sweaty sticky hand blues

[calkan]

OK, last night I got up with our group to play in a charity variety show. My first set I had no problems, everything went smooth. But when act 27 came around, I found my left hand sweaty from nerves, and beginning to get sticky. My mandolin neck felt like I had smeared glue on it. Trying to slide up the neck was nearly impossible.

I tried washing my hands in cold water to correct the problem but it was only a temporary fix. My question to those mandolinist..." is there something that works in the sticky hand situation?" I've heard talcum powder makes everything slick, but messy.
Seems once the neck is sticky, nothing works, and the music playing suffers. I would appreciate some ideas to try. Thanks

[drelb]

My solution would be a prescription dermatologic aide...Dry-Sol with a Dab-O-Matic applicator. It works extremely well for excessive perspiration of palms and soles. Just ask your doctor for an Rx.

[John Flynn]

A great Missouri fiddler turned me on to his remedy: cornstarch. If you don't have any available, baby powder will do nicely also. Be sure to wipe your instrument down afterwards.

[Bob A]

Or try unscented antiperspirant. Should last for hours, less messy than powder.

[Michael Lewis]

The type of finish on the neck can have a big efeect on the friction generated. Lacquer is a primary offender here. Shellac that has been french polished onto the neck can help this quite a bit. Keeping your hands clean and dry really helps.

[sunburst]

I play banjo. If you think you have trouble sliding on a mandolin, check out the length of a banjo neck next time you see one!
I don't like talcum powder (baby powder) because it tends to build up around the frets and makes a mess. I used to use corn starch, kept a little salt shaker of it in the case. It works Ok, but slowly builds up also.
I'd worry about finish dammage with an antiperspirant on the hands in contact with the finish. There could be a chemical reaction, don't know.

I've started using GHS fast fret, and it works best of anything I've tried. I rub it on the strings, the back of the neck, and my left hand.

When summer weather arrives here in VA, nervous or not, sliding gets difficult for me. Actually, I've invented some new licks when my hand stuck to the neck close to but not quite where I was expecting!
Other times it comes down to a decision; "can I make that slide or not? Maybe I'll just play something where I am and not risk it".

[earthsave]

When playing in bars or other places with pool tables, I have used the white powder/chalk they for the cues. I suppose you could carry around some cornstarch too? I did a bit of sanding on my neck to reduce the lacquer and it also helped. It still sticks on occasion but I did not sand much.

[mrbook]

Our fiddler carries a can of baby powder in his case, and I've tried it a few few times. It works fine, but don't put on enough to make your hands turn white.

[MandoCowboy]

I too have the sticky hands problem. Corn starch works best for me and I've come up with a few things to reduce the mess.

One is I pour the powder in a bandana and work it into the fabric really well, then stuff it in an empty plastic case that strings come in. When playing I put it in back pocket and use it to wipe my hands periodically to keep them dry.

The other method I came up with is to liquify the power with an evaporating agent. When I applying it to my palm on my fretting hand I use a very small amount and goes and stays right where I put it. The cooling action of the evaporation drys the liquid in a few seconds and leaves just the right amount of powder. This also shrinks the pores in my hand reducing the sweating action as well.

Along with washing my hands before playing the combination of bandana/liquid power, makes things so much better for me when playing.

[peterbc]

I sanded my neck a little bit and that really helped a lot. I don't have big sticking problems, just when I play for a long time and get sweaty, when that happens, I wash my hands with soap and dry them off quickly (don't want to hurt the calluses!) and wipe off the neck and strings really well with my shirt or whatever else is handy.

Peter