My aching back.....R0 weight

les strat · Jan 8, 2008

All joking aside, a back problem is serious shit. You do the wrong thing, and playing your guitar will be the last thing on your mind, especially when you can barely walk. I don't give a shit if you're 6' 5" and built like a gorilla or a 5' 2" pencil. There is nothing wrong with someones choice to pick a lighter guitar so they can continue play. The he-man shit is stupid. Same goes with heavier strings and people with tendonitis.

Jurius · Jan 8, 2008

A lot of good advice here, except the he-man BS.

I take 800 mg ibuprofen before I play because of arthritic ankles and and infrequent bad lower back. If it's a particularly long gig, I take 1000 mg Tylenol also.

I'm not giving medical advice on the net, just stating what works for me. So while these might not be the dosages you want to use, you might want to pre-medicate.

Also, ibuprofen and alcohol in combination cause irreversible liver damage. Consequently, I never drink when I play. Take this into consideration before taking any medication if you like to have a toddy or two while gigging.

les strat · Jan 8, 2008

Jurius said:
Also, ibuprofen and alcohol in combination cause irreversible liver damage.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) as well.

MRTONEMAN · Jan 8, 2008

davess23 · Jan 8, 2008

This thread is really a thinly disguised ad for those really pretty chambered R8's that I've been seeing lately. It's hard enough to keep telling myself I can't afford one, without reading this shit...

zensurfer · Jan 9, 2008

I just feel bad for those who won't even try an LP if it's over 9lbs (or, let's just say 8 and 3/4 lbs and up). Try having a left collarbone (right where the strap hangs) that was broken not once, but twice and a pretty severe (and chronic) back injury. Yep, you're right, it's a pain in the you-know-what, but so is ANY guitar hanging there no matter what the weight. :hmm

It's also kind of weird about the weight thing and people wanting to get the most accurate tone from their Historics, as most of the originals were over 8.5 lbs (there where maybe 5 or 6 of them under that?). These people are missing out on one of the main ingredients of the LP sound...:jim

LPR7 · Jan 9, 2008

The weight thingy is an issue. During gigs if I were to play my black beauty which weights a ton, I would standby another guitar because even with the goldtop and playing for an 1hr or so would cause my shoulder to ache.
Whatever the case is .. have a spare and don't antangonise your back. Even the Rangers have frame pads on their alice packs to support their backs despite the load but not guitars.

scundo · Jan 11, 2008

I've had 4 back operations. All for ruptured discs. I'm only 38. Bad backs are nothing to screw around with. You did the right thing. If your back is bothering you after a couple sets, put the LP down and pick up something light and give it a break for a while. I think those cats were able to do it back in the day because of the drugs.:2cool Ahhhhh. No pain, no pain......

Black58 · Jan 13, 2008

Personally, before a show, I like to strap on both of my Les Pauls at the same time and take a few practice swings.

Christopher Will · Jan 2, 2019

Steinberger Hack said:
Last night, we played a local club. For the first time in several months, we were playing the whole night - no opening act. About 15 minutes into the 3rd set, my lower back was hurting so bad I had to put down the R0 and go to my back-up (Steinberger GL2TA). :dang

Now, my R0 isn't THAT heavy - less than 9 lbs. Even so, it's just a lot of weight to sling around all night. What was really frustrating was the difference in tone - I really wanted to pick the LP back up, but I just couldn't.

Any thoughts on how to manage the weight for long shows? Any specific exercises or stuff that any of you guys have come up with or heard about? I'm already using a very wide strap, so it's not a matter of my shoulder getting beat up.....:hmm

Well, of course with such burdens, your back could not stand. In such cases, it is better to rest and give your back a rest from all sorts of burdens. But people do not always like it and they want to continue their work. In this case, the only options I can offer to buy Compression Tights, you might think that they are only female, but this is not so. I wore them myself when I had problems with my legs and back. They act very effectively and help your back and legs to rest. They are comfortable to wear under the pants. So you won't have any discomfort. I think this is the most effective option.

Guitardon · Jan 12, 2019

Steinberger Hack said:
Last night, we played a local club. For the first time in several months, we were playing the whole night - no opening act. About 15 minutes into the 3rd set, my lower back was hurting so bad I had to put down the R0 and go to my back-up (Steinberger GL2TA). :dang

Now, my R0 isn't THAT heavy - less than 9 lbs. Even so, it's just a lot of weight to sling around all night. What was really frustrating was the difference in tone - I really wanted to pick the LP back up, but I just couldn't.

