The aging guitarist....

[RMH57]

I started playing after retirement, so I knew my ceiling wasn't going to be very high. I'm a couch Strummer but having a good time with it. Short scale and smaller bodies I have found to help me out a lot. Should have started long ago but glad I finally did. For me, I am in my prime.

[Deliberate1]

My 68th is almost within spitting distance. And my hands feel it. The bad news is that I am just five yeas with a guitar in those hands. The good news is that I am just five years with a guitar in those hands, and in that time, I have not acquired sufficient skills to lose to age-related stuff. I know there is a moral buried in there somewhere.

David

[KevWind]

Well the expression "It's a shame to waste youth on the young" while humorous does have it's foundation in the juxtaposition of reality

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by TBman

Not a pretty sight. Loss of dexterity, finger stiffness, any glimmer of speed has gone on down the road. My hearing is probably going too, but headphones help cover that up I suppose. Playing nylon almost 100% of the time has helped alleviate a lot of the finger soreness I was getting.

What a kick in the teeth. You work all your life and are now in retirement able to take the time to play any time of the day and now the hands aren't cooperating. . . .

Yup. Dues. You either pay 'em young or pay 'em old.

[SFCRetired]

Look at the bright side. At least now I can blame old age on my sloppy playing.

[JKA]

This aging guitarist does everything better.

[J Patrick]

And yet, I still derive the same measure of joy and satisfaction from playing guitar that I did in my younger days….im grateful for that.

[Stratcat77]

Originally Posted by JKA

This aging guitarist does everything better.

Love it.

And want to believe it!

I'd really like to think that as I begin my 6th decade that I play "smarter" and with a bit more taste than the younger me, but there's no doubt my body parts don't all want to cooperate without some pain!

[Moldstar]

Well, we all get there one day, sooner or later. I'll be there soon enough. My dreads will need to be retired in favor of short scale, low action OMs and OOs I imagine, at that time.

[Bob Womack]

Well my playing is better than ever but guitar amplifiers are getting heavier and heavier. When I was in college I schlepped a 78lb 4x10 Gibson GA55RVT Ranger to gigs.

These days I'm liking the new breed of lighter amps, more around thirty pounds, and my regular go-to for sessions is the14.5lb Helix.

Bob

[Rebo]

I just started playing the guitar after my retirement in 2021, so I don’t have some of the issues you’ve described. Although I’m sure I’ll never be as good as most of you who have been playing longer. I can relate, however, in my inability to run like I used to. I’ve been a runner since high school (1970’s) and unfortunately my knees and joints are pretty much shot. I now do more of a jog/walk. It’s not the same but it beats the alternative. Hang in there!

[ghostnote]

I spent most of my youth and half of my adult life playing sports seriously. Not at a pro level, but not quite amateur either. Lots of dings, injuries, aches and pains, especially to my extremities. For most of that time I was also playing guitar, so I learned a lot about playing with pain and getting through it. Now that I’m old, I’m in pain without any reason other than the parts are wearing out. But I’ve lived with it a long time, so I can deal. I don’t worry about technique any longer - I already have my own way of playing, so that’s my technique. I still try to improve the things I’m doing, so it’s not like I’ve given up, I simply care about different things now. Songwriting has become my real joy - the satisfaction of creating something that turns out well is, to me, even better than the kick I got from mastering some difficult piece of music. (even though my songs are not complex) We have to find our happiness wherever it is. Ironically, old age is not for the feeble.

[slimey]

When I feel like whining about getting old, being a widower, I remind myself not everyone gets the privilege .

Though I do feel we should be eligible for retirement at 30 . Retirements the best!!

[rmp]

I just rolled past 67 last weekend.

I'm retiring in June.

hands are good
voice is good

just had physical / full panel blood test, EKG..

All good!


So as they say.

s far, so good

Got two gigs coming up in may, so I'm working on prepping for those..

Can't wait to get off the hamster wheel...

[tbirdman]

I wish I started earlier, but I started 4 years ago at the age of 64. But I'm making up for lifetime as I now practice every day the steel acoustic guitar, classical guitar, piano and ukulele. I also take weekly lessons for guitar, piano and singing. I'm not old, but everyone is!

I also take cooking classes. Oh, and I started golf lessons.

From the Shashank Redemption..."Get busy living, or get busy dying."