# Long Fingers/ Big Hands - Better Guitarist??



## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

A non musical person and I were watching a SRV video and this person said, while watching him play, "Do you need big hands to play guitar really well?" I looked at my smallish hands and obviously, the answer is yes.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I would disagree. I have large hands but I also have large fingers and they sometimes make playing clean difficult. Big hands, long slim fingers make it easier to play IMHO.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Here's your answer:
[video=youtube;LWLAAzOBoBI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLAAzOBoBI[/video]
[video=youtube;VgTWSEfGwEU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgTWSEfGwEU[/video]
(Hint--he doesn't have long fingers.)


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I've often pondered that question. Especially, when attempting a difficult piece. I don't think you need big hands, but I do think you need long fingers in relation to your palm. I unfortunately have a medium sized palm and rather short fingers. It makes it difficult for me to do big bends or play the Hendrix type chords. So when I watch a YouTube video of someone playing well, I try to get a good glimpse at his/her hands.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Ever heard Danny Gatton play? Wee, fat sausage fingers:


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

You don't even need them all! 

[video=youtube;FZBPcXTXPEA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZBPcXTXPEA[/video]


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> Ever heard Danny Gatton play? Wee, fat sausage fingers:





Hamstrung said:


> You don't even need them all!


A couple more great examples to add alongside Mr King.


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## Guest (Jun 8, 2015)

There are certainly things I can't play well with my small hands: Message In a Bottle? Forget it. Hand cramps up a minute in to the song from that psycho-stretch. But Andy Summers seems to have no problem at all with it. I usually have to arrange things to accommodate my hand size.


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