Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

[Y&T]

i've played Jacksons for years and got used to the arched top. I bought a new Wolfgang and noticed the body is a flat top. After an hour of playing, My wirst started getting sore & I had numbness in my fingers. Anyone else experience this w/a flat top axe? I hate to part w/this piece but comfort is essential.

[kremit]

Re: Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

probably not related. I've always had a variety of guitars. Right now I'm going though severe carpal tunnel in both my wrists & can almost not play. If it's your thumb, index & middle fingers going numb than thats what you are looking at. If these are new symptoms you can control them. Get a brace for your wrist (they make these for carpal tunnel) and try to lay off the guitar and any heavy typing for a week. Anti-inflammatories are a plus also if you have seeing as the problem is caused by inflammed muscles. You don't want it to get to the stage where the pain is keeping you up so much at night that you start to average 3 hrs sleep [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

It's always a good idea to see a doc also. I can't really see switching tops being a cause unless you find that your whole technique / positioning are different.

...hope that helps ?

[pro-fusion]

Re: Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

This may be a really stupid question, but is the action on the Wolfgang set the way you like it with the same string gauges you were using before? That's the kind of stuff that typically makes carpal tunnels go haywire.

I've gotten CTS a couple of times in my left hand from guitar-playing. Mostly from overplaying without proper warmup and breaks, and really pounding the guitar neck with my fingers. Better practicing techniques, really thin strings and a softer touch seem to have solved that problem.

[Y&T]

Re: Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

Kremit & Pro, thanks for your info. I called the MD and he said he thought it was tendonitits, not CTS. He told me to take Naproxen, wear a splint, and give it a rest.

The pain was in my right hand and it seemed to come from resting on the Wolf body. The Wolf is brand new, the action is pretty low and I've used 9s for years. My Jacksons have a cureved top that's more comfortable. I'm going to adjust the strap (as it's slung low) and see if the position of the guitar helps.

The fact that I was playing Ghost Recon last night for awhile doesn't help matters.

[MountainDog]

Re: Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

I notice the same uncomfort with the sharp edge of the Wolfie vs. the comfort bevel on other guitars. Definitely play with the strap length so you can find the right height where you're not putting too much pressure on your arm on the edge of the body.

The other problem I have is with balance, as the upper horn of the Wolfie isn't as long as my strat body J/C guitars. I was using my right arm to help with balance, which became uncomfortable. What I did that helped a lot is use Dunlop strap locks, and I also used the stock strap button (upsidedown) as a spacer (see pic). By doing this, I've moved the strap point further out and the guitar balances much better now. It 'hangs' more like my J/C strats and is now a lot more comfortable to play (I'm now doing this on my Les Paul and Tele type guitars too):

[Y&T]

Re: Wolfgang & carpal tunnel?

Dog, glad to hear it isn't just me who finds the Wolfie uncomfortable on the wrists.

Good call with the strap locks. Now you can do lots of Yngwie twirls! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]