Sweat creating a sticky neck at super hot gigs...

[daveonbass]

OK, I've been playing bass since 1974 and I don't remember ever having this problem before. The last couple shows we did it was hot and the band I'm in is fairly high energy - so - we move a lot and get extremely sweaty when it's 80 degrees plus. None of this is anything new to me. What IS new to me this year is that the sweat from my hands is sticking to the neck and it's creating some problems with playing as my hand will kind of get caught on the neck instead of moving where I want it to go. I've tried several basses with different necks - all have this problem. The intro to "Sweet Child Of Mine" was a mess yesterday because of it, and I can't have that - so I'm looking for solutions.

Online searches mentioned baby powder, but no, no, no... baby powder, or washing you hands before the show, etc... not gonna work in this case.

One option I'm looking into and would love to hear more about if anyone has tried it is Finger-Ease. But I'm open to any suggestion that isn't "washing your hands" or some form of powder. I thank you in advance for your co-operation with this matter

 

[buldog5151bass]

FingerEase is for strings, not the neck.

The only two suggestions I can make are keeping a towel with you, and wiping hands and neck often, or using a scotchbrite pad to take your neck from gloss to matte.

 

[daveonbass]

FingerEase is for strings, not the neck.

The only two suggestions I can make are keeping a towel with you, and wiping hands and neck often, or using a scotchbrite pad to take your neck from gloss to matte.

I've found several cases of people using it on the neck as described in the Sweetwater listing here: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FingerEase--tone-finger-ease-string-lubricant-spray

Great for all types of strings
Tone Finger-ease is a string lubricant that works great for all types of strings wound or flat, and string materials steel, nickel, phosphor bronze, nylon or gut. Finger-ease will also work great for all type of instruments from guitar to bass to banjo to mandolin. Did you know that you can also use Tone Finger-ease on the back of your neck? Spray it on and rub it in, then wait a few minute and enjoy a super fast playing neck. No more sticky, speed-reducing neck finishes.

I always have a towel with me - not the answer. Not messing with any of my necks taking them to matte, either. I do appreciate your taking the time to read and reply, though

 

[Deleted member 394181]

You didnt mention if it was outdoor gigs, but try getting one of those big floor fans pointed directly at you. Helped me. I absolutely hated outdoor Summer gigs! My old band didnt care however. I had/have med issues, i guess they didnt care if i was near a heatstroke! Try to get indoor airconditioned gigs. Too obvious , maybe.

 

[daveonbass]

You didnt mention if it was outdoor gigs, but try getting one of those big floor fans pointed directly at you. Helped me. I absolutely hated outdoor Summer gigs! My old band didnt care however. I had/have med issues, i guess they didnt care if i was near a heatstroke! Try to get indoor airconditioned gigs. Too obvious , maybe.

We only play outdoor festivals in the Summer. I do not like fans anywhere near me when I play, but we're talking heat to the point a fan won't do anything anyway. I actually love playing in the heat, and have done hundreds of shows in the past without having this issue.

 

[onda'bass]

Get a good fan and point at you, also carry a towel for between songs

 

[daveonbass]

Get a good fan and point at you, also carry a towel for between songs

Fan won't help and I really dislike having a fan on me when I play - always have a towel with me. Not the answer for the heat and sweat amounts we're talking about here.

 

[Geepers]

If you haven’t had this before in 50 years of playing I’d be seeing a doctor to rule out any underlying health issue.

 

[MynameisMe]

It's very possible that the finish is just aging on your bass. I don't know what kind it is. If it's a cheap one you could always sand the back of it, or scuff it.
If that is not an option I would just get a different bass for playing those kind of gigs

 

[bassfran]

I have sometimes worn sweatbands on both wrists at shows when it gets hot/muggy out. But I'm lucky in that I don't sweat too much in the 1st place. YMMV.

 

[daveonbass]

It's very possible that the finish is just aging on your bass. I don't know what kind it is. If it's a cheap one you could always sand the back of it, or scuff it.
If that is not an option I would just get a different bass for playing those kind of gigs

I won 50 basses. We’re talking basses that I bought in the last couple months here.

 

[MynameisMe]

I won 50 basses. We’re talking basses that I bought in the last couple months here.

OK.

 

[lowdownbp5]

Amazon sells what they call guitar practice gloves I've used them they work really well

 

[SpiderBass1965]

A lot of pros use powder. I use baby powder, but you want other suggestions. Use a microfiber cloth, and try wiping the neck and strings between songs. I also have a guitar cleaner handy, and clean my basses between sets. You could also make sure you have a fan pointing up at you when playing too(which I also use).

 

[daveonbass]

Amazon sells what they call guitar practice gloves I've used them they work really well

New here’s a suggestion that might be something to look into thanks

 

[FullumMusic]

From your explanation it sounds like this is an issue on the wood part of the neck, and not the strings. Am i understanding that correctly?

