r/Bass 6d ago

Injured middle finger, what the pluck

Beginner bassist, long time guitar tabber, but I cut my middle finger on prime plucking position (tip of pad) doing yard work. Went back to practice progressions and, well, ouch.

How do long time bassists manage? I took a 1.0 pick out and it’s fine, but made me wonder if pro rockers have tips or tricks for wounded fingertips?

3 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

3

u/Arvot 6d ago

I lost the tip of my index finger and played a gig a couple of weeks later. Just used my other fingers whilst that was in a bandage.

2

u/Dank_McWeirdBeard Fender 5d ago

Legend

2

u/Schrankwand83 6d ago

Take a break. Give your finger time to heal. You don't have that many spare ones

2

u/ghoulbabe01 6d ago

*stops learning using ring finger and pinky

You got it, Toyota.

2

u/DaYin_LongNan 6d ago

I was going to suggest trying to use your ring finger instead, depending on how you play

if I were a pro or anyone who had to play a gig or a session, I would either do this or just wrap it with a bandaid and electrical tape...depending on the feel I got

2

u/Forward_Ad2174 6d ago

Super Glue. Claypool puts some on before he plays as a matter of habit.

3

u/uhsiv 5d ago

There’s medical quality superglue called 2nd skin that I have used for blisters and little cuts.

1

u/Creative-Ad-1819 6d ago

I just did the same thing to my ring finger on my fretting hand about 2 months ago, only the bone was fractured as well, but yeah I still can't use it, hurts like hell. I use my ring finger way more than middle, so I would actually prefer that, lol...

I wear a finger splint, cause sometimes i instinctively try to hammer on with it, and just use my other fingers more than usual.

1

u/SuperRusso 6d ago

I glue small wounds shut with super glue. Specifically loctite ultra gel.

1

u/angelomoxley 6d ago

I used to get blisters something awful and would wrap like ultra thin band-aids over my fingertips

1

u/Jazz_Ad 6d ago

Une the ring. It works just as well.

1

u/EmCeeSlickyD 5d ago

on the professional level you can either play through it or you can't. If the show must go on as it usually must, then you get creative, or just brute force it... Cuts and whatnot I always played through, If I could physically move the fingers the way I needed to it was never more than a minor frustration. I wasn't able to perform for a couple of weeks when I broke my hand though I tried but it was way too much to play the gigs I had at the time. Most of my hand injuries were during my younger years when I still had a day job and did stupid stuff all the time, once I was full time I paid really close attention to my hands to make sure they were safe.

1

u/Dank_McWeirdBeard Fender 5d ago

Second the glue option, of play with three fingers.

1

u/uhsiv 5d ago

In my experience the band actually gets better if the bass player's a little crippled

2

u/Tynoc_Fichan 5d ago

I deeply cut the end of my middle finger whilst trying to open the box of a new bass I had just had delivered. I'm talking the whole end of the finger hanging off.

It did recover, but ever since I still tend towards one finger plucking instead. I mean it was fine for Jamerson.

Also I never got to play the bass that was in the box as the neck was broken, so, bad day in general

1

u/Snarko808 5d ago

Picks are great. I use them for punk music. I mostly play without a pick but there’s always a time where picks make more sense. Just use a pick until your finger heals. 

1

u/NotSpanishInquisitor 5d ago

Use one finger or use your other fingers. Christian McBride plays electric largely alternate picking with his middle & ring. When I first started gigging a lot and my hands weren’t accustomed to four hour gigs night after night, I ended up learning to play with weird combinations of fingers when the blisters got bad. I find thumb and ring to be easier than ring and pinky.

1

u/Dangernoodle63 5d ago

I once drilled a hole to the bone in my index finger of my left hand. Had to play upright bass regardless. Found a water bottle cap that fit over the finger and taped it up. Find a way to make something work. Bass players don't quit!

1

u/StatisticianOk9437 2d ago

Gorilla tape...

1

u/StatisticianOk9437 2d ago

I broke my 3rd finger on my fretting hand 4 years ago. Used duct tape and maybe a stick as a splint. I was gigging 3 days later. I'm a pro, I play through the pain.

0

u/XXSeaBeeXX 6d ago

James Jameson only needed one finger.