Double Bass 2-Day Blister Solution

[Beginner Bass]

I have an audition in 2 days. I play mostly a DB, but these last few day I've been working up my electric, and I think I'm developing a blister. I do not want to go to audition with a blister on my right hand. So what can I do to present it worsening and/or stop the pain of it now? People say to drain it, but I don't know that it will heal in time if I do that.

 

[Marc Piane]

Personally I'd drain it only because blisters sound different. Leave the skin on though if you can. It'll protect the new skin underneath until in toughens. Then take some aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen. Blisters suck but there is no way around them or the pain.

 

[Tommy el Gato]

Usually when I start to feel a blister coming on, if it's not already too late I'll shift from practicing in hour-long spurts to practicing in 15-minute spurts. Once or twice it didn't work because the the blister was already too far along, but usually the would-be blister hardens over into a callous.

 

[martijn]

I always use sports tape. Even when you've allready got bad blisters, you can keep on playing for a long time. Furthermore it allows you to feel and play the strings as usual.

 

[mam1862]

I get those once in awhile. I will live with a little pain and play the rest of the night. After a few days after it will begin to harden up. I have drained them before and I think that hurts even worse. Good luck.

 

[dhsierra1]

after draining I'll put a layer of crazy glue over the entire area just to hold the loose skin in place and minimize pain.

 

[TroyK]

Tape works, but it will change your sound significantly. I tried crazy glue once and it basically stuck to skin that was otherwise okay and then ripped it off, leaving me a bloody stump...can't personally recommend.

NU Skin is what works best for me, it's not perfect, but it will protect it, clean it, numb it a little and give you a tougher surface for your audition.

Good luck, blisters at just the wrong time suck.

 

[Michael Case]

The last timeI had a blister I drained it then put some ointment and a band aid on when I wasn't playing. This helped the healing process and reduced the pain a bit. I wouldn't try playing with the band aid and ointment though, that could be messy.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

I think it all depends on your skin type. My callouses like to be dry, and will harden/tougher faster if they stay dry - no ointments, nada. Pulling hard will obviously aggravate the blister so a different approach may be required. Glue/NuSkin just sloughs off after 30 min of playing and has never worked for me.

 

[blindeddie]

i say drain it. but remember when you do, that you always wanna put the needle in on the trailing side of the blister. that way they are not as likely to tear the roof off later.

 

[Beginner Bass]

Naturally, 3 days after the deadline I get a surge of responses. Funny how that works out.

 

[Ross Kratter]

Tape works, but it will change your sound significantly. I tried crazy glue once and it basically stuck to skin that was otherwise okay and then ripped it off, leaving me a bloody stump...can't personally recommend.

NU Skin is what works best for me, it's not perfect, but it will protect it, clean it, numb it a little and give you a tougher surface for your audition.

Good luck, blisters at just the wrong time suck.

+1 to that. Turned my thumb position blister into a callus in 2 or 3 days...

 

[Killspringer]

I know this might sound wierd or obsesive, but when i know I'm not playing bass for more than 4-5 days at a time, i burn my fingertips ever so slightly with a lighter, just to keep them tough. Also, I think the fact that I change the roundwound strings on my electric once a week, and also play acoustic guitar, helps make my blisters and callouses "nicer" than most upright players who tend to have "catastrophic" blisters and callouses

 

[Les Fret]

I would say drain it and than use sports tape for the gig. Sports tape is not so bad after playing with it for a while.
If you already have a blister it will not heal very quickly by it self . Certainly not when continuing playing. So there is no other way then draining it I guess.

 

[tjacks55]

^ Yeah I agree. That's what I usually do. Hope it heals!

 

[Infrasonik B.]

Grow some balls?

They aren't blisters, they're funk bumps!

 

[lincland]

I recently had a blister situation and had gigs I had to do. Last time it happened, I tried every kind of tape, and bandaid, liquid skin, superglue, and everything else, and nothing lasted more than a tune or two.

This time I found what works. Band-aid flexible fabric knuckle bandaids. The big ones shaped like an "H". Tear the cotton padding off of the inside, then put the bandaid on your fingertip. Then make "Xs" behind your finger with the sticky part. They really work and they sound OK.

I've never found anything that worked for me to speed up the healing process.