Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Sweat creating a sticky neck at super hot gigs...
- Thread starter daveonbass
- Start date
Not currently gigging, so I haven’t tried this with a bass, it’s cool and comfy in my music room.
When golfing in the heat (plenty of that in SE FL) I tried a rosin bag to keep my hands from sweating. It’s not really a powder, shouldn’t build up like baby powder. It works great.
You can get it at most sports stores, maybe in bowling supplies.
When golfing in the heat (plenty of that in SE FL) I tried a rosin bag to keep my hands from sweating. It’s not really a powder, shouldn’t build up like baby powder. It works great.
You can get it at most sports stores, maybe in bowling supplies.
I use the yellow scotch pads. They clean a sweaty grimy neck fast without damage.
Musician's Practice Glove®
The Musician's Practice Glove is a soft woven nylon fingertip protector for the on/off musician. The guitar glove extends playing time beyond what calluses provide and is perfect for musicians with medical issues.
musicianslive.org
Agree. Maybe you're experiencing some anxiety? That'll get the hands sweaty.
That aside, I read somewhere that car wax can help. It has to be non abrasive! Worth a try..
My EBMM Stingray will disagree. But with the correct maintenance (cleaning and waxing) it improves. For sure the poly not helps.
It happens to me, only in summer outdoor gigs. I asume it's because of sweat. I try to swipe the back of the neck and the hands often (2-3 songs) and it helps me.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
I think that any product can help, but all the suggestions together maybe will help you. Towels, fans, maybe more and/or better hydration before and during sets...
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
If I owned 50 basses and did a lot of outdoor gigs, and had sticky neck issues, I would certainly sand one of the necks down to see if it fixed the issue. You have to make your tools work for you and it seems like it would be worth a try. Opportunity costs.
D
I like the scotch pad idea. Not to knock the gloss off, but to clean the neck of waxes etc.
I bought a bass with a sticky neck. I went to scotch pad it to a satin and realized I didn't need to go that far as the neck was loaded with wax etc. It was a surprise to me to see all that crap on the scotch pad.
I bet someone used products or powdered hands to make it slick but that stuff built up.
Worth a shot. What does your pro tech say?
I bought a bass with a sticky neck. I went to scotch pad it to a satin and realized I didn't need to go that far as the neck was loaded with wax etc. It was a surprise to me to see all that crap on the scotch pad.
I bet someone used products or powdered hands to make it slick but that stuff built up.
Worth a shot. What does your pro tech say?
I have very sweaty hands.
I find that when I’m really sweaty, it actually makes things more slick than when dry.
I do find that if my hands are dirty or greasy, The sweat turns into a slurry and can drag.
Maybe there’s some particulate matter left on the necks so cleaning the necks really well might be a fix?
I find that when I’m really sweaty, it actually makes things more slick than when dry.
I do find that if my hands are dirty or greasy, The sweat turns into a slurry and can drag.
Maybe there’s some particulate matter left on the necks so cleaning the necks really well might be a fix?
Honestly, all the folk telling you to sand the back of the neck have a point. Take your least favourite bass and at least try it. Make sure there is some feed in the wood to nourish like a light oil. Using your standard bass next time you do a hot outdoor gig play it until the point you are having the problem and on next song swap for the matt/satin neck and see how you get on.
I've only 11 basses and one has a gloss neck. When I use that bass when it's hot I cannot get anything as my hand jerks up and down the neck.
It's worth a try?
I've only 11 basses and one has a gloss neck. When I use that bass when it's hot I cannot get anything as my hand jerks up and down the neck.
It's worth a try?
Being a veteran of many molten hot outdoor gigs in Fl a towel is a must.
Maybe it's my sweat chemistry but my neck gets more slippery when I sweat. But it looks like you need tennis style wrist sweatbands,
Maybe it's my sweat chemistry but my neck gets more slippery when I sweat. But it looks like you need tennis style wrist sweatbands,
Does the neck have a gloss finish of any type? I’ve had to have all my basses with gloss necks converted to oil or satin finish so that the stickiness will stop while playing hot outdoor gigs
Sanding only gets you so far when playing in humid conditions.
I've got an unfinished, burnished, lightly oiled roasted maple neck that will still get pretty sticky under sweaty conditions. The dirtier my hands are, the stickier it gets. Cleaning hands between sets and keeping a towel on hand is what gets me through.
I've got an unfinished, burnished, lightly oiled roasted maple neck that will still get pretty sticky under sweaty conditions. The dirtier my hands are, the stickier it gets. Cleaning hands between sets and keeping a towel on hand is what gets me through.
Most of my gigs lately are outside and its been very hot, Ive had this issue a couple of times in the past month because of the humidity (and I play some keys too so I also get fingers sticking to keys lol). Yes, a fan is just blowing hot air but it does help me, YMMV of course. And keeping a towel with me to do a quick wipe between songs (both my hands and neck of bass/strings). I could see something a really light coating of Gold Bond powder helping but i havent tried it.
i feel you brutha. I played in a high-energy metal band for some years, and while my natural-finish necks (like my Warwick Thumb5) caused no sweat issues, my Jackson Chris Beatty model (painted neck), did.
A sweatband on my wrist helped a great deal, but I also had to be wary of sweat dripping from my face… I didn’t like wearing a hat or a headband, so I just had to be wary of that.
You mentioned that these basses you are using are basses you’ve purchased lately, compared to others in your enviably large bass collection.
1. Do they have painted/heavy finished necks? If so, clean them thoroughly with something that will cut/remove oils AND dirt, and dry polish the necks after every show.
And yes, although you don’t like the idea, modifying the finish so the basses actually work for you may be necessary.
2. If they are matte/wood/lightly-finished necks, go with the wristband at least. You might do that anyway.
I can’t countenance the idea of greasing up my hand, as I tend to wipe sweat out of my eyes, and don’t want to get oil/graphite/whatever in my eyes-holes.
A sweatband on my wrist helped a great deal, but I also had to be wary of sweat dripping from my face… I didn’t like wearing a hat or a headband, so I just had to be wary of that.
You mentioned that these basses you are using are basses you’ve purchased lately, compared to others in your enviably large bass collection.
1. Do they have painted/heavy finished necks? If so, clean them thoroughly with something that will cut/remove oils AND dirt, and dry polish the necks after every show.
And yes, although you don’t like the idea, modifying the finish so the basses actually work for you may be necessary.
2. If they are matte/wood/lightly-finished necks, go with the wristband at least. You might do that anyway.
I can’t countenance the idea of greasing up my hand, as I tend to wipe sweat out of my eyes, and don’t want to get oil/graphite/whatever in my eyes-holes.
