How to fingerpick without figers hurting?

[NKBassman]

I've had blisters before. Once, the band took about a month off from practicing, probalby for final exams or something. The first couple of jams we had coming back I played real hard and ended up with huge blisters on two fingers of my right hand. That sucked.

My best advice would be to play at least a little bit every day. Aside from that, the superglue thing I've heard before, but I've never heard of dipping your fingers in rubbing alcohol... What's the theory behind that?

 

[UncleFluffy]

I've had blisters before. Once, the band took about a month off from practicing, probalby for final exams or something. The first couple of jams we had coming back I played real hard and ended up with huge blisters on two fingers of my right hand. That sucked.

My best advice would be to play at least a little bit every day. Aside from that, the superglue thing I've heard before, but I've never heard of dipping your fingers in rubbing alcohol... What's the theory behind that?

The alcohol dries out the surface of the skin, making it leathery and thickening up the layer of dead cells that makes up the callouses.

(Side story ... I remember seeing the Ramones just after CJ had joined - 35 song set, 10 song encore - He'd blistered his fingers so badly playing their stuff he had to wrap his fingers in black electrical tape to be able to play the show.)