Harden up; the sore fingers thread

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:10 pm

I've been playing enough that my finger tips have some reasonable callouses on them, but had a bit of a mammoth practice last weekend and was sore to play for about 3 days after. This weekend had another practice, not quite as long, but by the end my fingernails were starting to peel back from finger tips when I was doing bends. Now they're f'ing sore.

I've got 2 gigs next weekend - Friday and Saturday nights. not sure how my fingers are going to get through it.

Any tips for hardening up the finger tips? Particularly for stopping the nails from peeling away? Or is there any kind of tape you can wrap around you finger tips to hold the nails on, that wont cause you to lose the feel?

To add insult to injury I played bass for about 10mins and now have a decent sized blister on my right index finger as well. That'll learn me for letting those callouses go soft. Q.Q

crowbgood1 · Post by **crowbgood1** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:26 pm

Dunlop must have a product.

Eruera · Post by **Eruera** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:45 pm

Superglue

hamo · Post by **hamo** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:45 pm

I had a mate who swore that peeing on your hands was the way to go...

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:04 pm

hamo wrote:I had a mate who swore that peeing on your hands was the way to go...

You HAD a mate.

Did you try his advice, did you?

Post by **Capt. Black** » Sun Sep 28, 2014 10:08 pm

Get Chopper to shout at them.

Post by **Slowy** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 6:42 am

Won't help for next weekend but string an acoustic with 13-56 and play campfire songs for 3 hours, twice a week. You'll never feel your fingertips again.

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:50 am

Capt. Black wrote:Get Chopper to shout at them.

Good one Stefan !

Scooter13 · Post by **Scooter13** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:51 am

I would say stop playing once your fingers get sore and let them rest. Callouses take a while to build up, and you can't practice if you are injured...
Use a lighter gauge if you have to do large hours of practice, especially with bending, then go up to a higher gauge for the gigs If you need.

Danger Mouse · Post by **Danger Mouse** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:05 am

SRV apparently (possible internet myth) put superglue on his fingertips, then put them on his forearm and ripped them off to put an additional layer of skin on his fingers. Give it a go?

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 10:15 am

Cheers for the tip fellas. It's not the callouses so much as the finger nail separation. I guess I'm just gonna have to let it heal for a few days then try get enough practice in on weds/Thurs.

Probably not going to try Hamo's advice. Prob happens often enough after Friday drinks anyway, and hasn't helped so far...

Post by **Slowy** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 11:56 am

jimi wrote: It's not the callouses so much as the finger nail separation.

Yeah, that's injury. And it's nasty. Needs time.

Danger Mouse wrote: SRV apparently (possible internet myth) put superglue on his fingertips, then put them on his forearm and ripped them off to put an additional layer of skin on his fingers. Give it a go?

Drugs is bad Mmmmmkay?

Eruera · Post by **Eruera** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:59 pm

In all seriousness I use a lot of superglue. My bass gigs are sporadic and my real life doesn't give me enough playtime to maintain callouses, and my nails just have a propensity for lifting off anyway. I lift the nail, put glue under it and then press it down like buggery for about a minute.

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 3:13 pm

brand of superglue? I have some uhu stuff from mitre 10, but that's nasty when I get it on my skin.

Conway · Post by **Conway** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 3:25 pm

I'd say clip your finger nails and don't press so hard.

And use strings that are a gauge lighter. Perhaps that should be a "gay-ge" lighter (sorry if that is considered a homophobic comment in this modern politically correct age - I'm too old to know better, apparently).

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