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Just wondering? Let me explain, I am 74, right handed and let the guitar rest over my right leg. I use a straight backed chair and have guitars from the basic shapes groups, an old Godin Montreal (like a Flat 5), a Tele, and an Ibanex AF 95. I have begun using a foot rest. I find that after a few hours practice, during which time flies, I have a pain in my lower back. I am sure something can be said about posture, and I have tried to experiment with that as well. While I hae tried to play with the guitar tilted up at a 30 degree angle, which seems to me to offer some relief on the back, I have been unsuccessful as the guitar types I have do not lend to playing that way. So give these constants, aged but well trained body, typical guitar shapes, straight backed chair and foot rest, the result is still a back ache. Is there a solution to this?
My thought over the past couple of years centers around the ergo guitar shape idea. These are often headless, something I don´t see as a prerequisite but perhaps the headlessness helps comfortable weight distribution. I enclose a pic below of a guitar type, of which there are several that sport the same design ideas with slight variations. So finally I wonder if any members have experience with the below type and have motivated it with ergo-dynamic considerations? I recall that Jim Soloway was considering, perhaps a Strandberg a while ago. So finally, I am not actually looking for opinions, but actual input based upon experience. Has anyone played/owned one? What did/do you think about it?
Klein Guitars – Steve Klein | 50 Years of Innovation
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02-01-2021 12:24 PM
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I am curious about the .strandberg* Bodin. I would position it like this...
(I think that guy knew a thing or two about playing guitar, btw...) Or I would rest the guitar on the "scoop" behind the knobs.
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I bought this guitar from Jim when he moved to Mexico. Most comfortable instrument I have ever played, and a life-saver when I developed shoulder problems.
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Originally Posted by 0zoro
Been there. Life will get better if you get up and stretch periodically and find an alternative to the footstool. Something which enables you to put two feet flat on the floor. There's another thread going at this moment about devices that permit you to maintain a healthier posture while playing the guitar.
Here's the thread: a guitar support for archtops
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I tried a Strandberg at a NAMM a couple of years back, but did not find it at all comfortable. I have 2 ergos from Chris Forshage, and I love them. One is a guitar I bought from MarcWhy (shoutout!), and I recently got a bass from Chris. The bass is fretless and an amazing instrument.
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There is a good chance using a foot stool could be the cause of the discomfort? Have you tried playing with a lower chair, or with a strap to hold the guitar in place? Even the accessories that classical players use to elevate the guitar could help.
Also a good chair makes a difference, and usually they are not completely straight, but follow the curvature of the spine. Look at gaming or office chairs. Being mostly away from home this last year one thing I really miss is having a good chair when practicing.
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Are you using a strap, or just holding the guitar on your leg? If the latter, I find that very uncomfortable, and have gotten to the point where I pretty much can only play with the guitar on a strap. I keep it up fairly high (ruins my Jimmy Page imitation), with the neck angled up (not sure what the angle is). The guitar is in pretty much the same position either seated or standing. The most comfortable shapes for me are Strat and 335, but even full depth guitars are OK with this position (and nigh on impossible without a strap). Originally Posted by 0zoro
John
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I know that they work for a lot of players but when I tried going headless it never felt right to me. Mine was Steinberger-esque. There are some things about guitar design that just make them guitars IMHO. They can range from subtle to overt. A peghead would be more overt IMHO. Something like neck bolts and threaded steel neck inserts on a Tele or Strat would be something that is much more subtle. But they subtracted from the Strat experience when I tried them. Shifted the center of gravity to a weird place almost regardless of whether the guitar was previously neck or body heavy. Headless kind of did the same thing. Just my 2 cents.
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+1, a strap allows you to straighten your back, even if it's every once in awhile. It also allows you to stand up and walk around, during which you can keep playing if you like. Which they recommend office workers do as well. Originally Posted by John A.
In terms of ergonomics, I find 16" arch tops, most acoustics and Fenders to be ok sitting down. ES types are OK. Les Pauls not so much.
Not too interested in going headless but maybe I'm just old school.
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I have a similar issue. It started during a week when I was reading music 10 hours a day or so. Hunched over, tense.
That was more than a year ago and I still have the problem.
