21 years playing here, mostly electric (spots of acoustic throughout).
Last 2 years been playing a lot of acoustic. Probably enjoy it even more.
Danger there is spreading oneself too thin and not being good at either.
I can't play acoustic more than 1-2 hours tops or my hands really hurt.
They're relaxed and I'm sure it's not technique.
String gauge is 11.
It makes sense - you have to press a bit harder and if doing fingerstyle (I do lots) it's that which hurts the most.
I've always had relatively thin wrists.
I'm not a n00b - but in general are others sorta the same?
I've gone back to the electric a little more and I've missed it a tad - I can play it all night long
Comments
I’d be careful that it isn’t developing into something worse. What kind of pain is it?
My YouTube Channel
The classical position especially is a killer for back, shoulder, neck. Get up and have a potter and do a few stretches every so often to get the circulation going. Hand wise I think its just a question of going steady. The two hours you describe is really quite a long time and most people would be experiencing some symptoms of simple exhaustion and strain by then. Personally I've never been sure that a few minutes of scales or arpeggios a la Segovia to warm up help that much. I can't see how it would help the hand over and above just getting straight into it.
Avoid practicing one piece for too long. Especially those pieces where the left hand is in one position all the time.
You can't follow much of the above advice when you're performing but most people are practicing for most of their playing hours.
Hope that helps. Go steady. Have fun. More coffee breaks!!
More breaks defo!!
My YouTube Channel
Now I've also restarted playing classical (for relaxing fun, I don't think you can call what I'm doing "practising") I've also dug out the footstool and try and sit on a chair with a short seat (front to back) that doesn't move.
My main acoustic is strung with 11s, BTW. My fingers can play all day. My fingertips can suffer after a few hours on acoustic, ripping up slightly, but electrics (10s) are never an issue. Nylon isn't the same tone at all. I've also got Silk''n"Steel strings on a parlour guitar. They are a bit of a halfway house between proper steel and nylon. Less tension and different tone.
My YouTube Channel