fretmeister Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 I have an outdoor gig tomorrow and it looks like it might be hot. At rehearsal today I was having trouble with how grippy / sticky my flats were with sweaty fingers. Other than fast fret every tune, anyone got any ideas? If I had a week or so I’d swap to rounds but I don’t want to do that the day before a gig. Does antiperspirant on finger tips work? Anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 (edited) Put some hand cream/moisturiser on before the gig reapply if needed during from a squirt dispenser type bottle Edited June 25, 2022 by Bunion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 Surely that will just ruin the callous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Switch to rounds, turn the tone knob down and thank me later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastodon2 Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 I understand not wanting to change strings before the gig, just use Fast Fret throughout the show and after the gig is done, throw the flats in the bin and put some rounds on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Give the strings a wipe with isoprop rubbing alcohol... or one of those Glasses Wipes... and take a hand (beer) towel... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Olive oil. Never tried it, probably ruin everything you touch, but will make slippy slippy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Mastodon2 said: I understand not wanting to change strings before the gig, just use Fast Fret throughout the show and after the gig is done, throw the flats in the bin and put some rounds on. It’s the first time I’ve played with La Bella flats in the summer. They are just so smooth there’s far more surface area to get stuck on. Lovely in aircon or normal temps. Horrible with sweaty hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Doesn't Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) use a light dusting of talc on his fingers to stop this issue. He uses flats. I do not. Unless its on an EUB or something else without frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Rub lard into your strings, fingerboard and hands. Keep away from dogs and drummers though. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Wash your hands and clean your strings. IME sweat shouldn't be too sticky but the associated gunk that builds up can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 I'm a martyr to this and can only suggest the usual slick goos. Sometimes I think it's God's way of telling me I'm playing too much diddly diddly, as is my wont. Less notes, in the right place, might be my answer. but can't speak for yous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 I used to get this LaBellas (it’s not a problem for me with EBs) and I used to carry a little zip lock bag of talc, which I dipped into as required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 1 hour ago, chris_b said: Wash your hands and clean your strings. IME sweat shouldn't be too sticky but the associated gunk that builds up can be. The strings are 3 weeks old. Hands are clean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 48 minutes ago, ezbass said: I used to get this LaBellas (it’s not a problem for me with EBs) and I used to carry a little zip lock bag of talc, which I dipped into as required. l’ve got some EB group flats. If I had another day or 2 I’d put them on. Time to look in the cupboard for some talc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray64 Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Am I the only person in this thread who finds slipping off rounds while sweaty a FAR bigger problem for playing well than sticking to flats?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 25, 2022 Share Posted June 25, 2022 8 hours ago, fretmeister said: Surely that will just ruin the callous Not caused me any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 26, 2022 Author Share Posted June 26, 2022 On 25/06/2022 at 15:04, PaulThePlug said: Give the strings a wipe with isoprop rubbing alcohol... or one of those Glasses Wipes... and take a hand (beer) towel... @PaulThePlug I’n the end I decided to change the strings and spend ages stretching them and I’m glad I did. However the glasses wipe suggestion was also excellent. Really helped a lot. Dried the finger tips out enough for half the set and then I did it again. They are now going in my kit bag. Thank you for the tip. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloke_zero Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 On 25/06/2022 at 15:04, PaulThePlug said: Give the strings a wipe with isoprop rubbing alcohol... or one of those Glasses Wipes... and take a hand (beer) towel... This - I found the coating seems to get grabby depending on the humidity - cleaning the coating off should help and playing them in for some time. I think you made the right call though sorting it out to your satisfaction before hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazzer Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Good old johnsons baby powder- a light dusting before each set will stop this dead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 On 25/06/2022 at 18:27, ezbass said: I used to get this LaBellas (it’s not a problem for me with EBs) and I used to carry a little zip lock bag of talc, which I dipped into as required. Did that stand up in court? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 I used to find Chromes felt sticky and 'grabbed' at my fingers - but when I switched to LaBellas they had no grabbiness at all. Rotosound flats and GHS Precision flats are also non-grabby for my fingers. Judging by other people's posts above it seems to be a matter of finding the right strings for your fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 34 minutes ago, ped said: Did that stand up in court? When I was 12 or so I made some sherbet dip at home (after seeing it on the tellybox). Took it in to school in a large sandwich bag to try to sell to fellow students. Got collared by a teacher half way through the day and marched down to the biology lab so they could run tests on it to check I wasn’t carrying about £10k’s worth of Colombian marching powder. Ah, fond memories! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badscrew Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Some flats are more sticky than the others. I had horrible experience with Chromes' - even had friction burns on my fingertips from trying to do slides once! Fender Flats - no stickiness at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 On 25/06/2022 at 15:38, Pea Turgh said: Olive oil. Never tried it, probably ruin everything you touch, but will make slippy slippy. Yes, it will ruin a guitar. What product ruined this guitar? Olive Oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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