Need some eco/egro-nomic advice!

[bReakOuT!]

Hey guys...just wanna share a problem I've been trying to act against but haven't come to a suitable conclusion thus far.

So...I've just got this Les Paul awhile back...first guitar as a beginner...pretty solid material LP copy(Rally GL-400 from SV)...but ever since I started self-learning(well,learnt some Open chords,did some exercises,but mostly,tried learning songs through tabs),I find that I might have gotten myself the wrong guitar.I find that the neck of the Les Paul might be too thick for me.I have trouble trying to finger certain chords,and making the appropriate transitions.But I'm not sure if I should be blaming the guitar,because personally,I have small hands(my wrist-to-palm measures up to only 16.5 or so cm)!

Besides the neck being too wide for my small,little hands,I also feel that maybe the Les Paul is too heavy for me...I'm of a rather short build(don't think I'm even 1.65m) and am thinking if I made a mistake choosing this guitar.

The more prominent "thing" that has been revolving around my head these past few days is maybe selling the LP and getting a Squier Califonia Strat.I know that Strats are surely less heavier than a LP,and have heard that their necks offer better playability(easy to access upper frets - which I'm currently having trouble with right now).Now here comes my dilemma - Why I was initially so keen on getting this LP was because I really didn't know what I was doing when trying out the guitar.I just put my hand on the strings and strummed,and said that it was good(Yeah,now come to think of it that was really no trying-out at all).I had no idea what to look out for,but knew I wanted to play rock,so I set my eyes on a humbucking-pickup guitar,and felt back then that the LP was the guitar I wanted since my idol,Billie Joe uses one.No other considerations were in my mind back then.

Now,I find that I should perhaps have find out what to look out for (eg.neck width,weight etc.) rather than just focusing on the electronics(pickups,etc.).The feel after all,is what really matters to a guitar player when choosing a guitar.Now that I know some chords,know how to fret and all,I think that I'd know what to look out for when choosing another guitar.So I wanna ask you guys,if my solution as stated above should be used ? - Selling away the LP and getting another guitar that is "suitable for me"?Also,I wanna know if there're any like,secondhand dealer-shops out there that will buy a guitar from a customer or is selling the LP on S.O.F.T the only way for me to try and claim back my money?

Edit:My main worries here are that,when I try to play chords such as G,and D...I never seem to be able to get my thumb to rest on the top of the neck,which I think of as the ideal position to hold a guitar by it's neck(You know,thumb on top of neck,fingers fretting chords etc.).That's why I'm thinking that perhaps the neck is really too wide for me.Or do others out there play with their thumb not resting on the neck as well??

 

[donutator]

The 'proper' way to hold a neck is to place the thumb flat and straight on the middle of the back of the neck.

 

[bReakOuT!]

The 'proper' way to hold a neck is to place the thumb flat and straight on the middle of the back of the neck.

Oh,really???I thought you were supposed to hold it like your whole hand was grabbing the neck,that's why I thought the thumb was supposed to be on the top of the neck(just above the 6th string) so you're like "controlling" the whole neck.Anyways,I've thought about it again and I think I won't be discarding my LP...It's a good buy,a good guitar,it'll be a waste if I really just let it go.I think it's just a matter of thumb when my hands can finally reach here and there.:mrgreen:

 

[bf0502tr]

yes thumbs behind the neck is always recommended to beginners to facilitate easier shifting between chords. u'll find that when u start to solo u'll sometimes want ur thumb behind the neck too! but somehow almost everyone thinks getting the thumb above the neck is a cool thing to do -.-

 

[bReakOuT!]

yes thumbs behind the neck is always recommended to beginners to facilitate easier shifting between chords. u'll find that when u start to solo u'll sometimes want ur thumb behind the neck too! but somehow almost everyone thinks getting the thumb above the neck is a cool thing to do -.-

Haha ok,I was thinking have your thumb pressing against the back of the neck is bad because of the pressure you are exerting on that one finger against the whole neck...I admit it sometimes hurts my thumb as well lol.

 

[bf0502tr]

well actually i dont need to press hard using ur thumb. the only time i really needed to apply pressure on my thumb was when i was fretting barre chords. open chords and such dont really needa fret down so hard so pressure exerted by my thumb isn't really alot. but this kinda things need time. dont blame the guitar's neck. it was designed thick for a reason. to give a thick tone!

 

[theunknown]

haha i wrap my thumb around the neck to the extend where i even mute the 3 top strings with my thumb.

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haha thats why everytime my friend asks me to follow survey guitar with him, i always stress out "comfort". sit position ok? stand position ok? neck thickness? strap position? for starters though, i understand that you didnt know what u really want and dont have much experiences to know the differences. like my friend, thin neck, thick neck also say nice.

personally my first guitar was "omg les paul! fits my budget!" then buy guitar. didnt test before buying, didnt even hold properly before buying. thankfully, i made the right choice, and its still my favourite guitar, not my other one which original cost would be 5 times the price. hehe.

let this be a lesson for you. you wont really know what works best for you till you try everything out. thats the reason for buy/sell section. haha.

side note: i tried a craftsman les paul copy at city music. thinner neck that usual les pauls. bolt on though.

another side note: city music got sale now. hehe.