Ergonomics: Height of seating

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I have a nice Steel Seat that is 20" off the floor. I have a favorite padded folding chair that is 18 1/2" off the floor. Lately, I notice that I have less shoulder pain -- you know, guitar players hunched over their instrument -- with the lower height of the folding chair.

I'm 5'10" and my Sho-Bud and GFI are standard height.

Before I start cutting on the Steel Seat legs to get my butt closer to the floor, I thought I'd see if anybody else has the same ergonomic issues.

Gordon Hartin · From: Durham, NC

Height of the seat can make a big difference. I suggest getting a cheap drum stool to try out for a while to see how high/low you want to sit before you start cutting your steel seatlegs.

Gordon

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Adjustable height piano seat and $25 metal briefcase from Harbor Freight.

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Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Years ago I was gifted with a steel seat with a back. It was 21 inches tall, If I set and played on the seat a couple hours, My legs did not want to work when I got up to walk.

I checked the height against my old seat, I cut the legs off 1" felt better, Cut off another 1" to match height of my old steel seat, Sit for 3 hours or more and stand up and walk away. Played a MSA when I cut the legs off, Seat fits my GFI now.

I talked to the seat builder at a steel show shortly after I had cut the legs, He stated he built his seats 21" tall and us short people could cut the legs for a proper fit.

He suggested using a tubing cutter to cut the Aluminum legs to length.

Ron Pruter · From: Arizona, USA

My Steel Seat legs are not aluminum-but a tubing cutter would still probably work just fine. RP
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D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I did take a tubing cutter and shortened those seat legs by 1-1/4". My initial impression is that it will make a big improvement in comfort and posture. Smile

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

I'm so glad this subject was brought up. My wife said that I was getting more slumped over when I played. I'll be doing some measuring and testing thanks to these responce's!
Thanks guys!

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

Based on my experience and just personal preferences, I like my seat high, basically so my forearms are parallel to the floor or even sloping down slightly away from me. In the dark days of using a night club folding chair or whatever they had on hand, they were usually inches lower, and that posture was painful, bad for ergonomics, and made it harder to play well.

Seat height is a critical factor, and your body will tell you what's right for you.
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D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

With seat legs shortened, I'm closer to horizontal with forearms and upper legs. Personal fit for my personal physique. Smile

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

Early on I saw a picture of Speedy West playing a D10 (in his later years), with a cigarette in his picking hand and ROCKING back on a drummer throne, his pedal foot pointing up... like it was Jerry Lee Lewis at a steel! Very Happy

Totally Speedy-COOL.
His guitar was also noticeably tilted towards the front on that picture. Interestingly, Paul Franklin urges his students in his ongoing video "academy" to incline their steels forward some to avoid carpal tunnel issues. I agree.

I feel, that since the "Pack-a-Seats" became popular, steel guitarists' posture suffered. Most sit too low, bent over with near "toad like" posture over their instruments (awww! so politically controversial comments! 3 Smile

)
Thus many lean with their forearms on the rear neck or neck-replacement pads. The picking hand positioned totally wrong with their wrists often below the strings of the neck they are playing.

Ever since playing an Universal with the intention to treat it as ONE tuning and hence envisioning to play across all 7 or 8 pedals at any time, I switched to a drummer throne and never looked back. Yes, them Pack'a'Seats are super practical, but in my opinion they are often too low and the wide straight seating edge restricts leg movement, whereas my left leg is free to go all over along that pedal rack sitting on a drummer throne.

I believe, it has become the commonly suggested standard to aim to sit centered at the 15th fret +. What is often neglected in my opinion is commanding height over the instrument and proper posture.

So... the proper height?
I think it boils down to what you are playing your steel guitar with... your HANDS,
and what they are attached to... your forearms.
I think your forearms should never have to come UP to the neck being played... they could come no less than horizontal or slightly downwards (down from the elbows to the wrist onto the neck being played.

Like so:

By the way yes, Maurice would stress posture on his students (assuming from my experience with him). He would stress "taking a deep breath and RE-CENTER, re-position. Checking on overall posture and play again".

... J-D.
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A Little Mental Health Warning:

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The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.

I say it humorously, but I mean it.

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

What J D Sauser said...
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