Fingertips Tips please!

[Huge Hands]

I just did a quick search on this, but couldn't find anything.

Does anyone know of anything out there to protect sore fingertips when playing without losing too much feel, or a method of toughening them up quickly?

We have been asked to play a gig with our usual set, but some latin stuff thrown in as well at the weekend. I decided to use the upright for some of these tracks.

Therefore, last Tuesday, with not much playing time after 2 months off on the sick, I turned up to rehearsal with it. I've never really played it for more than about an hour at a time, and suddenly I'm playing it for four hours straight.

On top of this, the band, especially guitarist and drummer, get really LOUD when they get excited. I was trying every trick in the book to get good gain before feedback on my pickup (this improved after I realised the battery was dying in the little preamp!), but I just wasn't cutting through enough. The fact that I was borrowing a tired amp from the rehearsal studio didn't help. I also have this mental problem that although I know it won't get much louder, I can stop my brain thinking that really pulling hard on the strings will help!

Suffice to say I blistered my fingertips on my first two fingers on my right hand. I haven't played since, but last night, my index finger had barely healed, and my middle finger was still a bit sore to the touch. I tried gauze wrapped with LX tape, and just LX tape itself, but I kept cutting the circulation off, and couldn't feel the strings properly and kept tripping over my even bigger fingers!

I then switched to my usual 5 string guitar (which I recently strung with flatwounds). I managed to get away with playing with my index and 3rd finger, but I've now blistered my third finger as well!

Is because of the flatwounds on both instruments? Are my fingers just too soft? I guess I will get some abuse from the pros for having s**t technique, so any advice is appreciated!

I still want to play the upright at the weekend, and hope that my two usual fingers will be healed by then (only four days away). I heard some "man in the pub" advice from a guy at work suggesting dipping fingers in Surgical Spirit every night to harden them up, but is that just an old wives tale?

I have threatened all members of the band with death if they don't watch their levels, but once they get going, it's like trying to stop a bull on heat!

Any advice appreciated.

[Viajero]

The trick with surgical spirit is not merely to dip the fingers, as that only really disinfects. Get some cotton wool pads, wet one and rub it on the fingers in a circular motion. I believe this little bit of friction helps harden the skin.

However, the fact is that it's not brilliant, and doesn't give the kind of lasting callus you need. Unfortunately, the best course is to let the blister heal, then practise just enough every day as to avoid getting another and gradually build up hard skin.

As for how to rapidly heal blisters, get Compeed plasters and you might be able to play with them on. I've never worked out whether it's better to pop a blister or not, though. I'm sure someone else can enlighten us both.

Edited May 21, 2008 by Viajero

[Jase]

It's a drag when other members get loud throughout a gig, I bet it's a nightmare for you on upright, I don't play upright but if the volume situation arises with other band members on electric I just let them get on with it...avoiding all "volume contests"

Hope your blisters calm down for your gig

[johnnylager]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='203540' date='May 21 2008, 10:05 AM']I heard some "man in the pub" advice from a guy at work suggesting dipping fingers in Surgical Spirit every night to harden them up, but is that just an old wives tale?

Any advice appreciated.[/quote]
Utter rubbish. (IMHO).
[url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=surgical+spirit+to+harden+skin&spell=1"]Link[/url]

[johnnylager]

[quote name='Viajero' post='203544' date='May 21 2008, 10:11 AM']However, the fact is that it's [b]not brilliant[/b], and doesn't give the kind of lasting callus you need. Unfortunately, the best course is to let the blister heal, then practise just enough every day as to avoid getting another and gradually build up hard skin.[/quote]
Truth.

