How do you balance playing and gigging heavy guitars?

[Neon_Knight_]

Like a few others have already mentioned, a wider strap will help to spread the load across your shoulder, but won't help to ease the load on your spine. Therefore, a wider strap is only helpful if the issue is in your shoulder. The

I use 2.5" leather straps for most of my guitars (mostly basswood RG and ultra-light S), but I use a wider strap for my heavier mahogany RGA to make it more comfortable for my shoulder. I can attest that the only benefit of the wider strap is that it doesn't dig into your shoulder as much. The entire weight of the guitar is still pulling down on the same side of your body with the same amount of force.

For my Xiphos, I have a strap that goes over my left shoulder (like a normal strap), but also loops across my chest. I got it to help combat neck-dive, but it does also make the guitar feel lighter, due to distributing some of the the weight across another part of my body. In addition to shifting the load towards the centre of your body (rather than across one shoulder), the load across your chest will incur less strain on your back, as your chest is closer to your centre of gravity than your shoulder is (there's a reason that manual handling legislation specifies a higher max load when lifting from waist height compared to from shoulder height). Conversely, Matt Heafy's solution of a second strap across his right shoulder still leaves the full load of the guitar pulling down from the shoulders (way above his centre of gravity).

 

[Neon_Knight_]

If I was you, my first question to myself would be "what do I gain by taking the risk of using my heavy guitars", before asking myself "can I get away with playing my heavy guitars". If you can get the same tone (or close enough) from your lighter guitars, perhaps your heavy guitars should be retired to seated practice situations only...or sold.

Not my guitars, plus heavy all-mahogany Gibson LPs and PRS are the opposite of my taste, so it's probably tougher for you to think about it practically without feeling a sentimental urge to play them.

 

[neurosis]

If I was you, my first question to myself would be "what do I gain by taking the risk of using my heavy guitars", before asking myself "can I get away with playing my heavy guitars". If you can get the same tone (or close enough) from your lighter guitars, perhaps your heavy guitars should be retired to seated practice situations only...or sold.

Not my guitars, plus heavy all-mahogany Gibson LPs and PRS are the opposite of my taste, so it's probably tougher for you to think about it practically without feeling a sentimental urge to play them.

At the beginning of any lumbago episode any of the guitars is unbearable to play. It gets better and then eventually I can play without a problem. This time around it feels different though. And I don't want that disc bursting for a second time so I am holding off using the Paulas altogether. I absolutely gain less and next to nothing from playing them if one of them becomes the reason I land in the ER again. I don't wish that pain on anyone.

There's definitely a sentimental vibe to it but I am fine playing them seated for now, although I have to say that Les Paul can make my leg numb after a while too.

The PRS guitar I prefer is really light and so is my Caparison. So I have been sticking to those.

sucks that there';s not a better way to distribute the weight away from the lower spine even with different straps and points of contact. it is what it is I guess.

 

[StevenC]

It's a simple solution

 

[wheresthefbomb]

It's a simple solution

Incredible to me that he finds this position comfortable, and wow those heels, but I can't argue with the results.

I use one of these, with one foot on the volume pedal and one on a yoga block, everything lines up just right.

 

[StevenC]

Incredible to me that he finds this position comfortable, and wow those heels, but I can't argue with the results.

I use one of these, with one foot on the volume pedal and one on a yoga block, everything lines up just right.

He plays the guitar much more upright these days, in a more classical position. I don't know how he was doing what he was doing in the 70s and 80s with the neck so horizontal and him quite hunched over the instrument.

 

[neurosis]

@wheresthefbomb and @StevenC are you guys saying, playing in a classic position with the classic foot rest would be helpful to distribute the weight somehow? That show I played for years but my Spanish guitar is WAY lighter than my heavier electrics so I don't know.

 

[StevenC]

@wheresthefbomb and @StevenC are you guys saying, playing in a classic position with the classic foot rest would be helpful to distribute the weight somehow? That show I played for years but my Spanish guitar is WAY lighter than my heavier electrics so I don't know.

I'm saying you should sit when playing concerts, like our Lord and Saviour Robert Fripp.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

@wheresthefbomb and @StevenC are you guys saying, playing in a classic position with the classic foot rest would be helpful to distribute the weight somehow? That show I played for years but my Spanish guitar is WAY lighter than my heavier electrics so I don't know.

It does for me, at least to a certain extent, I get fatigued of sitting after 45 minutes to an hour in any position though. I like both my feet propped up to the same height like Fripp above, using a block under one foot tweaks my back.

Also tho, what @StevenC said

 

[dspellman]

Thank you all for the feedback. I think I am going to explore a few of these options. But the main thing to remember is going to be that standing with a heavy Les Paul for hours is not a good idea for me. I had that thing on for half a day the other day just walking around the apartment as I have a standing desk and I think doing it for. few days hasn't been a good idea. I have to realize I have some limitations due to the old injury.

I'd look at a headless. Most of my LPs are in the 9 lb range, give or take. I have an Agile LP-shaped 7-string with a 27" scale that weighs a ton (I haven't gotten around to putting it on the digital yet). Not something I'm going to strap on any time soon or for any long period of time.

But I've had an opportunity to work with a multi-scale 7-string headless and it's a couple of solid pounds lighter than anything I've been playing, and that makes a difference. Also making a difference is the polar moment of inertia that the shorter guitar offers. These things are nearly 10" shorter than a standard guitar and having the weight a bit more concentrated helps.