Kilts and guitars

[threebanger]

So...I swiped this picture from another thread of "berserkbishop" playing his guitar.


(I had a question, but didn't want to take that thread off topic, so I'm bringing it up here...)

I am planning on wearing my kilt for the first time, and I happen to be playing bass at the same time. My guitar hangs a bit lower than this one, and the sporran and belt buckle will interfere. What would be the protocol for handling that problem? I am thinking I will just twist the sporran and belt to the side until I am done playing and then straighten them back out again afterward. Good? Bad? Ugly?

[pipesndrumsnun]

You got it...twist to the side is correct! That is precisely what pipe band drummers do!

[Jock Scot]

You got it...twist to the side is correct! That is precisely what pipe band drummers do!

Quite correct.May I also suggest that you have a leather sporran strap,it will cause less damage to your kilt and your guitar.

[thescot]

You are right on. That's exactly what I do when I play mine.

By the way, slinging your axe too low is a sure way to end up with carpal tunnel syndrome as it forces you to play with your left (assuming you're right-handed) wrist bent to an unnatural angle. Try to keep the wrist as straight as you can. (Take it from an old guy. It may not look as cool, but at least you wont' end up with surgery.)

BTW, nothing looks cooler than a guy in a kilt playing guitar, even an old guy!

Heck, nothing looks cooler than a guy in a kilt, period. But the guitar always draws chicks.

[Ayin McFye]

I'll agree with everyone else. It's kind of like dancing with your sporran on; you've got to move it to your hip or it can HURT .

[mkmound]

. . .

By the way, slinging your axe too low is a sure way to end up with carpal tunnel syndrome as it forces you to play with your left (assuming you're right-handed) wrist bent to an unnatural angle. Try to keep the wrist as straight as you can. (Take it from an old guy. It may not look as cool, but at least you wont' end up with surgery.)

. . . .

This is very good advice. I'm not much of a guitarist, but I play piano and type a lot for work. All my piano teachers, and my high school typing teacher, were adamant about keeping the wrists straight. I attribute my lack of problems with carpal tunnel to being coerced to follow their advice!

[demobud]

Ditto on the sporran swing; for the belt, especially if I am wearing a heavy buckle, I have cut a few pieces of cloth that are close to my kilts colors and I just tuck it over the buckle; it provides a nice soft barrier so as not to mar the finish. Most of my guitars use a nitrocellulose finish that will scratch easily but I do this for poly finishes too.

[Moosedog]

Yep, non-chain sporran strap, push the sporran to the side and perhaps switching out your belt buckle ( I have a non-scratching one I use when playing.)

Moosedog

[Stewart Rendall]

It's also essential that you have a nice bass!

[ccga3359]

Don't play guitar, but I am good friends with the band Hunting McLeod. The lead guitar's back is bare wood now, this is with a leather belt and horse hair sporran. I would almost suggest losing the belt and sporran completely but then again this may cause undue wear to the kilt.