Re: In my never ending quest...diagnosis
I'm assuming you mean a pinched nerve.
I can't speak to dealing with a pinched nerve, if there is a way to not pinch it that is what you have to do.
I have mild carpal tunnel (also a form of pinched nerve), so I have to be careful. And finger joint pain if I push too hard. All of those things mean back off. A regular schedule tuned to what my hands can take works better for me than sporadic intense days followed by off days. So building up gradually and consistently works best. I also focus on developing technique that keeps my fingers relaxed, I had a 'stiff pinky' problem for a while (accompanied by pinky pain), and I notice that my fretting hand tends to tighten up when I am struggling through a tune.
I also punctuate the practice routine with rest breaks.
The basic rule is if it hurts don't do it. So Grisman is right AFAIK.
I will take off days if I overdo it and have lingering pain. In my case the pain always comes afterwards, at night or the next morning. So I learn not to overdo it, to stay within the level I have worked up to.
I use the lightest strings you can buy, and lowered my action as low as it can go. Taller frets also help (.30 vs .60 isn't huge, but I can feel it, especially near the nut fretting chords).
I think fret height comes up here every once in a while, but is worth mentioning again. I have mandos at .30, .40, and .60 fret heights. I recently put the .30 on the shelf, it is going to get a refret. The .40 is more tolerable, but the .60 is preferred.
One thing I don't know anything about yet is neck profiles, a lot of folks around here say it can make a night and day difference.
Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.
Bookmarks