Guitar neck for smaller hands and big chords

[Mr. Pocket]

I am in the market for a new guitar, because I have never enjoyed playing my epiphone les paul sitting down. It isn't comfortable for me for longer practice sessions. I've had one electric guitar for 16 years and its frets are worn and I am also looking for a new sound. I am trying to play some Ted Greene chord arrangements and I've found some of the chords aren't accessible to me unless I angle the guitar neck up toward my head. Is there a neck shape / scale length that is better for these stretches with smaller hands? I've wanted a telecaster for a long time, but I'm wondering if the longer scale will make it even harder. I don't have access to a guitar store at the moment, or I would go play some! I don't have really tiny hands, and I can play any normal chord voicing but the 5-6 fret stretches kill my hands. I'm wondering if a semi-hollow short scale guitar would suit me best.

If anyone else with smallish hands could chime in, I would appreciate it!

[oldane]

Something with a shorter scale like Byrdland.

[nickyboy]

Something with a shorter like Byrdland.

From what I've read, the Byrdland was pretty much built with the shorter scale for this very reason.
A cheaper short scale option could be the Gibson Midtown Kalamazoo...sadly no longer in production!

[GNAPPI]

I think the double cut ES-150's are ideal with their thin necks for folks with small hands. I've seen them go for ~$2000 which is half the price of a Byrdland. Also the Gibson Midtown Kalamazoo has a 23 1/2" scale length and can be had for even less than the ES-150.

Of course as mentioned above there's the excellent Byrdland if you have the funds.

[s1track3d]

I'd say look for a 1 9/16th's neck width with a thin neck profile and small flat low frets. I have a mid 1990's Epiphone Casino like this, I have also heard of some Epiphone Sorrento's with the same profile/width.

[DanielleOM]

I found myself preferring guitars with 25" scale. With shorter scales I found my hands feeling cramped and looking for room when playing chord melody on higher fret positions.

Danielle

[fws6]

It is not just scale length. You say you can make the stretch if you move the neck upwards ( so your thumb will be lower ). Thus I figure it is mostly the 'bulk' of the LP neck getting in the way ? Maybe just look for something with a nicer neck profile to fit your (small) hands better


when players came into John DAngelicos shop , he would trace their hand to be able to carve a neck that would fit them best. Any wishes the customer had were carefully disregarded.

What other things are you looking for in your new guitar sound ?

[Marty Grass]

Most of the older Heritage archtops had thin necks.

The Heritage H576 is a 16" guitar with a 24.75" scale and a 2 3/4" depth. They almost always have thin necks and are great for those with small hands.

There are many others.

[Mr. Pocket]

I should have mentioned my budget is under $1000. I can wait and save more for the right guitar though. I've had my epiphone lp for so long now I can play it a while longer . Playing with a strap helps, but strains my neck after a while of sitting with it.

So, as for sound I really like how telecasters sound, but I also love dry and punchy archtop tones. I have the amp thing covered. Actually I could probably stand to sell a couple and put the money towards a new guitar.

[mrcee]

I've got normal sized hands but the tip of my left pinky got cut off in an accident. I lost around 3/8". I play a Tele and don't have any problem. There are people that have watched me play for hours that don't notice it. There are some stretched out chords that I can't do. I don't think it's a case of sour grapes but most of those chords don't seem to be that usable for how I play anyway. I see players with unusually long fingers play some chords that seem to be more for visual effect than musical. Again, I don't think that this is jealousy on my part. Joe Pass, who didn't have large hands, tended to favor chords without large stretches from what I've seen. Emily Remler had smallish hands. Jimmy Bruno from what I can tell from videos doesn't appear to me to have large hands. And then of course there's Django. I'm not saying that a Byrdland wouldn't be great though. I'd like to see more short scale guitars on the market. I've gone through Ted Greene's Chord Chemistry and many if not most of those chords were difficult or impossible for me, although useful to study and adapt to what I can do. The same goes for Mickey Baker vol. 2. I'm not sure if a short scale guitar would make much difference for me with those chords though.

[wolflen]

ok..having a les paul and being a former student of ted greene I understand your "discovery" that tilting the neck in an upright position aids in forming difficult chord shapes .. watch some UTube of ted, john stowell, joe diorio..they play with the neck in an up-tilt position and form some incredible chords..

changing guitars..neck size etc will not make forming those chords easier..as you have discovered the natural tendacy is to tilt the neck up which forces your hand to adjust, your thumb behind the neck, the arch of your hand and wrist..so now your fingers are "on top" of the fretboard and not reaching around it from the bottom.giving you more freedom to stretch for those chords..

ted used a tele (he had many of them) and would even raise the neck even higher to get chords that were higher on the fretboard..

also a "set up" les paul-(adjusted action-you can get low action/light string guage-.10..adjusted intonation-and nut adjustment..width and height) also a change of pickups and some amp settings will make a world of difference in the sound..also the "paul" has a short neck already 24.75 I believe..the tele has a 25.5 and many others have a 25+..so now the chord forms that are low on the neck (frets 1-4) may require some extra effort

do play some "set up" guitars to feel/hear the difference..

[mr. beaumont]

This is not a scale length issue, it's an issue of technique.

If getting the neck up works, there's a reason.

Think about it...it's like a difference of one fret, Fender scale versus Gibson scale...

So you find a stretchy chord, like this Gm6/9 voicing: x 7 7 3 3 3

Ok, you can't play it on your tele, you can play it on the Gibson. So what? What if you want to use it as an F#m6/9 some day? The problem returns.

