Where to rest your hand?

[Silverman]

Hi all,

Any former Gibson players have problems with pick-hand placement after switching to a PRS? I had become so used to resting the heel of my palm on the tune-o-matic bridge that it's a bit awkward playing my prs with a different bridge setup. I'm sure it's just an adjustment thing but I was curious if others have encountered similar issues and if you guys had some tips!

Thanks!

 

[AP515]

I have different hand positions for the stoptail, the trem, and the two piece (tune-o-matic) bridge. In a short while you should just feel how you want to play each. They all feel a little different, but none of them feel wrong to me.

 

[mad monk]

You just need to buy a stripped 58, or 594, etc. Cure that problem, straight away.
Seriously, though. I had that issue when I switched over. I never liked trem guitars because I couldn't rest my right hand in the TOM way. Once I adapted to the single wraparound, I discovered that I could play a guitar with a trem. Thus began my love affair with the PRS SCT.
Patience and practice.

 

[László]

I grew up playing a T-o-M equipped Gibson, and played them for 25 years. After switching to PRS in 1991, I began to think about my picking hand position in a new way, and in fact, discovered I play more fluidly, with faster picking technique, if I don't rest my hand on the bridge at all.

Of course, there are times I rest the heel of my hand on the strings I'm not picking or strumming; I started doing it to mute unused strings to keep them from making weird noises, and it became part of my playing style. It's also something a lot of the session players I work with seem to do naturally.

It's never a bad thing to re-evaluate how you play, even if you go back to what you were originally doing. Think of it as an opportunity to learn something a little different. It can be inspiring!

 

[Mike Duncan]

I'm taking the finish off the bridge with my palm and the side of the bridge pickup with my middle and ring fingers.

Love the played look.

 

[garrett]

Interesting, something I hadn't considered before. I always anchor the base of my palm on the saddles, regardless of the bridge. If I want to pick and sustain notes from chords, I anchor my pinky and ring fingers at the treble end of the bridge pickup.

 

[ReptilianNosewood]

I try not to use the bridge as an anchor point because it interferes with other techniques if I want to use them at a moments notice. If I want to start playing funk guitar I have to lift my hand up and set it in a different position then if I was anchored to the bridge. I always actively work on my forearm weld being my main anchor point so I can employ any technique I like without changing the position of my hand, so because of that I found my hand needs to float above the strings with my pinky kind of always regarding the pickup ring screw as a reference point. Also I found if my hand rests on the bridge it will give this annoying little string rubbing sound that drives me nuts.

 

[CVS]

Silverman - I have had the same issues as you. In fact even more so when moving from Gibson or a PRS with a stoptail to a Fender. If you like to fingerpick or use your pinky as an anchor, it makes things even worse .

The best thing you can do is experiment and see what works that requires the least amount of what I would describe as "relearning". On the other hand as others have mentioned, you may find that you will actually become a better, more versatile player if you learn how to play using different right hand positions.

Good luck on your journey.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

That's one of the reasons I like the plate style bridge so much, my hand just knows where to stay when retracted.

 

[Big Eric Bee]

On electric guitar will anchor the picking hand on the bridge. Part as a reference, partly to mute the strings. Hence my preference for the wraparound bridge.

On acoustic, my picking hand floats with the fingers resting on the pickguard. Have practiced with hand position more on acoustic, as it's my main instrument.

 

[Huggy Love]

Some guys just know where to rest their hands.....

 

[Dancing Frog]

I used to anchor my ring and pinky on the body below the strings pretty solidly. Lately, I have been working with the break angle of my wrist to try to speed up my picking by using more of forearm twist like my strumming motion rather than a side to side wrist motion and letting the fingers float a little more. For the last year or so, I have been trying to push past a wrist injury that I suffered when I was teenager that has always been an impediment to faster playing. I have gone from larger picks to smaller ones, so I can be closer to the strings. I have also altered the attack angle of the pick as well. I am seeing some improvements. I was able to work up "The Farmer and the Cowman Dance" in Oklahoma! to full tempo which is something I wouldn't been able to do 10 years ago.

 

[Mike Duncan]

Basically, my hands are all over that thang!

 

[CVS]

Some guys just know where to rest their hands.....

At least his left hand

 

[Korina Jack]

I too have different hand resting positions on the trem and stoptail models. I hardly notice it now. Give it a couple of weeks and you'll hardly notice your adjustments and it will seem really natural at that point. Good luck!

 

[CMacDonald]

Hi all,

Any former Gibson players have problems with pick-hand placement after switching to a PRS? I had become so used to resting the heel of my palm on the tune-o-matic bridge that it's a bit awkward playing my prs with a different bridge setup. I'm sure it's just an adjustment thing but I was curious if others have encountered similar issues and if you guys had some tips!

Thanks!

Absolutely. I've been a Gibson player most of my life until recently and this is what drove me crazy about a Strat clone I purchased a year ago--I ended up selling it because I couldn't get used to it. For me, it was more about how far back the bridge was compared to the shorter scale length Gibson guitars. Something about 25.5" just felt like my hand was too far back on the body of the guitar and as someone who plays with a lot of palm muting, made it very hard to adapt to. The 25" scale length on my S2 Custom 24 has become a quick adaptation since it's closer to the Gibson bridge placement and I like how the trem system (I block it) is lower to the guitar's body. As silly as it sounds, I prefer a trem system on the Custom 24 blocked off from a feel perspective than a tune-o-matic style bridge that's properly in a fixed position.

 

[Bluesdog Paul]

Interesting. I've been playing electric guitar for more than 50 years, and have Gibbies and Fenders, an Epi and even a Carvin, and can honestly I have never thought about this. I guess I just adapt my palm placement according to which guitar I am playing, without thinking about it. I am new to PRS but haven't had an issue adjusting to it.

As far as finish wear on the metal bits, well, that doesn't bother me. Tends to be more of an issue with gold plated tail pueces and bridges, but I look at stuff like that and battle scars as character markers.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

...can honestly I have never thought about this.

Don't start now!

 

[Ovibos]

I have never understood the appeal of vintage-style Fender bridges - every time I play one, I immediately feel those exposed saddle screws sticking into my hand; always preferred the 'modern' saddles. My PRS' have smooth saddles and bridge sides, and are a joy to rest on. I especially like the SE Holcomb hardtail.

 

[bodia]

I have never understood the appeal of vintage-style Fender bridges - every time I play one, I immediately feel those exposed saddle screws sticking into my hand; always preferred the 'modern' saddles. My PRS' have smooth saddles and bridge sides, and are a joy to rest on. I especially like the SE Holcomb hardtail.

I am totally with you on this!