Big Fingers not so good for guitar

[fustercluck]

Taken up the guitar a little bit in the past week or so, am mostly enjoying it, surprisingly. The problem is I can't hit a lot of the right notes because my fingers are too big. My fingers aren't huge, but big enough to get in the way much too often. If I don't hit a note right, it's usually because part of a finger is barely touching a string it shouldn't be touching, but if I move it back at all, then I'm barely touching the string on the other side t and I can't play that one correctly either (if finger is just barely touching the string, it won't sound good). There's got to be some good guitar players out there with big hands/fingers. I don't see how I'm every going to improve though if I can't physically play chords - Are there guitars with larger spaces in between the strings?

 

[Kirby]

I think SRV had real big fingers, added to the fact that he played with a ton of rings on.

 

[ethebubbeth]

A classical accoustic will have a much wider neck and could possibly help with your issue. I had to move the other way... my fingers are short and stubby so I needed to move to something with a tiny neck.

 

[Toastedlightly]

I have short fingers combined with fat fingers.. bad combo.

 

[TheShiz]

your fingers will become more flexible if you keep practicing, which is more important than your finger shape. you'll be fine. after a while you don't think about it.

 

[tcsenter]

You need to build calluses on your finger tips. The calluses will reduce how hard you have to push down on the string and will give you a smaller contact area on each finger. Also go to a music shop and try out some other guitars, you might find one with a slightly wider fret board and neck.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Long fingers = good
Fat fingers = bad

Although one of the best players I know has stubby fingers. Adapt and overcome

 

[Rudee]

Shawn Lane, who was voted in the top 10 fastest shredders list has short pudgy fingers and he can play up a storm

Shawn Lane

 

[Fritzo]

Finger size means nothing.

Big Joe Williams was an influence for the likes of Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and many other famous guitarists. You see his fingers in that picture? I had the chance to see him play in 1980. His hands were so big he could palm a basketball. His gigantic fingers allowed him to bend heavy gauge strings like nothing, so it turned out to be a plus.

I have big fingers too...it's not a matter of finger shape, it's a matter of training your fingers to do things that they don't normally do. Keep at it and never use the "my fingers are too big" excuse again.

 

[Mrvile]

You'll be fine. Keep practicing.