Ascendancy5

I had stopped playing guitar for about a month or so since I've left for college, and now I'm back and I have been playing guitar for hours on end. However my calluses on my fingers have softened, so now it hurts to play songs and I can't bend strings easily anymore. Is there anything I can do to make them callus faster and harden the tips of my fingers? Thanks in advance for any advice

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Tribulation
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bellamy_morello

maybe run your fingers along the thicker strings but if they stary to peel stop

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falconthefirst

Not really. Just play about 1 or 2 hours a day at minimum and they'll be fine in a week or so.

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Gear:
Yamaha F310 acoustic
Ibanez RGR321ex
Peavey Vypyr 30

Ascendancy5

Yeah I've been trying to keep my playing down so I don't get swollen or anything but it sucks because I wanna shred...

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ibanezgod1973

there was a myth that soaking them in vinegar helped but it`s just that - a myth

lostjesse

belt sander


don't do it i'm joking

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Left of the dial

grimms

I never have callouses and I practice at least 3 - 6 hours a day.
But I have working hands anyway. It's weird.

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Anthony1991

Probably dissolve your finger nails if you did that :P

Ascendancy5

Yeah not something I'm looking to do...

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Jread

a dab of superglue on the tips of your fingers could help. but that'll eventually rub off and will prolly leave corrosive dust in your strings.

Anthony1991

Just give it time they'll come back.

Tbh best thing to do - and this works for me - put new strings on, give your a fretboard a nice lemon oil clean. Then just play, the day after they come back solid. Works for me atleast

Sir Anonymous

If you want callouses play on heavier strings.

learnasong2

play your guitar when it calls out for it to be heard

Bitches nBagels

Play bass

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ibanezgod1973

i said it was a myth.....acetic acid (vinegar) isn`t that strong, citric acid found in citrus fruits is stronger, it`ll just sting like hell if you have open cuts on your fingers.

best way to develop callouses is just play guitar and stop being paranoid about it.

larrytheguitar

Seriously, if you have a friend that has an acoustic guitar, borrow it. On acoustics, the action is higher and there's more tension. It'll give you callouses, AND boost your finger strength. Can't stress this enough, if you're an electric guitar player, mess around with an acoustic for a while and you'll see how difficult it is. I find it best to alternate them, keeping a pretty solid callous and finger strength.

BUT if no acoustic is available, just keep playing.

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Chanter

Just play a little each day and in a wk you shall be fine meantime take it bit at a time and if sore stop for a break then try again and in a wk as i say you shall be fine ok.

Telecaster7

i play ~1h a day, for 7 years, and no callouses for me... it's depressing

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mdlarouche

sometimes you are bored and your hand sits on a table and you're tapping your fingers....put some fairly coarse sandpaper under your fingers and tap away for a while.

Calluses are formed by the healing of the small cuts/scratches you create. No cuts... no calluses. No need to draw blood here.

Sandpaper gives a good coverage unlike a string.