Fat Fingers - seeking advice

** reposted since my title was misspelled **

Finally, after 66 years of wanting to play a musical instrument, I purchased a steel-string acoustic guitar. I choose an acoustic guitar for portability without the need for power. My interest is simply to learn a dozen or more sounds to play for my family - no big "rock star" dreams!

[br]About the guitar I purchased (and can be returned). It's a 41" inexpensive beginner model guitar by bcp. I found no specs on the neck but I measure about 45mm.

[br]So I subscribed here to begin learning and practice. I got stuck at Guitar Fundamental II when for the first time attempting to finger any string without touching adjacent ones. With my 2nd or 3rd left hand finger pointed straight into the fret and angled to be the narrowest, I still have at best a paper-width space to each adjacent string.

[br]So after googling "fat fingers", I seem to be left with several options.

[br]1) Learn to play using alternate fingers and/or better control. I suspect that there are many others with large fingers are great guitarist.

[br]2) Switch to a nylon string guitar since it has a wider fretboard. I may still need to deal with my index finger but should give me more clearance. I read that a wider spacing makes it harder to reach chords but my hands are larger as well.

[br]3) Buy a 12 string steel guitar and remove each duplicate string. Since the fretboard wider, with the extra strings removed, I would have more space between the remaining 6 strings. Is this crazy?

[br]4) Time to consider another stringed instrument.

[br]Thanks in advance.

[br]Jim

Hi Jim,

Fingers come in all sizes. there are many guitar players that have done quite well with large digits. BB King and Roy Clark to name a few. [br]it's all a matter of adjustments which we all have to deal with, but a guitar with a wider neck might be the best option for you. It doesn't have to be nylon string if you go to your local store explain your situation to them and they can help you find something more suitable. [br][br]

If you ask some of the instructors directly or even show them a pic or video they might be able to help you with the adjustments and yes using alternate fingering which you may have to do later on in the course anyway is a good idea as well. You'll find there are a few ways to make a G chord. [br][br]You may find that those large fingers can be a plus for you as it will help with muting certain strings and you'll be able to fret two strings at a time like say for instance on the A chord. That will come in handy for you. [br][br]

Just please don't consider option 3 or 4. A 12 string guitar is a beautiful sounding instrument that needs to be played as such. One that I hope to acquire someday and I'd imagine you'd have the same problem with option four unless you want to play the ukulele or bass guitar. [br][br]

Good luck in your research. [br][br]

Moe

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: alljerseystudiosnj

1) Learn to play using alternate fingers and/or better control. I suspect that there are many others with large fingers are great guitarist.[/quote]

Yes, there are. A lot of beginner guitar struggles are solved by repetitious practice. :)

Originally Posted by: gregmchir[br]2) Switch to a nylon string guitar since it has a wider fretboard. I may still need to deal with my index finger but should give me more clearance. I read that a wider spacing makes it harder to reach chords but my hands are larger as well.

[/quote]

This is a good option. Classical nylon string guitars do typically have much wider string spacing. But before you buy any guitar you should try as many as possible. Go to some music stores & explain that you are looking for guitars specifically with wide string spacing to accomodate big fingers. Try as many guitar as possible to see what feels good in your hands. It's not necessary to be able to play a lot or play well yet in order to judge this.

[quote=gregmchir][br]3) Buy a 12 string steel guitar and remove each duplicate string. Since the fretboard wider, with the extra strings removed, I would have more space between the remaining 6 strings. Is this crazy?

I'm not convinced that any given 12 string guitar will solve your problem. Many of them have the same fretboard width as other guitars, they simply cram more strings in the same space. The idea behind the 12 string is that you can adjust normal playing technique so that any finger that covers one string will also cover 2 strings.

I suppose it's possible, but seems unlikely as a solution.

[quote=gregmchir][br]4) Time to consider another stringed instrument.

Bass guitar has much wider string spacing. But I encourage you to shop for a wide neck before you give up completely on guitar.

Hope that helps! Best of success!

Thanks so much for your replies. Great advice. I'll make an appointment at my local Guitar Center.

