Got Sore Fingers From Playing Guitar? Don't Give Up. Lighten Up!

Fingers Sore From Playing Guitar? Don’t Give Up. Lighten Up!

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Last Updated: May 10, 2019

Got sore fingers from playing guitar? You’re not alone.

For new guitar players, sore fingertips can be pretty demotivating. In fact, I’ve met people who quit guitar after just a few months of trying, simply because the pain was too great.

There’s also another category of hand pain guitar players might experience: pain in the muscles, tendons, and joints. I wrote about this in another article on hand pain, and these can be the result of pre-existing medical issues such as arthritis or an injury, or it’s possible you’ve somehow injured your hand while playing guitar. Whatever the cause, when a guitar player comes to me asking what they can do about pain in their fingers or hand, my first recommendation is almost always the same:

Switch to really light guitar strings.

And not just standard “light” strings–I’m talking really, really, exquisitely light guitar strings. They’re not well advertised, so I’ve decided to track them all down for you and put them into this blog post.

These light strings are what I recommend every new guitarist start with. Once you’ve built calluses and hand strength, or your pain has subsided, you can move up to a heavier gauge, if you’d like.

For Electric Guitars

D’Addario

Dean Markley

DR

Dunlop

Ernie Ball

Fender

GHS

Gibson

Optima

For Steel String Acoustic Guitars

Cleartone

Curt Mangan

D’Addario

Dean Markley

DR Strings

Dunlop

Elixir

POLYWEB vs. NANOWEB: The difference between these is tone and feel. NANOWEB coating is going to sound and feel more like traditional, uncoated strings. They’re crisp and bright, and the coating is so thin you’ll barely notice it. POLYWEB has a warmer… “played-in” tone and the coating will be slightly more noticeable under the fingers.

Ernie Ball

Everly

Fender

GHS

Gibson

John Pearse

Martin

Optima

Rotosound

SIT

Will My Guitar Tone Suffer?

If you’re worried about your tone, don’t be, because big names like Billy Gibbons, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, and others all use these really light string sets. You can be picky about your tone later, after you’ve built up your finger calluses or your hand pain has subsided.

Potential Drawbacks of Really Light Guitar Strings

Your first priority should be your health and comfort, and this is where really light guitar strings truly shine. However, they aren’t without their faults, so you should be aware of some potential tradeoffs before you run out and buy a 12-pack. The keyword here is “potential.” You may not actually experience all or any of these.

Potential Tuning Issues

It’s a fact that lighter guitar strings can be a bit more work to keep in-tune than their heavier counterparts. This isn’t always the case, but something you should be on the lookout for if you decide to switch.

Potential Intonation Issues

Since the strings are so thin, it’s easier to apply too much pressure when you press the string down. This can cause the note to go sharp a bit. So, despite your guitar being in perfect tune, your notes might sound sharp while you’re playing. Again, not guaranteed to happen, but just something to be on the lookout for. If it’s a problem for you, you may be able to fix it by simply using a lighter touch (which, it just so happens, will also help with your pain).

Potential String Breakage

Naturally, since the strings are really light, you’re more likely to break the thinner strings if you get crazy and bend a note too far. If that happens, this is another issue you can probably fix by simply being less aggressive.

Potential String/Fret Buzz

The thinner a guitar string is, the larger it’s vibrational arc. That leads to the potential for it to rasp against frets while it’s vibrating. This is why it can be harder to set up a guitar to be buzz-free if it has really light strings vs. heavier gauges.

Reduced Volume (Acoustic Guitars Only)

With acoustic guitars, it’s a fact that lighter strings will result in slightly reduced volume and “body” when playing purely acoustically (not amplified). This is one instance where the “better tone” argument holds some weight. Fatter/heavier strings do actually give an acoustic guitar a bit more volume and resonance.

However, as I said: your health and comfort should be first priority. In reality, the minor reduction in volume will be barely noticeable to you. Focus on your health first, then later you can move to heavier strings if you wish.

Final Note: You May Still Have Some Soreness

I’d love to tell you that switching to super light guitar strings will eliminate all finger and hand pain for you. They won’t. When it comes to building toughness and calluses on your fingertips, you’re always going to have some soreness during your first few weeks (or months) of playing guitar. And when it comes to other hand pain (due to arthritis or other medical issues), you really should consult a doctor if the pain doesn’t subside.

Also, be sure to check out my other article on this topic: 6 Ways Guitarists Can Reduce Hand & Finger Pain.

What’s Your Story?

Have you been struggling with sore fingers from playing guitar or some other type of hand pain? How do you deal with it? What have you tried? Have you ever tried lighter guitar strings to see if they helped? I’d love to know in the comments below. Also, if you know of some ultra light strings I didn’t include, please let me know and I’ll add them to the lists.

6 replies
  1. Robin Symons
    Robin Symons says:

    Thank you for a great article, although I have been playing for a year, I could not do barre chords despite many exercises, recently I tried my brother in laws Washburn steel acoustic and found I had no problem! Having checked my action I found it is high so I tried a set of Martin phosphor bronze from the article and hey presto I can do barre chords and it’s much easier to play! So many thanks for your help.

    Reply
    • Guitar Answer Guy
      Guitar Answer Guy says:

      That’s great news! So often it’s a guitar’s poor setup that’s causing people’s problems. Sure, you still need some finger strength (and toughness), but a good setup with low action and light strings makes everything SO much easier.

      Reply
  2. Andrew Healey
    Andrew Healey says:

    Hi Bobby, nice post. Many years ago, my guitar teacher suggested I put electric guitar strings on my acoustic because they are easier on the hands. They were; however, they didn’t sound too good. I heard that dipping your fingers in alcohol can toughen them up, though I’ve never tried it myself.

    Reply
    • Guitar Answer Guy
      Guitar Answer Guy says:

      Hi Andrew! Yep, putting electric strings is one way to go. Of course the downside is as you said: they don’t sound very good. Electric strings are way too light, and aren’t made from the best metals for acoustic projection. However, great for building up calluses and working through the pain.

      I’ve tried the alcohol trick, but only for about 2 weeks. I didn’t notice a huge difference. However, I’ve heard that Clapton did this, so maybe there’s something to it.

      Reply
  3. skagithighlands.org
    skagithighlands.org says:

    In fact, as long as you continue to play regularly, you’ll maintain your calluses and never have to worry about sore fingers again.

    Reply

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