Callus development off of bass

squierplayer120 · #1 03-31-2005, 04:09 PM

Hi all, I was wondering, are there any ways besides playing to develop good calluses? I started in June and I have none so all suggestions welcomed.

Da LadY In Red · #2 03-31-2005, 07:32 PM

Take your nails (if you have any) and repeatedly push them against your fingertips.

Sandman1278 · #3 03-31-2005, 07:51 PM

play for hours on end, play till your fingers blister, when they blister keep playing, play till your blisters pop, when they pop, keep playing, thats how i did it

Whafrodamus · #4 03-31-2005, 08:09 PM

I don't callus. I can play 15 hours a day for a week straight (I did it over the summer once), and my fingers are soft as fat people.

Alvaro Martín Gómez A. · #5 03-31-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandman1278

play for hours on end, play till your fingers blister, when they blister keep playing, play till your blisters pop, when they pop, keep playing, thats how i did it

I respectfully disagree. In my experience, if you pop your blisters, you'll never develop strong calluses. I think you should "play for hours on end, play till your fingers blister", and then let your blisters dry without popping them (That means: Stop playing!). When that happens, then "play for hours..." and so forth. You'll develop really solid calluses.

Just my opinion (and my experience). Hope it helps.

Funky Doctor · #6 03-31-2005, 08:33 PM

I couldn't agree more with Alvaro.

ole Jason · #7 03-31-2005, 10:24 PM

I don't really have calluses either. My fingertips are harder than most peoples I suppose but I don't have big white scaley gobs of skin on them. And I play upright too!

Intune · #8 04-01-2005, 03:16 PM

Use Rotosound roundwounds! Calluses & indentations on them. Rough on frets too. They won't callus like the bottom of feet (white, scaley) it is more of a tough pad on fingertip.

+1 to Alvaro. True.

Folmeister · #9 04-01-2005, 05:02 PM

There was an old story that Stanley Clarke used to run the ends of his fingers over sand paper. Now that will give you calluses!

squierplayer120 · #10 04-02-2005, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folmeister

There was an old story that Stanley Clarke used to run the ends of his fingers sand paper. Now that will give you calluses!

Yeah, but just a bit, you know...lol

Intune · #11 04-02-2005, 09:16 PM

O.K. Nubs!

bassist66 · #12 04-02-2005, 09:20 PM

If you play straight slap bass for a few hours, i can almost guarantee you'll start to get them.

cecile · #13 04-02-2005, 09:21 PM

I got blisters on both of my plucking fingers last week. I popped both of them and I'm sort of wishing I didn't.......

Jazzin' · #14 04-02-2005, 09:43 PM

Calluses isn't really caused by blisters. Sewers get calluses too. It's just caused from using your fingertips alot. Blisters just come and go every once in a while.

Timbo · #15 04-03-2005, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

I don't callus. I can play 15 hours a day for a week straight (I did it over the summer once), and my fingers are soft as fat people.

Me too.

lowphatbass · #16 04-03-2005, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

I don't callus. I can play 15 hours a day for a week straight (I did it over the summer once), and my fingers are soft as fat people.

If you don't have calluses it's because you don't need them so I wouldn't be concerned about it squireplayer120. Your body will change if it needs to to protect itself, just keep practicing regularly and everything should take care of itself. Different styles of "working" the bass produce different types of stress and friction on the hands and fingers. Some players grow hoofs and big ol' paws, other players suffer no mutations whatsoever.

Sandman1278 · #17 04-05-2005, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

I respectfully disagree. In my experience, if you pop your blisters, you'll never develop strong calluses. I think you should "play for hours on end, play till your fingers blister", and then let your blisters dry without popping them (That means: Stop playing!). When that happens, then "play for hours..." and so forth. You'll develop really solid calluses.

Just my opinion (and my experience). Hope it helps.

i got some prety sturdy calluses on my fingers, i always figured it was because i would keep playing until my fingers would hurt to much, even then i would just play with my thumb or sumtin

Spikeh · #18 04-06-2005, 05:12 AM

I've developed slight calluses on my fingers, but nothing major... you can't see anything, and you can't really feel anything.

Why not carry your bass around with you all day, every day, and continuously pluck the E string? :P I would, if my hands weren't occupied by programming all day!

Mottlefeeder · #19 04-06-2005, 05:23 AM

I have heard that you can speed up the 'drying out' process by painting your fingertips with a sovent to take out the natural oils before you start to play. Just make sure that you do not transfer the solvent onto your bass's laquer finish. I haven't tried it.

My finger tips are tougher than the rest of my hands, but not callussed. I'm happy to live with that.

Time Divider · #20 04-27-2005, 03:33 PM

My problem is that I work in an office all day. Would love to have some kind of thing I can do without my bass around my neck (cuz that won't cut it at work).