Small hands- limiting factor?

[squirrel]

I cannot tell you how many times I hear people comment on hand-size as a limiting factor in their playing ability(in real life and especially on BBS). How many here think it has more to do with practice and dedication than length of digits? I myself have the same size hands as Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck( Guitar Center in LA[on Sunset blvd] has hand molds of guitarists on the sidewalk in front of the store). Personally I don't feel limited at all, even though BB King has large paws( he can't play any chords). I think people who say this need to reevaluate.

 

[Tim Armstrong]

Large hands can make some chord voicings easier, but I reckon that's about it. I've known guys with short fingers who played amazing stuff.

And then there's Django Reinhardt, who totally revolutionized jazz guitar in the Thirties, who was burned in a fire as a young man and only had the full use of the index and middle fingers on his fretting hand.

I think practice and dedication trump hand size!

Cheers, Tim

ps- BB King can play chords just fine. Really. Nice, complicated ones, too!

 

[Paul G.]

Nah...

If you play heavy Jazz, some chord voicings will be a stretch, get a Byrdland or a Rickenbacker and you'll be fine.

Otherwise almost every other factor (dedication, talent, etc.) is much more important. As you said, some of the greats had smallish hands.

I cut a nerve on my left arm 30+ years ago and have no feeling in my left pinky--I've never used that as an excuse for my playing, and I can still type 70 WPM.

P.

 

[Miss Tango]

Definately a disadvantage!

My boyfriend can get his his thumb over the top of the neck to help playing 'cheat 'bar chords , whereas I have to play them properly. His way is definately easier and quicker to change from chord to chord with.

Small hands are definately a disadvantage cause you miss out on that extra stretch ability!

At least Teles have smaller necks, I used to own a Les Paul and the battles I used to have with its neck!!!

 

[chipl]

I used to use this excuse

I used to say "with these short fat sausage fingers," I'm at a disadvantage. Then someone showed me a photo of Danny Gatton's fingers and he had short sausage fingers, too. Needless to say, I stopped using that as an excuse. (Of course, Danny Gatton had amazing natural talent right off the bat.) But if he could do what he did with those hands/fingers, somehow I felt that my excuse was exactly that.

While having short fingers does make stretching, barring over the top with your thumb (think Richie Havens with that huge long thumb) and playing four or five fret jazz chords a definite challenge, I think one can overcome this through constant practice, fretboard exercises and actual exercises that increase finger flexibility and reach. One I like to do is make a V with my index and middle finger, place it behind the freboard so the fretboard stretches the "webbing" between fingers, then run that form up the nech several times. Then do it with the next two fingers and so on. There must be other drills too that can help

 

[Lance]

Nope....

And I even play with a CS Nocaster with the gigantic neck. If anything, using a bigger neck makes it easier for me to play.

 

[Hucklebilly]

If Django could manage...

Django Reinhardt was missing a finger or two, no? I think that pretty much answers the question.

 

[Miss Tango]

Not an excuse!

There are ways to over come small hand syndrome but isn't the answer yes it would be easier to have bigger hands. Seeing as it would involve less time figuring out new methods to overcome the shortfallings.

I don't think it is an excuse, it's a valid point, even if there are ways around it.

 

[Darrell]

I will disagree with everyone

Steve Wariner has very small hands. He is a tremendous player. I met him personally and that guy has reinvented a lot of chords on his own right.

Mine are smaller than my wife's hands and she is 5' 8". I don't feel I am missing anything. Yes, maybe some of the exotic chords...but that is all.

 

[Darrell]

I also believe

that small hands have improved dexterity. It has been proven time and time again in the manufacturing sector in industry.

 

[lenny]

there was a post here recently that said...
"are big hands a disadvantage in guitar playing?"
the poster was worried that his fat fingers would hinder his playing.
i chimed in and we had a discussion just like this, but about big hands hehe.
are small hands a disadvatage? well, if you want to play a jimi hendrix style thumb wrap around chord, or showoff() stretched out jazz chords, yea. but if you're playing fast, tight licks in open position, i'm gonna say small fingers are better.
it depends on what you want to play, in my opinion.
if i had small hands i'd be the open position lightning lick king (at least in my own mind )

 

[jimmiboots]

"Jazz chords"?

What chords are y'all talking about? I'm not too good at jazz, but most of the good players (no offense to Holdsworth) I've seen play little three or four note chords most of the time.....

As far as hand size goes, I've got pretty short fingers, and it does make me wonder sometimes. The two most extreme examples I can think of are Django and Hendrix. Django proves it doesn't really matter, but Hendrix's "play bass lines with the thumb while the rest of the fingers play chords" seems fun. Then again, some of those "jazz guys" use those little chords and work a pretty mean bass line in there, too, no thumb work required.....

 

[John E]

Hand size does not matter...

There's a couple of Classical guitar players called the Assad brothers, they are Pretty small guys (including tiny hands and fingers). Take a listen and it will pretty much wipe any doubts you may have about small hands and playing guitar. Also as Tim mentioned about Django, he only had 2 fingers "available" on his fret hand... If you want to play you're gonna play....

 

[Mike D.]

Stubby Fingers

The two that come immediately to mind are Redd V. and Danny Gatton. I used to think that my stubbys were the reason why I couldn't do certain things until I saw both of these guys just rip the fretboard apart. Now I just practice harder and don't worry about it.

 

[pc]

Bull chips!

I have smaller hands, and I'm no slouch if I do say so my damn self.

I will say this: acoustic guitars with huge, chunky necks and those 50's profile Les Paul necks are indeed too dang big for me to feel comfortable on. I do look for guitars that have necks that feel comfortable to me, but it works just fine. (Like almost all Telecasters 8) )

BTW--majored in Jazz Guitar in college. No problems with hand size.

And, Miss Tango, there's nothing wrong or difficult about playing bar chords the "proper" way. Plus, wrapping your thumb around your neck is more a function of how you grip the neck. I can do it even with smaller hands; there's just no reason for me to do it.

 

[0le FUZZY]

Don't make no nevermind

<li>All the way from Wayne Charvell's twin sons with their liddo hands onna same neck (same guitar) tew Redd Volkaert and Bill Hullett with their huge hands onna TELECASTER neck the fact is the music played and how good it iss iss based on talent.

[*]0.F.

 

[Lew UK]

Re: Don't make no nevermind

<li>All the way from Wayne Charvell's twin sons with their liddo hands onna same neck (same guitar) tew Redd Volkaert and Bill Hullett with their huge hands onna TELECASTER neck the fact is the music played and how good it iss iss based on talent.

[*]0.F.

Yep,Spot on Fuzzy!

 

[Brad]

I would venture a guess that small minds

make more of a negative impact than small hands! I'm a big guy and have large hands. I sometimes play music with a smaller fella that has very small hands. He is one of the finest true tele pickers I've ever had the pleasure of making music with. The only limitations are those we put on ourselves.

 

[bo]

See the posting above about Danny Gatton. You could always get a Tele with one of those really skinny '70s era necks too.

 

[Geo]

I too was taken back somewhat with Danny Gatton's
hand size. Mine are somewhat larger than his but
I never really thought about it much one way or
another.
I don't know about Joe Pass's hands but a lot of his
chording is just 3 or 4 notes with not much stretch.