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Post subject: Finger Tips
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:28 pm
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I have been playing for about four months and some days my fingers are tough, and others, soft. Is that normal? Are there ways to buildup callouses(sp?)? I practice about two hours a day. Thanks for help. BTW, I play 57 RI Stratocaster-if that means anything.


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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:35 pm
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I've been playing for 25 yrs, and I practice and gig all the time. My finger tips are a lot softer than you might imagine. To me, they're not that much tougher than my non-fretting fingers. And, I play pretty aggressively, doing a lot of bends, and play acoustic the same as I play electric. After a while, I think your fingers get used to it and they don't need to have such tough skin.

Like when I really work up to playing a lot of bass guitar for certain gigs. If I haven't played in a while, my right handing finger tips get pretty tough when I'm working the practices. After a little while of playing, they won't be as tough since my fingers are starting to get used to it.

But everyone's different.


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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:03 pm
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Thanks
I was a pro bowler in a previous life and expected to get the same type callouses. I'll now just deal with it!


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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:09 pm
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more practice is one way


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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:58 am
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SRV was known to put super glue on his fingertps then hold them against his forearm till dry. He would then rip his fingers away creating instant callouses.

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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:06 am
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Keep playing and look back at your post in a year.


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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:08 am
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They pretty much will always get tender sometimes. As long as they aren't bleeding, don't worry about it.

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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:33 pm
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Warpfield wrote:
SRV was known to put super glue on his fingertps then hold them against his forearm till dry. He would then rip his fingers away creating instant callouses.
ouch. :shock:


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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:54 pm
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steviegee wrote:
Warpfield wrote:
SRV was known to put super glue on his fingertps then hold them against his forearm till dry. He would then rip his fingers away creating instant callouses.
ouch. :shock:


Ouch is right. I also read somewhere that he'd often get going so intensely that his fingers would seriously bleed. The article said that happened back when he'd use 13s (tuned down 1/2 step ... not much) in conjunction with his style of play.

And as to the original question, my fingers will sometimes get a bit tender when I switch to acoustic with a singer I sometimes work with. Normally, I use 10s on an electric, tuned down 1/2 step (or rarely a full step). But with him, I'm using 12s in standard tuning.


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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:06 am
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Warpfield wrote:
SRV was known to put super glue on his fingertps then hold them against his forearm till dry. He would then rip his fingers away creating instant callouses.

And instant holes in his foreams...I just put a set of 11`s on one of my Strats and thats big enough for me. The other I use 9`s. But in regards to your question, the more you play, your fingers will adapt themselves to however tough they will get. Soft or hard, as long as they don`t bleed your ok.

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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:02 am
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I think waht happens is that your fingers build calluses to protect the nerve endings. Then as you play a lot the nerve endings get uses to it and your body drops the calluses. This is just a theory mind you, but after 33 years I have no calluses and my fingers don't mind it a bit.


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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:04 am
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As long as your fingers don't hurt excessively, blister, and/or bleed don't worry about callouses and just play :twisted:

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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:28 am
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I've notice that the callouses change as the string gauges change. With 9 gauge, I have light callouses. with 10 gauge, they get tougher. I also notice that when I play my acoustical, with 10 gauge, I get really thick callouses.

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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:00 pm
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Thanks for all the replys! This is such a great place, with great folks!! I'm making note to check back on this post in a year. BTW, I thought about Newskin and super glue, but I thought it would hang on the strings. :lol:


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:32 pm
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some friend of mine told me to brush them with sand paper.
that wasn't really nice of him
it hurt ( guess I went on too long), but I did (ofcourse) get tougher fingers.
if you mind tough, or rough fingers, just put some vaseline on them.
if you want tougher fingers, play a lot, or ofcourse...
brush them with sandpaper


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