Could be years of grime built up on the back of the neck that only gets sticky when the temp is hot and your fingers/hand gets sweaty. Could be a simple fix of giving the backside of the neck a good cleaning.

Another solution would be carry a small fan to the gig on hot days and put it on the floor in front of your spot on stage. Face it up at where your hand is to keep the perspiration levels lower and evaporate the sweat faster.

--

Another question: Is this happening in places where there's no AC or outdoors? Or is there AC and it's hot and sweaty anyway?

I ask because i have an issue in certain places with AC. Normally when my hands get sweaty they slide better up and down the neck and on the strings. But i've gone to a few rehearsal studios with AC units that cause my hands to get more clammy than sweaty, and there's something about that type of sweat that makes my hands stick instead of slide. It makes changing positions difficult, and even my right hand fingers get stuck on the strings while plucking. Does it on rounds, flats, and tapes. It's infuriating. But it doesn't happen at home with my window AC units. And it doesn't happen when i just leave it hot, windows opened or closed. It was so weird.

The guitarist in the band i was playing with at the rehearsal space works in the HVAC field and he said the issue is the AC also needs to have its dehumidifying feature turned on. In one studio he turned it on and it fixed the problem. My hands didn't get clammy and my fingers slid like normal.

 

[daveonbass]

A lot of pros use powder. I use baby powder, but you want other suggestions. Use a microfiber cloth, and try wiping the neck and strings between songs. I also have a guitar cleaner handy, and clean my basses between sets. You could also make sure you have a fan pointing up at you when playing too(which I also use).

As I said in original post - powder not an option. A fan won’t do anything either, and I don’t like fans on me when I play at all either. I always have a towel - not going to help at all in this case. We play 3-4 hours straight with no breaks and no time between the songs.

 

[daveonbass]

From your explanation it sounds like this is an issue on the wood part of the neck, and not the strings. Am i understanding that correctly?

Could be years of grime built up on the back of the neck that only gets sticky when the temp is hot and your fingers/hand gets sweaty. Could be a simple fix of giving the backside of the neck a good cleaning.

Another solution would be carry a small fan to the gig on hot days and put it on the floor in front of your spot on stage. Face it up at where your hand is to keep the perspiration levels lower and evaporate the sweat faster.

--

Another question: Is this happening in places where there's no AC or outdoors? Or is there AC and it's hot and sweaty anyway?

I ask because i have an issue in certain places with AC. Normally when my hands get sweaty they slide better up and down the neck and on the strings. But i've gone to a few rehearsal studios with AC units that cause my hands to get more clammy than sweaty, and there's something about that type of sweat that makes my hands stick instead of slide. It makes changing positions difficult, and even my right hand fingers get stuck on the strings while plucking. Does it on rounds, flats, and tapes. It's infuriating. But it doesn't happen at home with my window AC units. And it doesn't happen when i just leave it hot, windows opened or closed. It was so weird.

The guitarist in the band i was playing with at the rehearsal space works in the HVAC field and he said the issue is the AC also needs to have its dehumidifying feature turned on. In one studio he turned it on and it fixed the problem. My hands didn't get clammy and my fingers slid like normal.

It’s a sweat issue. Outdoor shows. Fan won’t do anything when it’s 90 degrees out and I don’t just stand in one place either. All my basses (I currently own 50) are newer, high quality and taken care of by a professional tech. Not an equipment issue.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Same type of bass / finish as 50 years ago?

I've started carrying clorox wipes to keep my hands clean after setup and between sets. The alcohol in them seems to help keep my hands dry.
Also I always have a black towel clipped to my cab, and carry a spare.

I've not used Fret ease due to (unfounded) assumption that it wouldn't be good for the fingerboard or finish and that it would "kill strings dead"
That said, I have a buddy that uses it extensively without any ill effects. (he plays 150+ shows a year - I do his maintenance)

Give it a try.

 

[FullumMusic]

It’s a sweat issue. Outdoor shows. Fan won’t do anything when it’s 90 degrees out and I don’t just stand in one place either. All my basses (I currently own 50) are newer, high quality and taken care of by a professional tech. Not an equipment issue.

I mean, a fan on stage would help even if you move around a lot. When you feel the stickiness or sweat start, or in between songs, you can go over and put your hand in the airstream for a bit, as needed. Don't have to be glued to the fan.

I wonder if it's a similar situation to my issue with the AC units? Just, instead of the AC, just different outdoor humidity levels causing different kinds of clammy sweat? I dunno. Just guessing at this point.

Also, oy... outdoor shows when it's 90 degrees? That sounds awful. Makes me glad i have the luxury and laziness to say no to those gigs.