Sore finger tips on finger picking hand, callouses?

[JackC1]

Hey, I've been doing a lot of finger picking on my acoustic guitar lately too.

Nope, no soreness at all. Zero soreness; I just went straight to pain
Looked down, and I noticed the first layer of skin on my thumb is gone!!!!

[tinnitus]

I've had that countless times on my fretting fingers over the decades. Always painful for a month when starting again after a long hiatus.

Now that I'm home for good in the States with access to my guitars every day, that just doesn't happen anymore. In fact, I sometimes use a sandpaper fingernail file (Mrs. Tinnitus tells me it's called an emory board) to thin down those hard caps on my calluses and keep them somewhat smooth/flexible.

Work through the pain and know that you'll have armor plated thumb and fingertips in no time.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Rauland

...

Can you elaborate a bit more? What should I do next time I post? thanks

The AGF requires a response of at least 10 characters or else it won't post a reply. I know this from years on this forum and also because I was once a moderator here for over 3 years.

leew3 was simply saying "Yes" to your question about forming calluses or your picking fingers and then explaining that he needed extra words to allow his response to be posted on your thread. I am sure he did mean to come across as critical of you. Everything about your postings has been polite and respectful, which is what the AGF is all about.

Be well,
- Glenn

[CooloutAC]

I use my nails except on the thumb where I have a little bit of a callous. Even when playing bare though I've never got pain like the fretting hand and I have a heavy attack. Maybe you are expecting too much out of your guitar? lol.

[Rauland]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

The AGF requires a response of at least 10 characters or else it won't post a reply. I know this from years on this forum and also because I was once a moderator here for over 3 years.

leew3 was simply saying "Yes" to your question about forming calluses or your picking fingers and then explaining that he needed extra words to allow his response to be posted on your thread. I am sure he did mean to come across as critical of you. Everything about your postings has been polite and respectful, which is what the AGF is all about.

Be well,
- Glenn

Thanks for explaining, I initially thought he was referring to my post, as if there was something missing or as if it was incomplete, I didn't know what he was referring to.

It was a coincidence that the post before his mentioned that they didn't understand what I meant by the word 'lately' (which is understandable). I thought he was reaffirming this and mentioning I also needed more words in my post as if incomplete, haha.

Anyway, a complete misunderstanding on my part
Thanks again

[Mandobart]

I'm another bare finger (no nails) player (in addition to flat picking). I've always had pretty tough hands from manual labor intensive pursuits (carpentry, electrical wiring, plumbing, gardening, cutting firewood, wrenching on motors, etc.).

I've been playing upright bass since January using my right index mostly for pizzicato. It never got sore but the callus is much thicker and tougher on it now. It doesn't work as well on a phone or tablet touch screen anymore. Not a real problem since I'm left-handed and use that index finger more anyway (for phones/tablets. I play instruments right handed).

[Bluenose]

I finger pick with my nails but I keep them short. They only protrude 1 - 1.5 mm past my fingertips. If for whatever reason one breaks I just use my fingertip until it grows back. Matye learn to use fingerpicks. I can play with the metal variety but find plastic harder to use.

[SFCRetired]

I play more with my nails than finger tips and sometimes they get a little discomfort in them but not my finger tips so much. But like Bluenose, I do have to use finger tips on occasion. Never had an issue.