Calluses-The pain and other things that come with.

TallicaDeth · #1 01-03-2010, 10:42 PM

OK, im still new to playing bass. 4 months. somtimes my fingers really hurt from playing so much and so long.
i want to hear your callus stories or anything else you have to share about them. How long did it take u to get em and how bad was it? PICS IF U WANT!!!

I have my 4 fretting fingers on my left hand callused. on my right hand, i have my index starting a callus and my middle already has a callus and my ring finger has a blister. I use a laptop and when i use the little mouse square, it feels like i got somthin stuck to my finger that wont come off. plus when im holding a girl's hand, they say, "whoa, nice calluses. u play guitar?" "actually i play bass." kinda like somthin you can be proud of from your hard work of playing music.

CBgaragebassist · #2 01-03-2010, 10:58 PM

I have a light touch with my fretting hand and i use flatwounds so i haven't got blisters from playing, do have slight calusses[sp?]. Have got a blood blister from cutting a G string though. (shut up i know it sounds suggestive!

)

thatbasskid597 · #3 01-04-2010, 01:52 AM

It just one of those things you have to deal with in the world of bass. No pain, no game

JonnyAngle · #4 01-04-2010, 06:47 AM

Play through it. In my epreience the calouses [sp] are a good thing. If you let your fingers get back to normal, they will just blister next time you play.

plankspanker13 · #5 01-04-2010, 07:48 AM

There is not much that you can do about the fretting hand calusses, but you can help your plucking hand a bit by alternating your practices with a pick (there, I said it) and your fingers. This was how I developed, and after a couple of months, itbecame a non-issue. I am about 90% fingerstyle in what I play anyway, but there are a few tunes here and there that undeniably benefit from the pick.

EDIT: Certainly, flatwounds or tapewounds will help as well, particularly on the plucking hand, but the fretting hand will get some measure of relief as well.

dannnnn · #6 01-04-2010, 08:21 AM

About 10 or 11 years ago I played a gig that ended up with my bass (and pants) literally being a bloody mess. In those days I was all about playing as many notes as I could, and I had a bit less finesse than I do now. I routinely got blood blisters on my picking fingers, and on this particular night I had alot to drink. I actually thought it was cool at the time, but I'm glad that sort of thing doesn't happen anymore. I have lightened up my touch since then and I try to stay away from rough strings. I still get the occasional blister, but nothing like I used to.

txbasschik · #7 01-04-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyAngle

Play through it. In my epreience the calouses [sp] are a good thing. If you let your fingers get back to normal, they will just blister next time you play.

This.

I'm rather proud of my callouses. When someone, usually a guy, hears I play bass, the first thing they want to do is grab my hand and check out my callouses. Its like having instant cred, before I ever play a note.

I never did get any blisters, tho. I hit the strings pretty hard, and use roundwounds at least half the time, so I should have blistered. Just never did...lucky I guess.

Cherie

KingBollock · #8 01-04-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

There is not much that you can do about the fretting hand calusses, but you can help your plucking hand a bit by alternating your practices with a pick (there, I said it) and your fingers.

I rarely play finger style anymore. I started playing with a pick after about 2 years due to constant injuries to my right hand fingers. After another 20 years playing with a pick I have a huge callous where the pick rests on my right index finger.

Sizlack · #9 01-04-2010, 03:55 PM

Yeah I get some minor pain in my left hand finger tips after long practice sessions. Just gotta let up a bit and let them rest, also really consciously work on not playing so hard. I've only been at it for 7 months now, just have to actively work on not pressing so hard.
As for my right hand, I haven't had any issues there so I can't be much help.
My left hand fingers do occassionaly get a small blister under the callous though, usually just tear off the skin and it heals in a day or two, but no pain from it. Just a small hole.

KingBollock · #10 01-04-2010, 04:03 PM

Just remembered an incident from about 10 years ago. After having a go with some naughty, snorty, go-faster powder, I picked up a guitar (I know! Please don't spit on me...) and didn't put it down for 12 hours, and I played constantly for the whole time. It was nearly 3 weeks before I could touch anything (let alone a bass or guitar) with my left had fingers, it was agony. Won't be doing that again in a hurry.

steveksux · #11 01-04-2010, 07:52 PM

The trick is to build up gradually. Find out how long you can play without being too sore the next day. Do that, then do a bit more, do a light day to rest.

