Slim necks and hand wrist pain (HELP !) What guitar with a big neck ?

irelandguitar

I have this exact problem too, been suffering with it for about a year on and off. There's a performing arts and musicians medical centre in London which offers free medical assessments ,They were really helpful and I saw a specialist who gave me great advice here's the link : http://www.bapam.org.uk/ . if your too far away they might be able to put you in touch with a specialist closer to you( which wont be free) but they're so helpful and worth a call just for some advice 

I'm currently trying to find a guitar which really suits because my main guitar has now become too uncomfortable  with such a thin neck to play and the others I own are too heavy for full time performance or not versatile enough. I so agree with the comments above, how when I try guitars in a shop, after half an hour after I then feel the effects in my wrist , also i usually don't get to try many guitars in a shop because they want me to buy it straight away after trying for 5 mins so I feel bad about asking to try another 

wrinkleygit

Another point to note, if you play mainly standing take a strap with you when buying a guitar, also note the position of the strap button in relation to the neck ie if it's opposite the twelfth fret the nut will be close to you when on a strap if on the heel as per an SG when you strap it on the nut end will be a lot further away, might seem obvious in print but it's easy to miss if you only try a guitar out seated.

lovestrat74

irelandguitar said:

I have this exact problem too, been suffering with it for about a year on and off. There's a performing arts and musicians medical centre in London which offers free medical assessments ,They were really helpful and I saw a specialist who gave me great advice here's the link : http://www.bapam.org.uk/ . if your too far away they might be able to put you in touch with a specialist closer to you( which wont be free) but they're so helpful and worth a call just for some advice 

Thanks for the link. Checked it out and it's for "performing" artists.  Any way they would know your audience is mostly your wife and kids ??

munckee

I had to sell an otherwise perfect classic player 50s strat as the v shape gave me a sore wrist when playing for any length of time.

crunchman

munckee said:

I had to sell an otherwise perfect classic player 50s strat as the v shape gave me a sore wrist when playing for any length of time.

I quite like Vs.  It's really shallow necks I can't get on with.

AlexO

I've got a CS Nocaster on it's way this week. So see how I get on with that.
Went to Reidys last week and they was brilliant and let me try a load of guitars.
Was hard to work out what worked and what didn't in the end though.

HAL9000

munckee said:

I had to sell an otherwise perfect classic player 50s strat as the v shape gave me a sore wrist when playing for any length of time.

^This. I like the idea of a Classic 50s Strat and always fancied one - until I tried one. Just a few minutes playing was enough to get my wrist aching.

lovestrat74

Think my issue is a combo of slim neck and frets/radius.  Got a lovely strat with a perfect V neck profile for me.  But woke up with a sore elbow joint this morn and I think it is down to all the bends from Sunday on the new guitar... So the plot thickens... Reckon I either need to re-radius to 9.5 min (fb is a 7.24) or up the frets to med jumbo... one day I WILL find the perfect neck... 

johnl

How hard are you gripping the neck when playing? I had the same issues when switching to a thinner neck but a lighter touch sorted the issue (and made a big improvement to my tone).

lovestrat74

johnl said:

How hard are you gripping the neck when playing? I had the same issues when switching to a thinner neck but a lighter touch sorted the issue (and made a big improvement to my tone).

Yes probably partly technique or rather lack of!  Definitely harder to bend on 7.25 radius tho, so you do need to put more gusto in.  

stickyfiddle

@Alexo a Nocaster should be a good bet. Brilliantly versatile and lovely chunky necks.

Have you tried any CS Les Pauls? The R8 neck is big big really comfortable, or maybe an R6 if you want P90s for more twang?

AlexO

stickyfiddle said:

@Alexo a Nocaster should be a good bet. Brilliantly versatile and lovely chunky necks.

Have you tried any CS Les Pauls? The R8 neck is big big really comfortable, or maybe an R6 if you want P90s for more twang?

Yeah tried a few and love them but never have just enough cash for one when I'm buying. My 330 has the 59 neck and thats perfect for me. 

Vinylfan

This is a really interesting thread.  When I first started learning to play (still very much learning!) I had to go to the osteo after a while as I spent far too long with my head down looking at what I was doing!  Guitar neck he called it.
I try to be aware of how I'm sitting these days - computer, guitar, car etc. - to try and minimise the onset of aching neck, shoulders and back.
For those that have tried them, how are the modern Fender necks in general - thinking of the deep C of the Am Pro?

Cheers