HELP! HURTS MY FINGER AND I GOT A GIG!

AshenBassist · #1 11-12-2006, 10:50 PM

so, i had a blood blister tonight at practice, and it popped. Now it REALLY hurts to play with my index. i can't simply use my middle and ring fingers though.
Band-aids do jack all. i've taped my finger up with electrical tape, still hurts and terrible tone.

anytricks? i don't think i can play through the pain... should i get painkillers, anything?

Gigs tommorow and i REALLY need some advise.

as of now i'm planning on making my tone mud. taping up all fingers for equal tone.

and i'm REALLY bad with a pick, so thats not an option either...

dain bramage · #2 11-12-2006, 10:56 PM

Get good with a pick FAST.

I personally think everyone should be good at both. Unfortunately I kinda suck at alternating strings with fingers, so if my pick breaks, I just have to kinda keep it all on one string.

69nites · #3 11-12-2006, 11:05 PM

at least it's a gig not a recording session

just tape both fingers (medical tape) and play on.

most anyone won't know the difference and those who do will understand

Armueller2001 · #4 11-12-2006, 11:28 PM

Try multiple coats of Nu-Skin.. you can buy it at CVS, Walgreens etc its a liquid band-aid

ZombieGhosTrain · #5 11-13-2006, 12:36 AM

Or super glue.

gsys · #6 11-13-2006, 12:59 AM

Superglue maybe? I've never tried it but I've heard it works.

If I were you I would just use your middle finger alone when possible, use middle/ring when possible, and suck it up for the parts you need to use the index for.

i_got_a_mohawk · #7 11-13-2006, 05:29 AM

Super glue was originally invented for glueing skin together, so it might work.

Id go with some good old medical tape tho, if your tone sucks, it sucks for one gig, most punters probably wont notice much of a difference, but if theres a bass player missing notes and about crying, they will notice that

Best of luck!

Robbiethebassis · #8 11-13-2006, 06:38 AM

Yea, try super glue...I cut my finger open a little while ago and it hurt like hell to play. but I just put superglue on it, sure it burns for a sec but it works. Make sure and bring it with you to the gig, it might come off. and it drys so fast you could probably touch it up in-between songs.

VanillaO · #9 11-13-2006, 08:40 AM

+1 on the 'everyone sohuld be good at finger and pick' thing. That has saved me in the past from similar scenarios, plus I play thrashy stuff sometimes with my band, and it gets very tiring very fast pumping sixteenth notes at 180bpm or whatever; insert pick and voila

bertbassplayer · #10 11-13-2006, 09:21 AM

I usually use my thumb, index, and middle, so the couple of times I ended up with blisters on my index, I usually ended up just using my thumb to play. But I do agree with the pick thing, it could defiantly come in handy in a pinch. And if you don't like the pick sound, Planet Waves has these "Adjustable Insert Picks" which is basically a pick in this sleeve thats supposed to make it sound more like playing finger style.

Demon · #11 11-13-2006, 09:29 AM

Get a pick and and take it between the thumb and the side of the index finger or between thumb and middlefinger.

RWP · #12 11-13-2006, 09:59 AM

You might have a pick ready in case the other suggestions are to painful. If you are not very good with a pick just do your best. Sorry man, you are really stuck!

AshenBassist · #13 11-13-2006, 10:47 AM

thank you all very much for the replies, i dug around and found some medical tape, seems like it should work. i got to make a point of buying some super clue real soon.

i'll let you guys know how it went.

AshenBassist · #14 11-13-2006, 11:10 PM

well, show went really well, I couldn't play well at all with the medical tape, so i ripped it off after the first song. Pain wasn't as bad as it was at practice last night. Though when i was galloping during run to the hills it kind of got really ripped up. Good thing it was our closer.

As well, on a side note. This has been the first performance that i'm really proud of. Excluding my lame finger that is. And we got a real good crowd reaction, especially for Run to the Hills and Creeping Death.

Thanks again for your suggestions and replies!

db4usa · #15 11-14-2006, 06:05 AM

Super Glue definitely works. I once had a gig that was 5 hours long @ 4 nights a week. I split a couple fingers open on my left hand. Had to fill them with super glue in order to fret. Use a couple of thin coats, allowing to dry completely between applications. From then on, an extra coat during break usually takes care of it. Rock on dude..
db

PABassPlayer · #16 11-14-2006, 07:47 AM

I read an article a few years ago where Flea had stated that he had used super glue on his finger tips on occasion in the early years because they had gotten torn up pretty bad from constant touring.

**Freddels** · #17 11-14-2006, 01:32 PM

When I was in the military, they used to lance the blister and then fill it with super glue. Worked on feet!

Spoiled Grape · #18 11-14-2006, 02:56 PM

Superglue and play through! At least live. Be mindful of your practice sessions, if your fingers are starting to hurt real bad, just take a break for a few hours. Make sure this isn't a repeating thing.

vegaas · #19 11-15-2006, 04:37 PM

Well, I have been going through this problem for closing in on two years now.
I have been playing for close to 20 years and all of a sudden I developed blisters on my index and middle finger after a gig one night. I have had the problem ever since.

I have tried tape, super glue, vasoline, cocoa butter, coated strings, flat wound strings, nickel strings, steel strings, nothing works.

As I type this I have a huge dried up blood blister on my middle finger from Saturday night. We have another gig this Saturday, so its time to suck it up again. What I do is put vasoline on it to reduce friction, then it drink some shots to absorb some of the pain and see how long I can play until I have to switch over to a pick, which I am still not too good with.

The problem is that I dont know if I should stop playing for a while to give a chance to heal, or if that would make it worse because then the skin would be soft and not calloused over. I have been at a complete loss about this for a while now.

bertbassplayer · #20 11-15-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegaas

The problem is that I dont know if I should stop playing for a while to give a chance to heal, or if that would make it worse because then the skin would be soft and not calloused over. I have been at a complete loss about this for a while now.

Better new skin than broken skin. Also if they keep reappearing you might want to go see a doctor about that, it might be a problem due to a fungal infection or something. Also I've heard putting zinc cream to the area can also help dry up the blister and speed the healing process.

Also you mentioned that you've been going through this problem for 2 years, but you've been playing for close to 20 years. You didn't by any chance switch from non-nickel to nickel strings in the last 2 years? Nickel is known for causing an allergic reaction of blisters on people.