Just like any exercise. The exercise breaks down the body. Rest makes it stronger. It takes time to rebuild/repair, and it'll be stronger when it does. IF you give it time to heal.

You'll eventually build up sufficient callouses to handle your normal amount of playing, at your normal intensity level. You can exceed that here and there, without issues, but don't double or triple it for days in a row or you'll be sore again.

At one point I was playing 4-5 gigs a week, had loads of callouses. I'd snag my shirts with my pinky. My fingertips were actually hard, I could grab really hot stuff without burning myself.

Meanwhile work on playing with a lighter touch.

Randy

TortillaChip520 · #12 01-04-2010, 08:09 PM

not until recently have i noticed a bit of callousing on my plucking fingers. And I've been playing 5 years. I never fatigue when playing finger style, but get tired quickly when picking hard.

nutso42 · #13 01-04-2010, 08:37 PM

I actually intentionally use the coarsest strings I can find (S.I.T Hex Wounds) to build up the calluses. After playing those things two hours a day, I can play any bass string for hours without discomfort. However, the first 5 months with those strings KILLED. Pure agony. But it was worth it.

Nashrakh · #14 01-04-2010, 08:51 PM

Never had a blister and never developed calluses. My fingers are silky smooth.

Oh, and IMO - if you get blisters, you're doing it wrong... IMO (how the hell is that even possible?)

pandaman37 · #15 01-04-2010, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nashrakh

Never had a blister and never developed calluses. My fingers are silky smooth.

Oh, and IMO - if you get blisters, you're doing it wrong... IMO (how the hell is that even possible?)

flatwounds? ive never played any, i wonder how they feel.

i dont understand how you cant get blisters or callouses. im rather proud of mine.

Stuggi · #16 01-05-2010, 02:16 AM

I actually got more blisters from using flatwounds than roundwounds, go figure. I then again use d'Addarios, which are quite a bit smoother than some of the stuff out there.

The trick for me when starting out was to take it easy in the beginning and;
1. Don't play straight away after showering or washing your hands, it seems as if the skin is dry then it hurts a lot more when playing
2. Don't use hand cream either before playing, softens the skin too much.
3. Play a lot of finger exercises to get up your hand strength and finger skill, then it takes a lot less work to get a good sound. I like to play chromatic scales up and down the fingerboard.
4. Keep your nails short so they don't get in the way of the finger tips, if you don't then the nail takes the impact and you'll never get thick enough skin. And you're gonna sound bad if you have too long nails anyhow so why don't fix it?
5. Keep practicing a lot over time, if you put down the bass for a week or more then you're gonna have to start building up that skin again.

DrDano · #17 01-05-2010, 03:25 AM

Still new, March will be 1 year. Fret fingers are tougher and pain is only a dull pain. That’s only after several hours of trying to play. Right hand is fine but for trying to cut off the tip of my middle finger for Christmas. Slowed me down some but now with a band-aid I’m playing again. I guess now I can say I have played until my finger bleed, but only until the band-aid had just a bit of red. I don’t want to stop yet I don’t want to mess something up so that I can never play again.

Arpeggiator · #18 01-05-2010, 03:53 AM

it takes time to build them if you want to try and harden the skin slightly quicker use surgical spirit on your finger tips, personally though i think ou just have to keep playing through them.

Roy Vogt · #19 01-05-2010, 04:39 AM

A lot of what causes blisters is the friction between hand and string. My bass teacher at the University of Miami, Don Coffman, used to keep a bottle of Sweet Oil (and sometimes Almond Oil) with his gig bag and apply a bit to his fingertips on his picking hand. It cut down on the friction and allowed the callus to form without blisters. Keep practicing and your hands will toughen up.
When I started doing this again when I was playing double bass after about a 10 year layoff sometime back and it did help until the upright calluses returned.

dogofgod · #20 01-05-2010, 07:16 AM

I know its a duh statement, but you could try to turn up the volume of the amp so you are incapable of plucking too hard during practice, and soon enough you will notice that you don't need to be as hard with your picking to get the sound you desire. If you watch Tal play, she doesn't play too agressive but is still able to get the sound she wants our of her J.
But I know string resistance can be a big deal too. And a lot of people rely on the resistance of the string to quickly respond back to them when doing 16th or maybe even 8ths. You just need to get used to the feeling of calouses though, they are like medals of honor. I love it.