Why your Les Paul hurts your back - and how to fix it
A couple of months ago, I wrote a post that looked at why guitar players get back pain. Today’s post is on a similar topic, but more specifically regarding the Les Paul and other “heavy” guitars.
The Les Paul has a reputation as being heavy and a low back wrecker.
For a guitar, it’s true to say that it’s relatively heavy. These days a regular production model is often around the 9lb mark, and custom shop models can be found in the 8-9lb range. In the ‘70s, it wasn’t uncommon to find them weighing over 10lbs or 11lbs.
But let’s zoom out a little bit. While those numbers are heavy for a guitar, it’s not a lot of weight in real terms. A typical Les Paul today weighs less than 5kg. Here’s what else can weigh 5kg:
A steel trash can
The average cat
A Crock-Pot
I’m willing to bet that people don’t pick up these items and declare that they’re too heavy.
And with a guitar, the weight isn’t supported by the arms but by the larger muscle groups in the back and legs.
So why is there such a reputation for it being uncomfortably heavy and causing back pain?
The answer is less about the guitar and more about us: