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Hello fellow guitarists,
I have some experience playing acoustic guitar (although not much of a formal training) but I've never tried electric before. I have just picked up a Epiphone version of ES-335. I am finding that when I put it on my right leg it doesn't feel balanced and the body of the guitar tends to roll over the leg lifting the fingerboard in the process. How am I supposed to keep the guitar balanced on my leg? What's the right position?
Thanks.Last edited by mbmsv; 11-16-2023 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Misspelled brand name
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11-15-2023 06:00 PM
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I think this is a matter of switching from an acoustic to a thinline. Just play around and you’ll get used to balancing it.
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Get use to using a strap. Even with your acoustic.
Or as Allan said... you'll get use to it.
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
Personally I hate playing with a strap while seated, because I already have enough tendency to slouch over my guitar and putting weight on my shoulders creates tension there which then spreads to my neck and down to my hands (esp. the left). Not good, but maybe you're different.
This thread may give you some ideas: Dynarette Cushion guitar support ... experiences? . If the problem lies more in the lack of depth you could consider adding a piece of foam behind the guitar. That sounds like something somebody must already have invented, in fact!?
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Originally Posted by RJVB
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For me, most the comfortable position is sitting down, with out a strap with the guitar on my right lap and it's usually balanced (with my archtop, semihollow and solid body guitars), with my left arm at 45 degrees, more or less.
I once had the opposite problem (neck heavier than body) when playing a friend's SG model.
Perhaps try a semi hollow (or other electric) with a slightly smaller body, such as 339 or 336?
This is also one of the reasons why I prefer to buy guitars from a shop or directly from a luthier, in person (instead of mail ordering) and try them out before buying.
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Some semis are bottom heavy and like to roll over like you describe. A couple of work arounds are to balance it on your left leg instead in a classic position, to use a strap, or to practice in a place where there is some kind of support under it - a couch or the like.
The long term solution is to find a balanced semi.
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
(And since you mentioned classical position, I'm convinced that's the better one ergonomically speaking, for most people.)
Anyway, carry on!
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All good suggestions and points.... but you might want to look at vids of professionals actually playing.
But as you said your just getting started... and have some experience playing acoustic so what feels comfortable now... might not work out later. Living room or bedroom styles typically aren't like playing gigs or in public.
Anyway can work, but later you'll develop what works for you and usually be able to make any style work. Just from becoming use to different styles and the weight and balance of different guitars.
I have a bunch of simi solids, 335, 339 Godins and some copies etc.... Most of them are heavy, which was why I always used straps.... and they never slip around etc. And I used them on gigs etc... The Godin was light...
I still love playing acoustics...
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Originally Posted by Average Joe
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Originally Posted by Reg
Most of them are heavy, which was why I always used straps.... and they never slip around etc.
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Found a video of a guy demonstrating (at 3:36) that an Epi ES-335 is perfectly balanced! It appears that they made some changes recently and my Epi is an older version.
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
I did play acoustic rock style gigs, different more casual venues and we could... sit in chairs etc. or whatever was around. Sometimes didn't use straps... don't remember it being a problem.
Playing shows or musicals... sitting in pits.... back in 80's and playing doubles etc...still used straps.
Playing sight reading gigs you need your hands to be able pull tunes and to turn pages etc...
I never been much at practicing, usually don't use straps , don't remember it being a problem.
I had a Epi 335... didn't like it that much, gave it away. (not saying it's not a great guitar)
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
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Originally Posted by mbmsv
I understand that in you case you need to prevent the neck from rising upwards, so you could fix the strap to the upper strap button? If that works you'll have the advantage of not being strapped to your instrument which is probably much more practical if you practise long enough sessions.
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I've given quite a bit thought to the issue of comfort in sitting position and concluded that the best version is the classical position (plus a couple of interesting variants made possible by the guitar's light weight and dimensions). With the dimensions of steel string guitars they are not possible unfortunately. What works best for me : using a foot stool under the right foot (if right-handed). With a semi-hollow, while the guitar is balanced, it feels less stable, as it's heavier, therefore I use a strap, but the guitar is still supported on my right leg. With an acoustic, an archtop or a hollow-body, I don't bother with a strap. It's a compromise, as the headstock isn't at head level as it should ideally be (like in the classical position).
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Originally Posted by m_d
Having a short-scale or 12-fret neck join is probably more important keeping the width of the lower bout low.
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Originally Posted by RJVB
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For me, I find that only with guitars that have a smaller body (i.e. Les Paul style etc.) I need a foot stool under my right foot (or a strap) to hold the guitar slightly higher... but the neck usually runs parallel to the floor. That's comfortable for me... not so much the classical guitar slanted, high position of neck. We're all different, that's ok...
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Originally Posted by m_d
The size of the body itself has only very little influence on the position of the headstock AFAICT. Not to mention that there are CGs with a 670mm or maybe even longer scale length.
I *have* however been trying to find a position where both arms are more centred and I'm less prone to rotate my head or even entire torso towards the left. Haven't yet succeeded but it does remind me of a video from which the OP might be able to distill some more ideas:
He uses that same position even for 18" archtops:
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Originally Posted by RJVB
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Originally Posted by m_d
His right shoulder position really doesn't look that comfortable either in that archtop video!
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Originally Posted by RJVB
At my daughter's classical guitar lesson the other day, the teacher (who was substituting for the usual teacher, so I didn't get an opportunity to ask him abou tit) had a cool way of holding the guitar, over the inside of the right leg crossed flat over the left; I believe some flamenco players hold it like that. I'm not flexible enough but thought it was interesting.
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Originally Posted by m_d
a cool way of holding the guitar, over the inside of the right leg crossed flat over the left; I believe some flamenco players hold it like that.
It can't be a very ergonomical position for longer durations though as your weight isn't distributed evenly across both "sitting bones" - and it'd cut the bloodflow in my leg.
I think flamenco players also have a position similar to Chapdelaine's, and I think I've even seen them hold the guitar in such away when standing. I don't think that was with a strap (but maybe they had one of those ZZ Top things to attach the instrument to their belt )
Sonny S. -- Les Paul Player
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