Question, fat fingers here also, cant even get to the first cord taught! tried bending all that, by arms dont work that direction, but I bought an electric, wanting a hobby, and wanting to learn. I want to learn for me. and maybe make a few people happy sometimes. Alternate fingering is a long way in the vids, I have very strong arms, always had a job lifting things. I like it keeps me healthy, but almost getting ready to say hey I cant do this, problem is I already set goals. so any adivice for big guys fat fingers, besides buying another, I an open to advice. my wrists hurt now, big baby.....learning has its cost.

I just turned 50 and have also recently started the guitar journey. I don't have a fix but the way I face similar challenges (finger stretches, cramps, wrist pain, etc...) is understanding that other people have had the same issues and gotten through it somehow. As crazy as it may sound that thought gives me comfort and motivation. I find each day the main issue I previously faced diminishes even though sometimes it is ever so slightly.

Sometimes the journey is the destination.

Originally Posted by: Sour_Note the journey is the destination.

[br]Well said.

That's the quintessence of enjoying the learning of and actually playing guitar IMV&PE. Of particular relevance to those initially kicking off or restarting yet once again on that journey later in life.

[br]Regardless the motivation which may have fired up enthusiasm to commence the journey, once that initial novelty and enthusiasm has faded as it predictably will given human nature, if the primary reason for playing doesn't in time [u]become[/u] the intrinsic joy of playing -including the difficulties and their overcoming thereoff in learning the instrument, it's a very hard road where the many obstacles which naturally present and frustrate will provide emotional incentive to abandon the journey time and time again.

[br]Whilst realistic progressive goal setting of objectives is fine and necessary, enjoying the journey is paramount. [u]All[/u] of it. The critical keys I personally abide by are [u]repetition[/u] and [u]persistence[/u]. The 'mother' and 'father' of 'skill'. Other then the prodigy or savant -usually youthful, everyone else just has to put in the work, including the repetitious slog.

Didactic illustration of what has served me sucessfully.[br][br]

Originally Posted by: alljerseystudiosnjSo after googling "fat fingers", I seem to be left with several options.

Jim

5) None of the above

@alljerseystudiosnj "Fat fingers"? It could well be. However, for your consideration. That BCP 41" acoustic as previously sold on Amazon and Walmart. I'm pretty sure that's the same acoustic sold by ALDI here in AU and under other rebrands on eBay. I've played one. Cheap and [u]nasty[/u]. I'm no 'name brand' guitar snob as anyone here who've read my previous posts knows, but those are simply horrible -[u]understatement[/u].

No offence, but assuming the guitar is as mentioned above further depicted below, the guitar is junk. You [u]need a better tool if you are to avoid frustration[/u]. See paragraph below notated NB: for more.[br][br]

A decent tool is prerequisite to this journey. Go to a guitar store if you can and seek experienced advice from a CSR who isn't a push-sell what's on the shelf in store type. S/he'll reveal your 'fat fingers' impediment to learning as either fact or newbie difficulty misperception along with the solution. If your budget is restrictive, tell them that. A decent playing and sounding guitar can be had for remarkably few dollars these days. Guitar fit is as imperative as glove or shoe fit IMPE. Don't give it away without exploring that avenue first. It may well be that you have sausage fingers, but it's a fair chance the frustration and issue you are [u]currently[/u] experiencing is partly due to finger pressure attributable to that tool. In store enquiry and trial will reveal. GL.[br][br]NB: If it is the guitar I surmise it is, hidden under that thin veneer of acrylic laquer the body is hot glued fibre board as is its scant bracing. Disregarding the impact of that on tone (dull), and here's the important part impacting your learning journey, it has [u]narrow low profile frets[/u] the impact of which on fretting is exacerbated by being fitted with heavy gauge 'barbed wire' strings OOTB. Their string spacing is regular at around 11mm from memory, but those other characteristics see [u]abnormal tip pressure and finger strength required[/u] to fret, something adverse to anyone, and particularly a beginner. The bridge is a crock. See those two 'pearloid' inlays below the string pins on the bridge. They hide two 3mm bolts which is all that is holding that bridge to the poorly hot glued bracing underneath. Send it back if you can.