# Most Uncomfortable Guitar You have Played



## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

WE have had the most comfortable guitar, what would you choose as the most uncomfortable to play.

AS we know a guitar that is not right for one may be fine to another, as we all all look for certain things in a guitar.

My most uncomfortable guitar ever will surprise you.. Its not a cheapy... its not heavy.

Its a Rickenbacker, model 620 .I don't like the small neck on this guitar, but that's not the main reason , i find it very hard to play because the top edge of the guitar cuts into my arm, and the bridge is up so high it gets in the way.

Those 3 things make it the most uncomfortable guitar for me to play.

Rick


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## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

I have 2 choices:

1.) BC Rich 'Ironbird' - one of the craziest-shaped guitars ever. About as pointy as pointy can be. It was big and weighed a ton.

2.) Gibson Les Paul - While sitting, I find the top edge where my arm rests quite uncomfortable the back edge really digs into my ribs. The weight balance is horrid so if you're not wearing a strap, you really have to be careful to not allow it to tip over. While standing, 2 words for you - the weight!


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## Geek (Jun 5, 2007)

There was a home made bass in a pawn shop. Beautiful. BUT... was made of purple heart and must have weighed 15Kg


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

A Gibson L5S. Possibly the heaviest necked guitar I've ever played. Great sound, but let go of the neck, and all of a sudden the headstock is at your ankles.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

vds5000 said:


> 2.) Gibson Les Paul - While sitting, I find the top edge where my arm rests quite uncomfortable the back edge really digs into my ribs. The weight balance is horrid so if you're not wearing a strap, you really have to be careful to not allow it to tip over. While standing, 2 words for you - the weight!


Agree. Any Les Paul, while sitting, has been the most uncomfortable for me. The weight balance is terrible.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*guitar*

WEIGHT seems to be a common thread, with guitars.. More Manufacturers should pay closer attention to it.

Mahogany is probably the best wood for a guitar, it has open pores, and is not considered to be heavy ( Unless they use African Mahogany)

But most Les paul have a maple top and that is where most of the weight comes from.
I have a 1982 LP ad it weights a ton..well probably 11.5 lbs

I was also surprised when i picked up a couple Sparrow guitars.. pick up a Fender tele and it feels pretty decent.

Pick up a Sparrow Tele copy and like a lead pipe.. Even there 335 hollowbodys are heavy.

I think some people think if they pick up a guitar and it has some weight to it there getting more for the money, but then find out the weight is not a good thing., especially as you get older.


Rick


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

I found the ESP LTD Ex400 that I had to be extremely uncomfortable playing standing up....- the neck was heavy and it kept dropping so I had to push down on the back of the body to keep the neck up......but it was pretty comfortable sitting down


I miss that guitar


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

I had a Tokai 335 copy that was a very nice guitar but I found the body too big for comfort especially while sitting. I felt like I was hanging from it. Another thing I didn't like is the heel mounted strap button. It just never feels right with a strap and it puts the body at an uncomfortable angle for me. I don't like this strap button position on any guitar as a matter of fact. 

For a brief time in the 80's I owned a Les Paul that was made out of a different wood or had lead ingots installed! BTW, if anyone knows about this model it had the Gibson logo burned or engraved into the headstock instead of an inlay and a natural finish. I'd like to know what kind of wood they used for it. The previous owner called it "The Log"! It would actually put my leg to sleep if I sat and played it for a while!


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Hamstrung said:


> For a brief time in the 80's I owned a Les Paul that was made out of a different wood or had lead ingots installed! BTW, if anyone knows about this model it had the Gibson logo burned or engraved into the headstock instead of an inlay and a natural finish. I'd like to know what kind of wood they used for it. The previous owner called it "The Log"! It would actually put my leg to sleep if I sat and played it for a while!


Was it one of these ? The Paul:

http://vintage-guitars.blogspot.com/2006/02/gibson-paul.html


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> Was it one of these ? The Paul:
> 
> http://vintage-guitars.blogspot.com/2006/02/gibson-paul.html


Similar finish but the one I had was an actual Les Paul model. My leg aches just thinking about it!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

vds5000 said:


> 2.) Gibson Les Paul - While sitting, I find the top edge where my arm rests quite uncomfortable the back edge really digs into my ribs. The weight balance is horrid so if you're not wearing a strap, you really have to be careful to not allow it to tip over. While standing, 2 words for you - the weight!


