narrow neck?

I have been playing as a complete beginner for a few months with some minor success, although I am struggling with my left hand hitting the frets correctly, and it often sounds clunky, particularly with chords. I am using a standard sized acoustic guitar with a 42mm neck, but I have long thin fingers, so was wondering if in fact the neck is too narrow? Sometimes I feel I just cant hit the frets correctly. May just be poor techinque too... Can you get wider necked guitars and is it worth trying one out? I don't know if a wider neck can be better for people with long and/or fat fingers.

Many thanks

Jonny

Since you are just a few months into learning guitar, know that your skill level will continue to grow as long as you practice, practice, practice..... (did I mention Practice?) You might find that your standard guitar ends up fitting in the long run. I have seen some very large people play very small Mandolins with great skill. Or not.

However, you are ready to start answering the magic question... what guitar is the best all round fit for you as an individual. People spend a lifetime answering that question. Diffrent guitars are better suited for diffrent styles of playing. You will be amazed at how many styles of guitar there are, and you will find at least one that really fits, sooner or later.

Go to a guitar shop and try a bunch of guitars, you are really the only person who can answer this question. Go glad hand a bunch of guitars, you will probably enjoy the experience. Take your time, enjoy the ride, ask a lot of questions to the people in the know. Become knowledgable. Surf the interwebz. Listen to the people who inspire you, what ax do they play? Try them all!!

This is actualy an important part of how you develop as a musician. You will begin to understand more about the nature of diffrent guitars. There is a lot of varriation. Keep trying them until you find one that really fits what you want... that guitar, is the right guitar for you.

And now for the "Informed Consent" portion of this speal....

Understand...it may not be the last guitar you end up buying. G.A.S. is real and the world is full of aluring guitars. I have a friend who ended up having to remodel his house so he could store all his guitars securly. So, this may not be a "One and Done" situation at all...

Originally Posted by: jdrayson

I have been playing as a complete beginner for a few months with some minor success, although I am struggling with my left hand hitting the frets correctly, and it often sounds clunky, particularly with chords. I am using a standard sized acoustic guitar with a 42mm neck, but I have long thin fingers, so was wondering if in fact the neck is too narrow? Sometimes I feel I just cant hit the frets correctly. May just be poor techinque too... Can you get wider necked guitars and is it worth trying one out? I don't know if a wider neck can be better for people with long and/or fat fingers.

Many thanks

Jonny

I'll start with this; see the guy with the mandolin? He's about 6'3" and a monster at the instument.

Why I start with that is to give you a perspective of big hands and small neck. That mandolin neck is tiny (I have one and it is) and his fingers are quite long.

So, I'm sure you get the point here; neck and finger length are not really a major issue overall. In the short term, it may present a challenge in feeling a little clumsy at times but the truth is; all guitar players feel clumsy when starting out. Remove from your post that you have longer hands and a small neck and leave the rest and what you posed is pretty much the same as the majority of new guitar players challenge as well.

We all have challenges at the outset. Way back when, when I started, it was more natural to me than I would have expected but even with that in mind, fretting chords and notes took time and practice.

So, I'm not trying sound discouraging. The opposite, really. Keep in mind tht all guitr players at some level, when starting out, felt the same way due to fingers that were (too big, too smal, too fat, artheritic and so on). You've joined the guitar playing club! Welcome!

Truth is, once you get over the clumsy hump, you'll come to find that the longer fingers are a definite advantage.

Thanks both of you, that seems like just the sensible pragmatic reply I thought you might give. I will just continue practising!

A thin neck makes it easier for small hands to reach the strings and may feel more comfortable to play.

prepaidcardstatus

My first acoustic guitar had a 43mm neck, and I think my stratocaster has 42mm or so. At some point I wanted to buy a better acoustic, but the one I had in mind had a 45mm neck and I was worried that this might actually be too wide for my small hands. But guess what, even with short fingers this neck, FOR ME, is actually more comfortable to play, than the guitar with the narrower neck. Having said that, for barre chords for example it makes absolutely no difference because the difference in width further up the neck wil eventually cancel out.

But this is all personal, and in the end, I really think this is a minor matter and definitely no make or break either way. In any case it's only a matter up at the first frets - down towards the bridge most western acoustic guitars have more or less the same width (correct me if I'm wrong). Try out different guitars if you must and practice!