Great Thread! Thanks Rick and all contributers!

It really does depend on all the variable of length of fingers, how young you were when you started learning (myself age 25), whether you took lessons or not, how much practise time you get, what song/music style you prefer, what position you hold the guitar in (eg, left or right thigh).

The only trouble I have with barre chords is that my hands/fingers get tired quickly. This indicates to me that I need to practise more. My whole lifestyle has changed recently bringing me back my desire to make music which I lost in a car accident in the early '80s. So I really need to practise more to get not only my strength back up but my callouses built up again.

What whistle said sturck a chord with me (so to speak ::grin::) I have never been able to play thumby chords. (I have small hands, and a recalcitrant pinky to boot!) But, I repositioned my guitar to my right thigh and low and behold... I could get my thumb over the string! Couldn't play it worth a darn, but hey, first things first, eh? ;`)

~ Jande