Sore Fingers

Started by slim, November 16, 2003, 12:38:29 PM

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I recently started playing the guitar nine months ago.  I started with a nylon string guitar then moved to an electric and as of three months ago an L-05.  I thought I had tough calluses but now the tips of my fingers sting after playing for 45 minutes.  Even twelve hours later my fingers still have grooves (feels like the butt of an arrow) at the finger tips.

I am using light strings.  My instructor checked out the setup and said it looked fine.  

Is this normal?

I now practice for an hour with the nylon string guitar and then switch over to my L-05 for as long as I can stand it.  Is it just that I need to take more time before the fingers toughen up?

Sorry for whining...   :(  

In my opinion, if you are concentrating on developing your acoustic playing . . . keep with the L-05.  The more you play it the easier it gets and the more calouses too.

Not to disagree with your instructor (far from it) but have you had your guitar checked by a luthier?  I have an L-05 and I must say, it plays like butter.  I set them up myself and have this playing with action as good as my Taylors.

Playing styles will dictate on setup requirements (action: nut slots, truss rod adjustment, saddle height).
Johnson L Body
A&L AMI
Cort Earth 900
Taylor Big Baby
Gold Tone PBR
Regal RC-51
Fender R48
Ariana Classical
Seagull Artist Grand
Gibson SJ
Gibson J-55
Taylor 355
Taylor 414
Larrivée L-05
Guild D-55
Taylor 614ce
Taylor 714ce
Taylor 814c
Kent archtop
Silvertone archtop
Les Paul Custom

Thanks Roman.  I have only been using acoustic guitars in the last 3 months.  And yes, this is the direction that I want to go.

I never did take the guitar to a luthier so that is probably were I will be going next.

I love my Larrivee but I would love it more if I could play it longer.

Thanks.  

my fretting fingers have permanent grooves. the pain is something we all go through I think. i don`t use picks and when I started strumming with mt thumb I had to endure pain in my thumb tip too, but no longer. when the finger tip pain gets to be too much I usually switch to an electric, most often through headphones. I have a Gibson Chet SST and a Fender Japan teleacoustic that I play through my Yamaha AG stomp with phones. hang in there, my threshold for finger tip pain has increased.  

Ouch!  I am going to try a new set-up, hopefully that will take care of the problem.  Otherwise I will just grit my teeth.

Thanks for the feedback.

Slim, I have found that if the callouses get too thick they can cause problems too.  I sand mine down with a fingernail file to keep them smoother and it seems to help with soreness too...  
Mike Jones

______________

Larrivee D-03R
K&K Pure Western P/U
Seagull S 12+
Ultrasound Ag30P
ESP EC 100-QM
Webstrings Lights

I know I'm squeezin' way too hard....when I play an electric (very rare), I'm frettin' with so much pressure that the chords are not "in tune".....I was told that a good exercise is to play trying to barely press on the strings at all....see how light you can do it! Relax!!!! Play scales, chords, whatever....but as lightly as possible!  :unsure:  
Don't take no wooden nickles, and don't put beans in your ears.

GIGGLERis so right,I use a very lite touch,ok I've got very low action but I don't have to work all that hard to play and get good tone and volumn,no neck choking  
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
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Still unclrob
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Call PM me I may be able to help

I had my guitar set up and had a bone saddle installed (thank you UnclRob) by my local luthier.  We are talking about a different guitar now.  I didn't realize what a BIG difference this would make.  My fingers don't hurt any more and my guitar sounds much clearer!

I am a convert... spend the money and see what a good set up can do!

;)  

I agree. A professional setup is worth 10x the money you pay for it. I had my Breedlove done and it has action BETTER than a Taylor, with no fret buzz.
2003 Breedlove SC20 Coco/Sitka (Nov 26 delivery)
Bone nut and saddle
Schaller nickel tuners
Ebony tuner buttons
L.R. Baggs Dual Element

2003 Larrivée OM-03R: SOLD

2003 Larrivée L-09: SOLD

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