do have .11s with unwound 3rd string as well.  My guitar teacher suggested I get lighter strings as well.

I guess that's what I'll do.

I also played a Jaguar over the weekend.  It plays a lot easier than my Tele.  Not sure I want to spend the $600+ to get a whole new guitar but I'm keeping that in the back of my mind as well. 

What size strings are you using? Get lighter strings. I personally hate the sound of light strings and would never play anything less than .11s, unwound third, of course, but go get some .09s and see if that doesn't help.

[chuck]

I do have .11s with unwound 3rd string as well.  My guitar teacher suggested I get lighter strings as well.

I guess that's what I'll do.

Good, let us know how it goes.

Back in a previous life when I played all the time I had callouses like a motherfucker and I could have strung any of my guitars with piano strings and not noticed the difference. The .11s didn't seem all that rough to tell you the truth. I'm not much of a bender (Limey: Insert joke here) so the thicker strings never caused my a problem. And the tone is so much stronger.