Black fingers after playing guitar

Appleteeny

Ooh my first post!
Hi everybody, looking for help with a strings problem--I seem to get black dirt on my fingers everytime I play guitar. It even happens on the first play of new strings. I have changed strings, cleaned fretboard, but it seems to be a constant. It is worse when I'm playing barre chords and I have been sliding up and down the strings. Don't think its the frets, as my strumming hand also get slightly blackened. Am I alone with this problem? My hands don't ever sweat when I'm playing and are never dirty before I begin, so am a bit stumped. Any suggestions? Thanks

Ravelleman

That's leprosy for you.

Alanstrainor

Use a different type of strings. Is the guitar black:D

Kerrigooney

I had a guitar once. Bought it at the 5 and dime. Played it till my fingers bled. That was the summer of 69.

Appleteeny

Christ, now I have Bryan Adams in my head...and black fingers! Will my suffering never end?!

Kerrigooney

Appleteeny wrote: »

Christ, now I have Bryan Adams in my head...and black fingers! Will my suffering never end?!

Haha. Sorry,I couldn`t help myself. Don`t worry about the black fingers...happens to me all the time as well. I think it`s something to do with oil on the strings although I could be totally wrong. Jesus,I`m not much help at all,am I? Anyway,it`s nothing to worry about.

Appleteeny

Not worried bout it, it's just irritating! Black fingers invariably means I will get a smudge on my face. And not discover this until after I have spent a significant amount of time in public. Fun. Thanks 4 d reply though! Will just have to soldier on...sob...

deaddonkey

instruments with a stained wood fretboard often leave black stains with sweat/friction fingers.

Appleteeny

deaddonkey wrote: »

instruments with a stained wood fretboard often leave black stains with sweat/friction fingers.

Maybe that's it! Although, that doesn't explain why my strumming hand is affected, so it must be the strings? Or me?!

Trevor Kent

Try wiping down your strings with a dry cloth after you play.

Although it is weird you get black fingers with new strings. It usually only happens when you get a corrosion/dirt buildup on the strings due to time/sweaty fingers.

I usually wipe down if I have played for any length of time and definitely straight after a gig.

kevin65

If it's happening on your strumming hand as well as your fretting hand, the skin on your fingers might be reacting to the metal in the strings, e.g. if the strings contain nickel.

Faing

Tis the acid in your skin reacting with the metal compounds that the strings are made of, you also leave acid residue on ther fretboard as you play.Won't do you no harm but like you say ,its annoying.

Denalihighway

i'm surprised nobody has asked this yet but...I assume you're not black?

It's just that if you are, it would be perfectly natural for your fingers to be black after playing guitar.

feylya

Denalihighway wrote: »

i'm surprised nobody has asked this yet but...I assume you're not black?

It's just that if you are, it would be perfectly natural for your fingers to be black after playing guitar.

Dude...

OP, if the stains wash off your fingers afterwards, don't worry about it. It's the moisture on your skin reacting with the metal in the strings. Simple as.

Doc_Savage

try some coated strings like elixir, that'll eliminate the string reaction thing!

Appleteeny

Thanks for the replies! I guessed it had to be my skin reacting as it was the only common factor really (various strings, various guitars). Will suffer on!

Bruthal

Appleteeny wrote: »

Thanks for the replies! I guessed it had to be my skin reacting as it was the only common factor really (various strings, various guitars). Will suffer on!

Yea thats likely what it is. If after you play it, you wipe the strings with a white cloth, you will see black marks on the cloth. Even with new unplayed strings this might be seen.

Strings.ie

Its just grease from the string manufacturing process I reckon.

Meehanmeehan

Definitely leprosy.

Ostrom

Happens every session for me, regardless of how new/old the strings are, or how recently washed my hands are. Same on all my guitars too for some reason except the acoustic which i use Martin strings on. Might be the strings? Hadn't thought of that....