“That way, I can bend notes the way I want, and it also saves my hands”: How Joe Perry is changing his guitar setup to battle the early signs of arthritis

Joe Perry has opened up on how he’s had to change his gear picks as he battles the impact of early arthritis on his playing style.

The 75-year-old Aerosmith electric guitar legend has been slinging a six-string for a fair amount of time now, and he’s now at the point where his age is starting to rear its head. And, like most players who are battling certain ailments that come with age, Perry is beginning to feel the effects of arthritis.

Arthritis is a common condition that comes with age, resulting in pain, inflammation and stiffness in joints. It can lead to reduced motion, swelling, discomfort, and – for guitar players – an increased difficulty to move around the fretboard.

Of course, Perry isn’t alone with this struggle. Keith Richards has been open about his own struggles, recently telling Guitar World how he’s had to refine his guitar setup in order to prolong his playing days.

In a soon-to-be-published interview with Guitar World, Perry discusses how his own arthritis struggle is informing his playing style, revealing he’s pivoted to new strings to compensate for his diminishing pliability.

When asked about his Fender/Warmoth “Burned Strat” – aka the “Rat Strat”, which featured during his MTV VMA Awards performance with Yungblud – Perry says, “On the EP we did with Yungblud, everything you hear I did with that guitar and just a few foot pedals. I think that shows the variety of tones you can get out of it.

“It’s got fat frets, and I use a hybrid set of strings with it because it has that vibrato; it’s like a light set of .09’s on the top, and then a set of .08’s on the bottom.

“That way, I can bend notes the way I want, and it also saves my hands because the arthritis is starting to kick in, but it’s nothing I can’t play through. At this point, it is and will continue to be my “desert island guitar,” but you never know.”

Guitar World‘s full interview with Joe Perry will be published this coming Monday (April 6).

Matt is the GuitarWorld.com News Editor, and has been writing and editing for the site for five years. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 19 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. During his GW career, he’s interviewed Peter Frampton, Zakk Wylde, Tosin Abasi, Matteo Mancuso and more, and has profiled the CEOs of Guitar Center and Fender.

When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt performs with indie rock duo Esme Emerson, and has previously opened for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Keane, Japanese House and Good Neighbours.