Fingertip Protectors

[SteveK]

I've been a gigging bass player for about 50 years, and have generally been ache and pain free in my fingers.

Unfortunately, I've recently been getting a sharp pain in the tip of my index finger of my fretting hand when playing. The pain is similar to an electric shock.

This is likely some kind of nerve damage, which I'm assuming is temporary and will improve by not playing for a while. Not playing is not an option! Starting 7th Jan I'm back on the road after the Christmas break and have a pretty busy year.

 

My question:

Has anyone tried any of the various fingertip protectors for guitarists that are on the market? If so - any recommendations, or those to avoid.

I'm hoping that the extra bit of cushioning will reduce the pressure on my finger resulting in less pain.

I want to try this option first before seeking professional help.

 

Cheers

Edited Saturday at 01:14 by SteveK

[Len_derby]

I’ve got no advice I can give on fingertip protectors, but I had a similar sensation a few years ago. It turned out to be a deep-lying splinter that was not visible on the surface. 

[Hellzero]

If it's a nerve damage, you can take a complex of B vitamins each and every day until you'll be peeing it: You'll notice the smell, don't worry and there is no toxicity possibility with B vitamin as it's eliminated by the urine.

 

The B vitamins complex will help the nerve to recover, but if it's too damaged, then there's no hope...

[Lozz196]

For the immediate I’d say put in a lot of hours on your fretting and try to change it to avoid using the index finger as much as possible. Might also be worth looking into lowest possible tension strings, just to make it easier in the interim.

[SteveK]

4 hours ago, Len_derby said:

I’ve got no advice I can give on fingertip protectors, but I had a similar sensation a few years ago. It turned out to be a deep-lying splinter that was not visible on the surface. 

 

I don't think it's that, but wouldn't rule it out 100%

 

 

3 hours ago, Hellzero said:

If it's a nerve damage, you can take a complex of B vitamins each and every day until you'll be peeing it

 

Thanks for the tip - I'll look into vit B

 

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

For the immediate I’d say put in a lot of hours on your fretting and try to change it to avoid using the index finger as much as possible.

 

I've been trying to adapt my playing. It's not so bad when playing down the neck. But when I go above the 12th fret it's quite bad as the finger is more perpendicular to the string.

Part of my playing style includes, for example, I'll often play phrases above the 12th fret starting on D string, instead of playing 5 frets lower on the G string (I prefer the tone and slight increase in power). I'll have to change this for the time being.

 

The protectors that I've seen on line are ridiculously cheap, so will try 3 or 4 different types to see how I get on with them.

 

Cheers gang.

[Lfalex v1.1]

7 hours ago, Len_derby said:

I’ve got no advice I can give on fingertip protectors, but I had a similar sensation a few years ago. It turned out to be a deep-lying splinter that was not visible on the surface. 

 

Especially if said splinter is metallic. I had one such once, and it hurt like hell when I touched anything else that was metal.

[ezbass]

I wonder if a corn plaster might work, what with them having a hole in the middle. Might not be small enough though. Another thought is a small, Compeed blister plaster as they are very cushioned and very discreet.

[uk_lefty]

Sorry if this is not an option but one thing I do when getting fingertip pain is to switch to playing with a pick. Luckily I have free reign over my tone, fills, etc. so if the attack and note choice is different, as long as the fundamentals of the bassline are there it's ok. It made me improve my pick playing to a point where I will play almost anything with a pick if I need to.

[Gank Bass]

Super glue = instant calluses 

 

As championed by Les Claypool

[Dad3353]

24 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Sorry if this is not an option but one thing I do when getting fingertip pain is to switch to playing with a pick. Luckily I have free reign over my tone, fills, etc. so if the attack and note choice is different, as long as the fundamentals of the bassline are there it's ok. It made me improve my pick playing to a point where I will play almost anything with a pick if I need to.

 

This tends to be a rather clumsy option for the fretting hand, though. 

 

...

 

 

[BassAdder60]

I think Scott ( online bass tutor ) wears gloves so maybe that’s an option ? 
 

They are very thin and I believe it’s because of a medical condition 

[uk_lefty]

45 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

This tends to be a rather clumsy option for the fretting hand, though. 

 

...

 

 

Ooops! Well, to be fair I'm left handed so... 🤪

[SteveK]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.

 

Just to update: I've ordered some silicon finger protectors which seem to be mostly designed for beginners who are bothered by sore fingers - I don't hold out much hope for them.

 

After doing some research and reading in one article that a possible symptom of Vit B deficiency is "electric shock" type pain in fingertips (exactly as I described in my original post). I've taken a trip to Holland & Barrett and am now taking Vit B complex, as suggested by Hellzero.

 

In case anyone in future suffers the same problem, I'll update this thread.

 

 

[KingBollock]

16 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

 

Especially if said splinter is metallic. I had one such once, and it hurt like hell when I touched anything else that was metal.

A couple of weeks ago I was having no end of problems with my digits. I’d split a thumb nail right the way down one side, which got infected, making using it incredibly painful to touch anything with. I also had several rat bites (got a bunch of new pet rats) one of which got right down in between the bones of the first knuckle of my index finger, which got very infected (which I fixed by injecting 99% isopropyl alcohol into).
 

Then one morning I woke up with a horrible pain in the pad of my other thumb. A few days later I discovered that it was a tiny, metal splinter, I have no idea where it came from. A few days after that I started getting the same pain in the pad of the index finger on the same hand. It was another metal splinter. I suspect that I got both at the same time, but the callous on the index finger meant that it had to bury itself deeper before it started making its presence known. That was a whole heap of fun to dig out!