Chair

[munroec]

Hi,

I thought that finding a mirror that would fit in my combination office, electronics laboratory would be a real challenge but I found one for $29.95 at the Christmas Tree Shop. I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon driving around trying to find an appropriate practice chair/stool without success. Stools were too padded and high, generally 24"or more and every chair I found had 1" or more drop of the seat from front to rear and/or were like my current one which has a wicker seat with a fairly deep depression in the center. If anyone has found something decent at a national chain like Kmart, Pier 1 that's likely to have a presence in upstate New York or an online source I'd appreciate any suggestions.

[blueguitar]

Hi there munroec!

I just use a fairly cheap students office chair, sourced from a similar type of place as K-Mart. The seat is fairly flat with minimal padding, and has the advantage of being height adjustable. It actually had arms when I got it, but I took them off. I dont know about availability in your area as I'm not from America.
Jamie uses a folding portable stool. Maybe you might have to do some adapting / sawing down of what you can find. Maybe try a drum throne or a piano stool. I remember another post some time back about the best chair to use, and one person was using a saddle shaped stool, a bit like the beauticians use. Perhaps it was in the old forum.

See these links - interesting discussions, but not the same as I was thinking of:
http://www.guitarprinciples.com/forum/v ... d2ba#p7606

http://www.guitarprinciples.com/forum/v ... d2ba#p6896

Hope you can find something - Good luck for your further search!

[ketreva]

I usually sit on the coffee table.
Someone bought me a stool from Ikea but its too tall, even at is lowest setting. I'm short though.

[Tressa]

This may sound odd but I discovered that not only is my inflatable exercise ball (you know those balls they use for Yoga and what not) perfect for using as a desk chair (they actually make these things as desk chairs too) but it is awesome as a guitar playing chair. I'm short so I bought one that would allow my feet to be flat on the floor with my thighs level when sitting on it (I have an adjustable foot stool I use for raising one leg higher). This is hard to get with a regular chair, even with some adjustable desk chairs too. When sitting on it, it also forces me to keep my back in a natural position. I can't slouch on this thing because it moves all around if you don't sit right. Being lazy one day I sat on it to play my guitar because it was right next to me and it was just fantastic. I sometimes use an armless wrought iron dining room table chair. It's ok too but again, height is an issue and it's easy to go back to sitting badly.

These are the balls I mean. They are cheap too and don't burst.
http://www.exerciseballworkouts.net/

[Manning]

Here is an 18" high foldable stool.

http://www.amazon.com/Inch-Cushioned-Fo ... d_sbs_hg_1

You can find what looks to be the same chair with a higher price tag, such as the following.

http://www.amazon.com/Trademark-Cushion ... pd_sbs_a_3


I noticed in Jamie's DVD "The Principles Of Correct Practice For Guitar", that she is sitting on a chair like the following.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hercules-Hing ... gMethod=rr

I opted for a sturdy ROC N SOC drum throne that is adjustable from 18 - 29 inches. The last thing I want is a chair that folds under my weight and cracks the headstock/neck of an expensive Les Paul. For me, $150 for a good chair that will last forever is well worth it. By looking at the pictures, it appears this drum throne has the infamous backward slope, when in fact the actual surface that you sit on is flat. The chair is not too firm, and not too soft.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-pe ... rum-throne

[alcoyot]

The most comfortable setup I've tried is to just use a cheap plastic regular chair, and put a stack of magazines under the back. I put just enough to make a very slight downward angle from back to front. This feels soooo much more comfortable than a normal chair.

[Manning]

Alcoyot,

Interesting. Sometimes less is more!

Do you place those magazines beneath the chair legs in the rear? I also have a cheap metal chair. This chair does not have a seat that slopes to the rear, so it is good in that regard. I am thinking about pulling the rubber caps off the front legs, sawing the front legs a bit shorter, then re-installing the caps - so the chair leans forward a little.

Here is a link to this chair(I just measured the seat height of this chair and it is exactly 16.5 inches):

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... gMethod=rr

[alcoyot]

The one I have is this style



So you just put the magazines under the back part of it, pretty simple. I think I did the same thing with one that had legs once. You just have to put approximately an even amount under both back legs.

My thing is I don't like padding of any kind, I just like to be completely hard and flat.

[N E Y]

.


In my experience it is very inconsequential and often self-undermining for an artist to concern oneself to the extent I see in this and several proceeding threads with issues of sensual body comfort related to chairs used for practicing the guitar.

It is vividly necessary to focus on practicing and discipline and love and less on these proverbial creature comforts. It is a matter of priorities I see in a great player: Music first. Guitar second and the rest is distracting concerns over such things that waste precious time and weaken the body and erode the spirit of discipline and accomplishment over time.

I am not suggesting torturing the body Fakir-style with a chair of nails in any way. Just curbing distracting comfort excesses. Any sitting surface that is level, horizontal, at the proper height for the player and firm is fine and that is what great players use almost always, whatever it may be.

It is wiser to keep physically fit and in good health to play guitar, than to obsess or focus so much energy and time over such disproportionately out of context sensual body comforts and assorted gadgets to compensate for a weak and neglected body. A lifestyle-weakened individual will lack the power to perform on guitar very well, no matter how comfy his or her array of custom crafted or specially modified chairs may be.





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[Jardonhu]

Appreciate your sharing. I wish you could offer more information in the next time. tkx.