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6.05am
18 November 2011
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6.45am
1 November 2012
Offline Good question — I never thought about it until I saw this topic. Perhaps John began when he first played guitar with a cheap strap that was too short, and he just got used to it. It is a little funny, almost like he’s wearing pants that ride too high.
Also, it’s almost the opposite of certain rock guitarists like Hendrix, whose guitar is so low it reminds one of those “low-rider” jeans.
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6.16pm
21 November 2012
Offline George held his guitar pretty high too. Not as high as John though, in that video at least.
6.27pm
3 May 2012
Offline Maybe it was just the way that was most comfortable to him. Everyone has their own way.
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7.52pm
14 February 2013
Offline I have often wondered this myself. I notice in later group videos, he isn’t holding it as high as above. I always assumed it was a comfort thing for him. Not sure! It does look kinda funny by todays standards! 
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8.30pm
10 August 2011
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It’s a lot easier on the wrist if the neck is up high (especially on the barre chords) – so the body of the guitar follows.
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8.49pm
21 November 2012
Offline If it’s more comfortable, I wonder why people are holding them so low nowadays.
12.44am
27 December 2012
Offline Into the Sky with Diamonds said
It’s a lot easier on the wrist if the neck is up high (especially on the barre chords) – so the body of the guitar follows.
I think so too! The Rickenbacker 325 is in 3/4 scale of a normal guitar, that’s why he can play the barred chords easily on that. Whereas on an acoustic guitar, I myself have tried to play the same barred chords which is really difficult! I might try the style he used on the video.
2.03am
16 January 2013
Offline The most exaggerated case I can think of is Gerry Marsden. I saw an interview with him recently where he said that after personnel changes in the Pacemakers he took over playing lead, and he needed to see the fretboard more clearly while he was playing more complicated licks. He found that by having his left hand higher he could see it more easily.
3.34am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline The man with the foolish grin said
The most exaggerated case I can think of is Gerry Marsden. I saw an interview with him recently where he said that after personnel changes in the Pacemakers he took over playing lead, and he needed to see the fretboard more clearly while he was playing more complicated licks. He found that by having his left hand higher he could see it more easily.
That explanation would also make sense for John. After all, he was blind as a bat without the glasses that he refused to wear in the early years. Maybe it’s as simple as he held his guitar so high so he could see it!
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4.45pm
31 March 2008
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That was my guess too.
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2.48am
19 April 2010
Offline the only other artist I know of that held the guitar that high was Johnny Cash. I’m a guitar player and I always noticed how high they both held their guitars. I have no idea why.
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2.55am
8 November 2012
Offline I noticed it when I was kid, watching the Beatles cartoon. Randomly, they also animated Greg in the Brady Kids cartoon holding his guitar high, and I half-wondered if it was just easier to animate them that way.
parlance
7.34pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline For the life of me, I can not recall what book it was in, but I read that John was emulating some of his early guitar heroes – Elvis, Eddie Cochran, etc…
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5.10am
12 March 2013
Offline I think most of the previous reasons have merrit especially the issue with his sight. I also think his playing of the ukulele early in his life contributed to this a bit. As he became more comfortable with his own guitar playing he did hold his guitar much lower. Remember that both George AND Paul helped John become more proficient over time.
11.49pm
8 November 2012
Offline I’m watching the 90s documentary on The History of Rock n Roll, and they showed a performance of Gerry and the Pacemakers, and I see Gerry holding his guitar up chest level, and it reminded that I once saw that way of holding a guitar referred to as “the Northern way.” Now that I see someone other than John doing it, I get the joke. :->
parlance
8.02pm
18 April 2013
Offline robert said
the only other artist I know of that held the guitar that high was Johnny Cash. I’m a guitar player and I always noticed how high they both held their guitars. I have no idea why.
I thought Cash raised his guitar high for emphasis when he was playing something really hard…I hadn’t noticed it was always held high.
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8.20pm
15 January 2013
Offline I think he holds the guitar so high so he can see what his left hand is playing easier, I don’t for sure. A lot of country singers do it too. Hope this helps.
8.29pm
18 November 2011
Offline I’ve also seen pictures of Dave Davies (the Kinks’ guitarist) playing a Gibson Flying V at a similar height, with his arm through the “V” instead of on top of it.
4.19pm
1 July 2013
Offline John and Paul were told they could only practice in the front Vestibule (Entrance) of Aunt Mimi’s home called “Mendips”
They developed perfect pitch to their harmony because of the acoustics in the front hallway.(it has such clear echo its uncanny )
It was cramped so John used to raise his guitar in order to not have a “neck war” with George.
Paul was a lefty but it was very cramped when you see the dimensions of the porch. (A few ft. by a few ft.)
It was more from habit that this style was used by John. When you see them do harmony on stage they would be very face to face sharing a mic. all going back
to the little front porch. They were only just out of their teens and they did what they did in part from early patterning.
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