Restarting guitar. Ouch! How long 'til callouses return?

[donlyn]

Restarting guitar. Ouch! How long 'til callouses return?

My place has a dishwasher. Me. I wash the dishes usually once or sometimes twice a day.

Playing at least once a day, I find it actually keeps my calluses at a decent level. Softer surface and few 'grooves' as Ray mentioned.

Original deal was that my wife cooks and I clean.

Now I'm semi-retired, and she still works full time. Hasn't cooked much for years. I still clean up though.
Such a deal.
Cook wanted? Naaah. Kids are on their own; less clean-up work now.
Still can't cook, but I can make sandwiches; and heat up a mean can of soup and add stuff to it.

Know what I make for special dinners?

Reservations.

Be well and play well,
Don
.

[Bluenose]

If it was me just starting, I'd get a nice classical with nylon strings with the intention of switching to a steel string guitar after my finger tips got a little tougher.

[Guitars44me]

I suggest tuning down to D flat or D. Less tension, less pain.

And another vote for a good setup, too. Once you decide if using drop tunings works for you, you may need a setup tweak …

Always good to have a connection with a real competent tech !!!

And playing a bit at a time throughout the day is better than all at once. Better for memorizing too.

Go play!

Paul

[Glennwillow]

If you play every day, most people will get noticeable calluses in about 3 weeks.

In the meantime, you might want to consider getting some Rick-Tips liquid callus formula. This stuff really helps and it's non-toxic.

Best of luck and welcome to the AGF!

- Glenn

[Horseflesh]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I found that I got decent callouses back within a few weeks, but even with them, I had these weird aches in the tips of my fingers after playing for at least a few months.

Exactly this for me as well.

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

If you play every day, most people will get noticeable calluses in about 3 weeks.

In the meantime, you might want to consider getting some Rick-Tips liquid callus formula. This stuff really helps and it's non-toxic.

Best of luck and welcome to the AGF!

- Glenn

What great "heads up"! I never knew such a product existed before your tip... Sounds perfect for a long time picker who goes weeks without practice, or a gig! Can't wait to give it a "road test".... The reviews were extremely helpful!

Don

[lt20dbl]

Originally Posted by Bluenose

If it was me just starting, I'd get a nice classical with nylon strings with the intention of switching to a steel string guitar after my finger tips got a little tougher.

Great advice and I second it.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Don Lampson

What great "heads up"! I never knew such a product existed before your tip... Sounds perfect for a long time picker who goes weeks without practice, or a gig! Can't wait to give it a "road test".... The reviews were extremely helpful!

Don

Hi Don!

I use Rock-Tips, also, even though I have calluses. Sometimes I just need a little help!

- Glenn

[TNGW1500SE]

A few things helped me. I wanted to play more than my fingers would allow. I had deep groves.

Capo the first fret. (learned that here)

Then (don't laugh) I bought "practice gloves" on Amazon and was surprised how much I liked them.

There's also a coating called "rock tips" you can put on that Amazon sells. (learned that here too).

Put lighter strings on.

[rstaight]

Originally Posted by b1j

Think about how hard you are pushing down onto the frets. You need enough force only to sound a clear note without buzzing.

A little off topic. I agree with you 100% but I do have a question. Why do some capos have a spring so strong that it almost takes 2 hands to operate?

Just wandering. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Good suggestions to start on a nylon string guitar and then switch over to a steel string guitar with light gauge strings. Also, practice more often but in shorter increments. You don't want your fingers to hurt so bad that you can't play. It took me about two or three weeks for my fingers to toughen up.

[phavriluk]

How long? Depends on how much someone practices.

[Rusty55]

To toughen up the fingers on my fretting hand if I've gone a long time between playing, I repeatedly use the thumbnail on my left or fret hand - pressing it into the end of the fingertips where the string fret contact would normally occur to stimulate the development of new callouses.

[phavriluk]

I'm going to expose my ignorance here - - - I can't see how playing a nylon-string guitar builds calluses for playing a steelstring guitar. I think that repetition with a steelstring guitar, discomforting as it may be, is what's needed and the intervening use of a nylon guitar doesn't contribute much to building calluses. And the fretboards are so dissimilar, I think that acclimating to the classical fretboard isn't on the path to proficiency with a steelstring.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

I'm going to expose my ignorance here - - - I can't see how playing a nylon-string guitar builds calluses for playing a steelstring guitar. I think that repetition with a steelstring guitar, discomforting as it may be, is what's needed and the intervening use of a nylon guitar doesn't contribute much to building calluses. And the fretboards are so dissimilar, I think that acclimating to the classical fretboard isn't on the path to proficiency with a steelstring.

I learned to play on a nylon string guitar, and I did develop calluses. However, I was young, 16 years old, so maybe being young makes a difference, though I am not at all sure of this. I think it did help me to learn on a nylon string guitar first, and then I transitioned to a steel string because I really wanted that ringing sound.

- Glenn