Classical position?

[Jonah]

Ever stuff a 17" archtop between your legs?

sounds scary...

On the second point - yes - every day.

even more scary!

[Runepune]

On second thought...I prefer classical position for any guitar (without strap) if I have a foot rest to raise that left leg. Else, it goes on the right side.

Yeah, you need reasonable manspreading to fit large archtops in there

[ronjazz]

Z
You sound angry, arrogant and with respect to playing SRV with “classical” technique, completely uninformed. I really don’t mean to sound offensive, but your remarks are proof to me that you are speaking completely out of your element. Should the above videos of Hopkinson Smith be deleted because he is not a JAZZ musician (less so than SRV)?
Let’s agree to disagree.

Ignorance is agony, thanks for the proof. I have 55 years of professional experience as a player and teacher, with many thousands of jazz, classical, flamenco and blues gigs under my belt, as well as teaching positions at some of the leading music colleges in the world. You sound defensive, ignorant and hurt, so let's disagree, and let me go my way at my advanced age with NO back problems of any kind after studying the way the body works and applying good ergonomic principles to playing the guitar. We can safely ignore your unhelpful and narrow-minded viewpoint.

[BBGuitar]

If classical technique means keeping my thumb on the back of the neck, then I'll forego the inevitable injury and never try playing SRV stuff that way.

To the OP, I'd say it has a few sources.

1. There's a right way to hood an archtop for playing real rhythm guitar, and it ain't classical position.

2. Ever stuff a 17" archtop between your legs?

That's me stuffing a 17" Eastman between my legs.

In the back a little hard to see.

[Robertkoa]

The 'conventional' Segovia classical position is a super critical , low margin for error stance .

For electric and steel string - it's possible to support picking arm at lower wrist or near base of thumb for a lot of that stuff and the Guitar does not need to point toward magnetic north , no footstool needed etc..

Of course if someone is already comfortable with hanging the arm off top of the Guitar with no additional support ( this Position prevents a LOT of people from getting good at rest strokes with I and M , prevents muting while Playing etc) -
then you need a stool , or a pillow for one foot and cannot be the Hendrix of Nylon String Guitar ( still vacant title lol ).

[emanresu]

Imo (an really just my own) barre is one of the key issues between those two. In jazz, small barres are super common and thankfully super comfortable to play when guitar hanging on the right side of the body.

[BBGuitar]

That's me stuffing a 17" Eastman between my legs.

In the back a little hard to see.

I was told a few weeks ago by a well known, highly respected jazz player that the way I was holding my guitar was perfect for big band playing.

I am a great believer of "whatever works"