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Post by pender on Nov 15, 2021 9:08:41 GMT
Dear friends, I've posted this on another forum but I think I will found more Lowden players here. I came from a Collings OM2H, which I sold due to the V neck, to the Lowden F32 I'm playing now. Both are wonderful instruments! Since last week I'm experienced a pain in my arm/shoulder. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this when playing an F. Do you think the pain have to do with the guitar? The lower bout width and the body depth of the F is quite different from the OM2H than I imagined. Regards from the sunny Lisbon to all of you
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Post by jonnymosco on Nov 15, 2021 21:55:52 GMT
Can you upload a photo of you playing it in your usual position and one of the Collings too would be helpful?
Jonny
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Post by dreadnought28 on Nov 16, 2021 0:03:55 GMT
I’m in sunny Lisbon!
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Post by surfguy13 on Nov 16, 2021 8:06:32 GMT
I have found that changing acoustic guitars can make a very considerable difference to your posture when playing. The body depth of the lower bout seems to really make a big difference as the deeper the body the more your right arm is extended.
Needless to say, barring an F is extending your left arm to the maximum and if the body depth of the Lowden is greater than the Collings this may be the problem.
Bizarrely I tried some exercises recommended to me to build up the muscles in my neck, upper and lower back and, to an extent, upper arms too. I started doing these exercises twice a day and the difference has been staggering. This is a link to the Utube video:
The only other thing that might be helpful is that I always play with a strap, usually standing, but even when sitting I use one. This tends to change your posture in a positive way, certainly has always done for me anyway. You have to experiment with strap length to get it just right but when you do the strap supports the body perfectly and tends to stress your arms and shoulders less.
Good luck!
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Post by pender on Nov 16, 2021 9:34:50 GMT
Warm thanks for the wise comments
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Post by hughesy on Nov 16, 2021 17:47:37 GMT
It could be related. I have a lowden F and it has a pretty big lower bout. Bigger than an OM. If I play on my right leg it starts to feel uncomfortable. Using a leg rest and playing in a classical position stops the discomfort for me. Playing standing with a strap would likely help as well.
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Post by pender on Nov 17, 2021 8:24:29 GMT
Thanks, hughesy!
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Post by Matt Milton on Nov 17, 2021 9:45:45 GMT
Bizarrely I tried some exercises recommended to me to build up the muscles in my neck, upper and lower back and, to an extent, upper arms too. I started doing these exercises twice a day and the difference has been staggering. This is a link to the Utube video: Yeah, I was going to post something about exercises. Never underestimate how much these things actually have to do with strength and posture. You can gain so much by getting a physio to look at you, or a guitar teacher that perhaps advertises them as alexander technique or something. I had desk-work related pain near the end of last year and getting daily exercises given to me by a physio worked wonders. Before that, I would never have thought that pain from typing and sitting at a desk would have anything to do with 'strength', but the end results speak for themselves: my physio gave me resistance bands and exercises to get me 'strong shoulders' and has got me also doing pressups every day. I always assumed it would be about improving posture, but there almost certainly will be some specific daily physical strength/resistance exercises you can do that will help. A physio should be able to identify them.
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Post by pender on Nov 18, 2021 14:05:34 GMT
Many thanks!
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Post by vikingblues on Nov 24, 2021 9:56:24 GMT
It could be related. I have a lowden F and it has a pretty big lower bout. Bigger than an OM. If I play on my right leg it starts to feel uncomfortable. Using a leg rest and playing in a classical position stops the discomfort for me. Playing standing with a strap would likely help as well. You're right about the right leg and larger lower bout - I had that problem too. Standing with it on a strap, or classical style does help if you have that issue, for sure. IF the guitar has a narrow waist (like the Vintage Giltrap Signature) it sits down nicely on the right leg and the lower bout ceases to be in the way when played like that. That shape of guitar is as rare as rocking horse droppings unfortunately!
Mark
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Post by thejamsinger on Dec 7, 2021 22:18:59 GMT
Read an article the other day about the pain musicians put themselves through when they perform. Some have had to give up altogether, some end up having operations and some have to change the way they play. I broke my left thumb when I was about 18. This now makes playing bar chords very painful after an hour of playing also used to get pain in my right elbow. Solved the elbow pain by lifting light weights a couple of times a week. Also tuning down half a step has helped with the bar chords. Would definitely recommend regular exercises. The older we get the weaker our muscles become.
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