Comfort...

 

Is this going to be a shoe discussion?  Always trying to second-guess me, aren't ya?

I have been going through a guitar transition.  Again.  It happens now and then.  Not looking to swap off a bunch of guitars... or even add a bunch of guitars.  I have been having some issues with my hands.  Might be from 60+ years of playing guitar; or as Joan has suggested: a few decades of using computers.  I don't think it is a carpal tunnel kinda thing; I'm guessing more like I've worn out some thumb joints and toss in some arthritis.

Over the last few months, I find myself picking up my electric guitars more often than the acoustics.  The action is lower on the electrics, making it easier on my hands.

Joan looked into it and found some gloves that hold the lower joint on your thumb in place, and don't restrict your fingers.  When they came in, they do kinda help my thumb... but it hurts to put 'em on and take 'em off (snug).

This is the reason I put the Gibson ES-335 back to work: it is the easiest to play of all my guitars.  But, it needed a better amp.  Yeah, that Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb that I posted about yesterday...

 The amp is really nice.  Good tone.  Plenty of "headroom" (meaning: you can control that tone as you increase the volume).  Great clean tones, crisp crunchy tones.  Working with it last night, it is also a good platform for pedals.  I also gave it a try with a variety of guitars, electric and acoustic.

As you'd expect, each of the electric guitars sound great.  The acoustics?  It depends on the pickup system in the guitar... the Emerald X7 and X10 were decent; the X20 and the Taylor 814, not so much.  But, each of those could be better with a pedal designed for acoustic guitars.  Not that it matters that much... I got this amp to use with the electrics.

One thing that became very apparent while switching between all these guitars: the neck size and shape makes a big difference on hand comfort.

I decided to "put a number on it."  I put a caliper on the nut width and thickness (depth) of the neck at the first fret...

    Guitar                        Nut Width        Thickness        Comfort Rating
    Gibson ES-335            1.57"                    0.97"                    1
    Taylor T5                     1.68"                    0.93"                    2
    Emerald Virtuo            1.71"                    0.88"                    3
    Emerald X10               1.78"                    0.83"                    4
    Emerald X7                 1.77"                    0.93"                    5
    Taylor 814                   1.76"                    0.95"                    6
    Emerald X20               1.79"                    0.90"                    7

The Comfort Rating is my opinion - no "scientific measurement."  Just based on how my hands felt while playing it.  I've never looked at this information before, based on a digital caliper.  What this tells me: the narrower the nut width (measured at the nut on the fretboard), the more I perceive it to be comfortable.  I was surprised that the X20 "feels" more chunky than the others.  And that the 335 "feels" smaller than the others, even though it isn't the thinnest (from the fretboard to the back of the neck).

Of course, as any guitar player will tell you, these measurements don't take into consideration "the carve" of the neck; i.e. how thick or wide the neck becomes as you move up the fretboard.  Guitar neck carves are often described as "a C-shape, a D-shape, etc," when viewed from the side.  And, that curve may be "compound" - many variables.

A couple surprises: the Taylor T5, Emerald Virtuo, and the X10 are all advertised as "1 11/16" nut width"... the Emerald X7, the Taylor 814, and the X20 are all advertised at "1 3/4" nut width."  The Taylor T5 and 814 are closest to their advertised nut width.  The Emeralds are all wider than advertised.  The first 3 in my comfort rating are all electrics; the X10 is a hybrid: an acoustic with "a humbucking pickup and a thinner, more electric shaped neck; the last 3 are acoustics that have an electric pickup added.

Conclusions: well, if I was using a Magic 8-Ball, it would probably say, "Ask again later." But, going by the measurements and seat of the pants (turn of the hand?) feeling, if I decide to do the "one in, one out" formula, it would be an electric coming in and an acoustic going out.  IF an electric option, it needs to have a comfortable neck.  Preferably 1 11/16" nut width and a slim carve.  Scale length matters, too... the X7 has the shortest scale length at 24", the X20 and the 814 are the longest at 25.5."  Yep, a lot of variables.

Did I mention: I sure do like that new amp!