View Poll Results: Most comfortable body type for playing sitting down
- Voters
- 219. You may not vote on this poll
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More than 3 inch depth, 17 - 18 inch width. Eg. Super 400 or L5.
27 12.33% -
More than 3 inch depth, 15 - 16 inch width. Eg. ES 175 and copies.
29 13.24% -
3-2 inch depth, 15 - 16 width. Eg, Most Eastmans, Gibson Modern Archtop.
58 26.48% -
Thinline, 15 - 16 (1/2) width, Eg, ES 335.
34 15.53% -
Standard solid-body size. Eg. Tele, Es 339.
56 25.57% -
Another body shape that's not specified above.
34 15.53%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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I prefer to sit while playing.
Big bodiies --- ES 175 or flat-top of any variety is my favorite.
Les Pauls always seem to slide down off my lap . . . only reason I don't like them better.
If I have to stand I'm like . . . damn, now I have to wear a strap?
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05-03-2018 10:27 PM
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My most comfortable guitars for sitting and playing are both 17'' x 3.5'' guitars (L-5 sized).
I had a Greco ES-175 copy and found it really uncomfortable to play. Perhaps the neck/body geometry was not quite right?
As far as solid body guitars go, my L6-S is very comfortable to play. My Les Paul Recording on the other hand isn't- but the sound makes up for it.
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Sitting on a chair with a guitar on my knee - my ES175 is the first choice, although my Martins come close
Slouching (laid back?) on a sofa - the heaviness of my Ibanez MC400 gives it an exceptional physical stability which makes it a dream to play
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Jazzmaster and Jaguar for comfortabilty.
Job done....
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In recent years, I've taken to always using a strap whether sitting or standing. That way, each guitar (and even my tenor ukes) are always at the same height, there's no major adjustment required when I switch guitars or switch from sitting to standing. That said, playing a Tele while lying on my back on my bed works pretty well!
Last edited by Tom Karol; 05-04-2018 at 11:55 AM.
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A Tele is a pretty good couch guitar, as long as you can plug in.
The Godin Kingpin series are very comfortable also in this setting.
As far as practicing or gigging while sitting down on a bench or straight chair, it really doesn't matter to me. Weight is not a major concern, nor body depth. I still like thinline guitars like the ES-135 and Peerless Sunset, because the ergonomics are all there.
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I'd have to say the most comfortable to play seated is the traditional classical guitar--in the traditional classical position.
Second would be the Fender Jazzmaster, with its offset waist design. That guitar, strung and set up well, is great.
This being said, I really find the Gibson ES-175 to be just like falling off a log. It is a guitar I played for SO long, I don't have to think about it.
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As @feet alluded to, HOW you hold the guitar seated will probably make a big difference. It seems to me that 90% of people hold the guitar on their right knee. I’ve never understood that. For me that is VERY awkward. It puts the neck at the wrong place and forces me to twist my wrist to play. I don’t hold a guitar like that when I stand.
But if the guitar is against your ribs rather than across your chest, you may need/want a Parker Fly or other super thin guitar. It is at least worth considering.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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For me, holding the guitar in the classical position is awkward. My left hand is too far away, and in a position that seems awkward and unnatural to me. I'm not huge, but not unusually small either, probably close to average size. I guess it's different for different people.
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Most of my playing is seated with a music stand in an orchestra. I prefer my Strat, Tele or a thin fully hollow archtop. They are all very light and comfortable, sometimes you have to fit into a compact space, so this helps, we know how easy it is to bang into things with a big guitar...
I also use a strap to help hold the guitar's position in my lap, this allows me to let go of the guitar and safely use both hands to deal with charts and stuff on a music stand during a rehearsal or performance.
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I concur with Cosmic Gumbo., but I do not employ solid bodied guitars. The most
comfortable guitars I play in the seated position are a Gibson ES275 and a Tal
Farlow , and always with a strap.
