I too have very sore hands, from a career in barbering.
Recently our local luthier suggested I re-fret my J45 with taller frets. I was very sceptical, but at the time couldn’t even do the buttons up on my shirt from so much weakness and pain in my hands. I went for it, and the re-fret was all done to literal perfection using a PLEK machine. I now notice a few favourable things about the taller fret concept for acoustics:
1. Significantly less pressure required to bar chords, or hold any chord for that matter
2. Action a little higher near the 12th fret, which took a slight adjustment. Also sliding up and down the fretboard had initially felt strange and obstructed, but now not at all noticeable.
3. The playing experience feels… different. At first I panicked, and felt like I had made a terrible mistake, however I’ve quickly grown accustomed to the feel, and now really enjoy it.
4. I can play for longer, with more clarity and consequently more enjoyment
5. To my ear, tone is nearly if not identical.
Not going to recommend this for anyone but the poor bastards who, like myself, play guitar as a way of being, and absolutely must continue to connect with the emotional, spiritual and mental health benefits of playing guitar.
