Limited stretch due to tendon repair.

Hi,
I'm a 45 year old male and I've been learning acoustic guitar for about a year.
I have fairly small, chunky hands but to add to this I had repair to a snapped tendon in the thumb of my fret hand 13 years ago which limits my stretch some what.
In spite of all this I'm quite happy with my progress.
My question is this. With the limitations to my fret hand would I be better off exploring finger picking styles to make good progress or is there hope for me to improve my stretch over time.
Any other advice /encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by: AuriscalpiumHi,
I'm a 45 year old male and I've been learning acoustic guitar for about a year.
I have fairly small, chunky hands but to add to this I had repair to a snapped tendon in the thumb of my fret hand 13 years ago which limits my stretch some what.
In spite of all this I'm quite happy with my progress.
My question is this. With the limitations to my fret hand would I be better off exploring finger picking styles to make good progress or is there hope for me to improve my stretch over time.
Any other advice /encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Hard to answer without first hand knowledge.

Can a person improve their stretch? Somewhat but not beyond what physics allows. I have pretty average sized hands but some stretches for me just are never comfortable. Even simple ones like the bouncing rhythm of Johnny B. Goode. That little rhythm stretch is not natural for my pinky. My pinky has always been a little dumb. It is what it is. I've never overcome it. I've learned it is a physical limitation. Not noticeable to most but a challenge for me.

From challenges come inspiration. Django Reinhardt had two working fingers. He made it work very well.

Sometimes finding that alternative to compensate becomes your style. Your unique sound.

I don't know that this answers your question but if you can't execute the maneuver the way it was done originally, find another way.

...though I have become a big fan of fingerpicking lately...Soooooo much good stuff out there.

JeffS65-Thanks for the reply. I think you're right. I just have to adapt and find other ways and see where it leads me. Mostly I need to stop getting frustrated and enjoy what I can do and enjoy the journey.

Hi Auriscalpium
You might check with a physical therapists and see if you can do some exercise to regain more use of your thumb.
You can also have your action as low as possible and lighter string..
Also you could go to electric guitar which requires less strenght to fret
There are exercises here on GT that could also help.
I have found the more I play the less pain I have in my left hand thumb..
Hope you find something that helps.

Can stretch be improved? Most certainly unless there is a physical impediment. Think Chinese contortionists/acrobats, gymnasts and...classical guitarists. Almost all of their fleixbilty comes from training/practice, not inate body characteristics. And look at the reach of this guy's fret hand; http://www.guitarlessons365.com/essential-hand-stretches-for-guitarists/ .

Check out Christopher's stretch tutorial, http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=19585 . There are other sources about stretching including the free Kindle book, Finger Exercises - Fingers, Hands, Forearms, Arms, Shoulders Therapy and Development Exercises Teaching Method, http://www.amazon.com/Finger-Exercises-Shoulders-Development-ebook/dp/B00480ONWE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358815551&sr=1-1&keywords=guitar+instruction (Kindle not required).

My stretch certainly has improved this year although I can't yet do six frets from fret 1. But I'm closer and I couldn't do five frets when I started. Primarily, I do this set of exercises from justinguitar.com (also free), http://justinguitar.com/en/TE-007-FingerStretch.php after I do most of Christopher's exercises.

For most, playing and stretching exercises will improve one's reach. And with work on those I and most everyone else will get a bigger stretch and can voice what someone else posted in this forum, "I'll never be as bad as I am today."

Hi Compart1 and John of MT, Thanks for the advice. I've started stretching and I think it's going to help a bit. I've also been to see physical therapist. He says the main problem is that, as a tendon from my index finger was used to attach to the snapped tendon in my thumb, my thumb now works at an unusual angle. Not much I can do about that really. I think,as JeffS65 suggested, I should think my way around the problem and let it become my style a la Django Reinhardt.