Arthritis and steel string guitars

mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
edited June 2015 in Acoustics
I've now got arthritis in both hands so I can't play my steel string Lowden S23 any more. So far, I'm still OK playing electrics, and also nylon string with a low action.

Anyone else dealt with this and how did you find giving up playing the steel string? I'm sad not to be able to play the Lowden any more, so it'll probably be on the classifieds here soon!
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Comments

  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Oddly, I find it easier to play a 12 string now that I've got arthritis and nerve damage in my hands. Admittedly, it's got a surprisingly low action and tuned down a semitone.
    I also lowered the action on my 6 string and that makes it easier to play and with little sacrifice to the sound.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Have you tried changing your technique to avoid string bending?

    Sorry to hear it mate- I know your pain.
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  • rossyamaharossyamaha Frets: 2439

    I started getting it in my left hand a few years ago. I was only doing acoustic gigs at the time so wasn't the best situation to be in. I went for lighter strings and tuned down half a step. Made a big difference but I also downed a ton of ibuprofen before any gigs to get me through. It's become manageable now but still gives me jip especially when it's cold.

    I would suggest going for lighter strings and tuning down but also trying a few different guitars to see if they feel more cofortable. Smaller necks and lower action will be your friend. Other than that hope you can keep playing. Artritis is a bitch and she can kiss my ass.

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    octatonic said:
    Have you tried changing your technique to avoid string bending?

    Sorry to hear it mate- I know your pain.
    Thanks, appreciate that. I tend not to bend strings on the acoustic. So far, I've been downtuning to D but kept with 12s. Perhaps I should try 11s or 10s.

    At least I can still play the electric and nylon.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Definitely try lighter gauge strings.
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  • xSkarloeyxSkarloey Frets: 2962
    Is it so bad that you need to give up full stop?

    If not it might be worth a gauge change and/ or using lower tension strings. Newtone strings do a lower tension range which are very good.

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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    What age are you guys with arthritis?
    Do you think maybe playing heavy steel strings has contributed?
    Now that I think about it, my right hand gets worse after I've played my larrivee (but I might be talking bollocks)
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  • rossyamaharossyamaha Frets: 2439
    thomasross20;684506" said:
    What age are you guys with arthritis?
    Do you think maybe playing heavy steel strings has contributed?
    Now that I think about it, my right hand gets worse after I've played my larrivee (but I might be talking bollocks)
    I'm 37 and it started when I was about 33 or 34. I was gigging twice a week playing two hour long acoustic sets. 13 gauge strings, playing lead etc. It runs in my family but I can't help but think playing has contributed to the onset.

    I play guitar and take photos of stuff. I also like beans on toast.

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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    See my thread in this section on steel vs nylon strung acoustics. 
    It was a joy to play the nylon strung guitars yesterday. VERY easy to play, sounded great - a joy. I can't help but think that'd be much better for me to play. The bummer is that my Larrivee sounds so damn good - I'm going to lower the string gauge but there's a lot of fight in most steel strung guitars and if I thought they were causing any serious problem I'd sell it and buy a nylon-strung guitar. 
    That's quite young - sorry to hear it!!
    I also think bad technique can be a cause - at times my forearm goes taught when I try fast picking lines - I'm sure that's not helping either
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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    I'm 45 and the problems started about a year ago, and has slowly been getting worse. Annoyingly, it's also affecting my grip strength. I've had exercises from the physio which do relieve things temporarily but it quickly returns.

    My Lowden is up for sale here if anyone is interested


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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    Man, gutted for you - that guitar looks amazing!

    Any nylon string guitars you fancy?

    What exercises are you doing to help?
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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    Massaging my forearms relieves some of the pain between the fingers, but not the pain in my wrists or thumb joint. 

    I already have a lovely Lowden nylon string. Having another nylon with a different voicing would be great, not sure which one yet.
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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    What do you mean by different voicing?
    Can you tell me the nylon string model you have?
    Was your fave the steel string one?
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 3124
    edited June 2015
    Judging by his profile pic, it's the S32J.
    It's not a 'classical guitar' although George Lowden has been known to make one once in a blue moon ;)


    Sorry to hear about your problems Phil...you're a lovely acoustic player.
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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    OK I restrung the Larrivee with 11s tonight. 
    Definitely easier to play and a tad less projection. 

    To be honest though... I ask myself how often I play acoustic and it's pretty rare. The Larrivee sounds sooooooo sweet when strummed hard. But it's damn loud and I live in a flat. I'm 99% an electric player. I'm thinking about possibly selling and just playing electrics....
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  • BigLicks67BigLicks67 Frets: 766
    When I problems with RSI I went down to 10's on the acoustic, problem is with a short scale like your Lowden I can't imagine you'd be happy with the tone, but worth trying none the less. Richard Hawley has arthritis and he says he uses open tunings more and dropped D to make things easier. Nevertheless, a nice nylon string guitar is probably the way to go.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Using a capo at the second fret helps take the strain off a wee bit.
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  • Jez6345789Jez6345789 Frets: 1756
    Hi 
    Plagued me since the age of 40

    I think its worth noting that it started during a serious bout of SRV homage when I upped my Strat to a heavy 13/14 and spent ages trying to nail that muscular sort of style he had. It was a total mistake and I would warn people that the consultant who I saw at the time reckoned it was very much related to repetitive usage and wear and tear. She quoted a couple of studies done on people in the US cotton factories where they are all from a related gene pool and where the people who sat using the machines with their left hands in the facotry and those that sat on the opposite row used their right all exhibited arthritus to the particular work side they sat on. 

    I have had some success with steroid injections between the joints, I had 10 micro syringes in my finger joints which looked super weird and the guy would not let me photograph it. 

    In some ways the pain comes and goes as does the swelling but there is for some reason a considerable loss of muscle stregth as well making for playing over an hour really difficult and after that time no matter how much I practice I cant hold down harder chords. 

    Light strings, shorter scale, and a detune all help these days. 

    My next step down is open tunings and a good dose of Keef finally ending my playing life by bothering to learn slide. That my road map to the future. Ha Ha


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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    When I problems with RSI I went down to 10's on the acoustic, problem is with a short scale like your Lowden I can't imagine you'd be happy with the tone, but worth trying none the less. Richard Hawley has arthritis and he says he uses open tunings more and dropped D to make things easier. Nevertheless, a nice nylon string guitar is probably the way to go.
    Thanks. I've got a couple of sets of Elixir 10s on order so let's see how these perform.
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  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    Oh man, tonight I was the total opposite regarding playing acoustic. LOVED it! New lighter strings sounded LUSH when played with a light plectrum. Maybe I'm just not a big fingerstyle player!
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