[QUESTION] - Need advice for a working musician with a very sore fretting hand...acoustic guitar, warmups, etc. (self.Guitar)

submitted 6 minutes ago by karmisson

I am a working musician. I typically play 3-hour gigs. I just turned 50 and my fretting hand is not keeping up with me lol. The area right around my thumb gets sore really fast when playing this acoustic for long periods of time. Also, I have a hard time making a fist to even put on and take off the capo after long periods of playing.

When I play my solo acoustic stuff, I'm currently using a Martin DC-1E. It plays nice, but the action above the 3rd fret is just laborious. I can't play anything but open chords comfortably anymore, let alone for 3-hours at a pop. When I do electric gigs, I don't have this problem playing Teles all night, just on the acoustic.

My question is: I need advice on how to make this guitar more playable, advise on a new acoustic guitar that is ridiculously easy on the hands to play(low action, light gage strings, etc).

I've been performing live for three decades now and I need some advice on my thumb. It could be arthritis. It's most likely NOT carpal tunnel, but who knows. My doctor just told me to stretch and warmup before gigs. That doesn't really help. LOL.