Acoustic comfort

menamestom · March 2023

I’ve had me dreadnought for 25 years. It’s fine to play but not the comfiest for longer periods. Not least because my shoulder is a bit dodgy at the moment.

So looking at OM’s and GA’s and the like.
Some have bevels and tummy cuts etc.

I’m thinking just the smaller size will be enough but just wondering on what people experiences are in the comfort department and weather the adornments are worth it.

If I switch to acoustic for gigs they are generally around 1.5-2 hours so want something mice to handle.

TheMadMick · March 2023

The other approach is to exercise your shoulder. There's acres of stuff on NHS web pages and most are really simple. However, you do have to keep at it for quite a while (he said from bitter experience with shoulders).

The real advantage is that it's cheap and helps you in other ways as your body ages.

bertie · March 2023

smaller bodied are, for most, more comfortable, especially if you're a "couch/rocking chair" player like me

OM isnt a great deal smaller accross the lower bout, but it is about 1cm+ shallower , and for me hugely more comfy but my issues are elbows over shoulder (tho I do suffer with both)

HOWEVER - sometimes going too far the other way, can actually be counter productive depending on "sitting position"

drofluf · March 2023

I found dreads too big, as someone once said, “like trying to hug a wardrobe” and 000/00 the most comfortable for me.

You may find less need for a bevel on a smaller bodied guitar. As for the belly cut that will depend on your physique.

Mellish · March 2023

This is exactly the issue I had ☺️.

I'd always had dreads. Happy as Larry with 'em. But in the last few months, I'd become aware of this nagging shoulder ache.

I couldn't practice, couldn't gig, then I started listening to some on here, in particular to @bertie aka Wilf's & Winnie's dad, and I p/e'd my Dove dread for a Martin OM-28, and I've never looked back. I'll be gigging tonight if the Lord permits.

thomasross20 · March 2023

Scalloped bracing OM will give same output as a dread. Though I find they have less headroom and handle alternate tunings a tad less well. And non-scalloped bracing guitars seem to sound nicer to my ears

DavidR · March 2023

Dreads never used to be a problem when I was younger. Now I play my FG5 but its not comfortable for more than an hour. My OM is comfortable and my lovely little OO is supercomfortable. All this seems to be common occurrence as I and others enter the old git stage. ;-)

On a more serious level, good playing posture and mobilising the shoulder in between spells of doodling is a must.

Shoulder Mobility Exercises and Stretches with Pictures (healthline.com)

guitarjack66 · March 2023

Interesting discussion on the 'cut' of the guitar as it relates to my own playing position. I've noticed that no matter what I play I have to play it more off my left leg(as a right hander) in a semi classical position as the guitar shape just doesn't sit well on my 'thunder' thighs. This relates even to my Tele. So many considerations to take into account and nothing as important as playing the instrument to find out how comfortable it is to YOU.

Mellish · March 2023

@guitarjack66 ; yeah, that left leg thing, I did that.

A smaller bodied guitar got me away from trying fixes. They never worked for me, or even if
they did it wouldn't last.

So I went for an OM-28. Lower bout not much less than a dread but, as @bertie there said the comfort given by reduced depth - well, you wouldn't believe it.

Snags · March 2023

@menamestom ; do you play mostly sat or mostly stood?

If you play mostly sat down, and your shoulder issue is neck/shoulder area, a GA may not be enough of a difference, unless you're also able to modify your posture.

I mostly play stood up, because that's how I perform, but when writing/learning new songs etc. I used to just sit on the sofa. Due to other factors beyond the guitar playing (posture, stress, life, and guitar playing) a few years back I developed a problem in my right shoulder that gradually extended down to my forearm and wrist. The physio traced it back to issues in my neck, rather than actually in my shoulder, and got it sorted with exercises and time. But ... if I play too much sat down, it comes back really quickly, even with a GA (even with an electric, given enough time).

