Topic: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I believe this is the very first topic about hands AND THE RELATION WITH A GUITAR.
There are players having
- small hands (like me)
- big hands.

IS THE SIZE OF YOUR HANDS IMPORTANT? I mean what is the impact of big versus small hands on your guitar choice?
Which guitar brand is better for small hands? I have a Fender Telecaster 1952 reissue and the neck is a lot more difficult to play in my case than a Gibson neck.
WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER ON THIS MAYBE UNUSUAL BUT IMPORTANT TOPIC.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

The main thing that makes a difference is the scale length (the distance between the nut and the bridge). If you have smaller hands a smaller scale length is more comfortable, as a rule.

Telecaster, Stratocaster = 25.5" scale length
PRS = 25" scale length
Les Paul = 24.75" scale length
Mustang, Jaguar = 24" scale length.

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

The size of your hands or fingers, or lack thereof makes little difference or none people adapt regardless of these factors Django Rinehart (not sure of the correct spelling) had a lack of mobility or a lack of fingers Im not sure which but is reconized as one of the greatest guitarist of all time and on a personal note I have very small hands and I am able to play and stretch 5 frets from the 1st fret and play a fmaj7 if you doubt this look at my profile picture on my web  site the chord formation is an a maj 7th (5 frets) and I can play this chord formation on the first or any fret this is not bragging just fact, also keep in mind there are those with severe handicaps ie. no fingers or arms that play with there feet or toes so the question comes down to desire and dedication and heart if you have any of these qualities nothing is impossible.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I've have lots of footage of some great guitar players and the majority have large hands and long fingers, like  Buddy Guy, Albert Collins,Steve Ray Vaughn, George Benson, Jimi
Hendricks, Robbie Robertson, Clapton even has long fingers.
Then again Roy Clark's hands are not overly big and he can sure play.

two cents worth... Badeye  cool

one caper after another

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

i saw the movie CROSSROADS where ralph machio outfretted steve vai.  they had some great licks.  the moral of the story still escapes me.

put profound words here

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I agree all of the guitarist you mention are or were great but I still maintain that the size of a persons hand or fingers dose not determin or limit there ability,I think I can pick a few licks even with my short stubby fingers im not placing myself with the guitarist you mention because I dont play there style I really dont put myself in any one catagory or genre and good or bad I will let my music speak for itself people either like it or they dont and thats true with any musician

badeye wrote:

I've have lots of footage of some great guitar players and the majority have large hands and long fingers, like  Buddy Guy, Albert Collins,Steve Ray Vaughn, George Benson, Jimi
Hendricks, Robbie Robertson, Clapton even has long fingers.
Then again Roy Clark's hands are not overly big and he can sure play.

two cents worth... Badeye  cool

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

you aint the only one lol

jojo13 wrote:

i saw the movie CROSSROADS where ralph machio outfretted steve vai.  they had some great licks.  the moral of the story still escapes me.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Russell_Harding wrote:

I agree all of the guitarist you mention are or were great but I still maintain that the size of a persons hand or fingers dose not determin or limit there ability,I think I can pick a few licks even with my short stubby fingers im not placing myself with the guitarist you mention because I dont play there style I really dont put myself in any one catagory or genre and good or bad I will let my music speak for itself people either like it or they dont and thats true with any musician

badeye wrote:

I've have lots of footage of some great guitar players and the majority have large hands and long fingers, like  Buddy Guy, Albert Collins,Steve Ray Vaughn, George Benson, Jimi
Hendricks, Robbie Robertson, Clapton even has long fingers.
Then again Roy Clark's hands are not overly big and he can sure play.

two cents worth... Badeye  cool

I agree with you Russel, hand size does not matter, its the ability that one pocesses.

