jackers Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Hey there, After play bass for about 9 years using a mixture of pick and fingerstyle, I have decided to focus much more on the fingerstyle side, and try to not use a pick as much. So far I have found that I get a nicer tone, and it is so much more comfortable (playing with a pick never felt natural to me). The only issue is that after my 3 hour band practice on tuesday night, I now have a lovely blister on my index finger. Now, I have been told various different things about the best way to deal with blisters as far as bass playing is concerned. Some people tell me to prick a small hole in it with a pin and drain the fluid, and others tell me to leave it to heal on its own. I was wondering what some of you guys think? Since I am looking to continue playing with my fingers, I assume building calluses would be a good idea, but I don't know what the best way to go about this is. Cheers Edited September 3, 2011 by jackers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Clifton Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Fill a baking tray with sand. Heat it in oven for 20 mins at 200c. Dip fingers in hard. Hey presto. No easy answer - keep on playing, the fingers will toughen up, but lay off when you start to blister or you will just end up with fresh sensitive sore skin every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 leave it for a couple of days - the blister "juice" naturally contains an agent the will harden skin - if it hasn't gone after a couple of days get rid of it however you like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gothpugs Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I'm just learning, been playing a couple of months and never used a pick yet. When I get blisters I just prick them with a pin and put a plaster on and carry on, then take the plaster off next day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsebass Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 If you're gonna keep playing after you've got a blister, then leave it alone and "deal with it". I appreciate, being a fingerer myself that had the same problem, that it might not be the most comfortable of things to do, but the worst thing you can do is pierce the skin as the constant friction that your finger receives will just tear the hole bigger. I pierced a hole in mine once to drain the fluid before a gig, and decided to superglue it to seal the hole. Halfway thru the gig the superglue gave way and pulled the skin off the first "part" of my finger (ie half way between the tip and the bend). If you get a blister, then the best thing you can do is keep it clean, and dry, and soak it in surgical spirit as soon as you can, for as long as you can. The hot sand thing works for martial artists, apparently! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 [quote name='gothpugs' post='1361254' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:05 PM']I'm just learning, been playing a couple of months and never used a pick yet. When I get blisters I just prick them with a pin and put a plaster on and carry on, then take the plaster off next day [/quote] Now thats what i am talkin' bout. Good man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) cheers guys yea, I've had it since tuesday night, and it still hasn't gone down, so I was thinking I might drain it tomorrow or monday, considering I'm going on holiday and won't be able to play bass until the 14th anyway. I just wanted to make sure draining it wouldn't completely undo the skin hardening process Edited September 3, 2011 by jackers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I'd just leave it and dont worry abioout it. I know when ever i used to prick them they always stung and i regretted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Clifton Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 [quote name='jackers' post='1361266' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:16 PM']cheers guys yea, I've had it since tuesday night, and it still hasn't gone down, so I was thinking I might drain it tomorrow or monday, considering I'm going on holiday and won't be able to play bass until the 14th anyway. I just wanted to make sure draining it wouldn't completely undo the skin hardening process [/quote] It will. The loose bag of blister skin will eventually come away leaving raw pink skin underneath. If you have till the 14th then just leave it alone and you will be much better off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 [quote name='jackers' post='1361201' date='Sep 3 2011, 07:12 PM']Hey there, After play bass for about 9 years using a mixture of pick and fingerstyle, I have decided to focus much more on the fingerstyle side, and try to not use a pick as much. So far I have found that I get a nicer tone, and it is so much more comfortable (playing with a pick never felt natural to me). The only issue is that after my 3 hour band practice on tuesday night, I now have a lovely blister on my index finger. Now, I have been told various different things about the best way to deal with blisters as far as bass playing is concerned. Some people tell me to prick a small hole in it with a pin and drain the fluid, and others tell me to leave it to heal on its own. I was wondering what some of you guys think? Since I am looking to continue playing with my fingers, I assume building calluses would be a good idea, but I don't know what the best way to go about this is. Cheers [/quote] Don't burst the blister, regularly apply surgical spirit (available from your local chemist), rest the blister while it's very sore but play again as soon as you can without making it worse, keep applying the surgical spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gothpugs Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 [quote name='BottomE' post='1361263' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:13 PM']Now thats what i am talkin' bout. Good man.[/quote] I'm a girl So its a B*****d playing bass as my hands are smaller. sucks and I get more blisters. But i said from the beginning I want to play fingered bass, so there's no point using a plec as its just going to be harder to switch to fingered when I'm used to using a plec. Not the best deciscion when playing heavy metal style, a bit of a strain but will be worth it in the end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Alsatian Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 (edited) I'd leave it - if you prick it, the hole will widen through playing and the blister skin will tear off, leaving the unhealed (and tender) area exposed. I remember playing one gig and felt a sharp pain in my middle finger which then it felt wet. I assumed I'd popped a blister and carried on until it started getting more painful. It turned out that the sharp edge of a pickup pole piece, coupled with playing had lopped the skin off the tip of my finger, leaving a thick flap of skin loose and there was blood all over the strings, pickup and body of the bass. It wasn't hurting as there was wet blood on the string (good job they were flats!), but where it had dried, was scraping the wound! Bloody stung like hell and my whole finger started aching through it. I carried on with my first and third fingers, but nobody had noticed until I showed my bandmates afterwards. I couldn't use that finger for a couple of weeks until it healed! Edited September 4, 2011 by Green Alsatian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 cheers the blister has started to go down and harden a bit now, so hopefully it won't be as bad next time. I will lay off bass playing until it has fully healed i think, I quite like having skin on my fingertip haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Just had a large blood blister on my index finger. Two weeks ago last Saturday, longgg... rehearsal, too quiet an amp, not really been playing at the volume that much recently = blister. So much so I had to play the last hour or so with a pick. Went on holiday on the Monday - didn't play bass for two weeks. Blister went down, but the skin was loose and came off. Rehearsed same way exactly two weeks later. No pick required. Played gig on Monday - fingers fine. I say leave them alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 This thread has been done to death, please use the search function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Ross' post='1361905' date='Sep 4 2011, 04:53 PM']This thread has been done to death, please use the search function.[/quote] True, I say the same thing every time it comes up. Edited September 4, 2011 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 I would either get a bigger amp or turn up... I have only ever had blisters once, realised I had a weedy amp and was trying to get more volume out if it by playing harder, spent some money and now my pads are as soft as a... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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