[GerryB56]

I will second the suggestion above to try a guitar like the GS Mini – the narrower neck and shorter scale make it easier to play for some folks. Another idea is to first try those exercises further up the neck (towards the guitar body) as the frets are closer together and your hand position is less awkward when closer to your body. Once you develop more hand flexibility and strength you can move back down the neck towards the nut. Also, sometimes I find it easier to use my pinky instead of my ring finger for those longer stretches – as Tony always says, there’s no hard and fast rule, just do what works for you.