Grateful Dead Music Forum

Actually, I don't like to spray it directly on my fretboard. I spray it on my left hand fingers and immediately rub the excess on the strings.

Jim

Mike Gordon told me that the reason Phil wore those terry cloth wristbands was because he would drench his hands and neck in almond oil as a de-squeaker and string lube. The wrist bands kept the oil from running up his arms and getting everywhere.


Brad

mijknahs wrote:Actually, I don't like to spray it directly on my fretboard. I spray it on my left hand fingers and immediately rub the excess on the strings.

Jim

yeah, I have seen people do it that way(spray on the fingers). I actually give a light wave (back and forth once) of spray from the nut to about the 18th fret from about 6-8 inches above the fretboard. I have seen people cringe when I do that, but like I said, I have been using it for 27 years and have never noticed any negative effects of applying it like that to about 20 different guitars.

by the way, Finger-ease is habit forming. (not saying if it is a good or bad habit), but much like Afrin over the counter nasal spray where once you start using it to alleviate nasal congestion, you find that after 6 months of use that if you dont use it, then you get congested even if you are healthy, so they got you hooked for life, you have to continue to use Afrin to breathe...............

.......Finger-ease is like that........I am so used to using it every gig (I do one spray before each set) for so long that I actually get really bothered and my guitar doesnt "feel" right if I dont have it. I don't even want to think about the money I have spent on that stuff the last quarter century.

fwiw...I don't use anything. Never had an issue.

mk

IMO, it's just another tool like changing strings regularly, the right amp for the gig, a back-up guitar, etc.

It's always with me but only gets used on the hotter stages when sweat and humidity pickup and strings get sticky.

jeffm725 wrote:.......Finger-ease is like that........I am so used to using it every gig (I do one spray before each set) for so long that I actually get really bothered and my guitar doesnt "feel" right if I dont have it. I don't even want to think about the money I have spent on that stuff the last quarter century.

Same here. Just doesn't feel right w/o it.

Surprisingly, I don't use it all the time. I always have a can of it on hand but only use it when the strings really feel grippy or sticky. I used to use it more often but now if the guitar feels good when I pick it up (and it usually does), I don't bother with the finger-ease. It's good to have around just in case though for those times when things aren't "just right".

Jim

Baby powder works great too! Cuts friction well with no dripping or residue.

SarnoMusicSolutions wrote:Mike Gordon told me that the reason Phil wore those terry cloth wristbands was because he would drench his hands and neck in almond oil as a de-squeaker and string lube. The wrist bands kept the oil from running up his arms and getting everywhere.


Brad

I'm finding this hard to believe. Mike is known for making up crazy stories, and Phil uses flatwound or semi-flatwound strings so they already don't squeak. Plus I'll vouch for the wristbands being useful in conventional ways, they really do help keep the sweat off your hands. I tried them as a joke but then they actually helped.

Rusty the Scoob wrote:

SarnoMusicSolutions wrote:Mike Gordon told me that the reason Phil wore those terry cloth wristbands was because he would drench his hands and neck in almond oil as a de-squeaker and string lube. The wrist bands kept the oil from running up his arms and getting everywhere.


Brad

I'm finding this hard to believe. Mike is known for making up crazy stories, and Phil uses flatwound or semi-flatwound strings so they already don't squeak. Plus I'll vouch for the wristbands being useful in conventional ways, they really do help keep the sweat off your hands. I tried them as a joke but then they actually helped.

Why, no, I totally believe it. Happened to me just now! I washed my hands but the bathroom was out of towels. So I walked back to my desk and just now realized my hair is soaking wet and my shirt is drenched because despite my arms being down the water traveled upward because water, like almond oil, is not limited by gravity.

Finger-ease...I do like the smell...hmmm. I have been known to light it on fire at late night campsites for a quick fire! Really!

Also, in the 90's he sometimes wore two wristbands on his right wrist and none on his left. So... according to Mike he must have been lubricating just his pick hand? Politely ignoring the obvious jokes about a lubed-up right hand...

Phil uses that wristband because the Modulus (and others before it) are big bodied guitars and the sweat and rubbing are annoying. I had a guitar player a few years ago who wouldnt play without them.
Rusty I think you should get them!

Will need a quote from Phil to convince one (or all) of my 3 theories is wrong regarding wristbands:
1 - his arm would stick to the finish of the guitar and that annoyed him
2 - the shape/cut of the guitars caused discomfort at that spot
3 - he had really sweaty pits that would trickle down his arm onto his pick hand