johnarensberg Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Hi all. Newbie here. Just learning to play electric guitar. I have short fat fingers. Would one of Gibson's be easier to play? Which model has the most distance between strings and frets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 That would be a bass. The rest are almost identicle in respect to fret and string spacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Go to your local shop and try a load out... Its the only way you will know! Welcome to the forums! Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnarensberg Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Wish it was easy for me to go to a shop and try some out. That would be about a 3-4hr drive into Denver for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovegibsons Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 it depends what you're used to. If you are used to the Tele/Strat shape, an SG will feel best AT FIRST Likewise, an LP shape will feel better to a guitarist who is used to the LP shape Vs and Explorers are Generally awkward, but look really cool. Firebirds: You either like 'em or you hate 'em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Get a concert classical acoustic guitar. Very wide strings. After you get decent at that then move to one of the above mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninety1vee Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Vs and Explorers are Generally awkward' date=' but look really cool. [/quote'] your trippin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovegibsons Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Get a concert classical acoustic guitar. Very wide strings. After you get decent at that then move to one of the above mentioned. He has SHORT' date=' FAT fingers! He's trying to avoid wide spaces Look at this. It has a nice slim neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I would think fat fingers would bleed over easily to other strings and thus wider would be better. I guess it depends on how short. Even short fingers will reach across the neck of any guitar. Well it's still going to come down to trying a few different ones out. I'm also a bit partial to acoustics for beginners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Look at Shawn Lane...With all due respect, Shawn was massive. He must have been well over 350lbs near the end, but he still was amazing. In fact, all you shredders out there...he was the fastest shredder ever. Left guys like Malmsteen/Vai/Gilbert etc. in the dust. GuitarWorld mag actually measured riff speed and Shawn was the fastest. See??...even with sausage fingers, a little practice goes a loooong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninety1vee Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 (my standard response to "which guitar should i get?") get a V! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Check out BB King's fingers, or Freddie Kings. Fingers like little smokies, and they play rings aroung most people. Don't take it as a handicap. It sure hasn't slowed down those cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Yu'all are talking about experienced players. They could have started on a classical or something different too. Newbie is a beginner. Finding that sweet spot with the tips of your fingers takes time. IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Hi all. Newbie here. Just learning to play electric guitar. I have short fat fingers. Would one of Gibson's be easier to play? Which model has the most distance between strings and frets? Usally Takamines acoustics have very small fret radius, try thoses, If guitar is not your thing, try jazz basses, they have a very small nut as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 "Give a boy an old guitar he's gonna play it till his fingers bleed," Ray Wylie Hubbard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 JohnArensberg: You asked the right question. I agree that you need to try them out. One thing I can say is that Gibsons seem easier for a big handed player like me than the Fenders. But you really should try them out. A specific test I can recommend is to play different chords and see whether your fingers mute strings that shouldn't be muted. If you're a new player and that last statement doesn't make sense yet, then just ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 He has SHORT' date=' FAT fingers! He's trying to avoid wide spaces Look at this. It has a nice slim neck +1000 on the SG. I have a 1971 SG Standard and the neck is like a tooth pic... If the 61 reissue is anything like my 71 you be in heaven...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 +1 on the SG or a Gibson '60s slim taper neck. You may find that later on you don't need or like the slimmer neck. My fingers are kind of short and I am most comfortable with the '59 rounded profile. It's best to try several, take a trip into Denver one day and try several, it might be difficult and time consuming, but finding the right guitar is a very personal experience. My .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I don't think anyone mentioned lessons. Take some lessons and since you obviously have a computer, check out Gibson's Lessons on their websight. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Lessons/ If you're going to play electric, got to get a good amp. I'd recommend Gibson's Les Paul Jr. Goldtone GA-5 amp, or the similar Epiphone low-wattage amp. That'll get you going. Course if you don't want to go electric, be sure and check out Gibson's great line of acoustics like the new Songmaker Grand Concert Guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuro Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I know this is Heresy but if you have short fingers I recommend that you try out a Stratocaster. I think that the neck profile on Strats is almost perfect. Also they have that twang that many people such as myself love. Also, when getting a guitar, avoid one with paint on the back of the neck. Sure it looks cool, but it sticks to your hands and keeps you from moving your hand around the neck. Also I recommend that you start with a light guitar. If you like playing then you don't want to wear out your back from playing hours on end. :-k/ Although, if you are for some reason stuck on Gibson then get an Epiphone. They have a much more manageable price and they usually have a much slimmer neck than the same model from Gibson. Not bad for my first post huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovegibsons Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I know this is Heresy but if you have short fingers I recommend that you try out a Stratocaster. I think that the neck profile on Strats is almost perfect. Also they have that twang that many people such as myself love. Also' date=' when getting a guitar, avoid one with paint on the back of the neck. Sure it looks cool, but it sticks to your hands and keeps you from moving your hand around the neck. Also I recommend that you start with a light guitar. If you like playing then you don't want to wear out your back from playing hours on end. #-o/ Although, if you are for some reason stuck on Gibson then get an Epiphone. They have a much more manageable price and they usually have a much slimmer neck than the same model from Gibson. Not bad for my first post huh?[/quote'] Welcome to the forums. Not bad at all. Don't worry about strat advice. Most members of the forum own a strat as well as some kind of a Gibson! I don't understand your epi advice. If this guy has the cash for a USA, he should get one. Epi's are no easier to play than the 'real thing'. Good first post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I know this is Heresy but if you have short fingers I recommend that you try out a Stratocaster. I think that the neck profile on Strats is almost perfect. Also they have that twang that many people such as myself love. My American Stratocaster has a neck just as thick as a 50's LP neck. Also Strats have a longer scale at 25.5" not necessrily easier to play. Maybe specifiying which of the 100 Stratocaster models and neck profiles would help... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuro Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Welcome to the forums. Not bad at all. Don't worry about strat advice. Most members of the forum own a strat as well as some kind of a Gibson! I don't understand your epi advice. If this guy has the cash for a USA' date=' he should get one. Epi's are no easier to play than the 'real thing'. Good first post!:( [/quote'] Whenever I try out guitars at guitar center, i notice that the Epiphones have thinner necks. (At least of the ones I try.) I just can't stand the thick profile on most Gibsons unfortunately. (I make due when my Goldtop lust comes into the picture though) Also we're assuming he has the money to get whatever guitar in the world he wants too. Even if he does have the money, being a beginner he should probably limit the money he spends. Somebody brought up the longer neck length of the strat. I will admit that it does make it slightly harder to play fast, but it does make chording easier. I believe that is an equal trade off. Whichever way you prefer to play makes a difference there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuro Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 My American Stratocaster has a neck just as thick as a 50's LP neck. Also Strats have a longer scale at 25.5" not necessrily easier to play. Maybe specifiying which of the 100 Stratocaster models and neck profiles would help... You put it best. There are almost limitless configurations of the strat available. Good luck finding a specific model unless it is one of the more popular ones. I recommend going to a guitar center to try out lots of guitars to find the one right for you. (I recommend guitar center because they don't mind you trying out a dozen guitars or browsing. I have been kicked out of several music stores due to that unfortunately.) *EDIT* Also, ask the salesman if he can recommend any guitars with "C" shaped necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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