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Old 10-26-2016, 06:54 AM
DungBeatle DungBeatle is offline
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Default Fretting Fingertips Hurt

I'm wondering if my fretting hand fingertips will ever stop hurting. I sometimes have to go a couple of days before I can play again. I'll do things like warm them up in a heating pad to try to encourage healing, but they still hurt pretty bad. What can I do? Am I playing too long? I only play for maybe an hour or so then I have to stop because it HURTS!
~Bob
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Old 10-26-2016, 07:06 AM
amyFB amyFB is offline
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If you haven't had a pro setup the guitar it might be high action requiring extra effort from the fretting hand.

If you use medium strings try switching to lights.

Play for 30 minute and take a ten minute break then do the next thirty. Give the blood and chance to swirl around in your fingers and enervate the muscles.

Try to press only just as hard as needed For a Clean tone.

Best of luck! Don't give up.


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Old 10-26-2016, 07:07 AM
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Mr Fixit eh Mr Fixit eh is offline
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If you are new to guitar, or if you've been away for a while, then some pain is to be expected. If you've been playing an hour a day for many months, then there may be other medical issues involved.

I would try taking a couple days completely off guitar. Then try playing 30 minutes daily and work back up to 60 minutes daily over the course of a month to redevelop your calouses. You could also try spreading your 60 minutes over a couple of sessions throughout the day.

I customarily play for an hour every day. If I've had a busy performance day with 2 or 3 hours playing, my fingertips will be in pain by the end and they will be sensitive to the touch for a couple of days.

STEve
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Old 10-26-2016, 09:04 AM
Riverwolf Riverwolf is offline
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sometimes this happens to me too.
I have tried all sorts of tricks but it just seems to come and go.
super glue works but you will lose all sense of touch in the fingertips.
some folks are over sensitive to nickle frets and strings?
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:29 AM
DungBeatle DungBeatle is offline
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Thanks for the responses folks. Here's some more info:

I've played guitar most of my life (I'm 63), I start and stop. But I've been playing regularly for the past 2-3 years.

The setup is wonderful, quite low and comfortable. It's a Taylor GC-5.

Strings are medium-lights.

As suggested, I wonder if I'm just pressing too hard.

I will try to keep the practice to 30 minute intervals for now.

All finger style on this guitar, no pick guard - no plectrum!

Thanks again!
~Bob
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DungBeatle View Post
Thanks for the responses folks. Here's some more info:

I've played guitar most of my life (I'm 63), I start and stop. But I've been playing regularly for the past 2-3 years.

The setup is wonderful, quite low and comfortable. It's a Taylor GC-5.

Strings are medium-lights.

As suggested, I wonder if I'm just pressing too hard.

I will try to keep the practice to 30 minute intervals for now.

All finger style on this guitar, no pick guard - no plectrum!

Thanks again!
~Bob
I think it also might be just the fun of being our age, yes the fun never stops, . My fingers were killing me lately as I have been working hard on one particular song so I took a day off from it and worked on something easier last night and that helped.
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:39 AM
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Default You might have a nickel allergy

Hi Bob -

Here's a thread I started concerning nickel allergy - hopefully you don't have it. It can cause sensitive fingertips and eventually lead to blistering and cracking (as I know all too well). So just take a gander and see if anything sounds familiar.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=432890

best,

Rick

PS - my nickel allergy developed after playing for seven years. It's a bit like poison ivy: each time we are exposed, the reaction intensity increases.
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Last edited by srick; 10-26-2016 at 10:57 AM.
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Old 10-26-2016, 10:41 AM
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Try coated strings (Elixir)
Taller fretwire (keeps you from mashing into the fretboard)
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Old 10-26-2016, 11:19 AM
amyFB amyFB is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srick View Post
Hi Bob -

Here's a thread I started concerning nickel allergy - hopefully you don't have it. It can cause sensitive fingertips and eventually lead to blistering and cracking (as I know all too well). So just take a gander and see if anything sounds familiar.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=432890

best,

Rick

PS - my nickel allergy developed after playing for seven years. It's a bit like poison ivy: each time we are exposed, the reaction intensity increases.
Wow- who'd a thunk?

i just discovered nickel strings and love them. hope i'm not going down the wrong string-path!
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Old 10-26-2016, 05:50 PM
Wyllys Wyllys is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DungBeatle View Post
I'm wondering if my fretting hand fingertips will ever stop hurting. I sometimes have to go a couple of days before I can play again. I'll do things like warm them up in a heating pad to try to encourage healing, but they still hurt pretty bad. What can I do? Am I playing too long? I only play for maybe an hour or so then I have to stop because it HURTS!
~Bob
http://tuffoot.com
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Old 10-26-2016, 06:14 PM
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Don't know if you do anything in alternate tunings, but, if so, you might try changing up from standard to "other". This helps the fingers take on different chord structures and may alleviate some of the pain. The other suggestions above are also excellent.
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  #12  
Old 10-27-2016, 06:10 AM
DungBeatle DungBeatle is offline
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Again, thanks for the suggestions!

I'm pretty sure I don't have a nickel allergy. I've handled the material enough in my life to think I'm OK with it. And my fingertips don't look like those pics. But I certainly do feel for anyone with such an allergy. My fingertips are not peeling, just painful.

I bought some coated strings and I'll put them on this weekend.

Not sure about the tufoot stuff. I'd rather not try it, at least, not yet.

I have another guitar with jumbo frets and I literally hate playing it, so for now, that's not going to be a good solution.

Last Night:

I practiced last night for almost 2 hours. I alternated between playing 10-15 minutes then a 10 minute break. My fingers don't hurt very much this morning! So I'll stick with that routine for a while. Takes me twice as long to get through the pieces I'm working on, but at least I can play again the next day.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!
~Bob
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