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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »

Permalink Finger calluses

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I have some well built up finger tip calluses, and some times they are more of a pain to deal with than a blessing. Sometimes they get groove's in them when I've been playing a lot, and that actually makes it hard to switch to different notes and get a clean tone.
Any one have this same or similar problem?
If so, how do you deal with it?

I don't use the stuff myself, but I imagine that "fingerease" might help out. It's supposed to be a spray to make your strings slide easier. I'm sure it's good, and I've seen a number of players from garage players to The Reverend Horton Heat use it.

Could you be pressing too hard? I've got YEARS of callouses, but haven't had issues with my fingers getting stuck around strings.

~B~

I've never got them stuck either. I would say I get impressions of the strings after I play for awhile but I could never see them sticking.

"Fingerease" sounds terrible. I hate having slick strings.

I'm with you, Jake, I can't stand slick strings - I like to feel what I'm playing, and as long as my strings aren't half-corroded, I'm in good shape as far as sliding along them is concerned.

~B~

Fingerease will cake up on your frets and when the time comes to replace the frets your luthier will have a hell of a time pulling them out.

Sometimes I'll get pomade on my hands and I can't stand that slick feeling on the guitar, but I've heard Chet Atkins used to rub behind his ears or the side of his nose to get natural grease on his hands for playing.

"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"

https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDragstripVipers/

I've heard of the "rubbing the nose" technique among bass players - especially when trying to break in flatwounds. I suppose it makes sense. Just so long as you remember to rub, not pick. I think that might build up on your frets too.

~B~

Thanks for the input guys, but I don't want to grease up my guitar or fingers.
I find that if I play more on the finger pad than the tips I still get grooves. But not as bad. But playing on the pads can make for some sloppy playing if you need a fast change up sometimes.

I was just wondering if anyone else had the same problem as I have been experiencing. Maybe my hands are just really dry or something. Do you guys use anything on your hands for conditioning? Just curious.
I know I can't be the only one with this sort of problem.
Joel Very Happy

I moisturize my hands since my hands dry out really easily at my job, I make copies and the paper drys up my hands. But I don't do it for any reason other than being able to grip paper.

Last year I had a bout of illness and I had skin actually peel off and I lost all my calluses and hand strength and I had to build it up again. It was not fun. I couldn't carry my gig into a gig without feeling the urge to put it down because it was so heavy. Keep in mind I am talking about the reverb unit or guitar cases. I couldn't get my amp off the ground.

Joel,
Recently, I've been incidentally lotioning my hands because of my new tattoo, but I think in general I have pretty dry hands too. Hell, every two years or so my hands "molt" - I just kinda lose the outer layer on the epidermis of my hands, starting at the fingertips, and it will continue anywhere from the ends of my fingers to the palms. Odd, I know.

So maybe try a little lotion every now and then (I find it's usually best to apply after a shower), see if that helps.

~B~

BillAqua
I've heard Chet Atkins used to rub behind his ears or the side of his nose to get natural grease on his hands for playing.

I've also heard that he wouldn't wash his hands or get them wet (I assume only before a performance) to keep his fingertips tough. But then again who knows?...

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

image

Great photo!

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

Joel,
do you play flatwounds, or roundwounds?
it would seem that roundwounds would make things a bit worse in this situation.
I play bass, and my finger got all tore up after playing just a bit of time, when I switched to flat wounds it was like playing on butter.
so smoothm and no more torn up finger tips.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Great photo dp! My fingers actually look something like the photo of DD hand. Not as bad, but notice the groove. All three of my main fingers look like that after playing for about an hour. I do play every day sometimes several times a day and that may have something to do with the finger problem. The grooves seem to stay in for about an hour after I stop playing.(On an aside. I have never worn a pick down like that. My picks are the common Dunlap gels in medium. maybe DD needs some harder picks. Very Happy )

bigtikidude
I get the same on flat wound or round wound. My flats are 11-50 they make big grooves.
But my round wounds are only 9-42's, and they make small tiny grooves, but deep.

Oh well I guess I may need to cowboy up some and stop worring about having freaky fingers. I just thought that someone would have a magic lotion or something that guitarist use that I had never heard of.:lol:

Thanks
Joel Very Happy

Smile not a problem--the calluses that is! have had em peel, blister , burst and bleed over the years.. soak your fingertips in saltwater if they get bad. i do not use any cremes or gels or ear wax or snot on my fretting hand. i might usea little spit on the pick. tried gorilla snot on the pick but it wasn't as good as spit. haven't played bass in years so i don't really remember much about the callus part. i use 9-42s on my guitars so if i get a groove its little and doesn't last long. worksfor me!!

What about the reverse? A lot of times my hands are way to slimy and sweaty to grip the pick well and to fret. Haven't found a good way to cure this.

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

For circumstances like that I carry a small bottle of talcum powder in my gigbag. A light dusting bedore the set is usually all I need.

There is Surf east of Sepulveda.

Cool wraydar==when you get the slimy hand syndrome, just wipe your hands on a rag or your ass--the girls love it!! but i think the rag ismore PC. Cool

Fripperton - I'll have to give that a go. Thanks for the suggestion.

Surfdaddy - Belive me it's much worse than a simple rag would fix.

Here in Texas it's still pretty damn humid, the temperature's sposed to drop soon. Maybe I'll get some relief.

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

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