Double Bass Thumb keeps splitting with French Bow

[atomicbass]

Greetings,

This is my first post, so please bear with me!

After a 25-year hiatus, I took up playing again when a neighbor begged me to teach her child. I joined the local orchestra and love playing and teaching!!

Now, I am at wit's end. My right thumb keeps splitting open when I hold my French Bow. It has been doing this for 5 years, and I keep "glueing" it back together. Last night's rehearsal was the last straw (whipping out Kleenex and Band-aids).

No matter how hard I try to loosen up my grip, I end up splitting my thumb. I am ready to try a German bow and see what happens.

Any suggestions for me?

-Gina

 

[ubado]

Perhaps just moisturizing will do the trick. The thumb pressure + dry skin will cause a split. Keep the skin moist ... it'll be much more elastic, and less likely to split.
Also try a small band-aid on the thumb ... a little extra counter pressure/constriction and padding might help too.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Maybe put a little moleskin where your thumb presses on the bow.

 

[bejoyous]

You can also take off the frog and put on some surgical tubing. It's a pain in the @$$ to install. Then put the frog back on and position it so the tube goes over the thumb area of the frog and you can still tighten & loosenthe hair. It provides some friction for the other fingers as well.

One of the luthiers on here should be able to tell you where to acquire some.

 

[chicagodoubler]

Is it possible you are simply holding the bow too tightly? Is this accompanied by pain or is the skin just splitting?

 

[Phil Smith]

Maybe there a problem with your skin have you checked with a doctor?

 

[bassrome]

I have the same problem. Tubing definitely helps but I still have to be diligent about filing down excess skin. When, as a bassist, you develop big callouses, these have a tendency to dry out and split. I'm always cleaning up my callouses with a emery board and applying lotion.

Cheers,
Jack Hill
www.jdhillmusic.com

 

[Square Bear]

latex surgical tubing is definitely worth a shot. use talc powder as a lubricant to get it on your bow. also, i use a pumice stone to smooth out my calluses when i take a shower sometimes.

 

[David Potts]

Instead of using the corner between the end of the frog and the stick try placing the end of your thumb ON the corner of the frog. It makes a little dent in the flesh but avoids the hardening and cracking of skin at the corners of the thumbnail. The added spin off is that your thumb is less likely to slip under the stick because its end is diametrically opposite the fingers pressing GENTLY towards it.

The sensitivity of your bow hold should reflect the sensitivity of the strings, bow and hair (the 'springs" you are dealing with) - just enough strength to support the shape of your hand and balance the bow while you employ the hook made by thumb and index finger to take the weight of your arm down through the bow onto the strings. Any more pressure between thumb and fingers will create a block for the musical messages coming down your arm from your head.

A 'cellist fiend of mine used to wear a rubber cap on the end of his thumb, the sort used by bank tellers when counting money in the old days. The red rubber cap had lots of little raised bumps on it. Can these still be found, perhaps at a stationery store?

After washing your hands in warm water only part-dry the thumb where it splits before putting lotion on it. This should speed up the softening/healing.

Cheers....

DP

 

[atomicbass]

Hello again,

I sure appreciate all the tips about my thumb problem. I'm going to try out some of the suggestions (technique, skin care and surgical tubing modifications). It's just nice to know that others have had the same problem.

This is a great website! Fast responses!

-Gina

 

[Phil Rowan]

Here's a good spot to get the tubing: http://www.mcmaster.com/#5234k261/=68bugl

 

[Les Fret]

what is meant by 'thumb splitting'?

 

[Phil Rowan]

if a callus and your skin is too dry it causes the callus to crack open, which kind of voids a callus. in the winter months i make sure to always have some moisturizer w/ aloe and vitamin e and all that junk handy to avoid any cracked calluses on all fingers (particularly the right hand).

 

[bejoyous]

While my dad isn't a bass player he does sometimes get cracked fingers. He uses heel cream to improve them. Maybe you can find some in your local drug store.

 

[Mike Goodbar]

Here in America's Dairyland, a lot of folks use this stuff to keep skin soft and healthy, even the few of us who don't have cows:

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Corona® Udder Butter® is an easy-spreading, lanolin-rich cream that soothes raw, chapped or injured teats and udders, protects against infection and keeps sore areas soft and supple. Self-emulsifying action means simple clean-up with warm water. Keeps milkers hands smooth chap-free, with no harsh chemical odor. Also a superior hoof and body dressing.

 

[Phil Rowan]

+1 for lanolin. i remember dennis irwin recommending some lanolin cream to keep calluses healthy when i first started studying w/ him.

 

[Hector Wolff]

+1 for what Phil said.

I have splits in my thumb all winter - unless I keep conditioning the skin with a heavy healing, moisturizing cream.

In summer there is never a problem. I really doubt it has anything at all to do with what bow you use. It is callus and dryness, IMHO

 

[bankruptselling]

Also, Bag Balm works really well. It's another sort of lotion--although a little more waxy--used originally to prevent the chapping of cow udders. Comes in a green little tin. I found some at my local pharmacy. It's not too uncommon, and it's really a great product.

 

[atomicbass]

I think you're right, Hector. I don't ever get thumb cracks in the summer. But, I don't practice as much then, either. It's just so painful with the French bow when a callous splits open.

I did have my local luthier put a piece of tubing on the bow, and it really does cut down on the tension. I also now keep a small tube of Carmex in my studio, and grease up my right thumb and index finger prior to playing. No painful cracks for 2 weeks now...hurray!!

-Gina