My lay diagnosis is that some muscles went into spasm and stayed that way. I believe this is a well known and accepted phenomenon.
Absent Covid, I'd have visited a pain specialist. I believe the treatment is to inject a muscle relaxer right into the spasmed muscle. I know someone who was severely debilitated by something similar for about a year and returned to normal a couple of weeks after this treatment. That doesn't prove cause and effect, but it's good enough to try a treatment with very little downside (that I'm aware of).
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Play strapped, and lighten up your guitars if need be.
This one has my attention.
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At least standing while playing, the original Parker Fly was perfect!
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Well, I'm partial to the "klein-style" guitars; this is my current Forshage, and it is incredibly comfortable to play:
When I sit with my tele-style guitar, though, I use this Neckup device (on my right leg), and it helps tremendously!
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A few hours in a straight backed chair !?! Whew. My back would ache too. I assume that you take a break every so often, 30 mins. is what I do. Walk around and do a few stretches.
As for comfy guitars: the humble Tele is the best I've ever found.
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FWIW, I was using a chair+footstool + strap set-up until very recently, like two weeks ago, and was happy with it. No back pain, though not a perfect posture, too forward leaning, and it was easy to start hunching over the guitar. I bought a K&M stool out of curiosity. I almost sent it back before I realized it allows a much more natural posture, with straight back, neck much better positioned for the left hand, i.e. in a high position, headstock at head level if I want to (was always envying classical guitarists for that). We'll see in the long run but it's promising, in fact it's been a true revelation. Guitar really carried on the strap though, the footrest on the stool doesn't go high enough (which is why I was disappointed at first). Didn't think I would get used to it but what do you know, all it took were a couple of hours. I really like it.
Last edited by m_d; 02-02-2021 at 12:41 PM.
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This Forshage is the most comfortable guitar I own when in a sitting position. Sounds great as well. Full hollow body with a 12 pole KA pickup. Scale length is 24.75 to 25.75.
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I found the Kiesel Allan Holdsworth HH2 uncomfortable to play seated.
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Without adjusting how you hold the instrument, jazzmaster.
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Have you given any thought to the possibility of using an A-Frame guitar support like some classical guitarist use?
Back issues from the use of a foot rest is very common in their world and this seems to be the most recommend course of action.
Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk
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Stratocaster
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You guys who have enough time to get this issue should slap yourselves silly and enjoy it.
Ahem.... No I mean (my pc behavior is being reprogrammed..) stretch and do more fitness activities. Really. We play our instruments with our whole body in motion and should warm up as such. Straps are a great way to position a instrument so it conforms to you when sitting or standing. The Ovation Breadwinner and Deacon started the ergonomic ball rolling for sitting positions and some hollow guitars have followed for those who don't want to be belted in.
Go for a walk etc... the increased blood flow will help your noggin and fingers process those chops.
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I thought of making the same suggestion. The Jazzmaster guitar almost disappears when I hold it. I do use the Dynarette between my right leg and guitar and the whole thing fits like finding the right puzzle piece. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
Leo invented the perfect electric guitar. Three times.
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Lots of Fender love here.
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As a classical guitarist, I used the footstool for concerts; very ergonomic, and, luckily, no back problems as I really paid attention to my balance from the ground up. However, playing jazz, blues or having to lead a band while standing, I realized that the strap could replace the footstool if I strapped in and adjusted it while using the footstool. This gave me the ability to stand up and keep the instrument in ideal playing position, as well as spend a couple of hours practicing without the footstool at all. Even my electric guitars and 7-strings work better with this method. In fact, it's the only way I can play 17" or larger guitars, for those of you who find your shoulders tightening up when sitting with an L5 or Super 400 sized instrument.
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After some issues with pain in my shoulders and hands i took some lessons in posture and movement for musicians. Mainly the Timani method. When i learned a more correct way of sitting i found that my guitar felt way to low, since i used to bend over the guitar before. The best setup i have found that allows me to play comfortably with correct posture is using my telecaster with a dynarette guitar cusion. The way i use it is slightly different than the way it's supposed to be used, since it is meant for using on the left leg and with a classical guitar. This is the way i use it:
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