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Guitar Callouses, when will they come?

My fingers are killing me, how long will it take for callouses to come so this doesn't hurt. I'm playing about 15 minutes a day (I plan to play more when it doesn't hurt) and I'm really enjoy it.

I will push through this!

Thanks,

John

Update:

Also, if you know of any good sites that I can use to learn to play better then please share them.

8 Answers

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  • iroteb
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    15 minutes a day? Really? When I started I couldn't set my guitar down. I practically slept with it. The callouses will come faster if you play more.

    Source(s): guitarist 21 years
  • 1 decade ago

    Dude, it takes a long time... months. but let me give you a few tips that will help you play longer. Only spending 15 minutes/day it will take until you're my age before you have any calluses ;-)

    1) Keep your hands and your guitar meticulously clean. Wash hands before and after you play.

    2) Use products like Finger-Ease (a silicone lube/spray). I use that both as a help when playing and also as a string cleaner. Saturate a clean cotton cloth or strong paper towel with the finger-ease, and work it UNDER each string and around.. go up and down the string to clean the gunk off of the back side where you can't see it.

    3) Clean the fingerboard - behind the frets too .

    Lubricating the fingerboard/stings will let you play longer each time while your calluses are developing, and keeping everything ****-and-span clean will also keep your fingers from getting as sore.

    4) Once you're playing more - change strings often. I never played more than 2 4 hr gigs on a set of strings - I changed them every other night.

    But here's the big item - MAKE SURE your guitar is set up with as low an action as is possible without buzzes and dead spots. If you want a higher action later on - that's fine. For now, what you need is ease-of playing so your hands don't get torn up and you can play longer. I'd also go with the lightest strings you can tolerate as your calluses develop. Light strings - easy action - clean and well-lubricated playing surface will equal you being able to play longer each session - and that will help your calluses develop faster. Good luck to you.

    Source(s): Played 45 yrs taught 35.
  • 1 decade ago

    It takes a while, but just hang in there and it'll happen. At first, the pain will pretty much regulate how much you can play. Play as much as you can.

    It may take a few weeks to start getting some really good callouses. Once you've been playing a while they'll be more or less permanent.

    The pleasure you'll get from the sweet sound of music you'll make will make it all worth it.

  • 1 decade ago

    Your calluses will develop within two weeks, provided you practice more than 15 minutes each day. Put in a solid hour, at the least, and you should start to see results.

    Keep the fingertips dry whenever possible and dry them immediately after showering.

    I provide no Internet sites for you, but consider picking up additional material that may help you, such as a beginner's manual, a chord book, and instructions in music theory. You want to eventually learn how to read music for guitar, don't you?

    Source(s): Guitar picker of 54 years
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  • 1 decade ago

    My husband plays about an hour or more a day and it takes quite a while for the callouses to come. how long have you been playing?? id give it at least a month... maybe more

  • 1 decade ago

    well most of the time it matters which fingers you play alot with but normally it could take a week or two depending on how much you play and if you play through the pain it should end up easier

    Source(s): experience
  • 1 decade ago

    http://justinguitar.com/en/SC-000-Scales.php

    http://www.musictheory.net/lessons

    http://www.abclearnguitar.com/major-scale.html

    http://www.chordie.com/

    http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/guitar-chord-char...

    http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/index.php

    hope yo can use these.

    try playing for at least an hour each day. keep playing through the pain. pick up your guitar every time you look at it. practice your scales. callouses will come and the pain will disappear before you know it.

    go to chordie.com (and other sites like it; search "guitar chords and lyrics" ) and find songs you'd like to learn.

  • Adam D
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    It can take months to develop decent callouses... YEARS!!!! to develop them to a point where it doesn't even seem like you have them anymore.

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