The size of the guitar body and neck...........etc

[Dan Furr55]

Folks, now that Im retired and play my guitars every night, and have learned how to adjust the action, now I have noticed things I never really noticed before.

    I play sitting down 90% of the time now, (vertigo, etc.) So whats the most comfortable design.......... I dont know, who has comfort, easy to play, sustain ect.

    I have several guitars that just gather dust, and several that I love,,,,,,,,,, I;m going tp try to list the things that affect my opinion of these various guitars.......

1. Where the neck joins the body affects upper fret access and also the reach to the 1st fret, I guess many guitars are a compromise. Ive gotten use to several different

   guitars and now I dont know whats best, but I can say that my 339 is very easy to play but sometimes I prefer a 335. I think that I should rest the guitar on  my left

   leg, but cant after all these years of practicing with it on my right leg 

2. The size of the lower bout affects comfort when sitting. Some days I kike the 339 size, some days the 335 size.......

3. The weight matters, Not too heavy, not too light...........

4.Hollow vs semi, big difference. Im liking the center blocks

5. Neck size matters. I like a thin u

6. Scale length matters. I like 24.75

7. Fret size matters, I kind of like med jumbo......

 

  I wish there was an app where you could put in all your personal data, and your arm length ect, and it would tell you the perfect guitar for you!

  

 

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Dan Furr55
spelling

[badpenguin]

I think I have seen this very same question elsewhere.... anyway....

Everything you point to as preferring, says Epiphone/Gibson 335/339 styled guitar. So choices can be: Ibanez Artcore )AS73), Gretsch Streamliner (2657/2622) Epiphone (339/335/casino/casino coupe) And I am going with the budget lines here. I am sure you can find the same-ish choices in the 2-4K range. (Eastman, Gibson, Collins, etc)

[daddymack]

Dan,

It is all about comfort and preference, but the idea of putting in some details and getting an algorithm to spit out the perfect guitar for you is not going to happen anytime soon.

You might consider finding a local qualified luthier and have a fully custom model made.

[Gigmeister-8YMGf]

As a guitar player, performer and teacher for more than 40 years, this is something I've dealt with for an extended period of time. I usually avoided teaching children below the age of 10 years of age, only because it was impossible for a long time to get a short scale guitar that was a quality I could even recommend. I tend to prefer medium scale guitars myself because I have an average to slightly larger than average hand size. The Gibson Byrdland was invented by Hank Garland and Billy Byrd specifically to play the extended reach chord fingerings typified by early 50s jazz legend Johnny Smith. It's easier to make a longer scale guitar playing tune than a short or medium scale instrument. Because I have long arms I've got most comfortable playing either a 335 style, a jazz box or even an explorer shaped guitar. I had a couple of dean Z guitars which are wonderful instruments and very comfortable to play either seated or standing. If the guitar case wasn't prohibitively large, I'd still play one on shows. Gretsch's are often 24 1/2 scale length which also work very well. 

[Grant Harding]

I recommend NOT resting the guitar on your left leg when playing seated. That's a recipe for back problems and usually only applies to classical.

I find a 335 too big to play seated. Much prefer more of a Gretsch Penguin shape (and sound).

[mrbrown49]

Put 3 guitarists in a room and ask these questions and you'll get 4 different opinions.  

It's so personal.   I myself find strats to be the most comfortable.  

[Dan Furr55]

Thanks everyone, all input is appreciated. Badpenguin named three of my favorite sized guitars.......... I havent played a strat in years, but I will just to see. 

Thanks again...........