Allergy

You can try using gloves like Etienne M'Bappe.

 

those look really cumbersome! just out of curiousity, would something like surgical gloves work better for a reaction like this?

maybe take a benadryll before playing. you'll be the most tasteful, slow paced bassist in the land!

 

Well, he can play really fast with those gloves, so I don't think they're as cumbersome as you think:

 

I've heard of some people with allergies to the nickel in some strings. I would think its time to do some string exploration. Maybe stainless steel would be better. Or you might try some coated strings...D'Addario makes a bunch and of course there are different Elixer strings too.

 

if it is a nickel allergic reaction he should be able to play stainless, i think.

dean markley makes a 7 string stainless set.

 

Definitely sounds like a Nickel allergy, what he said ^ - steels should be fine.

 

Yes - I've heard of people who are allergic to Nickel strings - maybe you could go for those flatwound strings that are coated in black nylon/plastic(?) - they shouldn't spark off any reaction?

Changing strings looks best bet anyway..?

 

I get a bad reaction to Nickel Plated watch bands...

I only play SS strings....

 

Polishes can cause reactions, as well. Make sure there's no Pledge or some similar nastiness on your bass.

 

Get some stainless steel strings. It sounds like a nickel allergy.

 

+1

And would the gloves preserve the strings a bit more?

 

He wears silk gloves because of sweaty hands

I don't know if wearing surgical gloves would be a good thing, latex gloves will likely cause an allergic reaction on their own, and nitrile gloves might not allow for enough tactile feel from the strings.