Callouses

[dan stanton]

I am curious as to why having a callous somehow makes you an "experienced" or "pro" musician. In 30 years of playing, never had one. Also, never had fret work done on my basses. Maybe I'm not heavy-handed enough?

 

[danomite64]

In 25 years of playing, I've never heard anyone state your premise. Kind of makes me wonder why you've even brought it up.

 

[Exploiter8]

I've been playing off and on since the late 70's. I've almost exclusively used ground or flats, and never had calluses due to playing bass. I would consider myself as a light pressure player. I use light to medium strings.

X8

 

[Simo98]

But callouses are hardcore!

Seriously, I don't know why anyone would say you are not a serious musician if you don't have callouses.

I'm definantly not a 'pro', or 'experienced' musician, and I have callouses all over my fretting hand.. Due to bad technique (too much pressure).. also.. I callous easy and have some from work/sport too.

 

[Bricesedge03]

type of string has a big effect. I like to tear my hands up.

 

[ModuMan]

Ha! You might enjoy this little story...

Back in college I met a girl and when I mentioned that I played bass she immediately said "let me see your hands". She examined my fingertips and said "really? I have a friend who's a bassist and his fingertips are way more calloused than yours".

 

[Skeletomania]

I don't have callous, but my skins are tougher. Having tough skin or callous doesn't make you a pro or experienced musician. But it at least shows that you spend your time playing your bass.

 

[mortzestus]

I do have calluses but it's not terribly uncommon to find players without any: take B.B. King (a guitarist, ok). On the other hand you'd have Eric Clapton (another guitarist, yeah), who showers while wearing a latex glove on his left hand and also uses rubbing alcohol on his calluses to make them tougher.

So i'd say that calluses aren't a telltale sign of the pro status of a musician.

 

[fenderfunker]

If I have a gig where I really dig in, I'll get blisters under my callouses; Then I lose the callouse and have to start over again. the best thing to do is lightly sand your fingertips. This reduces the heat buid up from friction, thus avoiding the blister. IME.

 

[ModuMan]

If I have a gig where I really dig in, I'll get blisters under my callouses; Then I lose the callouse and have to start over again. the best thing to do is lightly sand your fingertips. This reduces the heat buid up from friction, thus avoiding the blister. IME.

That brings up a great point... when we rehearse or play under "normal" conditions I'm fine because I can always hear myself. But if I play with other people or in a quieter situation (or louder!) where I am digging in then I invariably develop a blister, usually on my middle finger.

I will try the sanding idea and see if that helps, thanks!

 

[dan stanton]

I've heard many times from bass players, or "others" that callouses make you "pro". I'm interested in TB'ers opinions. I've been playing for 37 years, so it made me wonder.

 

[Nedmundo]

When I first started playing, I developed callouses. I then took several years off, and after resuming about seven years ago and playing much more seriously, I haven't. Not sure why.

On my left (fretting) hand, I develop them more when playing guitar, because the thin strings dig in further.

 

[Nightlyraider]

I bet you have a callous on your feet!