How to tape fingertips

[TOOL460002]

I use electricians tape. Cut in strips and stick on head/stack. Remove as needed. Mostly for fretting hand. Never gotten a plucking hand blister in 20+ years. No joke. Honest.

 

[ole Jason]

I can't imagine needing it on electric bass but I've used super glue on my fingertips for upright bass a few times over the years.

 

[strategy400]

I read a lot of messages about blisters and how to deal with them. The best way is to avoid them by not overdoing it with your fingers until you can build callus on the fingertips.

I learned to tape my fingertips 30+ years ago while playing upright bass in dance bands. I've commented about taping fingertips in threads here twice this morning, and after dong a search on the topic, I don't find any "how-to" here on Talkbass.

Looks like it's time to provide more info.

Here's how to do it:

1) Buy roll of Johnson & Johnson waterproof adhesive tape, 1/2" wide.

2) Tear off a strip about 2" long and tape from on top of your finger above your fingernail around over the tip, and up the inside of your finger. This puts one strip over the tip, in line with your finger.

3) Now we'll go around the finger. Using a longer strip, start taping over the nail, and wind it around the finger at a slight angle, working upwards.

4) Stop when you feel like it. Taping over the first joint may be necessary, but it stiffens the action of the joint and it will take some time playing to flex and soften the tape enough to get decent flexibility back in the fingers.

It may be a mess the first time you try this, so practice it a few times. Tape is cheap.

It is VERY important that you start the winding action at the fingertip so the "open" edge of the tape faces the tip. If you start high on the finger and tape down toward the fingertip, the "open" edge will face upward and the action of your fingers against the string will strip the tape off quickly.

Some people say that when the tape is stuck to the fingernail, it makes the nail sore. This doesn't happen for me, but if it does for you, put a small piece of gauze, paper or something else over the nail before you start taping.

This will prevent blisters, and it will REALLY help prevent making them worse.

Now go do this:

Sorry to resurrect this post. I am a newbie on bass. Played guitar for 40 years. Played jazz bass for an hour earlier and have blisters on plucking fingers. Tried this tape trick. Worked like magic. Played for another hour just now, no further injury or pain. Thanks.

 

[Pilgrim]

Glad it helped. Happy holidays!

 

[Pilgrim]

I can't resist bouncing this post up to the top for those who play at the holidays (if any are still there...)

 

[micguy]

My hands seem to develop callouses quite easily, They don't look like they have callouses, but they definitely do. I'm diabetic, and pricking a finger with a lancet is easier (and much more painful) if I do it on one of the two fingers where I don't have a callous. If I pluck with one of the two fingers I play with, things sound very different than if I try to pluck with the 3rd (normally unused) finger on my plucking hand.

I wonder if the folks that say they don't have callouses actually do have them, but since they don't see them, they think they don't.

 

[6thplanet]

I definitely have callouses, as I'm typing this response it's all ...tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.

 

[2cooltoolz]

I read a lot of messages about blisters and how to deal with them. The best way is to avoid them by not overdoing it with your fingers until you can build callus on the fingertips.

I learned to tape my fingertips 30+ years ago while playing upright bass in dance bands. I've commented about taping fingertips in threads here twice this morning, and after dong a search on the topic, I don't find any "how-to" here on Talkbass.

Now go do this:

Thanks Pilgrim! I remembered this thread from years ago and decided to zombie it up!

I've been playing for over half a century, but I've not played a serious gig in 3 years. I got a call-up to play a 4 hour gig this weekend (6 days notice!) and I can play the tunes, but I knew my fingers wouldn't survive the fight. Taping going in, and as needed! Thanks for the reminder!!!

 

[Pilgrim]

Glad it helped. Use J & J Waterproof tape..white. It has a slightly slippery surface. Hasn't changed in the 50+ years I have used it.