Low-slung guitars -- does anyone really find it comfortable?

[phoenix 7]

Nothing looks cooler than a low-slung electric guitar, a la Jimmy Page. But ergonomically I find it much less comfortable for my fretting wrist than playing at medium height, especially for playing technically challenging stuff all over the fretboard. (Which I guess is why guys like Hendrix wore their guitars fairly high). Having dealt with some playing injuries over the years and read books on musicians' health, from a physiological perspective maintaining a straight fretting wrist is objectively easier on the tendons. So I'm wondering, do people find any reason -- other than the undeniable cool factor -- for slinging a guitar low?

 

[partsocaster]

My buddies bust my balls for playing low slung but I like the guitar there, just more comfortable to play it. It is definitely harder to fret above the 15th but for wringing out double stops and playing chords, I have no problems at all.

Definitely easier with a Fender type guitar than a Paul though, my current number one weights just over 10 pounds so it's a little tougher on me but I deal.

 

[scott]

my rule is if your in a rock band its gotta cover your crotch.
Jazzers, well......I dont play jazz

 

[phoenix 7]

my rule is if your in a rock band its gotta cover your crotch.
Jazzers, well......I dont play jazz

Isn't it more rock and roll to show your crotch?



Actually, medium height seems to cover the crotch pretty well.

 

[vanderkalin]

no, no one finds it comfortable, its just for looks. look at studio shots of Jimmy Page even, he wore it alot higher than he did live.

 

[chrisrocksusa]

I like my guitar wedged comfortably under my armpit

 

[chrisrocksusa]

actually this thread reminds me of the mouth-breathing retards over at the ESP forum (they're all like 15)

there are several threads about perfecting the james hetfield pose

i had never seen anything so stupid in my life.

not the pose, rather the obsession with wanting to play like that b/c 'jaymz' does.

 

[guzman]

For the kind of stuff I play, yes, I find it more comfortable.

 

[Jon C]

uncomfortable and on many, looks stupid.

 

[shane8]

i play as lo as i can and still play if that helps

 

[John C]

I don't have those long simian arms like Page, Waddy and those other guys. I'm stuck with short T-rex arms so I have to play up like Steve Howe.

That being said nothing looks cooler than a low slung Les Paul.

 

[walterw]

hanging 'em low makes them more comfortable for me, especially on the right hand. i'm not any kind of technical player, though; it's all "thumb over the neck" blues rock for me.

as a side point, how about single-cut vs. double cut guitars? i gotta have single-cuts, so it's a les paul and a tele for me. strats hang too far under the picking arm, i like guitars where the body hangs straight down.

i remember an early EVH interview where he talked about how les pauls looked dumb unless they were slung lower than he liked, which is one reason he went with the strat shape. (to me, strats look dumb if slung too low.)

 

[DrumBob]

My shirt size is 16x32. I can't sling it low. Don't want to anyway. Very uncomfortable.

 

[NoBrakes]

I have long arms... Long shirtsleeves get too short after one washing... lower is just me natural...

 

[TubeStack]

I don't wear my LP super low, but low-ish. I like it for picking hand comfort, and it just generally feels better. My fretting hand and forearm also sits in the perfect spot.

 

[Bhodie]

Hehe. Try it with a 335!

Not.....

 

[Pietro]

I wear it so high I look like an über-dork... I like it that way. I learned how to do that from Steve Howe.

I knew a guy who wore it so low that he couldn't actually reach the volume pot or switch on his guitar... insane...

 

[cheetah77]

If your guitar isn't touching your junk, you're not playing rock n' roll.

 

[chrisrocksusa]

If your guitar isn't touching your junk, you're not playing rock n' roll.

this guy disagrees

 

[TubeStack]

this guy disagrees

No, he proves the point.