5′4″ Guitar

I’m curious.  If you’re 5′4″ or under (petite) and you play the guitar, which one do you use?

I currently have a takamine and I have some trouble.

I am considering the following:

• Baby Mahogony Taylor (and then add electrics)
• Little Martin LXME Traveling Acoustic-Electric
• Breedlove Atlas C25 Passport Traveling Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Any thoughts?

Bridget

Mid-Week Setlist for 9/24/08: Calvary Chapel Seaside

Worship at the Valencia 8/29/08 with Camille

On 8/29/08 I played guitar for the whole set at the Valencia Outreach.  Before then, I had been playing three-song sets for the Ladies’ Bible Study and had been playing two songs on guitar before the piano set at the Valencia.

One of the main reasons for the switch from piano to guitar has been for the weight issue.  My husband, because of my back problems, won’t let me load up my piano.  Four weeks ago, he was really injured and can’t lift.  I really love the piano, but it’s 37 lbs.  Also, there are some songs like “How Great is our God” that just don’t sound right with piano alone which have now been added to my slow-growing list of songs that I can play on guitar.

One thing I do miss, however, is the sustain pedal and the easy transitions from song to song.  It’s nearly impossible for me to turn pages.  I’ll have to start memorizing, I guess.

Tonight is my first official midweek service leading only by guitar.  Frankly, my shoulder has been bothering me a bit (now I play 4 times a week) and I’m praying for a more comfortable guitar to play (maybe 3/4 size).  It’s too bad the Baby Taylor doesn’t have electrics.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to play all five songs in a row.  Warren taught me a cheater Bm chord that helps.  For some reason I’m having a hard time getting the proper leverage on my barr chords.  Even F#m (which used to be easy for me) is proving difficult.

By His Grace, it will be sufficient.

Here is the setlist for tonight:
Come Thou Fount

Holy & Anointed One
John Barnett © 1988 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing CCLI#164361

May Your Love Send Me
Danny Donnelly © 2007

My Reward
Paul Baloche © 2003 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music CCLI# 4032306

How Great Is Our God
Tomlin, Reeves, Cash © 2004 worshiptogether.com songs CCLI# 4348399

The song after the sermon will probably be one of the above, revisited.

9/25 Update:

I ended up saving How Great is Our God for the last song.

Logistical challenges with guitar are so different from piano.  During “My Reward” my hair got stuck on my lips (lip gloss) and between the mic.  I couldn’t free my hands to move my hair away in a non-distracting manner.  The distraction + stress on my left hand caused me to land wrong on the Bm C chords.  I was so glad we had a small congregation.

Also, I noticed it’s much easier for me to play guitar with capo on 2nd fret.  I wonder if I should get a 3/4 size?

Notes about the Guitar / Friday 8/29/08 Setlist for the Valencia Outreach

This was taken 10/05/07 at the Valencia whilst playing a song I wrote for Nicole & Warren.

Bridget struggling on Warren's awesome Taylor

Amazingly enough, I have taken the guitar up (starting from scratch). After suffering a major shoulder injury back in 2001, I had to quit the guitar.

I play for the children’s ministry on Sundays, the women’s ministry on Tuesday nights, and have started playing 2-3 songs for the children at the Valencia with the band.

Tonight (8/29/08) our whole set will be guitar driven. Warren will be on acoustic as well, playing with more skill and feel. Nicole Lee is my rock with her amazingly worshipful vocal stylings set off by Camille on the Cajon. I’m nervous and excited.

Here are the songs:

He is the One
Don Jackson © 1998 DJ Ray Music

I’ve Got Joy that Giggles
Don Jackson © 1998 DJRay Music

“Take My Life” capo 2nd fret so we’re in the Key of A; chart is in G
Scott Underwood ©1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI#1617154

Your Love Oh Lord capo 2nd fret so we’re in the Key of A; chart is in G
Powell, Mac et al © 1999 New Spring CCLI#1894255

How Great Is Our God capo 2nd fret so we’re in the Key of A; chart is in G
Tomlin, Reeves, Cash © 2004 worshiptogether.com songs CCLI# 4348399

I may do
MIGHTY TO SAVE
The chart is in D but I will capo 2nd fret so it will be in the Key of E

Worship at the Valencia 8/29/08 with Camille

8/30 Update:

Well, the guitar part went well enough.

I added “My Life is Hid in Christ” before the set.  It’s a song I wrote back in 1997 or 1996.  It’s a round but it’s hard to teach it if you don’t have a second person who knows it.  Maybe if I get a mac, I can record it some time, just for fun.

By the time I got to “How Great is Our God” my fingers were KILLING me.  I guess I had too much practice earlier.

Also, it was very humid and hot so I kept sweating which presented a keenly difficult logistical problem while playing guitar.  How do you deal with sweaty hands?

Worship at the Valencia 8/29/08 with Nicole and Warren

Also, I think I need to lower my action (again).  Barr chords are still buzzing and I dont’ think it’s the pressure.

I think I need to bulk up my queue…

I’m looking for worship songs that would be good for solo vocal and keyboard only.

Suggestions?

The reason why I’m asking is that songs that are rhythm dependent are out of the question. Those are songs I can only play on guitar.

It’s a challenge, not having any band members, save one vocalist every other week.

Thanks so much.