When it was bad, I could play stood up with minimal problems, but absolutely couldn't play sat down at all without getting proper discomfort in my right shoulder.

So standing up might also be an answer. Or at least, an aid.

Tannin · March 2023

General advice to all (not directed at anyone). If you are going to sit, sit.

Don't slouch. Don't slump on the couch. Don't sit in an armchair. Sit on a kitchen chair or a stool. Much, much better for you. Not only is it good for your posture and your body, you play better.

It is probably a good idea to swap knees from time to time. Some people play in (roughly) the classical position using the left knee, others use the right knee. It is good for the body to alternate. (Do as I say, not as I do!)

It is probably also a good idea to stand some of the time, and to half-stand at other times (stand with one foot on a low stool, upper leg roughly horizontal, guita0r resting on that leg). The body loves variety.

As I get older, I find that I tend not to play the dreadnought first thing in the morning and am more selective about the time I spend playing the baritone (a huge jumbo with a very long scale - that one can be hard work if I'm not feeling limber) but I have never noticed any issue with body depth. A small(ish) body with an extra bit of depth to it (i.e., 00 or 000 shape but with dreadnought depth) just sounds so good!

thomasross20 · March 2023

Good advice re not slouching. Surprisingly hard to sit straight.

I have to come to further conclusions about what I like (sorry for making this personal to my taste here!)... I do really like 12 fretters... largely for the way the arm does not have to stretch out so far. And a cutaway with a 12 fretter (assuming there is enough body to rest on the knee... which is why I now warm to Venetian cutaway) is a complete winner.

Scale length... I never took that into account AT ALL before. However...... My two 14-fretters are normal 25.5" scale length. My parlour is a 12 fret 24" scale length. I haven't tried the typical 24.75" but I think that would be the winner for me. 24" is so easy to play but that bit more "flappy" and the 25.5" is that tad more difficult to play but belts it out - so I think the middle ground would be good.

Upon first listen, 12 fret sounded much better to me. 14 is stiffer. BUT upon further listening, 14-fret brings out more harmonic content. I would still go for 12 fret owing to more natural arm position.

Scalloping. Braced gives so much more bass response but I stand by earlier comment that non-scalloped can strum harder and handle dropped tunings better, plus has a bit more "quack" (or satisfying "pluck"). Not sure which I prefer - my scalloped bracing guitar still needs to age.

I think then... my next ultimate guitar would have to be a 12-fret cutaway (again probably sitka spruce + mahogany as I like the sound), 24.75" scale length with Venetian cutaway and an OO size - which sits nicely between a parlour and an OM. I suspect such a thing would have to be a custom order.

Also I must say I wouldn't say no to revisiting a quality nylon string in future.

drofluf · March 2023

thomasross20 said:

I think then... my next ultimate guitar would have to be a 12-fret cutaway (again probably sitka spruce + mahogany as I like the sound), 24.75" scale length with Venetian cutaway and an OO size - which sits nicely between a parlour and an OM. I suspect such a thing would have to be a custom order.

I think there’s an example of what you want towards the bottom of page 4 of this thread https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/243431/what-is-a-british-guitar-upcoming-ngd#latest

thomasross20 · March 2023

Ooh... I must say that Brook have a LOT of options. Still haven't played one

Soupman · March 2023

@thomasross20 ; I'm intrigued - how many 'next ultimate guitars' have there been? .....

thomasross20 · March 2023

Hahahaha heavens I know... Even electric, I'm down to two and have been swithering about selling the lot (!) yet even there I could condense into one as now know what I really like.

Definitely getting to learn more what I'm into as I play more. I'm intrigued with this Bhilwara wood which is meant to be a mix between rosewood & mahogany

Tannin · March 2023

Soupman said:

@thomasross20 ; I'm intrigued - how many 'next ultimate guitars' have there been? .....

I dunno. Is today Wednesday?

Mellish · March 2023

Until you get to the ultimate ultimate, you've not passed go

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Acoustic comfort

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