How low or how high is right?

Where does your guitar should be hanging? High or low?

I've seen guys like:

James Heatfield (Knee low guitar, plays rythm)
Nuno Bettencourt (great shred at pretty low altittude)
Zack Wilde (low guitar shredder)

All of the above play with their isntrument strapped pretty damn low

Now for example, (everybody bow down your heads)...

John Petrucci, he plays with his guitar so high...

I mean in technicwise I found that higher is better for me (is more relaxed), I can pick faster and fret better, but I think I have a problem cause I practice a lot sitting and when I stand up I found trouble playing with the same quality.

Is this a matter of getting used to it?, Arm lenght?, the way you arc your fretting hand? finger lenght?

Any ideas bout this?

You can sling the guitar wherever works. Like you say, some play with it slung around their ankles, some with it resting under their chins...

What you need to do is find a comfortable position that doesn't strain your wrists. If you try to shred with your guitar on the floor, you're asking for trouble with tendons in my opinion.

I recommend playing sat down with your guitar strapped on, and not resting on your knee. That way when you stand up, the guitar is still in the same place...

I play with mine in the middle of my abdomen - not as high as Petrucci, but not as low as Hetfield. I find that position the most comfortable for my wrists, and it places the neck within easy reach of my rather short arms. But, like Ren said, it's all a matter of personal comfort.

The strap on my strat is pretty short, so I just put it as low as it can possibly go and it ends up pretty much where I'm most comfortable playing anyway. It's all in the comfort.

As the others have said, you should play at a lvel comfortable to you. It's important to play at the same level sitting and standing. There is simply no point in learning how to play two different ways.

You should play at a comfortable position with no strain on your wrists as Ren mentioned as well. I play with my guitar at a moderate to high level making sure that I don't have to stress my muscles to make any extra effort to reach the notes.

What the others said. There is no right height, just whatever works best for you. Most shredders and jazz guitarists actually hold their guitars from the hip to mid chest height to allow their fretting fingers to move quickly without putting strain on the wrist. Rhythm players like Hettfield who mostly play powerchords don't have to worry about huge stretches and fast runs so it is much easier to play down low. Then again, it depends on body mechanics such as the flexibility of your wrist joint and tendons, length and striength of your fingers etc. My $2.02c!

Most lead guitarists of metal and rock bands wear their guitars low because it "looks cool".... But you'll notice that whenever they have to play a hard part they get into what has been commonly called their "power stance"... Normally they'll hold the neck of the guitar up so that the fretboard is higher. That way they can play the fast runs easier... Zakk Wylde and Slash are both known for this. Just do what feels best to you... I wear mine right about in between.... So my belt buckle is about right in the middle of hte back of my guitar.... I do the "power stance" thing as well though... It makes some of those fast runs a lot easier to pull off... and it "looks cool".

yea in my opinion, its all about comfort and feeling right

I do a Morello. My guitars sit pretty high up...usually the lower bout is way above my waiste...I look like a tool, but I play better up there.

Originally Posted by: Andrew SaI look like a tool, but I play better up there.

Amen.... I can't play with it slung low.... ;)

Wait a second - do you think that the reason I've been having so much trouble is because I keep the guitar on the floor and strum with my elbow? Hmm. I'm going to have to work on my stance. :D

Seriously though, I tend to keep mine high when I play. It's just easier that way. Not too worried about looking cool. That window closed on me about twenty years ago. Now I strive not to look like a complete idiot. Which is actually harder than you might think. ;)

I tend to play low. But I am 6'4" with long monkey arms, so it feels better to me this way. I am not worried about looking "cool"! I've seen many a guitarist over the years that looked cool but couldnt play sheeeeeeeot!

I wear my guitar like a necklace, Petrucci style! I cant play with it low, I dont know how Billy Gibbons and Zakk Wylde do it.

play rythm low, pull it up by standin one leg on the amp when i play lead

Originally Posted by: BLS33I wear my guitar like a necklace, Petrucci style! I cant play with it low, I dont know how Billy Gibbons and Zakk Wylde do it.

not as clue dude... if I did that I think my fretting hand would never return to its original position.

I wear mine just below chest hight, ie the upper portion of my chest is just visible. this is a typical jazz height. I don't need to get in to any contorted shape to play fast runs since i have found the best positipon for me to play.
My advice. try playing a fast scale or riff with theguitar at different heights and then play some chords at that hat, you'll find the most comfortable stance for you.

Ha superhuman i get 5 bucks worth. lol

I wear mine waist height but it doesn't really matter. It generally gets harder to play the lower down it is so you should start high and gradually get lower as you improve. Just wear it where it is comfy for you.