looks like you are playing a carvin in your photo?
 
if you were to put .008's on that,
super low action,
and installed a graphtec ghost system on it, voila.
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ghostLSTeN
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AcousPhKBa
 

Finally, a subject I can make make a contribution to! :)
 
I came down with arthritis in my hands in my thirties (I'm 67 now) and gave up playing acoustic guitars - I stuck with my featherweight touch custom Telecaster, and pretty much gave up playing lots of chords.  In my fifties I added tenosynovitis to the mix (bumps on the tendons in my hands "catch" on the sheaths that guide them and cause some really strange and painful symptoms such as "trigger finger").  About eight years ago I got fed up with just playing blues leads and decided to take up classical-style playing.  After practicing all the stretches and scales and hand exercises I began to find that the pain was receding, and over the last several years I have not only been able to play any style guitar I'm capable of playing, skill-wise, but I have added back acoustic guitars and even play two twelve-strings now daily (they're very easy for 12s, one's a Taylor T5z-12 and the other is a Godin A12).  I also have a Godin ACS-SA nylon-string with synth access, and I play my Tele, a Jackson DK2S, a Godin Spectrum SA steel string, and an old Sigma full-size acoustic/electric.  The easiest "acoustic" guitar I've found is the 6-string Taylor T5z, but in my opinion it's a bit overpriced. 
 
When I wake up in the morning I can't bend my fingers, but after a few painful minutes I am fully capable, and start the day with a full regimen of scales (I recommend lots of double-interval and 4-per-string drills to really work the hands).  After that I am good to go.  This corresponds to current research, which says that the best thing for arthritis is constant exercise.
 
Oh, and DO take the Glucosamine/Chondroitin, and if you can get hyaluronic acid & MSM they seem to help too - I get them all in one capsule with boswellia serrata (myrrh) added as well.  Also any other anti-inflammatory herbs, and yes, cutting down or eliminating red meat helps too.
 
Sorry for blathering on... hope this helps.
 
Best regards,
Delta

Delta Foxtrot
Sorry for blathering on... hope this helps.

Blather away, your post was inspiring.  I've discovered on my own the 'constant exercise' aspect.  If I'm moving I'm absolutely fine, but if I stop for a few minutes (or hours at the computer which is the very worst) I feel like I went running yesterday for the first time in years.

Gracias amigo...   the Buddha said, "To live is to suffer."  If you ain't hurtin' you ain't livin'! :)

Delta Foxtrot
 
[...] tenosynovitis to the mix (bumps on the tendons in my hands "catch" on the sheaths that guide them and cause some really strange and painful symptoms such as "trigger finger").  [...]

I am 45, and had this a few years ago... I had no clue what it was though, and it sort of "went away." Lump on the inside of my left ring finger and hurt like hell (on the bone a ring would be worn). In hindsight this makes a bit more sense as my index and ring finger do a lot of the "pounding" on frets, yet I never thought twice about it other than "WTF is this from?" I still have never asked about that, but remember it very well.
 
This thread (and others similar) is very heartening to me because of the candor and helpfulness provided in a real world scenario. It is very uncommon in many respects, yet the most meaningful (to me anyway). I wish I could offer more "real world" advice, but I definitely want to thank those who have.
 
 

I don't have arthritis but I did suffer from a lot of aches and pains for a long time - tennis elbow, neck pain and lower back pain which felt arthritisy. I'm surprised there hasn't been more emphasis on MSM in this thread because it really has been miraculous for me. Get the Jarrow brand Opti-MSM, it's one of the best. I started with a gram a day and worked up to between 8-10g per day. It's amazing stuff and very safe, although some people do report headaches if their initial dose is too high. It gets very good reports for arthritis.

I've been dealing with carpel tunnel (self diagnosed, at least) and my wife keeps suggesting that I try acupuncture. I don't know if acupuncture helps with arthritis, but she seems to get very good results for her aches and pains (other than me!)
 
Pharmaceuticals seem to introduce 10 side effects that are worse than the one thing they "manage". Exercise and diet seem like a better place to start than pills. I wish you (all) well! 
 

Ricebug...David Leisner is a NYC guitarist who ended up with focal dystonia.  He's written  extensively about it.  He's recovered full use of his hands.  I don't know whether his tricks could apply to arthritis sufferers, but you might want to inquire:
 
http://davidleisner.com/
 
If you live in NYC look him up.

I'm not a guitarist (obviously), although I used to play it a bit, many moons ago. But I am 65, and recently have experienced a slight touch of arthritis in my fingers, but fortunately it's barely noticeable at this point. But I just wanted to say that I feel great comfort in this forum because there are so many of us 60-somethings who participate. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to have more interaction with my peers, unlike my day-job work environment, which is populated by people in their 30's and 40's, most of whom complain about getting "old" as they approach 50--hah! It's particularly gratifying as we see more of our peers and childhood musical icons pass away (often prematurely). Music is the thing that keeps us young, doesn't it? I've been playing since I was 6, so almost 60 years, and I bet many of you out there have played nearly as long, or even longer. I wish all of you who are suffering from physical challenges to find a way to continue to do what you love. It's very inspiring, just reading these posts.
Someday it would be fun to have a virtual jam session. So many folks my age who are still playing. I love it. Sorry to be sappy, but I couldn't help myself.

Hello it would be really good to hear some advice and talk to people who understand how it feels. I had recently been diagnosed with RA. I was on hydroxychlorquine but been recommended to be on Methotrexate. I had pain in my feet everyday with the mornings being the worse. but when I am wearing , at that time I dont have pain in my feet.