Aching left thumb knuckles

DymnDog

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Location
Bonita, CA
Relatively new Uke player here, but long-time musician (jazz trumpet). Uke is the first stringed instrument that I would admit to knowing how to play.

It doesn't take very long (20 minutes) before my left thumb really starts to ache.

I can't tell if I am gripping the back of the neck too tightly (I'm trying to be aware of the minimal grip needed), or I could have some arthritic activity going on from holding my trumpet in my left hand for years (I'm in my 50's), or maybe it's something that will get better as I play longer (like developing calluses)?

Maybe it's all 3?
 
I played guitar for almost 50 years, then I started playing ukulele a little over 5 years ago and never had a problem with an aching thumb, but last week when I bought a used Fluke, my thumb started to ache after playing it about 1/2 an hour. I'm looking at two possibilities, one, the body is ABS and rounded on the edges, which allows the uke to rotate towards me a bit and makes it a little cumbersome to hold my fingers and thumb in a comfortable position, or two, the neck is thicker than any of my other ukes, which seems to put more pressure on my thumb.

I'm trying to decide if it's worth either shaving the neck to thin it some, add some kind of piece to the side that prevents it from rotating, or just sell it and buy something else as a beater uke.


9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 33)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video
 
I'm going to start paying closer attention to what my thumb is doing... I think I may also be gripping too hard on chords that don't need it.
 
Another possibility is the "A" word. That's what happens to my arthritic thumb after a few minutes of playing, particularly with lots of bar chords
 
I'm a trumpet player too, who took to his first stringed instrument, ukulele, a little more than a year ago. Part of the pain your feeling is from pressing to hard. Remember your thumb is supporting the chord playing fingers, so only apply as much pressure as to stabilize the uke, and to prevent buzzing.
 
Jamie, if you have other ukuleles does it hurt to play them?
 
I'm a trumpet player too, who took to his first stringed instrument, ukulele, a little more than a year ago. Part of the pain your feeling is from pressing to hard. Remember your thumb is supporting the chord playing fingers, so only apply as much pressure as to stabilize the uke, and to prevent buzzing.

Wow a fellow trumpet-to-ukulele musician? What are the odds? You would understand then that I might be gripping with my left thumb as if I was holding a trumpet. You are quite right.
 
Jamie, if you have other ukuleles does it hurt to play them?

Thank you. It pretty much hurts no matter what I play. I have a 1920's Soprano Banjo Ukulele, a cheapish concert, and recently treated myself to a KoAloha Tenor. I haven't noticed that one causes pain any more than another.
 
Another possibility is the "A" word. That's what happens to my arthritic thumb after a few minutes of playing, particularly with lots of bar chords

I'm afraid that could be a factor. I'm "only" 51, but I haven't been kind to my hands through the years.
 
Thank you. It pretty much hurts no matter what I play. I have a 1920's Soprano Banjo Ukulele, a cheapish concert, and recently treated myself to a KoAloha Tenor. I haven't noticed that one causes pain any more than another.

I was having a problem with my left thumb which was caused by my grip. It didn’t matter which ukulele I played, I have the same size selection of ukuleles that you have. (Nice catch on that 20’s soprano banjolele.)
I changed my grip. Maybe you could try some hand exercises and possibly a fingerless glove for you left hand.
 
Top Bottom