About Us At Ergonomic Guitars
The combination of aging and years of working in the trades had robbed me of my ability to enjoy my guitar. I became unable to play for any length of time, and found it harder to hit old familiar chords. Arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome had taken its toll. Out of necessity, I began making guitars that might help me compensate for my disability.
I discovered that by slanting the neck forward made it easier to reach the fret board and manage difficult bar chords. I also slanted the neck coming off the body, similar to Gibson® guitars. This brings the neck closer to the player, facilitating reach and lessening the need for flexibility in the wrist.
In the construction of the guitars I tend to favor Maple, a dense heavy wood. I also employ “through the neck” and “through the body” string mount. These two features make the guitar a more contiguous unit. As there is no tailpiece and the body is chambered, the weight of the guitar is lessened.
I realize, to a purist, this concept is blasphemy. However, this is no new idea. Stringed instruments from the 16th century on have had various forms of contorted necks and fret boards. Although not a total solution, these modifications have had a positive affect on my ability to play and should be of benefit to others who have similar problems. |
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