Guitar and wrist pain

I'm guilty of this. I feel a noticeable difference when I put some thought into, and actually play with, a lighter touch.

It's so much better when the hand and wrist are relaxed, but it's not an ingrained habit for me yet.

My biggest problem is when I want to play harder with the right hand, and at the same time, keep the fingering light with the left hand. Feels like juggling, something I was never able to do!
 
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It's so much better when the hand and wrist are relaxed, but it's not an ingrained habit for me yet.

My biggest problem is when I want to play harder with the right hand, and at the same time, keep the fingering light with the left hand. Feels like juggling, something I was never able to do!

Switching to lighter strings helped me get the left hand more relaxed. Forced me to let up, otherwise I'd over bend or squeeze fretted notes sharp. Bonus is, I used to be really hard on frets, but not anymore!
 
Agree with what everyone is saying about how hard you "push down" with the fretting hand...another thing I've read about (Thank you, Billy Sheehan), is how low or high you wear your axe...the higher, the better for less wrist angle...and you'll look as cool as George Harrison in the good ol' days.
 
My biggest problem is when I want to play harder with the right hand, and at the same time, keep the fingering light with the left hand. Feels like juggling, something I was never able to do!

If ONLY I was as good at guitar as juggling... If only.....

Kevin
 
I went to 9.5 gauge strings on my 594 and I don't think there were any negative impacts on tone at all.

Good to know, I'm still quite happy with .010s, but I may try on a set of hybrids that I regularly use on my other guit (.0095 & .012 for the 1st & 2nd strings, respectively).
 
Well I stretched tonite before practice and it really helped, not as fatigued or sore after a leisurely hour and half practice. I'm hoping it's just an adjustment phase.

I'd almost say it's mandatory to stretch your hands, fingers, wrists and I even stretch arms and shoulders. I learn this from a classical pianist. My mom. I know John Petrucci is a big advocate of stretching prior to playing as well. I'm sure there are others. I ALWAYS stretch at least hands fingers and wrists. And it absolutely makes a difference for me.
 
Back in my lol punk rock days the endless amount of power chords would cause my thumb to get stiff and lock up, now that I have branched out I generally warm up with a few finger exercises and stretch before really wailing on my guitars, it helps a ton!
 
Very good point!

I've never quite understood the very low-hanging guitar concept.

It's simple. It looks cool. Ask any Jimmy Page fan. I used to sling it kinda low and quickly found out I couldn't play fast intricate stuff with it down there. But when I broke my left wrist playing basketball I had to quit playing for 10 years because even when I got it way high, my wrist just hurt all the time when I tried to play. I finally started stretching it all the time and got it back to where I could start playing again, but still many years later have to sling it a little higher than average.
 
It's simple. It looks cool. Ask any Jimmy Page fan.

I found out when trying a friend's Les Paul that it's most comfortable hanging down low. That thick, square-edge body just feels awkward any other way.

I used to sling it kinda low and quickly found out I couldn't play fast intricate stuff with it down there.

Same here. When we were teenagers, a friend of mine had the same revelation and noticed that Eric Johnson wore his guitar up pretty high. We both have done the same since! I like to set my strap so the guitar is in about the same position whether I'm sitting or standing.
 
I have to keep mine way up high to stay on top of my beer gut. If it gets down on the bottom side of it, I can't even see the guitar. Plus, my gut turns the guitar face up so I am looking at the fretboard, instead of across it. Kind of like a lap steel, only... gut steel or something.
 
I have to keep mine way up high to stay on top of my beer gut. If it gets down on the bottom side of it, I can't even see the guitar. Plus, my gut turns the guitar face up so I am looking at the fretboard, instead of across it. Kind of like a lap steel, only... gut steel or something.

You and me both!
 
I have to keep mine way up high to stay on top of my beer gut. If it gets down on the bottom side of it, I can't even see the guitar. Plus, my gut turns the guitar face up so I am looking at the fretboard, instead of across it. Kind of like a lap steel, only... gut steel or something.

+2. Can't sling the Jackson Rhoads low or it just disappears and flips face down.
 
Thanks for all the great input folks. Proud to say that after a couple weeks playing the 594 I'm not having any wrist pain issues. Of course I've hardly picked up any other guitar since so the symptoms may reverse, lol. I do love this 594, PRS knocked it out of the park with this one!
 
It's simple. It looks cool. Ask any Jimmy Page fan.

That part I knew.

I'm sure the psychiatric profession would have a Freudian Field Day with the relationships between guitar players, their crotches, the shape of guitar necks and bodies, and slinging the guitar at crotch level.

To my medieval way of thinking, the guitar has become a codpiece substitute. ;)
 
To my medieval way of thinking, the guitar has become a codpiece substitute. ;)

Then I should be playing one of those honking big mariachi guitars!

boy-im-gifted.jpg
 
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