small hands

[hellohello]

I am 150 cm tall and my hands are max 16 cm. I have a classic guitar and I am a beginner. I've been struggling to get my hands to make some chords right, while there are chords that I totally can't play without forcing my hand until it hurts.. Each time I try to "practice" it (thinking maybe I'll be able to make it right finally), my hand hurts. I wanted to ask if I should consider buying a new guitar that is 3/4 and acoustic? (I realized only a few days ago that the classic has thicker neck). Or should I keep practicing and my hand will get used to that.?

[daddymack]

Shalom!

If it is really hurting you, then a 3/4 scale instrument may be a better choice for someone of your stature. My wife is ~4'10" /147cm, so I understand the challenges. The selection of 3/4 scale guitars is far better than is used to be, but they are not all that common, unlike violins. Be aware that you are inevitably going to endure pain in your fretting hand, regardless of the instrument size, as you try to train the muscles to go where they have never gone before. That is all part of the guitarist gestalt; we've all been there. Millions give up from this, but a billion of us are still at it

I suggest you stay with the classical as it will be easier to deal with the string tension, despite the wider neck, and in many ways, for a beginner, the wider neck helps you to see the finger positions more clearly. Once you have some 'mastery' of the instrument [quick chord changes on the beat, etc.], some muscle memory, and some finger-tip calluses, you will be ready to move to a steel string instrument with a narrower neck. And for the first month you will miss that big wide neck, and those nice, soft, fat strings, as you train your muscles yet again to adapt to the new neck and the stiffer, thinner strings

[garthman]

 

Hello and welcome.

I agree with everything that daddyamck says. The first two or three months of learning to play the guitar are not easy and it's normal for your hands and fingers to become painful. But your muscles will soon become accustomed to the new things they are having to do and all the pain will disappear.

In the meantime, try doing shorter practice sessions: "little and often" is a good maxim. And, if you can, stay with the classical guitar - I learned to play on a classical many years ago and have never regretted it. Most importantly: don't give up. Most people who abandon the guitar do so within the first couple of months: if you hang in there and keep practising, all will be well.

 

[BeeLectro]

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Edited November 12, 2023 by BeeLectro

[daddymack]

Yes, there are nylon stringed acoustic electrics on the market now with neck profiles much closer to a steel string's nut width and profile. 

Yamaha [NTX], Ibanez[AEG], Cordoba [Fusion and Stage] and others have started getting into this new 'hybrid' style...I'm in the market for one myself ATM.

These typically are a bit pricier than starter classicals, however.

[garthman]

3 hours ago, daddymack said:

Yes, there are nylon stringed acoustic electrics on the market now with neck profiles much closer to a steel string's nut width and profile. 

Yamaha [NTX], Ibanez[AEG], Cordoba [Fusion and Stage] and others have started getting into this new 'hybrid' style...I'm in the market for one myself ATM.

These typically are a bit pricier than starter classicals, however.

Yes ^  ^  ^  ^. And they are quite a lot more expensive than classical guitars.

Another option - and much cheaper - is to fit nylon strings to an acoustic guitar. I keep two acoustics strung with nylon strings. One - an old cheap all laminate dreadnought - which I often use in acoustic song circles. It has a little less volume than a steel string acoustic but plenty good enough for a folk club The other is a deep bowl Ovation type to which I have fitted a good active UST pick up that I use in open mics.

It's an easy job. To start, use ball-end nylon strings (quite a few makers do them: D'Addario, La Bella, Rotosound, Martin, etc) and fit them just like steel strings. You may need to widen the nut slots for the nylon trebles (1st, 2nd, 3rd strings) as they are thicker than steel strings. The basses will fit fine. Again, an easy job. If you don't have nut files you can use a piece of fine emery paper folded two or three times. Just slacken off the strings a liitle, move them away from the slot and gently rub the folded emery paper back and forth in the slot (you only want to widen the slots, not deepen them), popping the string back in regularly until they fit well. You may also need to slacken off the trussrod a little too buy see how it plays first - again, an easy job.

[daddymack]

6 hours ago, garthman said:

Yes ^  ^  ^  ^. And they are quite a lot more expensive than classical guitars.

Another option - and much cheaper - is to fit nylon strings to an acoustic guitar. I keep two acoustics strung with nylon strings. One - an old cheap all laminate dreadnought - which I often use in acoustic song circles. It has a little less volume than a steel string acoustic but plenty good enough for a folk club The other is a deep bowl Ovation type to which I have fitted a good active UST pick up that I use in open mics.

It's an easy job. To start, use ball-end nylon strings (quite a few makers do them: D'Addario, La Bella, Rotosound, Martin, etc) and fit them just like steel strings. You may need to widen the nut slots for the nylon trebles (1st, 2nd, 3rd strings) as they are thicker than steel strings. The basses will fit fine. Again, an easy job. If you don't have nut files you can use a piece of fine emery paper folded two or three times. Just slacken off the strings a liitle, move them away from the slot and gently rub the folded emery paper back and forth in the slot (you only want to widen the slots, not deepen them), popping the string back in regularly until they fit well. You may also need to slacken off the trussrod a little too buy see how it plays first - again, an easy job.

Yes, do-able, but this will be of little comfort to the OP....

That said, however, the Ibanez AEG50N comes in under $375[US], so about €350.

The Cordoba C4-CE is even less, around $275-300. The price of this model just dropped with the recent release of their new 'Stage' model.

Both are priced in the 'upper beginner range', but the option is nice to see. Not really a bad price all things considered, but I have not played either, so I can't attest to either the playability or the build quality, but both brands are well known enough to make some assumptions in that regard.

[daddymack]

On 1/21/2023 at 5:08 AM, BeeLectro said:

Don't hurt yourself. Do a search. There are many narrow neck nylon string guitars. Read the specs, they should tell you neck width dimensions and profile, scale length.

Some chord shapes used in classical guitar require long fingers. I can't reach them, my hands are small. But I have no desire to play classical guitar. There are countless other types of music (preferably my own) that I can enjoy. Keep an open mind.

There is no rule that says you can only play classical music on a nylon string guitar...ask Earl Klugh....in fact, the recent rash of these narrow necked nylon string guitars is due to a number of players looking for that 'certain sound'.

[DeepEnd]

Sorry, I can't agree with putting nylon strings on a steel string guitar. Every guitar I've played with that setup sounded dreadful.

[garthman]

7 hours ago, DeepEnd said:

Sorry, I can't agree with putting nylon strings on a steel string guitar. Every guitar I've played with that setup sounded dreadful.

I think it's a matter of personal taste and the particular guitar. Personally I like the sound of nylon strings much more than the sound of steel strings, True, you can use a classical guitar - and I own four of them and play them all most of the time - but even a classical guitar which is designed to take nylon strings sounds quite different to a steel string: less volume, more mellow but more high-harmonic timbre.

The best approach when listening to a steel string guitar fitted with nylon strings is to compare it to a classical guitar rather than a steel string one - the nuances are quite interesting - it will never sound anything like steel strings, of coure, but I find the result to be quite pleasing.