Any thoughts on how to manage the weight for long shows? Any specific exercises or stuff that any of you guys have come up with or heard about? I'm already using a very wide strap, so it's not a matter of my shoulder getting beat up.....:hmm

I bought one of those stretch straps. It helps a lot, but in the end I got tired of it being up-and-down on my body so I went back to a regular strap and just Grin and bear it through the night. You might want to check one of those out and see for yourself if it works for you. It definitely relieves the rack strain.

Steinberger Hack · Jun 28, 2019

Guitardon said:
I bought one of those stretch straps. It helps a lot, but in the end I got tired of it being up-and-down on my body so I went back to a regular strap and just Grin and bear it through the night. You might want to check one of those out and see for yourself if it works for you. It definitely relieves the rack strain.

INteresting - thanks!

randall · Jun 28, 2019

markguitar said:
WTF! What, do you have to work out now to play guitar for 3 sets!! Things are getting crazy these days. How many skinny ass drug addicts in the '70's played 10 lb Norlin Les Pauls all night long! The Allman Brothers would play 5-6 hour shows and I know Duane's guitar was over 9 lbs. Nobody even gave any thought into the weights of guitars back then. If it sounded good and they liked it, they played it! Maybe more drugs is the answer!! They certainly weren't health conscious or working out.

Duane didn't sling a Les Paul pass 40. I am sure he would have moved to a parker fly.

Big Al · Jun 29, 2019

I played 4 sometimes more sets, 3 nites a week from 75-85. Those Norlins got heavy after 4 hours, even with breaks. I developed stratagies that worked well, though I do remember a few nights where I just hurt. This all was helpful.

I used a custom made wide leather strap with thick sheepskin backing. I still own it. It is important to wear the guitar higher than the too cool hunched apeman knee bouncing stance players. I wore mine up like a human, not bib high but up high enough that it supported my technique and more importantly, allowed me to stand up straight, not hunched over.

Get off your feet on breaks. Stretch, adjust and sit down. When playing, stand straight up and move! Dance around, shift your weight around and move them legs, Stationary standing while staring at the floor is poor stage presence and separates you from the very people you are entertaining, it isolates bandmates and creates stress and fatigue.
I'm sure my mobile, loose upright posture and straight on eye contact, engaging audience and bandmates not only helped my back but increased my enjoyment as well.

It is still hard to wear a heavy guitar, though basses are much heavier. How do they do it?
Wide padded straps, slung high and upright posture, ..... hmmmm:hmm

marshall1987 · Jun 29, 2019

I'm with Big Al on this one. The wide padded guitar strap is your salvation for a heavy Les Paul.

Also when you adjust the strap so the guitar lays against the mid part of your abdomen, you gain an ergonomic advantage. For me, wearing the guitar higher on my mid section facilitates more efficient left hand movement, positioning, and note articulation. With the neck of my Les Paul closer to my left shoulder, I can get my left hand out in front and achieve greater perpendicular articulation of the strings with my left hand. This has the side benefit of reducing tension in my left arm and shoulder.

As usual your mileage may vary..........

sonar · Jun 29, 2019

I sold a few really good guitars over the years because I couldn't handle their weight.

A degenerative spine is no joke.

Patek · Jun 30, 2019

markguitar said:
WTF! What, do you have to work out now to play guitar for 3 sets!! Things are getting crazy these days. How many skinny ass drug addicts in the '70's played 10 lb Norlin Les Pauls all night long! The Allman Brothers would play 5-6 hour shows and I know Duane's guitar was over 9 lbs. Nobody even gave any thought into the weights of guitars back then. If it sounded good and they liked it, they played it! Maybe more drugs is the answer!! They certainly weren't health conscious or working out.

Behind the scenes they may have been in agony. Or not. Who knows

the OP has a point. I was playing a near 10lb LP studio since I was a skinny and short 14 year old . Playing it for many hours every day, I wanted a LP, I didn’t care it was too big for me. It caused scoliosis

got my back sorted out many years ago, but still do get aches occasionally from very long sessions so I opt for a LP as close to 8lb as possible and some decent straps. I agree with you a LP is worth the pain, although we can at least try and mitigate it

herb · Jun 30, 2019

markguitar said:
WTF! What, do you have to work out now to play guitar for 3 sets!! Things are getting crazy these days. How many skinny ass drug addicts in the '70's played 10 lb Norlin Les Pauls all night long! The Allman Brothers would play 5-6 hour shows and I know Duane's guitar was over 9 lbs. Nobody even gave any thought into the weights of guitars back then. If it sounded good and they liked it, they played it! Maybe more drugs is the answer!! They certainly weren't health conscious or working out.

They were in their early 20s and, like you said, they were on drugs. :hmm

My aching back.....R0 weight

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