...amen.

-dh


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Me, the LP sitting down...can't balance it


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I really cannot specifically remeber which model, but I think it was an Explorer style guitar - and as with most, it was sitting down. 

However, I've never found a Les Paul uncomfortable sitting down.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Any flying V / Sharkfin abomination. Cant believe noones mentioned them yet 

Big, awkward to walk around a room in, and weird to play sitting down. 

I'd still like one for my collection though, lol. Its important to have guitars thta dont all look the same


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## Luke98 (Mar 4, 2007)

Some Japanese flying V wannabe with a crazy thin neck that makes my hand cramp just thinking about it.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Ovation acoustics roll off my lap when convex meets convex, and the thin body ones suffer from a bit of neck dive too. No worries though, I have real wood acoustics, good ones.

I've tried some Gibson and Epiphone SGish double necks that were heavy, neck diving, tippy, arm abrasive, tanks. 

*Real* Flying Vs are comfortable for me when sitting and the "fins" hooked around my right leg, or when standing with the guitar on a strap. Otherwise they're just weird, though I very much dig the original. All the pointy V variations I've played are poorly balanced and have leg-unfriendly contours. Pointy guitars look and feel crappy to me with very rare exceptions like the original V, Explorer, Mockingbird (at least the better ones)...funny how they're most often uncomfortable to play. There's a reason for successful designs, they work!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

An Epiphone G-400. I love SGs, but I had practically wrestle this one to play it.

There was also an Ibanez that I played once, it was so thin that it kept slipping off my leg.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Wow - can't believe all the abuse that LPs are getting. Perhaps I have an odd shaped lap but I've always had more trouble sitting with a Strat or Tele than an LP.


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## BrianA (Mar 1, 2009)

For me, I have trouble bonding with anything too bulky. I can't keep a steel string around because it just never get's played. I had a big bodied Washburn jazzbox once that I could barely get my arms around, so it had to go. I REALLY wanted an ES-175 (I always dug the looks and one of my personal favourite players, Pat Metheny, plays one). But every time I picked one up in a store... too bulky.  Then cruising Ebay on day, I discovered that Gibson made (from '76-'79) an ES-175T (Thinline). Has that 175 tone without the bulk. I bought it. It's been with me ever since. Here it is:


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

BrianA said:


> For me, I have trouble bonding with anything too bulky. I can't keep a steel string around because it just never get's played. I had a big bodied Washburn jazzbox once that I could barely get my arms around, so it had to go. I REALLY wanted an ES-175 (I always dug the looks and one of my personal favourite players, Pat Metheny, plays one). But every time I picked one up in a store... too bulky.  Then cruising Ebay on day, I discovered that Gibson made (from '76-'79) an ES-175T (Thinline). Has that 175 tone without the bulk. I bought it. It's been with me ever since. Here it is:


Thats a keeper.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I used to not like dreadnought & jumbo acoustic flat tops due to the body size--same with jazz boxes, but I got over those.

I find Les Pauls very comfortable--including while sitting--I guess I'm just used to them.

For me the most uncomfortable are the BC Rich Mockingbird--which looks cool--but the top horn digs into my ribs. I imagine some other BC Riches would do the same--but I've never picked up some of their larger bodies.

The other is the Tele--I've never found the body comfortable--too rectangular I guess. But some people really get a great sound out of them, and do some great stuff with them.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

For me it's a Les Paul everytime.
Just not made for me. terrible upper fret access, gets your hand all out of position. Love the way they sound, just not the way they feel.
But I keep buyin' them kkjq


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*Guitars*

Yes it looks like the LP's are being Buried alive, and there are millions out there...
It does surprise , me the amount of people that sit down to play an LP.., and that tell's me there is a weight issue.

But they are great guitar's... That ES-175 is just darn right beautiful.. wow !!! I have a few thin line hollow body electrics and i could see where the large body would be uncomfortable, getting my arm over the thicker body.

You are giving up playability for sound.

Great response to this post with surprising results.

Rick


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## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

zontar said:


> ...
> For me the most uncomfortable are the BC Rich Mockingbird--which looks cool--but the top horn digs into my ribs. I imagine some other BC Riches would do the same--but I've never picked up some of their larger bodies.
> ...


