Wearing out my fingers...

[unbrokenchain]

I've run into this issue playing upright unamplified. Four hours in and everyone's looking at me like I'm a wimp because I'm playing with the pinky and ring finger on my right hand.. In my experience the super glue is only useful if you aren't already blistered/sore or cut. It won't stop the pain, only time does that. That said, I've had success with it by applying it liberally to my plucking fingers before I play (it heats up while it dries and doesn't feel very natural, and does affect the attack on your notes since your "skin" on your fingers has now hardened like plastic), it takes the better part of a set to wear through the superglue and get back to wearing skin.

 

[BornAgainBass]

If you don't mind using a pick that can still give you the sound of using your fingers then look in to Wedgie rubber bass picks. They come in hard, medium, light in 3.1mm and 5.0mm thickness and have a dip in them to help hold them in place. I recently bought a pack of the mediums and hard ones and they really work well. I posted them on here asking how they held up and recieved a good review from someone who has been using them for years and they held up fine. I guess the rubber they are made of doesn't shred off of them. Hope this helps you out.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Thanks for all the responses. There are lots I'd like to respond to, but I'm just taking it all in... some great advice.

Nu Skin>super glue

That's what I've been using. It's helped, but comes off pretty quickly and has pretty strong nail polish like smell that doesn't go over well in catering halls. Why do you feel it's better than crazy glue?

What I think I'm going to do right now is pick up one of the medical crazy glues in a drug story, start learning to play with my thumb (which is something I hadn't considered), use a pick more often (I played guitar for 10 years before bass, a pick is not problem aside from the fact that I like playing more with my fingers), and get real conscious about my attack. I definitely play aggressively. It's gotten a lot better over the years, but I absolutely could lighten up a lot more still.

I do also usually use nickel strings. I'm playing my new Caprice though for at least a month, which probably has metal strings on it. Never changed the ones it shipped with.

Anyhow, thanks a lot - oh yeah, all learning is now officially done with a pick, too. Something I have to do right now in fact...

Might as well post this, one of the first pix of the band that's doing this to my fingers. We did club shots, and wedding shots... this is one of the club ones. Not ready to be seen in dress clothes on Talkbass yet:

 

[shodan]

Lots of good info. A couple of points:
1) I had a deep cut fixed at the local ER with the medical grade CA. But the nurse told me that if it failed to just repair it with what I had at the house.
2) +1 on being able to hear yourself. I made a cab for a friend who played a lot of small stages. She complained that she couldn't hear herself. We all know that a bass is usually heard better when you stand out in front further than a guitar. I put the port at the top of the cabinet and aimed it up toward her head. She'd have killed if you tried to take that cab. Never used IEMs so don't know how that works vs. a good stage sound. Maybe a small tilt back next to the rig? Is your sound guy putting what you need in the IEM feed?
3) Would a ramp help keep you from digging in so hard?
4) The pick. If you think the sound from a plastic pick is too harsh, try a felt mandolin pick.
5) Would changing the angle of the bass relative to your body change the angle your fingers are hitting the strings?

Keep us updated on what you find helps!

 

[bassbully]

Try flats?

 

[beatnut]

No experience of ragged fingers, but my advice would be to band-aid the plucking area of your fingers, so you won't be tempted to use them, and use a pick until they heal. Then investigate the lighter touch things the others are suggesting.

 

[2BitHack]

did you try sacrificing a chicken to Jobu?

 

[iplay5]

I have to say that I have been a fingers-only player for years, but this weekend there was a song that called for 16th's on the chorus.
I found that I couldn't quite get a consistent pattern so I went to a pick and I was able to get what I needed. Kind of surprised myself after a long time.
It's a good idea to have as many techniques at your disposal as possible.

 

[Nickweissmusic]

That's one of the few problems I haven't encountered yet! Scott from Scott's Bass lessons plays with gloves on (for a different reason) but it doesn't affect his tone much at all, may be worth a look. I used to dig in pretty darn hard but nerve and tendon issues have forced me to really learn to let the strings, amp, and monitors do the work. I still use harsh DR strings, but have gone to lighter gauges as well. And I've never sounded better, even on very aggressive gigs. When my tendinitis really acts up in my right hand, I absolutely move to the pick when appropriate. For me that requires some kind of effect to compensate for volume differences on gigs, any number of great preamps and pedals available out there.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I've talked to nurses and surgeons specifically about it. Super glue and liquid stitches are only different in that the "solvent" in liquid stitches is not carcinogenic. Doctors and nurses all said they would just use superglue ar home, and some of the high quality ones use safe enough chemicals anyway.
You can buy the surgical stuff too if you want to be sure.

