I'm getting married next summer and need to start thinking about wedding rings.

What are peoples experiences of wearing them whilst playing the guitar?

Mike

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my music

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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I'm getting married next summer and need to start thinking about wedding rings.

What are peoples experiences of wearing them whilst playing the guitar?

Mike

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You won't be allowed to do gigs anymore, so what difference does it make? :-)

I prefer to remove my wristwatch when playing piano, and have never got along with ring-wearing. But I suppose I could tolerate a lightweight ring if I had to.

DO you HAVE to? It's long-established tradition for the wife to display her status, and I don't think you'd ever shift one from wearing a wedding ring. But plenty of men don't.

Quote Exalted Wombat:

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Quote Spiked Lunch:

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I'm getting married next summer and need to start thinking about wedding rings.

What are peoples experiences of wearing them whilst playing the guitar?

Mike

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You won't be allowed to do gigs anymore, so what difference does it make? :-)

I prefer to remove my wristwatch when playing piano, and have never got along with ring-wearing. But I suppose I could tolerate a lightweight ring if I had to.

DO you HAVE to? It's long-established tradition for the wife to display her status, and I don't think you'd ever shift one from wearing a wedding ring. But plenty of men don't.

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Haha, aged 29, I feel my 'weekend rock star' days are over.....

I don't have to wear a ring but I would really like to.

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my music

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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Quote Exalted Wombat:

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Quote Spiked Lunch:

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I'm getting married next summer and need to start thinking about wedding rings.

What are peoples experiences of wearing them whilst playing the guitar?

Mike

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You won't be allowed to do gigs anymore, so what difference does it make? :-)

I prefer to remove my wristwatch when playing piano, and have never got along with ring-wearing. But I suppose I could tolerate a lightweight ring if I had to.

DO you HAVE to? It's long-established tradition for the wife to display her status, and I don't think you'd ever shift one from wearing a wedding ring. But plenty of men don't.

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Haha, aged 29, I feel my 'weekend rock star' days are over.....

I don't have to wear a ring but I would really like to.

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So what do you want us to say? Choose a nice ring and wear it if you want to. If it gets in the way of your guitar technique, wear it in your pocket while playing. Neither your wife or any God you may subscribe to will mind.

Quote Exalted Wombat:

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So what do you want us to say? Choose a nice ring and wear it if you want to. If it gets in the way of your guitar technique, wear it in your pocket while playing. Neither your wife or any God you may subscribe to will mind.

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I don't subscribe to any religion and my future wife wouldn't mind if I took if off - I'd mind though as I'd likely loose it at some point if I was always taking on and off.

I was just interested in some personal experience from ring wearing guitarists, that's all.



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my music

Congrats Mike!! I played a song for my wife at my own wedding reception and it definitely felt weird. However, it didn't take long before I was completely accustomed to it, and now it's not even a consideration. Just make sure you get something that's comfortable and fits well, as you should anyway.

Quote Nolum:

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Congrats Mike!! I played a song for my wife at my own wedding reception and it definitely felt weird. However, it didn't take long before I was completely accustomed to it, and now it's not even a consideration. Just make sure you get something that's comfortable and fits well, as you should anyway.

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Thanks Nolum, that's good to hear. Do you think the thickness/length of the ring makes a huge difference?

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my music

I can't wear a ring on my left hand whilst playing at all. Best not too anyway, keep the audience guessing ;-)


Never wear my wedding ring anymore anyway, too many years when in the Army jumping up and down off wagons, many people lose fingers that way and I just got out of the habit of wearing it. Not even sure I know where it is ;-(

Quote SparkyG:

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I can't wear a ring on my left hand whilst playing at all. Best not too anyway, keep the audience guessing ;-)


Never wear my wedding ring anymore anyway, too many years when in the Army jumping up and down off wagons, many people lose fingers that way and I just got out of the habit of wearing it. Not even sure I know where it is ;-(

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Hmm, not so good to hear

I guess this is going to be suck-it-and-see!

