I haven't been able to play a lot lately what with being on deployment and all, but I got a significant bit of downtime and played quite a bit today. And...my fingers haven't hurt this bad in a long, long time. Anyone got any tricks for getting those callouses back?

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I stopped for just two weeks (my Squier broke). I started of again with my new American Special (the strings where more harder than my Squier). Damn was it hard to start again... my tips where on fire! Just go on and ring those strings!

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Red American Special Stratocaster (SSS)
Red Squier bullet strat
Line 6 Micro Spider
GarageBand software & Bose Speakers

I use my gripmaster with the ruff rider caps. Builds them back up quick and helps keep them in a situation when you can't always play. Plus keeps the hand strength too.

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the vacuum store is a lot like the guitar store. but they do not attract the same clientele as the guitar store, cause if they did, the vacuum store would be loaded with a bunch of broke guys who just wanted to run the new vacuums.

Try to keep from soaking your hands for an extended period of time, like when washing dishes. Avoid any heavy use of lotions. This will help you keep your callouses longer. One thing I did notice to help build callouses faster for me is, when you get out of the shower and before your hands get completely dry and stiffen up, go play guitar! It will make your fingers tender, but the next day you will start noticing your callouses getting hard again. Even when they start to "peel", try to avoid picking at them because pulling the peeling parts off (gross I know ) is just taking a step backwards lol. Good luck, and remember this too, sometimes there is no better way than to just get back in the saddle and play until you toughen up again.

Just play for shorter times, but more often... they will build back in no time

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

i play my acoustic alot. i have medium gauge strings on it. the 10's on my electrics are nothing compared to the acoustic. to me it's like swinging a bat with a weight on it before you hit. i know thats stupid.
by the way......thank you.

Just keep playing bends, hammer ons and slides will help you build back up.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Stop playing electric and play acoustic intensively for a week or two. You'll get them back so quickly that you'll wonder why typing feels odd.

I don't have access to an acoustic right now. Just a travel guitar=\

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Bill948 had about the best solution.When I got back to playing the guitar in earnest again- about 2 years ago-I used to go at it for short periods several times a day and made sure that I stopped before the pain hit.Like just about anything else going at it slow and steady will achieve better resuts than going into it full tilt.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Play the guitar.

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Check out my new FB music page!

https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilandMe.Music

As soon as possible, find the cheapest, crappiest acoustic available. The amount of pressure you'll need to apply to prevent buzzing will build those callouses in no time!