# How high do your wear your guitar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192 "2012-02-08T15:21:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/1 "2012-02-08T15:21:12Z")
There’s the up-high, like Tom Morello or Dave Matthews, the slung-down-to-the-knees-low like Johnny Ramone or Slash, and everything in between. How do you wear your guitar? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/2 "2012-02-08T15:26:41Z")
I like it low; my guitar hangs at almost a 45 degree angle. Why? Because I wanna be like [Slash](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Slash_in_2008.jpg/250px-Slash_in_2008.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/3 "2012-02-09T03:14:35Z")
On the rare occasions I use a strap I like it fairly high. I mostly play with one foot on my amp and the guitar resting on my knee or seated on my coffee table, guitar in lap. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/4 "2012-02-09T03:35:53Z")
I prefer to play guitar seated. (When playing anything I have to blow into–flute, sax, or harmonica–I stand.) If I do play standing, I keep it fairly high on the waist. I know a guy who’s a totally outrageous shredder, makes your Malmsteens and Van Halens look like slowpokes; he plays with the guitar way up on his chest. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/5 "2012-02-09T03:52:58Z")
High on the waist. The times when I’ve been hauled up on stage to play someone else’s guitar, they’re always lower than I like, and I occasionally fluff what I’m trying to play. I don’t have long arms, either, which is another problem. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/6 "2012-02-09T04:00:45Z")
Originally chest-high, or at least noticeably above the waist. I have a long torso and small shoulders and didn’t like bending over to play bass for ages. After my wrist was broken I had to adapt because because my left wrist doesn’t turn properly any more; I mostly play notes upside-down, so I ended up practically playing the thing like an accordion, but held at knee height. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/7 "2012-02-09T15:42:33Z")
I picked low on the waist, but it is lower than that - as we used to say “if it ain’t covering your boys, it ain’t low enough” (obviously a gender-specific reference ;)). But “as low as possible” isn’t correct either - I can definitely get my wrist around. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/8 "2012-02-09T16:08:55Z")
Centered at the waist for me. When I was a teenager just beginning to play in public, the most common visual images of electric guitar players featured Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. Of those, only Page wore his guitar low, and I found that a difficult position to play in. So I emulated Clapton and Hendrix in every way I could, including guitar position. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/9 "2012-02-09T16:47:03Z")
Centered on the waist. To be honest I’d like it a bit lower but my strap is at maximum extension. I probably should buy a new one. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/10 "2012-02-09T17:29:26Z")
Low on the waist. It is not enough to rock; one must also _appear_ to be rocking. Like justice, rocking must be seen to be done. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/11 "2012-02-09T17:57:08Z")
I’m an up-high kind of guy, like Morello. I know it doesn’t have that cool rock star look, but I’m punk as fuck and couldn’t give a shit about that. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/12 "2012-02-09T18:08:32Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Low on the waist. It is not enough to rock; one must also _appear_ to be rocking. Like justice, rocking must be seen to be done. You, sir, take the thread. I do, indeed, seek to rock like Justice. 😉 \*\*Bo \*_- how can you keep Satan trapped under a lawnmower_ with your guitar up so high? Don’t you need it lower for…leverage or something 😃 \*referencing, for those not looped in, to Bo’s comment in an earlier thread that he aspires to sound like he has Satan trapped under a lawnmower when he plays guitar. Lord, I love that description. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/13 "2012-02-09T20:17:10Z")
Centered at the waist, though I’ve always wished for a dynamically retractable strap that could be hooked into pedal functions so it would auto-cinch up to my chest for the swoonable finger style playing, and then drop way low for a big power strum, then retract up in the middle for solos. Kind of like Marty’s sleeves in Back to the Future 2. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/14 "2012-02-09T20:29:33Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Centered on the waist. To be honest I’d like it a bit lower but my strap is at maximum extension. I probably should buy a new one. Same here. I’m playing the banjo, the thing is HEAVY. So I play sitting down about half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/15 "2012-02-09T20:57:44Z")
I’m curious - has anyone here ever used a [Gracie Stand](http://graciestandsca.com/products/), or its equivalent? I prefer to play sitting. If I have to play standing, it’s the stability I care about more than appearances. There’s little that ticks me off more than the guitar bobbling when I go to do a LH shift. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/16 "2012-02-09T22:19:17Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > \*\*Bo \*_- how can you keep Satan trapped under a lawnmower_ with your guitar up so high? Don’t you need it lower for…leverage or something 😃 > > \*referencing, for those not looped in, to Bo’s comment in an earlier thread that he aspires to sound like he has Satan trapped under a lawnmower when he plays guitar. Lord, I love that description. It’s all in the reflexes.\* \*referencing, for those not clued in, Jack Burton. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/17 "2012-02-10T02:41:12Z")
Centered on the waist. I should probably wear it higher, I have freakishly long arms, and my wrist is at a funny angle. I am more sensible about my saxophone, and wear it fairly low, but tenor sax is more forgiving to long armed freaks like me. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-do-your-wear-your-guitar/612192/18 "2012-02-10T03:25:02Z")
Mine’s on top of a bookcase about 7’ off the floor. What do I win?