[jakenewmanbass]

I have the greatest sympathy for you HH I had massive problems of exactly this nature when I started gigging on upright.
I tried Surgical spirit but there was no discernible effect.
I have the type of skin that toughens rather than callouses so in the short term thats difficult (blisters every gig) But long term seems beneficial as the skin just seems tough and is not raised up into large lumps like I've seen on some players. People who callous have told me that the danger is they can fall off if allowed to get too big, revealing softer skin underneath and the process starts again.
The only really solid bit of advice (or solace) I can offer is, if possible avoid bursting the blister as the fluid inside it seems (to me) to have a very effective toughening effect on the skin underneath which obviously with the passage of time becomes the top layer. I was quite disciplined with that (v difficult though) and maybe thats why my skn is so tough now.
I do from 2 to 10 gigs a week now on both instruments and have not had a blister in years.
Best of luck, and if you have specific questions don't hesitate to PM me.
Jake

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='203540' date='May 21 2008, 10:05 AM']I have threatened all members of the band with death if they don't watch their levels,[/quote]

Of course you could carry the threat out and definitely be heard

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='203557' date='May 21 2008, 10:27 AM']The only really solid bit of advice (or solace) I can offer is, if possible avoid bursting the blister as the fluid inside it seems (to me) to have a very effective toughening effect on the skin underneath which obviously with the passage of time becomes the top layer.
Jake[/quote]

Thanks jakesbass - too late I'm afraid. I'm one of those people that likes to burst blisters, peel skin etc, and then always regrets it afterwards.

I am wishing I had left them alone.

[lowhand_mike]

you could try this as long as the blisters haven't burst or have gone down. put some super glue on your finger tips.
WARNING!! don't be an idiot though and touch ANYTHING while it dries, for obvious reasons. the glue forms a thin hard layer and is ok for short periods, might do a gig on one coating but you may have to reapply. i have done this a couple of times and you do lose a little feel but not as much as tape.
but be sensible and don't rush it.
if the blister is popped i wouldn't do it till i has healed a bit as it could cause infection, also don't do it regularly as you could get a skin reaction.
Really its only a last ditch thing but does work and I'm sure i've heard of other players using it.

best thing though is let the blisters heal and work them till you get hard pads, my fingers don't blister at all now but just stay firm and don't get too hard so i guess I'm kinda lucky that way.

also heard that vinegar works too but i've never tried it.

Edited May 21, 2008 by lowhand_mike

[cheddatom]

Well, I have been popping my blisters from drumming, and they all seem to form callouses. When I don't pop them, I get a big callous that "rips" off in less than a week.

[Adrenochrome]

Yes, superglue in the short term (as discussed above). Blisters are generally best when they're lanced but won't likely make much difference.
In the long term moisturise the callouses/hard skin to keep it flexible and less likely to drop off.
BTW this isn't upright bass specific advice, it's just general advice.

Vinegar, spirit etc should be filed under 'snake oil'.

Edited May 21, 2008 by Adrenochrome

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='203585' date='May 21 2008, 10:55 AM']In the long term moisturise the callouses/hard skin to keep it flexible and less likely to drop off.[/quote]

I have heard that advice too, I have also people say "noooooo don't moisturise!!" so mixed reports there. As I said I don't get callouses so it's not from experience, only hearsay.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='203540' date='May 21 2008, 10:05 AM']Is because of the flatwounds on both instruments?[/quote]

I think as far as the upright is concerned the choice of string makes a big difference.

I have Lycon on my upright which are good for bowing but rip your fingers to bits in short order. There are other strings specifically recommended for finger style with lower tension, but I can't recommend any as I haven't tried any recently.

Experimenting with Upright strings is V. expensive, so good luck.

[Adrenochrome]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='203590' date='May 21 2008, 10:59 AM']I have heard that advice too, I have also people say "noooooo don't moisturise!!" so mixed reports there. As I said I don't get callouses so it's not from experience, only hearsay.[/quote]
I'd definitely advocate [i]some[/i] moisturising between playing to stop the toughened skin drying and flaking, not just before playing though!

