QuikCallus

groovlow · #1 12-22-2008, 08:04 PM

Too good to be true? Has anyone used this stuff?

http://quikcallus.com/

I'm doing good with my left fingers. My right index keeps blistering under the callus.

I'm going for the traditional accoustic sound. I use alot of finger contact and arm weight.
I play in a couple of big bands and do some combo stuff too.
Maybe something is not right in my technque (especially when i read thru the D. S.
into the coda and repeat it all again, wow it sounds funny. hmm what's the form aabac?)

I've had some lessons and found that listening for our characteristic attack gets me to the mechanics.

Thanks
Joe

peab121 · #2 12-23-2008, 08:05 AM

My friend just asked me about this the other day. I haven't used it yet, but I think it's legit. The big thing is that it's non-toxic, so you'll get the same result as you do from using krazy glue on your fingers but it's safe to use on skin.

I always heard stories of people using krazy glue as an "artificial callus" but thought it sounded dodgy, so maybe this is the best bet? Let me know if you end up trying it out...

jstiel · #3 12-23-2008, 02:10 PM

Brace yourself for all the "practice" replys.

JavierBass · #4 12-23-2008, 02:17 PM

Hmmm....it just sounds like you just practice alot more. There are no shortcuts with this bad boy, so no use in trying to find some. Just practice.

groovlow · #5 12-23-2008, 06:06 PM

thanks for the responses. I should post pics of my calluses. My left pinkie is twice the diameter of the left. Left fingers no problems, right index is. I might give the stuff a try. I didnt see any mention of flexibility. Crazy glue is so stiff it cracks. practise practise practise

Paul Warburton · #6 12-23-2008, 09:37 PM

You guys are just killin' me.....
Thanks.

dgelting · #7 09-14-2009, 10:41 PM

I'm actually interested in this sort of thing too. I know that playing more is the stock response, but I swear my body chemistry doesn't produce callus' as well as it should. I know people that barely use their hands and they get all sorts of callus'. For me all it takes is a couple of prune hands from showering too long or washing dishes without gloves and it's back to square one!

Those with day jobs can't just do 3 hours of practice a day.....and even if I'm playing a ton it really doesn't seem to toughen like it should.

A lighter technique works for certain things, but sometimes you need to dig in......

Lot's of info on the net about getting rid of calluses, but not much on promoting their growth. It seems that vitamin E is supposed to help. The rock climbing community has some salves that are supposed to be good for hands. Any other ideas?

Funny aside - I do produce ultra-thick and persistant callus' on the inside of each pinky close to the web between my fingers. I do nothing in my life that would promote callus growth at those spots! It's just there. My mother has a similar thing happening on the top of each foot - a round (very thick and pronounced) callus spot on the top of each foot for no reason! So I get callus' where I don't need them, and struggle to get them where I do need them.

**Matthew Tucker** · #8 09-15-2009, 05:46 AM

best cure for blisters i've found is an amplifier. The calluses follow, slowly.

dgelting · #9 09-15-2009, 11:55 AM

Cute or "clever" responses aren't really helpful but I suppose are to be expected......

Nathan Parker · #10 09-15-2009, 12:51 PM

My response is neither cute nor clever, but my first instinct is that this stuff is snake oil. I don't know what would change my mind. Perhaps if it was recommended by some/more professionals, I would be apt to change my mind.

I am saddened that some folks are having a hard time developing callus's. That sucks. I guess I am lucky that my skin toughens up where I need it to.

**Matthew Tucker** · #11 09-15-2009, 04:31 PM

I don't get many blisters on DB any more, except when trying to keep up with a lot of loud instruments without an amp. I don't have huge calluses either, and I don't think really thick calluses are essential, more a result of a lot of playing than anything else. After all, they are just a buildup of layers of dead skin. You play, the lower layer of skin is bruised or damaged, but not enough to blister, another layer of skin forms underneath. etcetera until the skin is a lot thicker. If you play so hard you get blisters, the dead and damaged skin peels off and you never get a thickening there. Hence my post about using an amp and the allowing calluses to form slowly.

But whenever I switch to bass guitar, which I play rarely, I get blisters straight away, even though the instrument is amped. I'm using different parts of my fingers.

You've played a lot of bass guitar, but for how long have you been playing the double bass and going for the traditional sound?

JtheJazzMan · #12 09-15-2009, 05:34 PM

What kind of strings are you using?

You may consider some lower tension strings.

I used to get epic calluses with spiro mittels, only light ones now with spiro solos.

BAJO · #13 09-15-2009, 05:44 PM

Theirs only one way out of this!! Play another instrument! I've tried everything on the market in this world to develop these calluses, and I tell you everything!! The best way is to play until you develop a water blister then you pop it and continue playing on it until it gets hard. Now, no one said that it was not going to hurt!! The pure fact that bass players end up pulling on metal strings that hold 100's of lbs per pull is crazy till this day. Once you develop them you need to sand them down to keep them from breaking open.
GOOD LUCK

drurb · #14 09-15-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

I don't get many blisters on DB any more, except when trying to keep up with a lot of loud instruments without an amp. I don't have huge calluses either, and I don't think really thick calluses are essential...

+1. I play Evah weichs set on the high side. My fingertips are actually pretty soft-- no hard calluses or blisters.

BAJO · #15 09-15-2009, 06:15 PM

Your Callus will determine about 70 percent of your sound!!!

**Matthew Tucker** · #16 09-15-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAJO

Your Callus will determine about 70 percent of your sound!!!

I don't believe that for one second!

Loves2Jam · #17 09-15-2009, 07:17 PM

I just keep playing when i get mad blisters. I'm an electric player but I learned on upright and go sometimes a month without touching it. Then I'll go to play some standards and after an hour it hurts. A few times I got massive bloodblisters. I've even had a huge bloodblister break open during a very quick jazz tune and damn that hurt. I even had to finish the night cuz I was the only bassist. Dude it hurts but you'll live through it and your fingers will get mad strong.

Paul Warburton · #18 09-15-2009, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAJO

Your Callus will determine about 70 percent of your sound!!!

+1.

Pretty damn close, IMO.
The ability to really dig in and not have any soreness gives you complete control and the ability to concentrate on the music coming out.
Your playing on the Youtube clips with Wynton are great examples of this, Carlos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdTWR-PJHdA

drurb · #19 09-15-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAJO

Your Callus will determine about 70 percent of your sound!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

I don't believe that for one second!

Nor do I. Then again, if that's true, maybe that's a sound I don't want.

I have a friend who is quite an accomplished DB player. He has a fantastic sound-- plays with his strings higher than mine. I was shocked a while back when he showed me that he essentially had no calluses to be seen or felt. On the other hand, I know players who build up massive calluses and well, they sound fine too! Not sure there's a rule here.

Paul Warburton · #20 09-15-2009, 07:37 PM

They don't need to be "massive" if you keep them nice and shaved down with an emery board, as Carlos said.
Many of us actually kind of sculpt them with the emery to avoid rough edges and cracks (like Carlos said). Also to take peaks off.

Watch and listen to Carlos on my Youtube link. You might learn something. No amp involved, BTW.