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#1
04-21-2016, 10:50 PM
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Thickening Calluses
I've been playing for years, usually every day for at least an hour (often more, though broken into sessions). My fingertips have certainly developed calluses, but they aren't as tough as I'd like. I could swear they used to be a lot tougher, but these days you'd barely notice I had calluses unless you took a close look.
I don't get blisters or any issues with friction, but I do find that I get large indents, from the strings, on my fingers after playing for a while. The problem is the strings fall into these indents and thus it means I have to push harder to get the note to sound. I play with the lightest possible touch and don't have any hand strain. I know for a fact I'm not exerting too much pressure. It's just that my calluses are quite soft. I'd love to know of any methods that would thicken them and make them harder. I don't like pushing harder because I can almost feel the string against the bone, and after a while it obviously becomes uncomfortable. 
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#2
04-21-2016, 11:31 PM
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I don't know if I'm unique in this quirk, but I periodically file the fingertips of my left hand (calluses) to prevent the string groove problem you're talking about. If I don't I occasionally get a ping sound as a string slips into the groove.
You need to have tough calluses to do it but it works for me. I don't think you need to worry that your calluses aren't strong enough because you get string grooves. I think it's a natural by-product of playing.
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#3
04-21-2016, 11:50 PM
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Taller frets may help to play more easily and cleanly in spite of the indents (I don't think you can prevent the indents). I like around 0.047" crown height.
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
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#4
04-22-2016, 05:05 AM
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Quote:
However I wouldn't say mine used to be tougher. I know I had serious problems as a beginner, first with blisters that needed to heal, and then with hard skin developing which would then peel off. I've been playing for 50 years, btw. I guess that over the years (and this may be what has happened to you) the fingertip skin adapts, and rather than obvious hard calluses, the skin simply regenerates in less obviously tougher form: a reduced sensitivity, a little thicker, but not reflected in pads of dead skin cells. It may also be that I play a little less these days than I used to! I teach one day a week, which is six hours with a guitar in my hands, but most of the time I'm not playing it much, just demonstrating fairly simple things, or listening to the students. Once a month on average I have a gig, which means maybe two separate hours of solid playing. Between times I noodle around, a few minutes here and there, probably a lot less than an hour a day. Quote:
Of course the indents don't hurt in the way they used to when I was a beginner -and it may be that I move my chord shape when I become (subconsciously) aware that the grooves are causing a problem. It may also be that I have less of a problem because my guitars have relatively low frets (some of them are worn and probably need a refret!). Quote:
I guess I would like to be able to bend strings more than I can, and that would probably require tougher fingertips along with more strength. I presume that both would come with practice (if I could be bothered  ).
__________________
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen.
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#5
04-22-2016, 08:46 AM
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Filing your calluses is good maintenance. I recommend the black emery boards for that. Also, avoid playing withing 30-60 minutes of showering or washing dishes....the softer calluses are more susceptible to damage. If you are in need of developing more "robust" calluses, you can try using rubbing alcohol. I have not tried this technique personally, but I've read about it. There are claims Clapton used to do it....basically, you briefly soak your fingertips in rubbing alcohol after playing, and after you shower. It's supposed to draw moisture from the skin and speed the development of calluses.
One thing I'd like to point out though....when my calluses were at their thickest (when I was using heavier gauge strings) is when I had the highest number of issues with grooving and taring. That was also the only time where calluses would occasionally interfere with my playing. My calluses are much more subtle these days, and work great. Last edited by JayWalkingBlues; 04-22-2016 at 08:53 AM.
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#6
04-25-2016, 07:50 PM
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Thanks guys, I guess it's just a fact of life. It's probably more pronounced because I'm learning the same few pieces, many of which are C major/A minor, so the chords and shapes are all very similar.
Jon, my issue with indents is that I then have to push down harder for the string to make decent contact with the fret. The issue is more pronounced on the 1st fret, which possibly means the nut is a little too high. Right now it's not enough to really annoy me so I'll live with it for a while.
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#7
04-29-2016, 06:40 PM
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Quote:
I thought it was just me. 30 years ago I played for a very brief time but I remember having massive callouses on my left hand. I could tap my fingertips on a table and they'd click as if I was using my fingernails. For the past 5 yrs I've been playing an hour or 2 a night and they are nowhere near the kind of callouses I had back in the 80's. Strange. Maybe it's age? Sorry I can't offer any advice on a solution
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