Badeye cool

one caper after another

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Russell, I would suggest that your hands are not as small as you make out. Not as small as mine anyway (can't believe I'm having a discussion on mine's  smaller than yours!). What annoys me about the size of MY hands is my inability to get my thumb over the top of the neck to play those F anf F# bass notes. But we are an imaginative breed. If you love it you'll find ways to get round it (usually). Hand size determines how you play many chords and phrases. So it does matter. But only until you find a way of doing what you want to do in a way that suits you. Sounds easy but I'm still trying to find a way of getting those F's  and F#'s that sounds OK.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Alvee those thumb grabbing Fths and F# take a little while to play clean and I dont care if yours is smaller then mine (hands)but what is withheld from you is given in other ways as there are things you can do no other can so the bottom line is work with what you have but keep striving for what you dont because getting some place is not as exciting as the trip there smile

alvee33 wrote:

Russell, I would suggest that your hands are not as small as you make out. Not as small as mine anyway (can't believe I'm having a discussion on mine's  smaller than yours!). What annoys me about the size of MY hands is my inability to get my thumb over the top of the neck to play those F anf F# bass notes. But we are an imaginative breed. If you love it you'll find ways to get round it (usually). Hand size determines how you play many chords and phrases. So it does matter. But only until you find a way of doing what you want to do in a way that suits you. Sounds easy but I'm still trying to find a way of getting those F's  and F#'s that sounds OK.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

WOW again so many reactions. It is not about who has the biggest...but yet the biggest hands versus smaller hands.
THIS QUESTION IS VERY IMPORTANT, and you can spend AND loose a lot of $$$ if you come home and the neck is too thin for you. AND YES here we can say "SIZE MATTERS"
MY THEORY IS ALSO THAT PEOPLE WITH SMALL HANDS and as Russell sais, about SMALL fingers
- it is a lot more difficult if you try to take a specific chord.
- this results in another way to play guitar.
- Some chords in barré are extremely difficult to play if you have short fingers.
about big hands, including big fingers it's a lot easier to take difficult chords.

I have small hands, and I compared them in my music store, and my hands have exactly the same size as JAN AKKERMAN who was the guitarist of the band FOCUS, in 1973 he was elected as the best guitarist in the world. So, there is still hope for me.
JIMI HENDRIX had very long fingers.
MY PERSONAL CONCLUSION = no matter what size of hands you have, you will try and buy an instrument that  fits you. In my case my TELECASTER Reissue 1952 California Beach surf green and not available in the USA which starts to rise in value quit fast (only 1000 were made I think 2 strats included) = neck is too thick. Gibsons have a better neck and PRS too.
So size will matter when YOU BUY A GUITAR, and you adapt really fast your music style. So in fact big hands have only an advantage that you can take almost impossible chords, but DO YOU NEED this chords? That's the question.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Of course there are ways to increase the size of your hands - did you ever see a photo of Robert Johnston ?!

http://www.canadajoeblue.com/JOHNSONSTORY.HTM

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I don't think size matters as much as what you can do with what you got. At 57 years old my old hands are battered and bruised from years of hard work. I'll never be a lightin' fast lead guitar player but I don't think that's what I want, either. I've already had to have my left hand (chord hand) operated on for (trigger finger) and now I'm having the same problems with my right hand. Trigger finger is when one or more fingers will lock into a curled position and not open back up without help due to "bulges" on the tendons that pass thru the joints, very painful. Anyway, due to age, temperment and ability I will continue with playing rythem guitar and leave all the hot licks and riffs to others. The rythem is the "SONG" anyway. Anything else just enhances the rythem.

Nela

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Nela I was treated for trigger finger in my right hand (strumming hand) and my fretting hand gives me a little wince of locking once in a while but the injection the doctor gave me in my right thumb worked and that was over a month and a half ago and you are correct the rhythem is the most important part of the song even classical music has a set tempo and that is usually interpreted by the conductor to the ochresta via the baton or hand motions

NELA wrote:

I don't think size matters as much as what you can do with what you got. At 57 years old my old hands are battered and bruised from years of hard work. I'll never be a lightin' fast lead guitar player but I don't think that's what I want, either. I've already had to have my left hand (chord hand) operated on for (trigger finger) and now I'm having the same problems with my right hand. Trigger finger is when one or more fingers will lock into a curled position and not open back up without help due to "bulges" on the tendons that pass thru the joints, very painful. Anyway, due to age, temperment and ability I will continue with playing rythem guitar and leave all the hot licks and riffs to others. The rythem is the "SONG" anyway. Anything else just enhances the rythem.