The only danger in sealing a wound is if you seal in infection.




Tape wounds will help you heal up, elixers to s lesser extent. Turn your amp up louder and put less meat behind the pluck for a few nights

 

[howlin]

Lighter gauge/lower tension strings either flats or pressure wound, etc. Not sure about the open skin problem but super glue can't be good for you in the long run as it's gotta be some kinda poison. Also, I use kinesiology[sp?] tape and a healthy dose of magnesium oil on my hands. FWIW it HAS TO BE the oil. Otherwise, you don't get 100% absorption. Good luck fellow bass sufferer . . .

 

[Honch]

I used this one, from time to time. It's nothing to do, one really have to wait before the sking grows back or calluses are built up again.

Rock Tips Website

But this is only a temporary solution. It's basically the same thing as newbie ballet dancers uses on their toes. It's the same when they do it too much and their toes starts to hurt. Beginners that is. Don't know what it's called. Even such professionals as old shred stalwart guitarist Steve Morse, couldn't do two gigs in a row, same night, because it's too tough on his fretting hand fingers. He had to wait until the skin grew back on his fingerpads on his fretting hand. No matter how much he was prepared, warmed up and relaxed. It had absolutely nothing to do with this. It's only the string bending and vibrato that the skin never gets used to. You flake some of the skin off anyway, now matter how much you've tried to hone it in by woodshedding for ages. I think it can be the same with the plucking hand of any bassist, really.

The real concession you have to make, which is detrimental to tone, is starting to play with a pick now and then. It takes some time to hone it in, and the timbre, tone is definitely not the same and you can't play all things with it. You may get away with some kind of hybrid picking with using your ring finger instead, but that takes even more time to hone in, and I've only seen 2 players pull this "hybrid" picking off sucessfully, also related to above mentioned Steve Morse: Andy West, and Jerry Peek.

But as everyone has said, easing off your attack, and carress your string, turn it up, use compression, don't lean in all of the time, and maybe as a last resort, use strings of lighter gauge or/and less tension. Flatwounds will be of great help too, but changes the sound way too much in a "muffled" and "muddy" direction if you should do some funky slap bass music too. Maybe bite the dust and start to use coated strings? D'addarios "half rounds" ?

You should "moisture" your skin on the fingerpads after each gig, if it turns up so dry that you'll have cracks in it, that will crack open and start bleeding. Band aids will only help that. Or simply put: I think you're playing too much, actually. Don't use chalk baby powder to dry up your hands prior to gigs, if it's outdoor in a humid summer environment. Some do this. But it's detrimental and will only worsen the drying up and cracks.

 

[Groove Doctor]

This is what rockabilly DB slappers use, they know a thing or two about blisters. It's magic stuff - I keep a roll in my gig bag, saved my bacon a few times.

Double Bass and Electric Bass Finger Tape

+1 turn up volume esp 3rd set, play with a lighter touch, use a pick at times, modify your EQ to hear/feel better.

PS. It might just be you're not feeling the sound waves of the low end with your IEMs & compensate with more attack.

 

[Honch]

So to sum it up:

1. Don't lean in, try to use different fingers, thumb, ring finger, or on some tunes, upright bass technique with the side of your fingers (that one takes some time to build up too!!). Picks too! Don't neglect picks.
2. Changing strings to half-rounds, lighter gauge, lighter tension or all of them, or flat wounds. Coated makes sense too if you can take it. All of these combined too.
3. Rock Tips calluses formula. Or similar. Crazy Glue as some mentioned too many times.
4. Compressors, louder master volume so you don't have to dig in as much all of the time.
5. And last but not the least:

Can he, so can you!

So if you combine all these into one big melting pot of easing off the damages on your fingers, well, then Bob's your uncle.

 

[Honch]

... oh....one more last tip:

6. Use MSM impregnated skin cream to hurry up the heal, only once the damage has occured. I do. MSM? MethylSulfateMe....whateverthe*** never ever learn the full name. Sulfur that is. Speeds up recouperation process in muscles and skin after excercise. It heals scabs, scars, dents, nicks in any skin quicker. Doesn't ever buck it, but it only heals faster. You just speed up the "growing back of skin" process. Not ever bucking it, or making it stronger by any means. Everything else you've heard about MSM is false, it just does this and nothing more. If you've heard anyone saying that MSM cures all, tell them to go pound sand!

