Gripmaster

[elklandercc]

The Gripmaster:
http://www.pressurize.net/panda/archives/gripmaster.jpg

Pros:
- perfect for beginners. Builds muscle in the hand and/or keeps you hands "buff" so your always read to play.
-Good for that drive to work or ride to school.
-Can buy a calluses builder/maintainer.
-Reb or blue color.
-3 different toughness, extra light, light and medium.
-well constructed
-well priced

Cons:
-Plastic, never know when it could break.
-With caps on, keys rub sometimes not providing a smooth motion, fine with out though.

Price: $10 online, $20 in stores, $6 for the calluses builder caps

Bought this to keep my pinkey in shape. Works really good and is very smooth in use. Color looks good,too. The only problem i have is its plastic and the decal moves around on it. The caps are a bit poorer quality but work fine beside the seldom rubbing.Part where palm rests is rubber.

[ScottMoney]

I would be REALLY REALLY careful not to hurt yourself with that thing. The concept of building "hand muscles" is painfully ridiculous. First off, you're strengthening tendons not muscles. Second, there should be a lesson learned from the famous pianist who tried to strengthen his fingers in order to be able to be the best pianist ever. Sadly he screwed up his fingers by keeping them pulled apart or something while he slept... bringing his career to shambles

Lesson:your fingers are fine, let nature run it's course and don't try to speed it up or you'll screw yourself over in the long run

[elklandercc]

I dont use it do death. Just every now and then if i haven't played the guitar in a while, to keep my hand in shape.

[Lordathestrings]

I did some painful damage to my fretting hand two years ago, and the Gripmaster is what I used for rehab. A little work goes a long way. Don't over-do it.

[elklandercc]

I agree, the most i've ever used it was for 5 min when i got bored one day and i was a 2 hour drive from my guitar. How lonely we can get without it.

[finkployd2112]

They also make a heavy one which I happen to have. I got it in a rock climbing store.

[PonyOne]

actually... it's not painfully ridiculous... you are primarily strengthening the muscles in your forearms and the tendons attatched to them that run into your hands. although using a gripmaster (or, as i use, a set of those Chinese relaxation balls and a more traditional grip strengthener) won't make you like Steve Vai or Danny Gatton after a week, they actually help with dexterity and endurance.

you can royally f-up your hands if you are stupid about it, just like you can mess up your knees running or your back lifting a box.

[stonevibe]

Try a Powerball, much better than the gripmaster and far less damaging. You can pick them up from powerballs.com.

I own both and never use the gripmaster since I got the powerball

[elklandercc]

I was gonna get one of them a few years ago but didn't for some reason. I don't use the grip master anymore, I've worked out all my fingers pretty well and don't have any pinky problems. The gripmaster didn't help much, just good all fasion praticing.

[EL34XYZ]

I messed with a gripmaster 10 years or so ago in the card on the way to work usually. It's in a box somewhere here.

It seemed to make my fingers tighter and harder to play fast.

Fast twitch muscles may not do well all bulked up.

I know that my legs are always tight from riding mountain bikes and road bikes.

Stretching seems to be a must to help tight muscles.

I do finger stretches when I remember. :)

[Adamingo]

Hello! I live in Slovenia and I found lots of choice of Gripmasters here http://almires.com/grid9771717/ which one you think will be good for a girl? thanks

[Lordathestrings]

The thing to remember is that you do not need tremendous strength to play guitar. You need to train the muscles to work well in positions that are not common in any other activity.

Don't over-train! The main idea here is to get your muscles used to working while you are playing the guitar. You should hold the Gripmaster as if it was the guitar neck, with your fingers in the same position they would be if you were fretting the strings.

I recommend the >X-Light (http://almires.com/info9771718/)< one for training. For men and women. The springs of the other devices are too stiff.

If you feel any pain, stop! You are not trainng to build strength - you are training your arm to be comfortable while playing your guitar. The gripmaster is only used as a means to give your fingers something to push against while they are in the playing position.

The individual buttons allow you to exercise each finger on its own, to develop independant movement. I prefer the Gripmaster to any kind of ball, because the curvature of a ball is nothing like the fretboard, and your fingers are not in the right palces then. Remember always - the goal is comfortable dexterity, not brutal strength.