help needed

[Kramerguy]

Hi guys, me again-

 

So I got that Ovation Celebrity last week, strung it with martin light gauge (think .10's) , I had asked for the lightest strings available at the store and that's what they gave me.

 

The action is really great (low) and it plays great. Here's my problem.. I have carpal tunnel, and it's pretty bad.. I was diagnosed a year ago and have been "managing" it, but in the last two months it started getting worse. I don't want the surgery because of the risk factor (3-5% chance they can nick the nerves and end your music life). Overall, my hand gets very fatigued when playing, especially songs heavy in full bar chords.

 

How crazy would it be to string the ovation with .009 electric strings?? I know the purists of the world would lose their minds, but I did it once on an ibanez acoustic in an emergency lol, but never thought of it as a standard setup.

 

So thoughts?

[Krash]

It'll only cost you $5.00 or so to try it, but it will almost certainly sound like crap. Not nearly enough string tension to drive the top effectively. If it's the only way you can continue playing, go for it.

[Cortfan]

Tune your guitar (with the current strings) down a full step to D and try that. You can always put a capo on if you sing.

[Stackabones]

Tune your guitar (with the current strings) down 2 steps to D and try that. You can always put a capo on if you sing.

 

 

Good suggestion.

 

Definitely start using the capo to avoid the barres. Acoustics sound great with capos. Save your wrists tomorrow by capoing today.

[Kramerguy]

Good suggestion. Definitely start using the capo to avoid the barres. Acoustics sound great with capos. Save your wrists tomorrow by capoing today.

 

 

ok lol.. I will try that out, thanks guys

[seagullplayer77]

Tune your guitar (with the current strings) down 2 steps to D and try that. You can always put a capo on if you sing.

 

 

I'll echo Stackabones: good suggestion.

 

I actually think my Seagull sounds better when I've got everything tuned down a full step. It sounds warmer...a little more resonant, perhaps.

[pk1fan]

Another thing you could try is Silk & Bronze or Silk & Steel strings .
Have you tried any alternative treatment on your carpal tunnel ?
Check this out http://altmedicine.about.com/od/carpaltunnelsyndrome/a/carpal_tunnel.htm
I hope you find some relief and keep strumming:) .

[Kramerguy]

I've been taking the B6, B12, and wearing the wrist brace at night, and for most of the year, its been working... well, it's been effective for the most part at managing the fatigue and tingling. It all still happened, but seemed manageable. Just lately it seems worse, but I'm hoping it's just a "comes and goes" kind of thing instead of progressively getting worse.

[rhancox]

From my understanding of carpel tunnel, it's an irritation of the nerves as they pass through a little tunnel.

I know it could be drastic, but a doctor would tell you to stop causing the irritation if you don't want the surgery.

Let your wrists rest for a while!

If you find the right neurosurgeon, you shouldn't have anything to worry about with the surgery. Just do your homework finding one.

[roughtrade]

Too bad about the CT. Jimmy Bruno had that, he got the surgery, though.

[kimona]

Consult an experienced acupuncture physician for the carpal tunnel.

[andy thompson]

Only repeating what Ive read, but apparently rotosound do a 9 gauge.

95% success rate seams pretty good to me, although I know nothing about CT.

Hope you can find relief.

[totamus]

I suffered wit CT for years - LOTS of Ibuprofin really helps 1500 - 2000 mg per day. After years, I finally got the operation - Best thing I ever did!

 

Try the Ibuprofin...

[Cortfan]

I meant a full step, which is 2 frets. Senior moment.

[masterbuilt]

If pain persists and you want to play, a baritone uke is a lot of fun and tunes DGBE, like your guitar. You can learn to play one in one evening if you already play guitar.

[kwakatak]

Lots of good advice here. Id definitely suggest:

 

- silk & steel strings or something with a round core

- using a capo up the neck to replace barre chords

- foregoing bar chords altogether or learning a way to arch your index finger so that you're not wasting effort on notes that aren't being played

- not playing for extended periods, taking a break for a little while

 

Another issue may be the neck profile though. Have you tried any other guitars and if so, have you found them to be more comfortable. FWIW, I've always found Ovations to be ergonomically challenging. Not only the slipping bowl syndrome, but also a too-slim neck.

[boxorox]

I've read more than a few posts where people admit to the heresy of using light electric strings on their acoustics. So, whatever works for you. Another thought is a good set up. Seems if you could get those strings low as practical at the nut end it would give you a lot of relief. Lot's of good advice here, and whatever you choose to do, I hope it works for you. Take care of yourself.

[guitarist21]

All of the above advice is good: silk and steel strings, tuning down, capoing, etc. I can't stress enough the importance of taking breaks. If you're hurting, it's probably your body saying slow down.

[Kramerguy]

well guys, thanks for all the advice. I had strung the guitar with light gauge 10's from Martin, and had only bought the one pack to see if they were doo-able. Well... before I even got to plug it in at practice, I let someone (a young noob, not his fault I guess) check out my new git.. and he bent the high E down (hard) instead of up.. and thus past the neck binding and bam, jammed the string underneath the 12th fret. I knew the string would break soon as I released and tried to tune it.. and it did.

 

With no backup strings in that gauge, I just chopped them all off and restrung it with GHS 9's. The action was already so low that I could hear fret-buzz with the 10's.. and even more with the 9's, so I can't go any lower.

 

Anyways... The CT was killing me, even on D, G, C combos I was totally fatigued and lost feeling in my fingers constantly. To the point that my playing was sloppy and lathargic.

 

I think the CT has gone beyond management. I can play electric still, although even that is getting to be agonizing on an increasing basis.

 

So waah. Sorry to whine.. this is just a bummer.. I'm pretty sure my acoustic project will end, and even have to take a long break from all playing for the surgery. I think it's beyond the point of managing without.

 

Oddly enough, I can still do blazing solos and especially legatos on the electric with little to no fatigue at all. So basically, I can be a satriani soloist wanker lol...it's just holding down static chords that hurts

[RogueGnome]

Give up the acoustic.

You're an electric guy, anyway.

Get the surgery.

.010s are X-Lights

.012s are lights

[guitarist21]

Oddly enough, I can still do blazing solos and especially legatos on the electric with little to no fatigue at all. So basically, I can be a satriani soloist wanker lol...it's just holding down static chords that hurts

 

 

Hmm, this is interesting. Are you using more (so, possibly too much) pressure when you hold down chords? Is the shape of the Ovation neck uncomfortable compared to your electric?

[Kramerguy]

Hmm, this is interesting. Are you using more (so, possibly too much) pressure when you hold down chords? Is the shape of the Ovation neck uncomfortable compared to your electric?

 

 

not really, even applying the mildest of pressure causes twinges of pain and numbness (on any of my electrics as well). it's a bizarre feeling much like that tingling of an appendage falling asleep.. except it happens all day long now, even when I'm not doing anything. It's just getting a whole lot worse at a staggering pace now.. it's seemingly 3x worse today than it was 2 weeks ago..

 

I don't think I have much choice about the surgery at this point. I have no idea why soloing is easier, but I'm no yngwie on solos and can't build a career around it lol, so I gotta get the surgery.

 

I have two acoustic shows coming up, but I think that will be it for a while, and depending on what they say, I may have to give up the electric for a while and recover.