I'm engaged now, and my girl got me a temporary ring. I hate wearing rings, but started to get used to it after a few days.

But, I absolutely CANNOT play guitar with it on!! Especially on my Parker Nitefly which has a carbon-composite encased neck, so just touching the neck with the ringed hand, was making an awful "tap/scratch/DON'T FREAKIN' DO THIS TO ME MAN! I"M YOUR GUITAR!!" noise. Also, the frets are tall, and edged differently than most guitars...very ring unfriendly!


Yesterday, it got caught on a pinball machine (Sopranos!) while playing. This is my frethand, third finger...one of my favorite!! I know a guy that LOST A FINGER to a ring in high school! It got caught in the basketball hoop net while playing, and lets say that when he came down from that jump, his finger didn't.

I am now SCARED to wear a ring! It feels awful and un-natural. Any ideas? I might have to get a "tattoo" ring, which I didn't want, but I'd rather do that as opposed to risking the life of my guitar finger, with a ring that could get caught on something!! I'm an active person!!

Help GMC!!

Wow man, it's quite a problem... Reading everything you wrote here makes me think that wearing ring is indeed lethal! I didn't think it was that big of a problem... after all, Yngwie Malmsteen wears all sorts of jewelry while playing
Can you take it off while playing?

Yeah...but getting it stuck on the pinball machine while jerking my hand away (ouch! But not a big injury...) now has me VERY paranoid about wearing it. That and, having a friend who already lost a finger to a ring!! I know it's "tradition", but I personally hate the feeling, and the risk of getting it caught while reaching between my car seats, climbing a tree/rock, working on my bike, etc.

They can be an unknown danger. A guy I know drives lorries for a living and opened the door grabbed the top of the door to jump out the cab got the ring caught on top of the door and like you said about the hoop, he came down minus one finger.

It's just jewelry right? You can still be engaged, married, etc. and not wear a ring right? If you don't dig it, I"d say skip it. If your gal insists you walk around with a visible sign of being taken, do what you were saying and get a ring tattoo. Solved!

Thanks for the info/story! I know it's "rare" or "unlikely".....but this is my GUITAR FINGER!! I don't want to increase the chance of losing a finger by even .001%!! Lucky for me, my girl is awesome and VERY supportive of my musical endeavors...so I think she'll understand my fears.

that missing finger thing... what a terrible way to lose a finger ~ ug :/

Personally, I don't wear a ring. Been married about 15 years ~ wore it for about 2 years, but when I picked up the guitar, I didn't like the feeling either. I have big knuckles, so the band, when it's past the knuckle, dangles a little, not snug, so it does it's little hula-hoop thing while I'm playing, and so I said, honey, I love you, but this is ridiculous. I wasn't physically made for wearing one, so I'll tattoo "taken" on my chest instead... fortunately she hates tattoos

Good luck with that!

This might be weird, but some people wear a necklace with the ring on it. When I dated a girl years ago that how I did it because a ring on my finger felt awkward, so I went that route.

Been married 2, almost three years now and I got used to it. I play Sevens to so I bring my hand up a little more. I used to take it off but eventually you wont notice it anymore.

I was like you, hated rings couldnt wear them. Now when its gone, I freak out. I lost it once at a construction site at work, found it 2 days later but for those 2 days I was literally worried sick about loosing it.

It will become...as flesh.

I was just about to say this. This is a totally normal and viable thing to do.. have a talk about it with your fiancee and explain your concerns and that you'd still like to display your devotion to her but in a safer way that allows you to do the things you do and not risk damaging your finger either

My ring is quite thick and wide. I take it off or move it to my right hand for guitar playing



You could put it on a chain.

Take it off before playing, man...

+1

That is exactly the route I would take. Either this or, move it to your picking hand and leave it there.

Actually, I had that talk last night. I'll figure out something, but she's awesome and super supportive of all of my musical endeavors/gigs....so she understands. After getting it caught on a pinball machine the first week (luckily, no real injury), I'm way too paranoid to wear one everyday.

Mate, I dunno I mean, take it off when playing and put it on the right hand I hate wearing ANYTHING on my hands while playing, so I totally understand

Cosmin

Not always as easy as taking it off, you lose it, and your in big trouble!

Adaptation is best!

Here is my temporary solution.... a $0.40 rubber o-ring from the hardware store! Comfy, and it will probably come off before injuring me. It works great for now.

I agree with wearing it on a necklace or the right hand. If I had your problem with your guitar I think I would opt for the right hand. I'm proud to be married and like to let the world know by wearing one.

I hate rings too. I don't wear mine for reasons completely unrelated to guitar, or injury. I have known people that have been hurt with them, but it was work related. One good point is that my original guitar instructor used to do this cool trick and use his ring like a slide! I thought this was very cool.

Ha! Very nice! This post inspired me to write about using a thimble to reach higher pitches on the guitar strings

I was a bit heavier when I got married... here in the states we just call it fat, and I think everyone else in the world calls it spoiled Americans... anyhow I got into shape and lost about 73 lbs and now my ring won't fit properly anymore causing me to lose it oncel. I was however lucky enough to find it somehow, I believe the threats from my wife helped double my efforts in searching. So, with it not fitting properly, and the near miss losing it... I do not wear it anymore. My wife knows I love her because I made the sacrifice of not wearing the ring as I didn't want to lose this very important symbol of our marital bond. Plus it was damn annoying spinning and flopping around on my finger. (That's what she said) Anyhow, If you have a strong trusting relationship, then taking the ring off to play guitar would be the best answer. (I've seen some people who think that you can't take the ring off for any reason???)

So, given that I'm no expert on the subject, I'd say that if you have a more traditional gal then she will push the ring issue once your engagement goes platinum and she will really want you to wear this very important gift that she bestows upon you as her trusted soul mate. Since we all know that you should honor your beloved, (or pay the price) you could look for an alternative material that the ring is made of. Maybe find something that would break a bit easier if you got it really hung up good where you would have more of a chance that the ring would break hopefully before yanking your finger off. Cemented carbide is becoming more popular these days. The ring will eventually get comfortable and you will not be so annoyed by the feeling of it and be more likely to be able pulling off playing with it on.

Ok, actual real advice now... whatever material you get a ring made of, make sure it fits your finger snug. I will tell you from experience of wearing a ring for 15 years that I never got it caught on anything near as much as I did when it became loose on my finger. When it is loose it will get hung on everything that passes by your hand. Also, I believe that a "comfort fit" band will tend to snag up a bit more than a regular shaped ring. You should be able to google comfort fit for more info. If you can get away with the o-ring... go for it but I'm guessing that your future misses is not a plumber, so she may not be down with "My Precious" being an o-ring wedding band... Good Luck!