Wrist bands

Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 818 Location: Canada

Hey, I am wondering if any of you guys play with wrist bands.

I have seen some guitarist use them live. I assume it is to stop the sweat from dripping down their hand.

I am wanting to buy one for a different reason. I have an allergic sensitivity to the metal they use in bridges. After a bit of playing I develop a rash on my wrist area. My palm seems to be fine but I guess my wrist is just more sensitive.

I am wondering if there are any specific wrist bands for guitar players (with super awesome features, like improved tone and speed Razz

) or should I just go to a sports store and get one for tennis or something.

I used to put a coat of clear nail polish on my bridges but it flakes off eventually and looks like crap.

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:48 pm

A sports one that people use for tennis would probably be the best, depending on if you're a sweaty guy I think you can get super-absorbent ones and stuff like that, but if you're just using it to cover up your wrist I doubt it'd matter.

You could try getting one of the longer ones though, like the ones Dave uses in Megadeth; more coverage for your wrists!

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

Look for a nice leather one. It will be more comfortable and likely look better. That and you won't have to worry about the little terry loops catching on anything like you would on a terry cloth one. (or whatever material they make them out of). If you come into Vancouver, the Rock Shop on Granville St will have what you want.

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 5:57 pm

An allergy to nickel is not that uncommon. I have it, too. Good luck with the wrist band. I'm just lucky that my finger tips don't react to the nickel in the frets and strings. It never occurred to me that there might be nickel on the bridge, as well.

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 10593 Location: Canada

Maybe change your nickel bidge for a chrome one.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 12253 Location: PEORIA ILLINOIS

i use regular sports wrist bands from walmart to stop the sweat going down my arm to my hand cause butter melts under hot lights.
thats odd that your arm touches your bridge. wear black stalking over your arm and cut the fingers out or cut the fingers out of the girly black nitted stretchy gloves. they are 3 bux at walmart. lots of guys do that too. Its quite popular hear to wear then on both hands with the fingers cut out or just your right hand. or if that is too cool for you, wrap some duct tape around your wrist.

Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 818 Location: Canada

lol BLOODROOT... I can't tell if your joking or not.

Yeah it's weird... I have watched my arm while playing and my wrist (right where my palm ends) hardly ever touches the bridge. It's almost like I get the rash without even having to touch the bridge. It's definitely from the guitar though. If I stop playing for some time the rash goes away. Start playing and it comes right back. It did the same on my old guitars too. It's not a horrible rash just a little red and itchy and annoys the hell out of me.

@Lanning
Most of the leather ones have metal buttons that will also give me a rash. Maybe I could find one that has the draw strings. I don't want to spend a ton of money though.

@60srocker
Yeah my fingers are fine. I think it's just because that area of my wrist is a lot softer skinned and more sensitive.

Getting something to cover my wrist seems more practical than changing the bridges on all my guitars.

I really wanted to get a Wintersun wristband from their site but they are charging around $50 for shipping, lol.

I might get this Opeth one. It looks pretty cool:

Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 5603 Location: phoenix az.

I tried some sports type ones made my arms all sweaty didnt like it.

Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Posts: 909

I always use one when playing gigs! Gonna get sweaty anyway, these keep my arm from sticking to the body of the guitar, and wipe sweat from my forehead before it gets into my eyes ( that sux HUGE!!!).
I got mine from e-bay....longer ones like that Opeth one above.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 12253 Location: PEORIA ILLINOIS

I was totally serious.

Joined: 27 Feb 2012 Posts: 1242 Location: New York, NY

mahly wrote:

I always use one when playing gigs! Gonna get sweaty anyway, these keep my arm from sticking to the body of the guitar, and wipe sweat from my forehead before it gets into my eyes ( that sux HUGE!!!).
I got mine from e-bay....longer ones like that Opeth one above.

+1

These were a staple for me when I was playing gigs on a regular basis. I would buy a bunch of them for real cheap from the t-shirt shop my old singer works/worked at. She got me a good deal, and when they got too sweaty and smelly I just threw them out.