Remedy for sore finger ends?

Subject: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 05:15 PM

I've been working hard on a bit of guitar music, and my bloody fingers are really sore.

Has anyone got a remedy for sore finger ends?

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 05:39 PM

The way they deal with it in karate is to practice jabbing your fingers into a bucket of wet sand.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 06:49 PM

Surgical Spirit? Supposed to harden up your skin. Used to use it on the feet before long walks.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: GUEST,.grgoyle
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 07:19 PM

You want them to heal.

When necessary to immediately play....Collodion is a flammable, syrupy solution of pyroxylin (a.k.a. "nitrocellulose", "cellulose nitrate", "flash paper", and "gun cotton") in ether and alcohol. There are two basic types: flexible; non-flexible. The flexible type is often used as a surgical dressing or to hold dressings in place. When painted on the skin, collodion dries to form a flexible nitrocellulose film.

Remove the film at sleep to allow it to dry.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 Apr 19 - 08:33 PM

some good ideas thank you!

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: leeneia
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 01:46 AM

Nylon strings are easier on the fingers than steel.

How about clear nail polish on the fingertips?

Play regularly. It gets to be fun.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 02:12 AM

A thin layer of super glue...???

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 07:29 AM

I'm with Leeneia: the more you play, the more your calluses will build up: no pain, no gain!

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 07:33 AM

Try bonjela or another topical anaesthetic?

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 07:34 AM

You have to work hard at it to develope callouses, then your fingers stop hurting.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Cool Beans
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 09:41 AM

I don't know Al but he's a longtime presence on Mudcat so I deduce that he's a veteran guitarist with serious callouses but his fingertips hurt anyway. I've been there and the surest remedy is simply to rest the fingers for a couple of days. If you must play, aspirin, ibuprofen or similar pain-decreaser may help (ingested, not rubbed on fingers).

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 09:56 AM

I've played since the mid 1970s, but it's many years since I had real callouses..

I only pick up guitars sporadically these days [family & health distractions]
So occasional painful fingertips are a problem to be tolerated..

Though, I'd probably suffer more if I played thicker string gauge acoustic guitars...

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 04:54 PM

"Super glue" can work, but you must be VERY CAREFUL not to glue your finger together. If you do, you'll be going to the hospital E.R. room. bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: ST
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 05:19 PM

Nylon strings are easier on the fingers than steel.

Yes, they mostly hurt the ears instead. And either way, my fingertips would rather vote for light or extra light steel any day if only guitar makers could remember what guitar strings are supposed to be made of. Should anybody need short, dull, soft and boring sound, violin pizzicato is always there for them, isn't it?

As for the original question, having nothing to eat back home usually works best for me. Second place, holding a plastic bottle of really cold, preferably partially frozen water for a while. Pain killers may be good if you're done for today but I usually avoid them if I need to keep playing. Knowing exactly how bad it is may save you from a serious injury, and pain killers take that knowledge away from you.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 07:24 PM

i don't think i had this trouble when i was doing gigs. i only stopped in february.

i think the provlem has arisen because i'm doing more more adventurous stuff that i never had time for. i've tried using lighter gauge strings (down to 10-47 now). doesn't seem to help much.

thanks for all the suggestions - i don't really fancy superglue, but thanks anyway.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 08:39 PM

Super glue can also seriously damage your lungs! bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Apr 19 - 09:09 PM

so remembre folkie punks.. no sniffin super glue in paper bags..

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: Severn
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 01:07 PM

I'm saddened to hear that a remedy for sore finger has finally ended. Good luck!

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Apr 19 - 03:38 PM

We truly do, live in a digital age.

Subject: RE: Remedy for sore finger ends?
From: beachcomber
Date: 19 Apr 19 - 05:37 AM

People who work in certain occupations seem to develop hardened skin (callouses) on their hands and fingers naturally and , if they are also guitar players, have no problem, that I've seen or heard of, in any case.
Others , such as myself, don't do much in the line of "manual work" and accordingly have more sensitive finger ends. I always found, and still do, that Methylated Spirits, rubbed in after every practise or session , worked very well to harden the skin on my fingertips.