Nela

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Well I think reading all the answers that MY OPINION IS: Even big brands are OK for both.
- 1)  don' young people, with OR little OR big hands, there is a guitar for heavy and small hands.
- 2) you will develop an own style, and I believe having small hands, is a real disadvantage, you play on your instrument in YOUR OWN STYLE.
- 3) Long hands are able to reach real difficult chord = "the chords we skip, because they are too difficult" for the small hands, easier to reach with long hands.
Yes as told they both find their own style.
WHAT ABOUT LOOSING FINGERS? Django Reinhardt (another  export product from Belgium)
I measured my hands from where it starts in the wrist end end in the longest finger, the famous movement we make for other stuff). = 16.5 cm = 64 inches.
I searched everywhere on the net, but no information.
1 thing is for sure: it won't affect your guitar play, like solos, shredding..., only some chords are difficult to play.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

16 (edited by Siege of Troy 2008-07-01 08:13:16)

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I have rather large hands, and thick fingertips, so I tend to steer clear of Jackson-type shred guitars.

I prefer Deans, Gibson/Epiphones and Fenders because the frets have plenty of space between them, thus making soloing a lot easier. I have actually turned down great deals on guitars because they don't have jumbo frets.

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Russell, when I first started having problems with trigger finger in my left hand I went to the doctor and got the shots, as well. My problem fingers was my middle and ring fingers. The shots I received was given between those fingers and way down deep towards my palms. These shots are VERY painful and from talking to other people and a physical therapist, never last over a couple of months or so. I ended up having to have surgery and that stopped the problems with my left hand. Now I have the same problems with the right hand. This time I think I will skip the shots and go straight for the surgery.

Nela

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

nela yea i think skipping the shots  is the right choice in your case and i still get cramps in my fingers that contract the fingers of my hand so it looks like some grotesque b horror movie so hang in there fellow sufferer smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I have large hands and love the chunky thick neck on my G&L ASAT Classic Telecaster! The thick neck is no problem for me...I also have an American Telelcaster with a much thinner neck...it's also fine! I thinks it's more a matter of personal preference than ability... I also play mandolins and it was a real challenge at first to uses these big hands and fingers on those tiny fretboards...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

Had the operation on a trigger thumb of my fret hand and struggle with a little carpal tunnel. Had more than my share of cortisone in my fret hand for torn ligaments and calcium.  Still my hands feel best when I am playing because it is always better than working.
I have big hands and my big fingers easily fret 2 strings making many chord formations a lot easier to play.  Not a shredder anymore, but still lay down some good licks and have decent chops.  They also throw a good punch, always good theing in a bar fight.

That's alright, I got my guitar
-Jimi Hendrix

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

tonydr wrote:

Had the operation on a trigger thumb of my fret hand and struggle with a little carpal tunnel. Had more than my share of cortisone in my fret hand for torn ligaments and calcium.  Still my hands feel best when I am playing because it is always better than working.
I have big hands and my big fingers easily fret 2 strings making many chord formations a lot easier to play.  Not a shredder anymore, but still lay down some good licks and have decent chops.  They also throw a good punch, always good theing in a bar fight.

I'm the same way. makes playing 12-string acoustics a lot easier to play, I've noticed...

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I have medium sized hands and I found that it is easier to play my strat rather than a dean or gibson. I think it all boils down to opinion.


love hendrix type chords! makes it easier on my wrists.

yesterday is the past
tomorrow a dream
today you find out
what is best left unseen

Re: ABOUT THE SIZE OF HANDS

I have thin long fingers and it makes it hard to play on guitar necks that aren't a little thick and wide. My acoustic guitar has a neck that is wider and thicker than my electric and after playing on my acoustic I have to really strain to get used to the thin-ness of my electric guitar neck. I can't swap out the neck on my LP cause it's a set-neck...but if it were a strat I would definitely swap it out and put on a thicker and wider neck.

Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle