Double Bass taping your fingers?

[reverendrally]

just getting back into some RB slappin after 5 years off. course, first day, 15min in and I got a blister already. now I used to tape mine when they got bad but I've seen people tape em before they even start. what are you all using for tape? is there a special technique for taping?

sorry if I missed and obvious thread on this. I searched and got nuthin...

 

[reverendrally]

c'mon, 40 views and no help? some one help me out here.

 

[lenosgood]

You should have made this a "Bassists who tape their fingers" club. You'd have had 100 replies by now...

 

[Jimbob Jones]

I've used boring ol' PVC electrical tape before with acceptable results

 

[reverendrally]

ta jimbob. how did you tape them?

 

[desert hardwood]

When I tape, I use waterproof first aid tape (the white stuff). I put two strips down from the tip (one front to back and other 90 dgrees to that). Then wrap around near the first and second knuckle.

It stays put.

 

[thesilence]

Normally I don't tape but tonight I'll have to because I caught my middle finger in the rope while rappelling and it took off a good bit of skin. I would normally say don't tape and let the callouses develop

 

[reverendrally]

I'm keen to develop callouses, but I have my two right hand fingers so blistered that I can't actually play at the mo. They'll spend most of the arvo in metho now to try and dry them out faster. I'm just trying to find a solution if I find myself back in the same situation before a gig.

 

[Feral Feline]

I never had to tape up until a recent six day gig with six sets per day. If/when you need to tape, so be it — no big deal.

I used medical tape. Climber's tape supposedly works better, sticks better as some who've used medical tape said it didn't stick well enough. I didn't have time to get climber's tape and just raided the medicine/first-aid cabinet. It stuck well enough, but it's not humid here at the moment.

It was narrow 1/2" tape so I wrapped from the tip to the first knuckle so the overlap wouldn't catch on the string and peel itself off. For the same reason, I started and finished the wrap on the back of the finger. Once wrapped it lasted me all day and was easy to remove at day's end.

Unfortunately, it was the tail end of a roll. So I bought a new roll at the chemist's (drugstore) which was 1" and thus no need to overlap. However, not all tape is equal, even if it's the same kind of tape. The new stuff was a different brand and not as good. After 2-3 sets I had to re-tape.

I had blisters on both my pointer and index finger. I lanced them and kept taping for the remainder of the gig to give the popped blisters a chance to form into calluses.

I'll be picking up another roll of the brand of tape I first used and throw that roll in my gig bag if/when I need to tape again.

Hope you find what's right/works for you.

 

[bassoneman]

I never had to tape up until a recent six day gig with six sets per day. If/when you need to tape, so be it — no big deal.

I used medical tape. Climber's tape supposedly works better, sticks better as some who've used medical tape said it didn't stick well enough. I didn't have time to get climber's tape and just raided the medicine/first-aid cabinet. It stuck well enough, but it's not humid here at the moment.

It was narrow 1/2" tape so I wrapped from the tip to the first knuckle so the overlap wouldn't catch on the string and peel itself off. For the same reason, I started and finished the wrap on the back of the finger. Once wrapped it lasted me all day and was easy to remove at day's end.

Unfortunately, it was the tail end of a roll. So I bought a new roll at the chemist's (drugstore) which was 1" and thus no need to overlap. However, not all tape is equal, even if it's the same kind of tape. The new stuff was a different brand and not as good. After 2-3 sets I had to re-tape.

I had blisters on both my pointer and index finger. I lanced them and kept taping for the remainder of the gig to give the popped blisters a chance to form into calluses.

I'll be picking up another roll of the brand of tape I first used and throw that roll in my gig bag if/when I need to tape again.

Hope you find what's right/works for you.

When I got blisters I used that liquid bandaid stuff. I would put it on when I played and also when I went to bed. It would also heal the blister. Stuff works great. Ah but I also use gut strings..

 

[CBRXJ]

There sports wrapping tape that my kid uses for track. I've never used it but it looks like it would work about like the white first aid tape...but it comes in different colors.

 

[Florian666]

I used to tear my fingers to shreds, all the way to blood... the chicks dig it. ( i'm not a good player but i slap hard an heavy, more rythmique than melodique) Because i couldn't get enough practice in every day, my fingers were soft, so the best i found was that skin coloured fabric tape. It'd last a good 45mins of slappin and i'd change. It doesn't come off with sweat and 2 layers still gives you a decent feel. Then, my middle finger joint would get really sore, because of my playing style/hand angle, so i taped middle and 4th finger together but not tight, that helped and i coud still play pizzicato. Then it got so bad i couldn't shake hands with people after concerts and thought i'd have to stop the doublebass altogether. I re-learned to slap with a better hand angle (straighter so my fingers wouldn't pull sideways) So i stopped takin the piss out of weed wakers and bought some. the weed waker pros that Jimbo uses (reverend H H) and i can't go back. no more tape, no more sore fingers. I know the accoustic sound is crap, but you have top think of your bass like an electric guitare. Plug it in and its great. ( cheap cash converter bass with kk bassmaster rockab pick ups, Swr working man 4 x 12 and ampeg 15 all stackred up) Unless you play accoustic, forget the tape, either practice every day or plastic strings I reckon.
Cheers