Sore Fingers

[just strum]

Once I got the Epi Dot, I put the J28SDL away in the case and haven't brought it out since. Between the Dot and the ARC300 I've pretty much have neglected playing the other guitars or correctly worded - neglected practicing with the other guitars.

Tonight I took the J28 out and played it for about 45 minutes - man, my fingers are sore. I think it's a combination of needing a set-up and just the difference between electric and acoustic. The J28 still has the Nashville tuning string on it, so I will have to change that.

After the J28, I pulled out the Squier, that is probably the result of seeing all those beautiful Strats in the other thread. Even the Squier played easier than the J28 and that's just a stock $95 guitar. Looks like I am quickly losing my acoustic fingers.

I went from playing acoustic 95% of the time to playing electric almost 100% of the time.

To those that play both, do you notice a big difference between the two? Any transition period if you play only the electric for a couple of weeks?

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah I notice it. I get all used to these really fun bends on my electric, and try to do some of it on my acoustic and it is just plain hard. My barr chords are a much bigger challenge there too.

[Jampy]

I play 3 styles of guitar

Acoustic
Electric
Classical

I found over time it does not matter what type of guitar I play, but rather what type of style I play. I tend to stick (with in reason) to what the instrument was made for, but like most I am always searching for that something new.

Barre chords are by far the killer to me and I can only maintain them for a few songs before my hand feel dead, and that happens on all my guitars.

[t_ross33]

I have nice thick calluses (is that a word - should it be callusii ) and whine whenever I have to wash dishes electric, acoustic or bass doesn't really matter anymore. I do get a bit of a sore spot on my right index and middle fingers from playing bass sometimes as I don't play as much as I used to and I don't use a pick on bass.

Some chord positions, especially barre chords close to the nut end of the neck cramp my fretting hand/wrist, but I attribute that more to too much time on a computer keyboard and not enough on a fretboard.

Yep, gettin' old and feeling it!

Trev

[navvid]

First I would ask, what do you mean by sore? Is it your finger tips, or the joints?

The reason I ask is that I have, over time, played increasingly heavy gauged stings. My Strat is strung 0.012-0.056 and my acoustic 0.013-0.056. I now play my acoustic much more often than my Strat, and often stuff that really isn't meant for acoustic, like Bold as Love, and Villanova Junction because its like lifting weights for guitar, (I don't believe in the gripmaster thingys). When I go back to my electric, its like butta compared to the acoustic, although
a big fat dreadnaught has its charms when it comes to playability too.

If its your fingertips that are sore, thats one thing. But I actually started to get joint pain, like arthritis. After consulting a guitar mentor of mine and one of the few doctors I trust (who happens to play guitar), I have decided to go on an aggressive ibuprofen dosage twice a day. This helps prevent inflammation in the joints, caused by fighting the higher string tensions. As long as your stomach isn't sensitive to it, it is safe, and you will eventually grow stronger and not need it. The guitar guru advised me to back off on my string gauge, but the improvement in tone is just irreplaceable for me.

If its your fingertips, they will eventually turn to leather. But it should also be noted that the reason the great ones make it look so easy is that they have learned to use only the minimal necessary force clearly ring each note. Any more and you waste energy, and can actually drive the note noticably sharp. Power is no substitute for technique.

The true masters touch is light and nimble.

[just strum]

First I would ask, what do you mean by sore? Is it your finger tips, or the joints?

It was the finger tips. I haven't had the problem, but I also haven't played my acoustic since that night. On weekends I am probably playing 3 to 5 hours a day, but weekdays are sporadic.

My fingers get a little sensitive after a few hours, but nothing that prevents me from still playing.

My guess is the acoustic needs a good set-up.

[navvid]

Playing on a slinky electric will spoil you after a couple of weeks, yes. But my thin necked, floyd rose Ibanez never gets taken out any more. Not that I don't want it anymore, but with a little higher action and heavy strings, it seems the things just sing better.