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Smooth_bass88]

First, for anyone that doesn't know me, I'm not a newbie. Been playing over 30 years, always active, have toured lots with lots of different groups, played in bands that play 5X a week, yada, yada...

My new band however is a new animal. I've had a string of gigs like never before. Played 7 shows in the past 2 weeks, and they're all three 1 hour sets of fairly high energy music. In between those gigs I'm learning new songs, so I'm playing now more than ever before.

My right hand fingers are for the first time ever getting ripped to shreds and I have to do something about it. It's painful and I'm starting to get concerned about permanent damage, or infection. I started using a liquid band-aide thing before playing, but it only helps minimally. It allowed the cut to heal, but my finger is raw, and if I don't lay off the bass for a couple of days it's going to open right up again.

I've heard of the crazy glue method of doing things, but I'd like to know more. Anyone know if that can cause serious damage to an open wound? Is it a safe thing to do? Does it really work?

Are there any other options aside from the idea of lightening up, which I have - but sometimes don't want to.

I may have to resort to a pick playing till this thing heals completely, but I don't want really want to do that either, unless absolutely necessary.

Thoughts? Help? Info on crazy glue? Experience?

When I get into this situation or if my hands/fingers are super sweaty, I play with a pick. Obviously you can't use a pick for everything, and if you don't use a pick regularly your wrist may get sore, but it's definitely a viable option.

 

[obimark]

For me, I got a better sound once I quit digging in to the strings so hard. A lighter touch translated to a more nuanced sound. I am still able to get some good clack when I need it without resorting to digging in.

By the way, the number one cause of digging in too hard? Not being able to hear yourself well enough on stage. I am just more relaxed in general when I have my volume slightly louder than I want it, and play lighter to bring it down.

This--- most finger/hands tired problems are traced back to a too-loud guitarist/drummer root-cause IME.

 

[LowActionHero]

New Skin, thumb on slow songs, pick on fast songs, Elixirs. Haven't had a problem in awhile.

If I haven't played in a week or two, I take frequent breaks when I get back to practicing. Seems to not get as sore and builds calluses quicker.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Not ready to be seen in dress clothes on Talkbass yet:

Nice little hipster look you got going there Mr. Nerve....

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I have been there, on and off for years. Skin soreness and cuts, and joint and tenton pain. When I was cutting my teeth on the upright, trying to find that action balance between THAT tone and playability, my only plucking finger skin problems happened when I was playing about the same frequency as you are now, and it was mostly because I couldn't hear myself. When I was playing funk and rock and digging in too hard, with Steel rounds, I was shredded a lot. I did several things that, in combination, completely alleviated the skin issues.

I took my upright to a pro to get the action set and the board planed, so I could comfortably play and get a great sound. I was lucky to get in with Nick Lloyd before he stopped doing setup work (he only does high end builds now). No more blisters.

Took the slabs to another pro to get frets leveled and action lowered a bit. This means it's less exertion to get a dig in sound.

Played overall lighter and turned up the amp. Started approaching EQ Differently, with more mids on tap so I could still sit in the mix while playing lighter.

I used thumb and pick on songs that it's appropriate on. Just like the thumb technique described above. I started doing that after taking a closer look and some Sting videos. His tone rules. The thumb calluses are still developing, but it gives the fingers and wrist a break.

And possibly the most important, I moved away from D'Addario, Labella, GHS, etc, after I discovered Dunlop super bright nickels. They have amazing tone, are cheap, last a very long time, and take very little effort to play. They have the same tension, but are MORE flexible than other strings.

And I turned the amp up, and my mix up. I also started using a compressor, set very subtly, and it flattens everything up, and makes it even when I switch techniques. It's always on.

Now I am playing an average of 3 gigs a week mostly on upright, plus 4 church services (each an hour of almost constant music plus sound check, on electric), and several hours a week of practice. I get very mild soreness at the end of an upright gig and by Sunday night, but never skin breakage. Most of the soreness is on certain knuckles, and I think that's permanent damage from years of playing 12 hours a day on upright in my 20's.

Hope all that helps. Main thing, get those strings, turn it up a bit, and then work in different techniques as you can.