Beginner Action

[tmahan]

OK..I did it....I finally bought a new guitar (Yamaha DW-7) and I have started playing (Crash, #41). Problem is that my fingres are killing me and have swollen to twice their normal size (OK, so I exaggerate)

My questions are:

1) Is this normal (swollen fingers)?
2) I wonder if the action on this guitar might be too high for me. I am wondering if it is possible for you guys to relay to me what a good beginner action should be (a penny width gap, a quarter?)

Thanks a bunch

Tom

[tomek322]

Ive been playing for a bit over a year now so i still have a pretty vivid rememberance of the beginner times... and yes i remember for about the first two weeks the tips of my fingers felt extremely painful and swollen or tender... and then just painful for the two weeks after that and a tad bit swollen... and then either i got use to it or calousus built up... one tip i read about two months ago was: to wipe your finger tips with rubbing alcohol before playing and this will build your calousus up twice as fast(supposidly this is a tip from eric clapton)...

as far as action... the best thing i can tell you is, go to a guitar center and look at a taylor guitar and compare the action to yours... if you see that your guitar has a noticibly higher action than you can get a set up done...

most stores give you a free set up like 4 weeks after your purchase, but if that isn't the case.. i believe a set up costs around 50 bucks with a set of new strings... so wait two to four week and see how you feel... my guitar has a tad bit higher action than the really expensive guitars but i like it just fine, i find its a bit easier to mute strings when playing dave songs...

hope that helps... take care and keep strumming