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Classical position is great. But I think you can improve upon it with a strap. I find that with the classical position, my shoulders have to slightly twist to the right so that my right hand hangs over the sound hole. If you're using a classical guitar, you also have to make sure contact is "triangular" so that the back is free to move. With solidbodies and a strap, I can center the guitar a little better so no slight twist necessary.
Originally Posted by Greentone
Regardless, a classical type position is the most comfortable especially for longer practice/playing sessions. For quick noodling however options are limitless
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I would vote for a Jazzmaster. The body size lifts the neck up so your left hand can comfortably grip the fretboard without bending the wrist. Many other guitars sit too low and either force you to bend your wrist to play or raise the guitar with a strap and thus creating other shoulder problems. The belly cut and arm rest add to the comfort. I guess we are all different but this has been my finding after many attempts to deal with discomfort and pain.
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Tal_175, yep...the classical position is so comfortable.
Roberoo, the Jazzmaster really gets the guitar right into a comfortable position when seated. Here is a picture of George Fullerton (I believed he designed the guitar) playing his Jazzmaster. Looks _very_ comfortable.
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The thinner the better.
I think the Strat might be the most comfortable guitar ever made. Teles are fine for sitting down, they just don't have the Strat contour so they're slightly less comfortable.
My Epi Joe Pass doesn't give me any problems. It's not too deep as archtops go.
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There is an inverse correlation between guitar body width and player body width Originally Posted by Boston Joe
Body depth that I can comfortably tolerate varies during the year depeding on my fitness level. Stratocaster is certainly the most forgiving of all guitars I have.
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17" guitar less than 3 inch depth is perfect for me. 16" seems to make me hunch over too much. Full 3" depth 17" is doable but not as comfortable as less than 3.
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Originally Posted by TedBPhx
Without a doubt. Originally Posted by BeBob
The strat was engineered to be the most comfortable guitar ever. Every contour fits your contour. Every sharp edge and pressure point has been cutaway, eased and rounded. On your right knee, it tucks into you and becomes part of you. Your left arm is not pushed too far away from your body centre. I am contemplating building a jazz strat with a hardtail and neck bucker.
My Tele is almost as comfy and has a nice minibucker in the neck.
I have had an Eastman 810CE which I played in the classical position and it wasn't too bad but I have a short waste so the thing feels big seated.
My Les Paul is butt heavy and is too low seated.
My Epi Johnny A is pretty good and light but it is a bit lower than the strat and your left arm is a bit further out.
My Godin Montreal Premiere is a bit comfier than the Johnny A.
All the above 3 guitars are to small to play in the classical position. I have one of those cushions but it is too tall (5").
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I sling my AR371 pretty much like Mr. Ryabov. I had a G&L bluesboy tribute some time ago and slung it about the same height.
I play fingerstyle and pick (all flesh fingerstyle) between the neck pickup and bridge and this position (Andrei Ryabov video below) works for me.
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My strat is the most comfortable guitar that I have for me. With the right strings and pickups, its possible to get pretty convincing Jazz guitar sound. As if my strat wasn't comfortable enough, I ordered a chambered Alder strat body with an f hole that weighs only 3 pounds. I'll hardtail it (I like having the tremolo cavity). Originally Posted by DRS
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Be careful it's not too light. I built a Tele with a chambered ash body and spruce top and it was so light it had neck dive. Originally Posted by Tal_175
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That's true, but with strat, I have the option of putting the tremolo block instead of hard tailing. That thing weighs like almost a pound. I'm hoping I won't have to. Originally Posted by DRS
Last edited by Tal_175; 05-12-2018 at 07:35 PM.
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An ES-335 is very comfortable to play seated, but the neck is about five frets too far left. The ES-330 (early model) is super comfortable.
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As a conservatory-trained player, I often use a footrest when I sit down; it feels like home to me.
My most comfortable instrument sitting down is the ES-339, followed by a SSS partscaster. I too use a strap while sitting down as well.
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I agree. A footrest is important.
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