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dwarf
New member
Ok I have chubby fingers but i still manage to play ok.
Just wondering does finger size matter/help?
Just wondering does finger size matter/help?
J
JazzMasterWil
New member
I collect minis and I know a mini collector that's actually is a "little person". (I think that's politically correct). And he's much more comfortable playing a mini that a full sized guitar.
I think the size of your hands does matter to a certain extent but not much..... Unless you're actually a "little person" I can't see needing to buy a smaller guitar. (I don't need too I just like them).
With that in mind I used to date a girl that was only about 5' 2" and she could burn up her jazz bass. She wanted to marry the bassist from Rancid (I don't really remember his name now) and she knew like every Rancid song on bass.......... I was an idiot for letting her go
I think the size of your hands does matter to a certain extent but not much..... Unless you're actually a "little person" I can't see needing to buy a smaller guitar. (I don't need too I just like them).
With that in mind I used to date a girl that was only about 5' 2" and she could burn up her jazz bass. She wanted to marry the bassist from Rancid (I don't really remember his name now) and she knew like every Rancid song on bass.......... I was an idiot for letting her go
stalemayte
New member
big hands means big fingers
I used to play in a band with this guy who had HUGE hands/fingers. He played a gibson V (pretty small neck), and he didn't seem to have any problem with it.
It's just about learning how to manipulate your hands/fingers.
Play with your the tips!
I used to play in a band with this guy who had HUGE hands/fingers. He played a gibson V (pretty small neck), and he didn't seem to have any problem with it.
It's just about learning how to manipulate your hands/fingers.
Play with your the tips!
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dwarf
New member
I'm by no means a little person I'm about 6,1. It's actually funny I have a friend who is about 5,2 and he has lager fingers than me.
Guess my small penis must have something to do with it. (had to get that joke out of the way before someone else did)
Guess my small penis must have something to do with it. (had to get that joke out of the way before someone else did)
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dwarf
New member
Oh yeah my fingers are tiny it's funny to look at them.
gbdweller
Structural Member
If you want to play great you can. Just ask Django Reinhardt (if you could go back in time before 1953...) I'd bet he probably wished he had 'chubby' fingers instead of a burned mass of flesh that he still managed to make music with! Don't know anything about his private parts or their influence on his playing though... 
J
JazzMasterWil
New member
LOL I'm about 6' 3" or 4" and most of my guitars have 19" scale lengths. Just goes to show ya.........
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David Player
New member
I'm sure finger size does make a difference but we work with what we have. That creates your style of playing that may be diiferent from others. Personally I'm getting older so my fingers don't move as well as they did when I was young so I play more melodic than speed.
Toni Iommi of Black Sabbath lost the tips of his fingers in an accident. Didn't stop him from playing. Or how about Django Reinhardt who inspired Toni to keep playing. Django was in a fire and only had the use of 2 fingers.
"Django created a whole new fingering system built around the two fingers on his left hand that had full mobility. His fourth and fifth digits of the left hand were permanently curled towards the palm due to the tendons shrinking from the heat of the fire. He could use them on the first two strings of the guitar for chords and octaves but complete extension of these fingers was impossible. His soloing was all done with the index and middle fingers! Film clips of Django show his technique to be graceful and precise, almost defying belief."
And then there's Jimi Hendrix. He had huge hands that allowed him to use his thumb as well while playing.
Wish I could do that.
Toni Iommi of Black Sabbath lost the tips of his fingers in an accident. Didn't stop him from playing. Or how about Django Reinhardt who inspired Toni to keep playing. Django was in a fire and only had the use of 2 fingers.
"Django created a whole new fingering system built around the two fingers on his left hand that had full mobility. His fourth and fifth digits of the left hand were permanently curled towards the palm due to the tendons shrinking from the heat of the fire. He could use them on the first two strings of the guitar for chords and octaves but complete extension of these fingers was impossible. His soloing was all done with the index and middle fingers! Film clips of Django show his technique to be graceful and precise, almost defying belief."
And then there's Jimi Hendrix. He had huge hands that allowed him to use his thumb as well while playing.
Wish I could do that.
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Ed Dixon
New member
For those of us with large hands and fingers, one common problem is nut width. For example Gretch and Rickenbacker guitars have narrow nut widths, which is usually 1 9/16.
For most all of their models I cannot play a C chord in open strings and have all strings work. Third finger on A string at 3rd fret will always touch either D or E string. Finger is just too wide. Fender and other necks with 1 11/16 or wider nut widths are close but work OK.
Ed
For most all of their models I cannot play a C chord in open strings and have all strings work. Third finger on A string at 3rd fret will always touch either D or E string. Finger is just too wide. Fender and other necks with 1 11/16 or wider nut widths are close but work OK.
