I must not be playing guitar enough or maybe it's not playing acoustics enough.
That last couple of days I've been rehearsing an acoustic rhythm part and trying
to get comfortable with the vocal lines that go along with it. There's this
quick riff on the E, A, and D strings that fits between the chord changes and I
must play it about 30 times during the entire song. Well after a morning of
rehearsing, stopping, and working out parts....as I put my guitar back in it's
case I noticed the tip of my left bird finger was aching slightly...yep there's
a full fledged blister developing. I haven't had a blister on my finger
since...well I can remember when. Probably since I was 12 years old, lol.....I'm
going backwards, ouch!
I have been favoring my electric guitars lately so now it's more acoustic
playing to stay in shape.
This is something new for me. Whats the suggested remedy? Play more guitar...pick, grin, and bare it? :)
Sore fingered Farrell
I'm surprised this topic hasn't come up before as it's a problem that we all suffer with occasionally. I hope Doctor Alfredo will give us his medical advice.
I tend to play in spurts and often go for a month or more without touching the guitar. So I get blisters a lot. I don't have any good advice but I can tell you what
I usually do.
- Curse and kick myself for playing too long after a long break from guitar playing. I should know better and take it easier at first.
- Stay off the guitar until the blister heals properly.
- Start playing daily but only for short periods at first. As the fingertips start toughening up, I increase my daily playing time.
- Then I take another long break from the guitar so I end up having to repeat the whole thing. I wish I could find time to play every day of the year but life always gets in the way.
I wonder if this stuff would help, or is it just a gimmick? Anybody tried it?
http://www.guitar-hands.com/ (http://www.guitar-hands.com/)
Another problem I often have is calluses that peel. Anyone have any good tips for preventing that? Doctor Aldredo? :)
The only blisters I've gotten the last 30 years from guitar-related activities are from playing bass,..... nad then on the right hand not the left. I've gotten close sometimes tho. And once they're there I think only god or maybe Alfredo can help ;)
One way to avoid then is to have a guitar ready on the crapper :D
Sit down at desk/table and bang table with finger tips. I do this when I lay off the guitar. My bass tutor showed me this in my first lesson 40 years ago.
Is it a blister or the start of a callus? If I lay off my acoustic for a while I always start back into callus action on my fingertips when I get back into it. I heard that the best thing for callus that get hard and painful even is to soak your fingers in Epson salts, after a good soak put some hand lotion on. It is better to keep those from forming into hard shells apparently. I don't know if that is the same for a blister or not.
I think I heard something about putting crazy glue over a blister to allow playing if it is painful, creates a little coating over it, but you can still play.
Got a blister? Take 600 aspirins and call me next year. I don't make house calls.
You're in good company! ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMfkVGCU_BABut seriously...I would recommend that you let the blister heal a bit (at least until the fluid is reabsorbed), and then start back on the electric until it doesn't hurt so much, and then ease back into the acoustic. That's worked for me before.
Here you go Farrell, you need some of these finger condoms to protect your fingers......and they look ultra cool....imagine what the ladies will think, you are ready for anything..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG16Iuy4hVAhttp://www.originalguitarfingers.com/index.html (http://www.originalguitarfingers.com/index.html)
P.S Sunburns hurt more! :'(
Imagine, if you will, the agonising mental distress and the social stigma of having a pus-oozing blister on your nose-picking finger.
And. do proctologists pick their nose with the same finger they use for rectal examinations?
How many anuses can they ram a finger into before a blister occurs?
This needs research.
Thanks all for the serious and humorous blister advice. I especially liked the finger condoms solution, lol! I've worked (played) through it. I layed off the guitar for a day and the blister subsided. The callous is now re-building and I'm good to go.....so bring on the acoustic guitars!
Farrell
Play through it, watch the tips fall off, chew them, it's transitory.
Just make sure to wipe the blood off your frets particularly. It stains them.
Did someone say "blood"?
Farrell, you are just my type. Type O.
(https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=15292.0;attach=15456)
Watch out FJ you've got a blood thirsty Demon after you^^^^ He even knows you blood type.... Scary!!!!
If someone had told me a few weeks ago I'd be posting photos of my body parts on the internet I'd of thought they were mad - had to go from a beginner to a trier real quick with the guitar so suffer very badly from callouses due to the hours of flippin practice. At least they don't hurt any more! (hope I've got the right photo!)
(https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=15292.0;attach=15468)
Ouch Haylie!..Dont fib on us now!! Thats from home renos too right? :)
I remember those painful days, early in my efforts to do anything not too annoying on the guitar.
I was twelve years old when I picked up my first one. Didn't learn shit until about two weeks ago.
That was how to close the case without waking Mrs Demon. Not an easy thing to do. She sleeps with all
three eyes open.