Poll: Fast Fret or Finger Ease

[J Wilson]

Neither. I was gun-shy about putting anything on the strings and fingerboard (especially after working with several guitar players who doused their axes with the stuff).

And I found early on once I adjusted my left hand 'grip' where I no longer heard noise sliding up and down roundwounds, I just didn't need anything like that.

 

[DoctorZeus]

Amsoil 10w40. Sorry just had to bring the biggest Internet argument into the mix.

 

[HeadWind]

Haven't tried finger ease, but I swear by fast fret. I think I must sweat in the hands more than some. A good washing before each set helps (100%), but I can't make it through the set before the stickiness sets in.

I actually have been using baby powder more regularly lately. One my hands, not the strings. That seems to work best.

 

[2112]

Never used either, but I might be tempted if one smelled like Lemon Pledge...

 

[HHudson]

Never used Finger Ease, so I didn't vote.

Fast Fret is just "white oil" aka mineral oil on an applicator. You can re-tank them with a few drops of skin/body safe cheap refined mineral oil easily (or just get a bottle & cloth).

The mineral oil helps clean some gunk off a dry cloth won't as quickly and as you'd expect from all mineral oils on metal, keeps them a bit protected from moisture & corrosion. I doubt it lasts long as a lubricant where your fingers are in contact.

As far as a sickness inhibitor, perhaps a bit, don't find there to be a big difference (and only short if), use it after and sometimes when it's hot before longer sessions as a cleaner & sweat protector. I usually wipe down new strings once with a 99.9% isopropyl alcohol dampened cloth before installing them... that gets rid of most of the factory supplied "stickiness", manufacturing & polishing residues (helps especially with EB cobalt flats).

 

[Aussie Player]

Never heard if any such thing.
Why?

 

[Ignatius]

I use baby powder too. As I have aged I notice that my hands get stickier.

I keep a small travel size container of it behind my amp. Last gig just as a song was ending I turned around, bent down, squeezed some baby powder on my fretting hand and rubbed my fingers in it. A bit of powder went up in the air. Our sub drummer's eyes got very wide and he said "dude, what the ____?

 

[red_rhino]

What’s wrong with you people? A real bass player pours a line of cocaine along the top of each string for every member of the band, followed by a “group snort”, right before going onstage. The residual coke deadens your fingertips so you don’t feel the Rotosounds ripping your skin off.

It used to be simpler when there were only four of us in the band, but we added backup singers so I had to buy a 6’er.

 

[JuanB]

Nose grease.

Yes. Nose grease, although it may sound gross to some, is amazingly effective. Both for fretting and plucking hands. Although I only use it for my plucking hand.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Fast Fret for me!

 

[TN WOODMAN]

I like my hands clean & nothing added to the fingerboard or strings. Polarizing schools of thought on playing guitar & bass. I do like flats & tapewounds on bass.

 

[perfektspace6]

I feel like there is a corollary to asking which kind of string lube is best but going to stay out of this.

 

[Hasty]

I use baby powder too. As I have aged I notice that my hands get stickier.

Wouldn't that destroy your strings over time? Any kind of talcum powder is designed to absorb moisture and I'd imagine that would get into any sort of void space it could find on your strings with all that absorbed moisture... plus it's a mild abrasive.

 

[RhinoBass]

KFC chicken grease.

 

[dalkowski]

I tried Finger Ease once around 1970 because I hated the way the new tape-wound strings felt on my jazz bass. I didn't like it. Tossed it. Tossed the strings, too. There is an alternative:

Be like Jaco. Eat more chicken.

 

[lowplaces]

Fast Fret is just "white oil" aka mineral oil on an applicator. You can re-tank them with a few drops of skin/body safe cheap refined mineral oil easily (or just get a bottle & cloth).

The mineral oil helps clean some gunk off a dry cloth won't as quickly and as you'd expect from all mineral oils on metal, keeps them a bit protected from moisture & corrosion.

Yes, that's what I do. Use Fast Fret and rejuvenate the applicator as needed.

I've found it does indeed prolong the life of strings.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I haven't used FingerEase in over 40 years, but I recently burnished the raw wood neck of a bass and the resulting super-slick non-tacky feel reminded me of when I was a wee lad who thought FingerEase was the bee's knees.

 

[mikecd1]

Warm weather and outdoor gigs the big culprit to makes things sticky or perhaps it makes bassists more sticky, not sure. Some steel wool and elbow grease helped me the most, maybe a little powder in second place. In warm weather IME all the additives gotta go, otherwise whatever works.

 

[SkylineFiver]

Neither.
I wipe my strings with alcohol.
I play with a very light touch and need the extra traction.

 

[micguy]

DeoxIt D5.
Recently started using it, and I'm 100% sold.

There are instructions on how to get this off your hands if accidental skin contact occurs on the data sheet. It may not be toxic to you, but I'd advise others to be cautious - it isn't guaranteed safe stuff.