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my music

Congratulations Mike.

Great to hear the big news.

congrats!

get one big enough to play slide with..

um.. i take mine off, though tbh i don't think it impedes playing - it's just habit. and anyway its not very rock and roll to be married is it... so best if the groupies don't know

for the first couple of weeks after i got married i kept taking my ring off to play - i was afraid of scratching it! eventually stopped bothering and now i don't notice it. i wear it 24/7 so there's no weight issue - yes, it was noticeably heavy at first but a couple of days later you never feel it.

the only problem i have now is that i constantly fiddle with it...

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hourglass | random thoughts | doubledotdash!? collective

Thanks guys!

I think I'm going to get something fairly traditional, not too big, not too small and with no hard edges. I'll work on my slide technique

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my music

Doesn't seem to cause Mr Giltrap any problems...

Gordon Giltrap ' "Heartsong"

I've been wearing one while playing for the last 13 years - never noticed any problems. In my case it's just a simple gold band.

I was going to suggest using it as a discrete slide too, but in all honestly it's not a great idea. Silver rings are great for slide, but gold is too soft really and it'll wear out too fast.

A simple gold band is fine. Aim for a snug comfortable fit, and something with an oval profile rather than a D profile. Soon ends of feeling invisible.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

Dunno about playing guitar but it's definitely harder to pull with it on.

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www.jackruston.com

I might be weird but I just wear it on my right hand.

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http://ryanmead.net

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You won't be allowed to do gigs anymore, so what difference does it make? :-)

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Hah.... many a true word spoken in jest!

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www.alterzero.com || "Semper in excremento sum... solum profunditas variat"

I have worn a ring since 1976, it's never bothered me. It'll feel funny at first, then you get used to it.

Don't get into the habit of taking it off to play. It's a sure way to end up losing it.

You could always see how she feels about doing something a bit unconventional, and exchange new guitars instead...

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Dynamite with a laser beam...


Edited by Steve Hill (27/10/10 07:37 AM)

I sometimes take mine off, sometimes don't.

For a "losing your wedding ring" solution, I've got a karabiner on my keyring, so I can clip the ring onto that and it won't get lost. I can then also clip the keyring to anything else, so *that* won't get lost. Alternatively, just stick the ring in the back pocket of your jeans - no-one ever puts anything else in there (unless it's hanky code and they're tight enough that the ring won't fall out accidentally.

First time around I didn't bother with a ring.

Second time I did and I would wear whilst practicing at home but always took it off before practicing with the band or gigging.

It may be the shape of my fingers but it was always coming off accidentally, especially if my hands were cold or wet. I lost and found it a few times and eventally lost it for good a few years ago (didn't notice it had gone until I was getting ready for bed, it may well turn up in the garden on day).

I've never replaced it but it still effects my playing;

I'm unable to practice at home for more than 30 minutes at a time (and being able to spend several, uninterrupted, hours recording is a rare event indeed).

I've also developed some strange form of tinnitus. Whenever I attempt anything guitar related - be it playing, trying out new gear or even just reading about it - I hear a droning noise. It's probably related to the British climate because this week I've been away on business in Japan and en route to the airport I was able to spend a couple of hours in Ochanomizu (Tokyo's equivalent to Denmark St) without so much as a murmur

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http://www.random-thought.co.uk/

There are, of course, many reasons why acquiring a wedding ring can be problematic - and interference with guitar playing is a long way down the list.

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Instant gratification is actually pretty good. It's fast as well.

No problems with a wedding ring - apart from the other aspects people have hinted at - but I used to wear a ring on my little finger and I used to get odd squeals when I hit strings with it occasionally, which I quite liked at the time. But then I tried jumping off an old London bus with the pole at the back door one day, and hung by my finger off a rivet on the pole. Luckily the ring split so I fell off the bus, unfortunalely it then closed again through the skin. So I stopped wearing that one

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Wild Hope FB

Spyder

Nasty, A good solid wedding ring may have left your finger on the bus!!!

