blister after 2 hrs of playing?

bassninja7 · #1 10-07-2008, 12:08 PM

so my band just played this past saturday at a bar for two hours and i got this NASTY blister on my right index finger...

i use EB slinkys which are about 2 weeks old, so i dont think it was because of that. ive played longer than two hours before..... any thoughts?

paganjack · #2 10-07-2008, 12:11 PM

you're not playing enough.

once you can slide a razor blade across your fingertips and not get sliced open you're set. until then...don't cut your fingers with razors!!

Ruoska · #3 10-07-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paganjack

you're not playing enough.

Yeah I was thinking the same. I used to get blisters when I started playing bass in a band about six years ago, we rehearsed three times a week for a few hours each time. My current band rehearses once oa week for about three hours, no hint of blisters..I've been calloused by the years =D

deathbyjune · #4 10-07-2008, 12:32 PM

I get blisters every now and then. And they are always big ol' whoppers too.

I play in a cover band once (sometimes twice) a week on the weekends. Four hours of playing every time.

I usually don't get a chance to really practice for hours upon hours during the week...and I think that is why I still get blisters (granted I can dig in pretty hard).

seansbrew · #5 10-07-2008, 12:37 PM

What kind of music are you playing? Would you say that you pluck hard?

You might want to talke a look at your technique.

I play lighter than I used too these days after having gone thru the same thing.

Now I can play for several hours and not have any blisters.

bassninja7 · #6 10-07-2008, 01:39 PM

i play classic rock, we usually practice louder than what we play for gigs. so i guess i might have been hitting a bit harder...

we have 5-8hr jam sessions once a week.....but this blistered up right away after two hours

thesteve · #7 10-07-2008, 01:44 PM

I find that the time it takes for me to blister depends completely on how hard I'm going at it.

A typical 1.5-2hour practice with my band, or even 5 hours of playing church music will give me some tenderness, but no appreciable damage...

however a 30-45 minute gig can be enough to blister my index, middle and ring fingers if I'm not careful with managing my plucking on stage.

CatfishStudios · #8 10-07-2008, 01:48 PM

After 20 years of guitar, my left hand fingertips are impervious to damage, heat , cold or high doses of radiation. After switching to bass, my right hand fingertips both blistered repeatedly, very painful, but its been a few years now and they have caught up....play more.

ashtray · #9 10-07-2008, 01:56 PM

From Wiki:

"Blisters are usually caused by injury to the skin from heat or from friction, which creates a tear between the epidermis—the upper layer of the skin—and the layers beneath. When this happens, the surface of the skin remains intact, but is pushed outwards as serum seeps into the newly created space between the layers.

Short periods of intense rubbing can cause a blister, as can any rubbing of the skin continued long enough. Blisters are most common on the hands and feet, as these extremities are susceptible while walking, running, or performing repetitive motions. Blisters form more easily on moist skin than on dry or soaked skin, and are more common in warm conditions."

bassninja7 · #10 10-07-2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

From Wiki:

"Blisters are usually caused by injury to the skin from heat or from friction, which creates a tear between the epidermis—the upper layer of the skin—and the layers beneath. When this happens, the surface of the skin remains intact, but is pushed outwards as serum seeps into the newly created space between the layers.

Short periods of intense rubbing can cause a blister, as can any rubbing of the skin continued long enough. Blisters are most common on the hands and feet, as these extremities are susceptible while walking, running, or performing repetitive motions. Blisters form more easily on moist skin than on dry or soaked skin, and are more common in warm conditions."

you actually trust wiki?

mjolnir · #11 10-07-2008, 03:09 PM

It's natural for a player to tend to play harder at a gig, get a little excited, get overzealous. These things happen. Eventually your fingers will harden to the point of being comparable to kevlar and you won't have to worry about a thing, but until then you should stock up on super glue.

thesteve · #12 10-07-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjolnir

It's natural for a player to tend to play harder at a gig, get a little excited, get overzealous. These things happen. Eventually your fingers will harden to the point of being comparable to kevlar and you won't have to worry about a thing, but until then you should stock up on super glue.

I tried the super glue trick once and hated it. Ended up trying to get rid of it halfway through the set and just playing through the pain.

but a lot of people do recommend it. I even recommend it, even though it didn't really work out too well for me.

Rick Auricchio · #13 10-07-2008, 04:07 PM

That's why I have an amplifier. I play with a light touch and let the electrons take care of the volume. Occasionally I'll dig in for a minute here and there, but that's the exception.

bassninja7 · #14 10-07-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I tried the super glue trick once and hated it. Ended up trying to get rid of it halfway through the set and just playing through the pain.

but a lot of people do recommend it. I even recommend it, even though it didn't really work out too well for me.

super glue?

...go on......hahah

StyleOverShow · #15 10-07-2008, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Auricchio

That's why I have an amplifier. I play with a light touch and let the electrons take care of the volume. Occasionally I'll dig in for a minute here and there, but that's the exception.

Agreed, but some of the pluck comes from striking the strings with differing intensities, at least the way that I play.

You must have been amped up and playing harder than usual creating more friction, heat and the eventual inflammation response (the blister).

I've ended up with bloody blisters that look cruelly cool.

thesteve · #16 10-07-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassninja7

super glue?

...go on......hahah

you coat your fingertips in super glue to create an extra layer of "skin". I didn't like the fact that I could no longer feel the strings well when I did it, but it definitely works wonders for a lot of people.

bassninja7 · #17 10-07-2008, 05:06 PM

hmmm ill give that a shot this weekend!

but..... it split open, so i think putting SG on an open blister would not be good....tried playing with a band-aid to avoid any rippage....but it messing with my playing style);

but as any true bass player would do, play though the pain!!
i once saw a guy play with seven stitches in his left pinky!!!
i use my index/pinky 87% of the time lol/

easyvision · #18 10-07-2008, 05:15 PM

Actually, superglue was originally created to serve as a quick-fix for war wounds during the Vietnam war so putting it on an open blister should be ok, so long as it's the non-toxic stuff.

bassninja7 · #19 10-07-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyvision

Actually, superglue was originally created to serve as a quick-fix for war wounds during the Vietnam war so putting it on an open blister should be ok, so long as it's the non-toxic stuff.

thanks for the info!
im gunna try it out tomorrow night at practice

Matt Till · #20 10-07-2008, 06:14 PM

I'd get blisters in my cover band, I figured out why, but found myself unable to prevent it: I was playing 4 hour sets.

Actually my main problem: When I play live, I dig in HARD. It's going to eventually cause me arthritis, so I'm working on it, but now I play in a metal band and prefer the digging in tone, but only play 45 minute sets: Blisters aren't really an issue anymore.