[Doctor Jeff]

I would recommend a Godin 5th Avenue-type guitar as the most comfortable archtop to play hands down. The neck is fairly narrow but not too narrow, the beveled fretboard edge makes it easy to fret, and it is super lightweight. And well within your price range.

I have about 12 guitars right now of various types and when I just want to sit on the couch and relax the Godin is what I reach for.

I'm a big Tele fan as well and find it pretty comfortable to play, but it's a different feel from the Godin. I don't think it's as comfortable all up and down the fretboard with all chord formations as the Godin.

My Peerless Sunset also hits all the right ergonomics--very lightweight. I think many thinline 16" hollows would fit the bill.

[Longways to Go]

some of those stretches are darn tough! just sayin'

[citizenk74]

Among shorter scale, well balanced guitars with tonal versatility, I recommend the Fender Jaguar. I like my '64 a lot.

[neatomic]

yep..fender jag..24" scale

joe pass with one





if on a budget (or just want to test the waters), look into the squier vm jaguar..real good bang for the $$$

cheers

ps- to the op..since you mentioned wanting tele..the jag will give you that bright tele bridge tone...and a little fuller warmer neck tone..with the ease of a smaller neck..jaguar was leo fenders top of the line guitar when issued..to this day, sort of an undiscovered gem

[Mr. Pocket]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I agree it's a matter of technique, and getting the guitar into a classical position helps. It's really just that the LP is heavy and hard to use sitting with a strap, and the body shape isn't good for between the legs either. I do my own setup on my guitar, I just put some DR blues on and adjusted the intonation a few minutes ago. The saddles are maxed out in both directions so when it no longer intonates perfectly it's time for a new axe.

[mrcee]

Among shorter scale, well balanced guitars with tonal versatility, I recommend the Fender Jaguar. I like my '64 a lot.

Really? It sounds like the Jag could be a good call.
And Joe Pass did tend to play with the neck up, and a strap. Maybe that was to help compensate for not having large hands.

[Greentone]

Get a Fender Jaguar and put some TI Jazz Swing 12 gauge flat wounds on it. You will get the tone Joe Pass was getting and you will be able to make the chordal stretches even with smaller hands.

[Marty Grass]

This is not a scale length issue, it's an issue of technique.

If getting the neck up works, there's a reason.

Think about it...it's like a difference of one fret, Fender scale versus Gibson scale...

So you find a stretchy chord, like this Gm6/9 voicing: x 7 7 3 3 3

Ok, you can't play it on your tele, you can play it on the Gibson. So what? What if you want to use it as an F#m6/9 some day? The problem returns.

The goal posts will keep moving. So yes, I can play that stretchy chord. But now I have to play it quickly. And then I'll have to learn how to play it tastefully. Yikes.

[Frethack]

From what I've read, the Byrdland was pretty much built with the shorter scale for this very reason.
A cheaper short scale option could be the Gibson Midtown Kalamazoo...sadly no longer in production!

I just played one of those in a shop. That is a sweet guitar. Its calling me. Very easy to play. Find one. Buy it.

[pingu]

This is not a scale length issue, it's an issue of technique.

If getting the neck up works, there's a reason.

Think about it...it's like a difference of one fret, Fender scale versus Gibson scale...

So you find a stretchy chord, like this Gm6/9 voicing: x 7 7 3 3 3

Ok, you can't play it on your tele, you can play it on the Gibson. So what? What if you want to use it as an F#m6/9 some day? The problem returns.

totally mr B .... totally !

[Marty Grass]

Really? It sounds like the Jag could be a good call.
And Joe Pass did tend to play with the neck up, and a strap. Maybe that was to help compensate for not having large hands.

Having the neck up helps keep your wrist straight, particularly when you keep your thumb behind the neck. It gives best mechanical advantage and reduces the risk of overuse injuries as well.

A strap gives consistent positioning of the guitar. A stool, a knee cushion, and other approaches can do the same.

Some guys don't need any of this. I do.

[medblues]

I am in the market for a new guitar, because I have never enjoyed playing my epiphone les paul sitting down. It isn't comfortable for me for longer practice sessions. I've had one electric guitar for 16 years and its frets are worn and I am also looking for a new sound. I am trying to play some Ted Greene chord arrangements and I've found some of the chords aren't accessible to me unless I angle the guitar neck up toward my head. Is there a neck shape / scale length that is better for these stretches with smaller hands? I've wanted a telecaster for a long time, but I'm wondering if the longer scale will make it even harder. I don't have access to a guitar store at the moment, or I would go play some! I don't have really tiny hands, and I can play any normal chord voicing but the 5-6 fret stretches kill my hands. I'm wondering if a semi-hollow short scale guitar would suit me best.

If anyone else with smallish hands could chime in, I would appreciate it!

How about buying a Tele, using higher gauge strings and tuning down to C, C# or D ? You lost a few of the highest frets but your reach improved without having to switch to mandolin or ukulele. (This is what I was planning to do to a longer scale bass whose other specs I really liked).

[Longways to Go]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I agree it's a matter of technique, and getting the guitar into a classical position helps. It's really just that the LP is heavy and hard to use sitting with a strap, and the body shape isn't good for between the legs either. I do my own setup on my guitar, I just put some DR blues on and adjusted the intonation a few minutes ago. The saddles are maxed out in both directions so when it no longer intonates perfectly it's time for a new axe.

I totally get not fitting well with the LP shape. I sold mine for the same reason, even though it had a very nice sound!
I get along much better with 335 style body, Gibson Midtown, and bigger hollowbody shapes FYI.
Strats work well for me too

Somehow those LPs just slide right down my lap LOL