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milf · Feb 19, 2006, 07:03 PM

I decided to pick up a guitar for the first time. My dad had several around the house. A friend offered to teach me a few chords, etc to start with. Besides the fact that my fingers just don't seem to move in the strange, contorted manner needed for guitar, the soft, puffy part of the underside of my fingers has a tendency to mute the adjoining string regardless of what I try. I've noticed that on certain guitars, this problem is worse than others.

My friend tells me of her guitar instructor who has fingers that look like half hotdogs, if not thicker, yet he's an incredible guitarist. So, I've not yet given up hope, but damn it's frustrating when the strings all sound great, minus the one muffled by my finger pudge. Is this just a fact that I have to live with or what tips can you offer to help me adjust.

BlueSky · Feb 19, 2006, 07:09 PM

My chubby-finger pal is an incredible guitartist too. You only have to live with it for now...as you get better you'll be able to finger better. Even slender fingers like mine had that problem to a degree when I was starting out.

Maybe for now just concentrate on learning the chords and switching between.

Teronzhul · 08:57 PM

chubby fingers or no, it just takes time. My fingers are fairly slender, but starting out I had the same problems. You'll learn how to get only the strings you want with time. Some chords I initially thought couldn't be physiologically possible, but I'll be damned if my hands didn't find a way to make it work.

Doofy · Feb 19, 2006, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by milf

Is this just a fact that I have to live with or what tips can you offer to help me adjust.

Every guitarist on the face of the planet has experienced what you're going through*. Don't worry - those little problems disappear with practice.

( * except me, obviously. I rock.)

milf · Feb 19, 2006, 09:39 PM

Ok, so just practice, practice, practice. No tips or specific guitars to try? I'm keeping at it. I already notice my finger tips are far less sensitive from the calluses that are forming.

euchomai · Feb 19, 2006, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by milf

Ok, so just practice, practice, practice. No tips or specific guitars to try? I'm keeping at it. I already notice my finger tips are far less sensitive from the calluses that are forming.

I can play the heck out of a peavey wolfgang. The neck on those things are amazing and I love the maple fretboard. The rosewood seems to play just a touch slower to me.

Acoustic is a great way to learn, it makes playing an electric feel so much quicker.

Kevin · Feb 19, 2006, 11:17 PM

I am thinking about getting a guitar custom made. A smaller PRS like body, with a Gibson scale. Wide/thin neck. Double humbuckers with a coil tap.

Maybe a Wilkenson trem.

Locking tuners, graphite nut.

I have a small frame, and while PRS guitars aren't huge, I'd still like to have something smaller.

The Washburn N4 guitars are close...

I have came close to buying one of those.

Doofy · Feb 19, 2006, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by milf

Ok, so just practice, practice, practice. No tips or specific guitars to try? I'm keeping at it.

You could try a bit of a warm up for an hour a day before you get to the learning proper:

Play 1-2-3-4 (frets, one finger per fret) on each string in turn. Make sure each note is "clean" with no buzzes. Make sure you do a strict up, down, up, down on the plec. Then move up one fret to 2-3-4-5. Then 3-4-5-6. And so on.

Then try other combinations: 1-3-2-4, 1-3-4-2, etc., etc..

An hour a day of that will get your motor reflexes working.

Then go buy "Rock Discipline with John Petrucci" learning video. Good stuff on there - applicable for any style you want to play so don't let the "rock" bit put you off.

Other than that, just try to learn where all the notes are. Own that fingerboard.

And keep at it. That's the main thing. We've all been there - it gets better!

If you can afford, go get an acoustic and electric. Spend time on the acoustic then move to the electric. Variety is the spice of practice. No specific tips on which guitars, as it all depends on what music you like.

Hope this helps.

Doofy · Feb 19, 2006, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

I am thinking about getting a guitar custom made. A smaller PRS like body, with a Gibson scale. Wide/thin neck. Double humbuckers with a coil tap.

Maybe a Wilkenson trem.

Locking tuners, graphite nut.

I have a small frame, and while PRS guitars aren't huge, I'd still like to have something smaller.

Pop over to www.warmoth.com and make it yourself. They do a Gibson scale neck, all sorts of custom options.

Kevin · Feb 19, 2006, 11:35 PM

Wow, thanks.

dreamryche · Feb 19, 2006, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

You could try a bit of a warm up for an hour a day before you get to the learning proper:

Play 1-2-3-4 (frets, one finger per fret) on each string in turn. Make sure each note is "clean" with no buzzes. Make sure you do a strict up, down, up, down on the plec. Then move up one fret to 2-3-4-5. Then 3-4-5-6. And so on.

Then try other combinations: 1-3-2-4, 1-3-4-2, etc., etc..

An hour a day of that will get your motor reflexes working.

Then go buy "Rock Discipline with John Petrucci" learning video. Good stuff on there - applicable for any style you want to play so don't let the "rock" bit put you off.

Other than that, just try to learn where all the notes are. Own that fingerboard.

And keep at it. That's the main thing. We've all been there - it gets better!

If you can afford, go get an acoustic and electric. Spend time on the acoustic then move to the electric. Variety is the spice of practice. No specific tips on which guitars, as it all depends on what music you like.

Hope this helps.

Right on. The key is in keeping disciplined and not getting too far ahead of yourself. And +1 on Rock Discipline. I got that 3 years ago and it has really helped my playing. Oh: Use a metronome!! (or drum machine, etc.)

Kevin · Feb 20, 2006, 01:07 AM

About Warmouth... they have already built bodies...

I am looking for something custom. A smaller scale body.

Like they did with teh N4 and superstrat bodies (almost bought one because it had a ebony fretboard and PERFET body size, but I hate most locking trems)

But with a PRS style body.

Doofy · Feb 20, 2006, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

About Warmouth... they have already built bodies...

I am looking for something custom. A smaller scale body.

But with a PRS style body.

It's a big site, so you probably didn't see it:

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/custom_bodies.cfm

Kevin · Feb 20, 2006, 09:03 AM

I bet that isn't cheap...

And do they sell anything but bolt on guitars?

Doofy · Feb 20, 2006, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

I bet that isn't cheap...

Neither is getting your local luthier to make you a custom.

Originally Posted by Kevin

And do they sell anything but bolt on guitars?

Nope. But I guess you could glue the necks in if you really wanted to!

Kevin · Feb 20, 2006, 09:33 AM

But it wouldn't have the same heel.

I want a set-in or a neck-through.

Doofy · Feb 20, 2006, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin

I want a set-in or a neck-through.

Say bye-bye to the contents of your wallet.

Kevin · Feb 20, 2006, 09:47 AM

Yeah I know I know.

I hear they make a neck-through blank neck. Has the middle wood piece, neck, fretboard, frets, and the headstock is square and blank to shape to your liking.

Just add two wings.....

Kevin · Feb 20, 2006, 07:18 PM

Check out this

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_...itar_Neck.html

24 fret ebony board, the same scale as a PRS