Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Re: Taylor Guitars and Repetitive Strain Injury
Date: 29 Sep 1995 22:25:10 GMT


BA Kimsey writes:

FWIW, I play with a very straight wrist and my thumb's right behind the
neck.  Proper posture is all well and good, and in fact, I nearly always
use a psuedo-classical position when sitting.  Standing up, though, is a
killer.  Proper posture is virtually impossible then.  I've done a lot of
sitting down on stage, but the stage presence just isn't the same.

**********

Excellent point.  If you put the guitar on your LEFT leg and
stick your left foot on a stool, and angle the neck up
like classical players do, you can put your thumb behind
the neck in "proper" position and end up with a mild
wrist angle.  BUT-  if you put the guitar on the right
leg, the wrist angle becomes more severe, and if you
stand with a strap (especially if the guitar hangs low)
it will create a much greater wrist angle if the thumb
is kept behind the neck.  In these situations, cradling
the neck in the palm of the hand (though impossible
for many bar chords) will create a nearly straight
wrist angle.


We must remember that the angle and style of play will
make a BIG difference in causing or alleviating pain
problems.


Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic
Subject: Re: Taylor Guitars and Repetitive Strain Injury
Date: 27 Sep 1995 10:30:39 GMT

I like the feel of my Taylor 710c neck quite a bunch. Something I've 
noticed is that using the thumb behind the neck (like classical players
are taught) instead of puting the neck in the palm(web between thumb and
fingers) is much better for keeping your wrist straight and so much
better for avoiding stress injuryes. The 4 string F chord is a good example
of this, check it out. Many other chords don't affect the wrist this way.