Fusion of joint immediately below the thumbnail (the distal phalanx)

[1ply]

I had severe osteoarthritis of my left thumb in the joint immediately below the thumbnail (the distal phalanx). The bone spurs got so bad that it was continually out of joint. I had surgery to fuse the joint at about a 30-degree angle.
Unfortunately, I had surgical complications and am only beginning to play guitar again. Do you know guitar players who have had this surgery and can still play? I find barre chords difficult and can no longer reach over the neck of the guitar to play bass strings. I am a right-handed 6 string guitar player.

[RJVB]

I think Django Reinhardt had something similar happen to his 3rd and 4th fingers of the fretting hand due to a fire.

Would a more classical, thumb under neck technique help you?

[Jim Comeaux]

The advice that I got from the internet is to use your back muscles to aid in those tough barre chords. It’s sort of like trying to break the guitar in half by pressing down with your right elbow on the lower bout while pulling back with your left arm. I tried it with mixed success, and it is a bit difficult to do at first, but it gets better as you practice it.

[J Patrick]

In 2003 I had that joint fused when my left thumb was surgically reattached after I severed it at the base on a table saw….it took a Lear Jet ride….six months, 4 operations and about 80 thousand dollars for me to play well enough to start gigging with my band again but other than not being able to wrap my thumb over and fret the low E I really didn’t have any limitations all….if anything it improved my left hand technique because I now post my thumb behind the neck which results in increased accuracy with my fingering…..I now refer to my thumb as the apparatus…..I am grateful to still have it although it no longer matches my other thumb…..

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Jim Comeaux

The advice that I got from the internet is to use your back muscles to aid in those tough barre chords. It’s sort of like trying to break the guitar in half by pressing down with your right elbow on the lower bout while pulling back with your left arm.

Funny, I just referred to this on another forum in a reply on ... learning to play the violin.

I'd argue that you'll make things easier and more ergonomic by thinking of using your arm weight rather than your muscles. It's crucial to remain as relaxed as possible and avoid cr/lampling down on the guitar. BTW, for this to work with barré chords you also have to work with your left hand/wrist orientation so the weight is always as much as possible on the strings that require it only.

[Robin, Wales]

I find barre chords difficult and can no longer reach over the neck of the guitar to play bass strings. I am a right-handed 6 string guitar player.

Hi 1ply, I don't have the same issue as you but I have the same limitations. I lost the last section of my index finger in a climbing accident and can't bend my thumb joint beyond 30 deg. So no barre chords and no thumb over bass string playing.

I have adapted my playing style to suit what I can do. I tend toward Carter style and Woodie Guthrie style song accompaniment. I use a capo for pretty much every song I sing to get a fit for my voice. I change song arrangements to take out the need for barre chords (I may play the melody notes at that point rather than the chord). However, I doubt that anyone notices my limitations at all. I play a crisp, sparse timbre, with any strums limited to the first 4 strings but with bass runs licks and fills on the bass strings. Like I said, my arrangements are very Carter or Woodie Guthrie.

I expect that with some experimentation you will be able to play some wonderful music on your guitars without needing barre chords or thumb over bass notes.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

However, I doubt that anyone notices my limitations at all. I play a crisp, sparse timbre, with any strums limited to the first 4 strings but with bass runs licks and fills on the bass strings.

And they called him the gaelic, singing Django?

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by RJVB

And they called him the gaelic, singing Django?

LOL! Nothing as complicated as jazz I'm afraid. A few campfire songs with cowboy chords more like.

I took up mountain dulcimer coz I could get away with fretting the tunes with a short stick!