Funny you should mention the Mockingbird. Back in the mid 90's, Sherwood Music (Kitchener, Ont) had an early 80's neck-thru USA BC Rich Mockingbird with a fixed birdge and 3/side headstock. I'm sure you guys know the kind I'm talking about. It was mint with only 1 chip on the horn and had a zillion knobs/switches. Anyway, I was so close to buying it, but I couldn't get over the way that top horn would dig into my ribs. Shame really - I think they wanted $499 for it or something like that. What a steal!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Comfort, playability, versitility and tone. That what makes up the perfect (or almost perfect) guitar.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> Join Date: Jan 2006
> Location: Just East of Toronto
> Posts: 3,200
> Thanks: 2
> Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts


WHOA !!!!!
Sorry for the derail but.......Robert, I just noticed your post count. Holy Moly !!!!
I thought I was a constant noodler on here, but you are the KING !!! :bow:

Cheers
pete


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

faracaster said:


> WHOA !!!!!
> Sorry for the derail but.......Robert, I just noticed your post count. Holy Moly !!!!
> I thought I was a constant noodler on here, but you are the KING !!! :bow:
> 
> ...


Thanks for noticing, but Paul is the REAL KING here. I'm either second or third.


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## Drazden (Oct 26, 2007)

Probably offset flying V's... despite the deep love I have for the Jackson Rhoads/Reverend Volcano shapes....there's just no way I could ever play them regularly. 

I wasn't the only one to find vintage-style Teles hard to play, though, was I? The edges poking you in the ribs and the elbow, the teeny tiny neck with the really round radius and the three saddles making it impossible to have 100% great intonation OR action?


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

I'll have to go with Flying Vs as well. Back when I was going through my "different looking guitar" phase, I used to have a 1975 Gibson Flying V and even though the neck was nice and the pickups sounded good it was too ungainly, plus forget about playing it sitting down. I ended up selling it. That was the only guitar I've ever felt uncomfortable with.


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## Nickelo (Apr 9, 2007)

Ditto with Kenmac. I have never been comfortable playing flying V's. I found them very hard to get used to playing standing up, and playing them seated was very awkward.

The only other guitar that comes to mind was an 80's Ibanez destroyer. It was near impossible to play sitting down and by far the heaviest guitar I've ever played standing up.


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

Kenmac said:


> I'll have to go with Flying Vs as well. Back when I was going through my "different looking guitar" phase, I used to have a 1975 Gibson Flying V and even though the neck was nice and the pickups sounded good it was too ungainly, plus forget about playing it sitting down. I ended up selling it. That was the only guitar I've ever felt uncomfortable with.


I didn't go as far as buying one, and I think they are badass, but yeah I had the same experience with the Flying V, I just couldn't stand it.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

bagpipe said:


> Was it one of these ? The Paul:
> 
> http://vintage-guitars.blogspot.com/2006/02/gibson-paul.html


I have a "The Paul" and it's not that heavy at all, one of the things I like about it.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

I had a G&L Legacy that I just couldn't get used to. The neck angle, and the frets-REALLY highkqoct


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

BrianA said:


> For me, I have trouble bonding with anything too bulky. I can't keep a steel string around because it just never get's played. I had a big bodied Washburn jazzbox once that I could barely get my arms around, so it had to go. I REALLY wanted an ES-175 (I always dug the looks and one of my personal favourite players, Pat Metheny, plays one). But every time I picked one up in a store... too bulky.  Then cruising Ebay on day, I discovered that Gibson made (from '76-'79) an ES-175T (Thinline). Has that 175 tone without the bulk. I bought it. It's been with me ever since. Here it is:


Very nice!


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

Bee-yootiful guitar fersure.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

vds5000 said:


> Funny you should mention the Mockingbird. Back in the mid 90's, Sherwood Music (Kitchener, Ont) had an early 80's neck-thru USA BC Rich Mockingbird with a fixed birdge and 3/side headstock. I'm sure you guys know the kind I'm talking about. It was mint with only 1 chip on the horn and had a zillion knobs/switches. Anyway, I was so close to buying it, but I couldn't get over the way that top horn would dig into my ribs. Shame really - I think they wanted $499 for it or something like that. What a steal!


Sounds like a great deal, except for the body shape--now if it had been an Eagle--I could see going for it.


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