Ed
A
AGCurry
New member
Yes, it's definitely more of a factor in chording. I have to play an A chord with one finger (ring finger across all three strings), can't play it with three.
six
New member
size matters. I know some girls will tell you something different, but they're lying... 
yeah, i'm talking about hands and guitars. me, I have relatively big hands. I didn't consider that when I bought my jackson more than 10 years ago. the problem now is: the jackson has this thin neck (something like 0.630 !!! at 1st fret). it's ok for soloing (_ok_, not really better than a fat neck), but chordwork can result in cramped hands. thank god most of the songs have more solos than rhythm-parts.
as for jimi's playing: does one need big hands for fretting with the thumb? it depends on the position the other fingers have. if you play an F-chord in the 1st position, it's relatively easy to fret the low F with your thumb, isn't it?
yeah, i'm talking about hands and guitars. me, I have relatively big hands. I didn't consider that when I bought my jackson more than 10 years ago. the problem now is: the jackson has this thin neck (something like 0.630 !!! at 1st fret). it's ok for soloing (_ok_, not really better than a fat neck), but chordwork can result in cramped hands. thank god most of the songs have more solos than rhythm-parts.
as for jimi's playing: does one need big hands for fretting with the thumb? it depends on the position the other fingers have. if you play an F-chord in the 1st position, it's relatively easy to fret the low F with your thumb, isn't it?
ibleedburgundy
The Anti-Lambo
I know a four-foot mexican woman that can stretch from the "F" on the low E-string (first fret) to the "B" on the high E-string. I don't think size matters (on the small side) unless you are trying to make excuses which is what most mediocre players do. Your left hand is just like any other joints in your body in that if you stretch, you will increase your flexibility and making big chords usually has more to do with flexibility than size.
You can stretch your left hand by pressing on the insides of you first finger and pinky. The more you stretch, the greater distance you can cover between those two fingers.
If your fingers are too big, I guess there is not much you can do about that except for buying a larger scale guitar.
You can stretch your left hand by pressing on the insides of you first finger and pinky. The more you stretch, the greater distance you can cover between those two fingers.
If your fingers are too big, I guess there is not much you can do about that except for buying a larger scale guitar.
Sirnothingness
Banned
I consider my hands to be a bit on the small side. I don't see any problems with it, it's just that guys with huge hands/fingers can stretch further and get their thumb over the top of the neck to fret the 6th string ala SRV or Jimi. You make due with what you got and you'll find ways of playing anything.
lesterpaul
New member
Redd
it's all about what you do with what you got, while long skinny fingers may be an advantage, check out the sausages Redd Volkaert has on the end of his hands, and he can maneuver a fretboard as good or better than most shredders...
it's all about what you do with what you got, while long skinny fingers may be an advantage, check out the sausages Redd Volkaert has on the end of his hands, and he can maneuver a fretboard as good or better than most shredders...
stetto
Left Unattended
I have small hands with BIG FAT TIPS....Playing bass is no prollem, neither is electric guitar...But put an acoustic in my lap and I need the widest-at-the-nut spacing I can get to keep from muting adjoining strings with these bulbs at the ends of my shithooks...So I have a Seagull S-6, and like it jes' fine.....
BTW, being able to stretch those fingers from one end of the neck to the other is one thing....Being able to PLAY like that is the banana...
Eric
BTW, being able to stretch those fingers from one end of the neck to the other is one thing....Being able to PLAY like that is the banana...
Eric
stetto
Left Unattended
Heh heh heh, one thing I was going to add (topic shift alert!!!!) is that I can't play with a pick....I've always played bass with my fingers, and guitar...well, I....just can't keep a pick between my fingers....I've got a pretty decent style on the flattop, electric sounds kinda strange, so I play and record mostly acoustic....Oh well....thought I'd share.... 
Eric
Eric
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Clive Hugh
New member
dwarf said:
It does if you are face down on the doctors' couch and he's putting on rubber gloves.
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Clive Hugh
New member
One a more serious note, does anyone know if Django Reinhart used a different tuning to accomodate his fingers? I know he was a violinist of note before the fire.
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Dani Pace
New member
I've gpt somewhat small, squareish hands, for me the thinner (front to back) necks are more comfortable to play. I like a medium width, i guess my fingertips are a little stocky compared to my finger length. Necks come in such a variety of widths and thicknesses as well as length, that finding a size which is comfortable seems to be the key to various hand sizes. A neck which is too large will cause you to tire more quickly, for me a too big neck is harder to play than a guitar with a high action.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
I've got really nice hands for playing music - long slender fingers, all with fingertips intact and no fire-induced-tendon damage either - haven't been hit too many times with a hammer or broken playing sport - and a double jointed thumb that allows me to do funkier things on the low strings than most.
Just lucky I guess.
Now, if only I knew what to do with them...
Just lucky I guess.
Now, if only I knew what to do with them...
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