sore fingers!

I've never heard of it before, it almost seems like a gimmick, but then again, I don't know....hopefully it'll work for you! Let us know how it goes!

It looks like it will work..small investment if it will save my fingertips, if not, then a lesson learned

http://rock-tips.com/

It's basically medical superglue, which they use for sutures, and was developed as a battlefield dressing back in the 60's.

It's a pretty common trick nowadays to paint a layer of superglue over your fingers if you have a cut or your calluses are ripped up from multiple nights of playing.

It's basically medical superglue, which they use for sutures, and was developed as a battlefield dressing back in the 60's.

Thanks for this Moonrider. I'd never heard of it before. I can see how this would work for cut calluses. But, I don't see how it would work for beginners since the pain is not associated with the skin yet associated with the underlying pressure on the tips of the fingers?

I suppose you can try it and find out. Let us know.

Let us know how it works- I'm a bit sceptical, though.

As another poster said, sore fingertips aren't usually (just) due to lack of callouses. More about unaccustomed pressure. I would think that, even with rock-tips, your fingers will feel the pressure, and will hurt accordingly.

I've been playing almost daily for three or so years, and literally haven't missed a day for probably 10 months. I have callouses. Plenty of callouses. My finger tips will still get sore sometimes, though, when I play a new piece that calls for an unusual fingering, or just presses on my fingertips in a different way.

I wouldn't worry bout it too much, though- people talk about callouses like it's a long, hard process to get them, which really isn't my experience.

If you're reasonably disciplined in your practice (play every day) without being excessive (don't play for hours and hours in a row when you aren't used to it) you'll have callouses starting to form within a few days or a week. Go gradually, but regularly, and your fingers WILL hurt, but it shouldn't be too bad, or last too long.

Best,
Ande

I just ordered something called Rock Tips to help with my sore fingers. Its supposed to help with being able to play longer while still allowing calluses to form. Has anyone has any experience with this before? My fingers are really really sore.

Hi Kelly. I"ve got this stuff called NEW SKIN, an antiseptic liquid bandage that I'd thought to use prior to my building my callouses (been playing for a little over a month almost everyday). I'd hadn't thought to use it again till I read your post. This was only about $5 in the drugstore so if it works the same and saves you money, might be worth a try. I've got it on right now (and typing one-handed while it dries, lol) to see how it works. I'll list the ingredients (I tried to find the ROCK TIPS ingredients to compare but no luck): Alcohol 6.7%, Pyroxylin Solution, Oil of Cloves, 8-Hydroxyquinoline.

i just got it in the mail today. Nowhere on the bottle does it list the ingredients but it does say it is a form of cyanoacrylate (medical adhesive). I prob got ripped off lol..live and learn :shock: Will try it and let you know how or if it works.

cyanoacrylate is crazy glue.

I hope it wasn't too expensive.

Are you still going to give it a try?
Or have your fingers gotten less sore in the time you were waiting for this stuff to arrive?

im gonna try and send it back.. *insert swear word here*

Kelly, calluses develop in response to frequent pressure on the skin. So one way you can develop them faster is to play frequently - several times per day. If you're practicing for 30 minutes a day, try breaking it up into three 10 minute sessions... that will give you the same amount of playing time, and avoid overdoing it in any one session.

I tell my beginning students (especially those with hard-to-play guitars) that the first three or four weeks they should practice often and short; after that they can start extending the practice time.

Cyanoacrylate IS superglue, but if the stuff you bought is intended for use on humans, it's probably medical grade sterile superglue. :-)

In any case, it does work on callouses...
Though practice works best in the end.

Best,
Ande

thanks for the responses..
the holidays kinda put a hold on my practice time, but i do have a little hard callous on the first 3 fingers of my fretting hand. My pinky does not have one as its very hard for me to hold it down. I seem to have run into a plateau of learning and practicing and really need to find a human teacher to help me progress as my frustration levels are getting the best of me and i dont want to give up. I think its the method of how i am learning that is making me so frustrated. I need to find 1 and go with it. I was using the Emedia guitar media but i just cant seem to like the way it goes. I try and pick up the guitar everyday and just go through the chromatic scale if i do nothing else. I practice the 3 chords i do know and switching them is still very difficult for me to do.

I don´t think you should have to resort to any kind of glue to help building strong callouses on yer finger tips - that comes from playing and it really doesn´t hurt THAT bad... does it? I remember it hurting a bit, but that´s just part of the process and - really - if you keep playing regularly then the pain will go away in a matter of weeks/months so stick with it and lay of the chemicals and let the calluoses form naturally.

Well, that´s my advice anyway.