If you're good enough the groupies aint going to care. Though of course the dearly beloved may have an opinion on that...

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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Quote Nolum:

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Congrats Mike!! I played a song for my wife at my own wedding reception and it definitely felt weird. However, it didn't take long before I was completely accustomed to it, and now it's not even a consideration. Just make sure you get something that's comfortable and fits well, as you should anyway.

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Thanks Nolum, that's good to hear. Do you think the thickness/length of the ring makes a huge difference?

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Hey Mike,

Can't say much to how the make of the ring affects things as I've only ever worn one ring! However, my tastes are simple and so is my ring, so there's nothing fancy getting in the way. I never take it off so I never had the "is it better on or off?" debate-- it's just always on and I don't even think about it anymore.

I've kept this for over 15 years as a reminder.

[image][/image]

The ring was on my finger when the Turbosound amp rack landed on it.

After that I always made a point of taking my rings off before working in the back of the truck, and in my workshop.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

I bought a wedding ring from argos for twenty quid for the ceremony and slipped it off on the way back down the aisle. It lived in a drawer in the kitchen for a few years and now I have no idea and no interest where it is. If that sort of symbolism is important to you then I'm sure you'll get used to wearing it, fortunately I seem to have survived 26 years of wedded bliss without one.

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Not much in life worth running for. Or from.

I've just come back from a boozy dinner so beers, wine and whiskey are limiting what I can say right now other than thanks for all the responses - they're a bit of a mixed bag.

I plan on wearing it 24/7 and I want something traditional. I'm feeling confident that it's not going to cause me a long term headache.

We shall see

Mike

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my music

Although, I guess for any valve amp building/HV work, I'd be an idiot to keep it on

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my music

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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I plan on wearing it 24/7 and I want something traditional. I'm feeling confident that it's not going to cause me a long term headache.

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That's the marriage, not the ring :-)

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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I've just come back from a boozy dinner so beers, wine and whiskey are limiting what I can say right now

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That'll stop happening soon as well.

Like many other's experiences, it felt weird to begin with but I just got used to it shortly afterwards.

I do, however, very occasionally get a big "percussive sound" when I hit the fretboard with the ring... not really sure how I do it but it seems to happen once a year or so. Maybe when it's time to stop playing?

Quote Steve Hill:

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You could always see how she feels about doing something a bit unconventional, and exchange new guitars instead...

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You owe me a new keyboard

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

my wedding ring has never given me any trouble when playing guitar been married over 20 years... playing guitar for, about 35.


the wife on the other hand..... just don;t get me started.....


these days i don't wear it. primarily because it's safety risk in much that i do, and i don't want to risk losing it if i keep having to take it off.

Quote ryan mead:

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I might be weird but I just wear it on my right hand.

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This. I totally don't even notice it's there.

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Check out my music here or here! Download my latest EP for free!

Quote Spiked Lunch:

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Quote Exalted Wombat:

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So what do you want us to say? Choose a nice ring and wear it if you want to. If it gets in the way of your guitar technique, wear it in your pocket while playing. Neither your wife or any God you may subscribe to will mind.

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I don't subscribe to any religion and my future wife wouldn't mind if I took if off - I'd mind though as I'd likely loose it at some point if I was always taking on and off.

I was just interested in some personal experience from ring wearing guitarists, that's all.

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I find wearing the ring while playing is not a problem at all. The only real problem is having a wife, whether playing or not playing.

So wear a ring if you wish but DO NOT GET MARRIED. Within 7 years you'll be stuck with a crap or even non-existent sex life and the only way out will be very expensive.

Don't do it.

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"Qui habet aures audiendi audiat"

"7 years"

that's optimistic...

Wearing a ring is an absolute must for throwing in some slide licks. But apart from that...........

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Excelling at mediocrity for 58 years.