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='pete.young' post='203595' date='May 21 2008, 11:09 AM']There are other strings specifically recommended for finger style with lower tension, but I can't recommend any as I haven't tried any recently.[/quote]

Innovation silver slap are brilliant low tension, big sound but quite fat but you get used to that after a while. you can get them for less than 70 quid to which as upright goes is relatively cheap

[Owen]

Superglue is the one. Never leave home without it.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='203598' date='May 21 2008, 11:11 AM']I'd definitely advocate [i]some[/i] moisturising between playing to stop the toughened skin drying and flaking, not just before playing though![/quote]

If that helps you then thats good advice, I guess it's horses for courses. I have heard some guys say their callouses dry up and drop off so maybe they are the ones that should moisturise!!

[LukeFRC]

electrical tape sometimes works as last minute solution. it keeps the feel there and holds the skin in place, I use it as I have dry skin and work in a job where i am constantly getting my hands wet and soapy, splits in the skin are painfull.
Other than that I am someone who doenst callouse just gets hard wearing smooth fingertips. i thought there was something strange with that untill i saw jaesbass is the same

[Huge Hands]

Thanks to all for the good advice so far. It looks like superglue will be the way to go (couldn't get on with electrician's tape last night), once they've had a bit longer to heal.

Unless anyone has some other suggestions....?

[bnt]

I'm sure I remember reading a John Patitucci interview in which he mentioned the superglue, but he also mentioned some kind of "instant skin" product from a pharmacy. I think he meant something like [url="http://newskinproducts.com/"]New-Skin[/url], which the maker says works for musicians.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='bnt' post='203694' date='May 21 2008, 01:13 PM']I'm sure I remember reading a John Patitucci interview in which he mentioned the superglue, but he also mentioned some kind of "instant skin" product from a pharmacy. I think he meant something like [url="http://newskinproducts.com/"]New-Skin[/url], which the maker says works for musicians.[/quote]

Ha ha, looks like re-badged superglue to me!

[P-T-P]

I've got some new skin type stuff which I picked up in the US last year just 'cause I'd heard it was good for this kinda thing. Never actually used it though we have used it a couple of times on small cuts and it hurts like no hurt has ever hurt before when you first put it on.

I suspect that on a burst blister it would probably not hurt so badly which would mean you could use a bit more of it, enough to get you through a gig without tearing your finger to shreads at least but I wouldn't like to say it would be pain free as the whole point of the stuff is that it seals the skin enough to stop bleeding/seepage while remaining flexible and leaving your sense of touch in tact.

Given that you've burst and picked, you're a bit screwed. Maybe get playing again and get a blister to form then quit and don't play again until it goes down, hopefully leaving a thicker layer of skin it's wake.

Bigger head room in the amp department = less force needed in the playing department.

[EntropicLqd]

I use super-glue when I can see that I'm going to be in trouble if I don't. A thin coat (remember to let it dry for a minimum of 5 minutes!) is an excellent preventative. I've tried tape as well but in my experience it doesn't work anywhere near as well. I can normally do a 2 hour set on a single coast of super-glue. It's gone by the end of the set, but my digit is nice and safe.

I've found in the past that blisters can be dealt with effectively if you use a very fine needle to just bleed out some (but not all) of the fluid. The blister will then re-seal itself and be that much more comfortable as well. On no account should you ever peel the skin off a popped blister - that's just asking for trouble.

[The Funk]

[quote name='Viajero' post='203544' date='May 21 2008, 10:11 AM']However, the fact is that it's not brilliant, and doesn't give the kind of lasting callus you need. Unfortunately, the best course is to let the blister heal, then practise just enough every day as to avoid getting another and gradually build up hard skin.[/quote]

I once ended up with an unburst and bloody blister underneath a callus after a weekend of heavy playing. I've never known anything to work for me when my fingertips are buggered - apart from playing through the pain and waiting for the burst.

[peteb]

You could always try the Stevie Ray Vaughan method, which is to superglue your fingers to the opposite forearm, leave to dry and then rip off – leaving a bloody forearm but an extra layer of skin and a layer of superglue on your fingertips!

If that’s a bit too hardcore you could always try what I do if I haven’t played for a while – apply three or four layers of plastic skin half an hour before gigging

It doesn’t perform wonders by any means, but can help to get you thru the gig with a little less discomfort....