Kemper caused me an injury

  • K. Since I have gotten my Kemper, and switched from my tube amps and pedals, I have found myself playing a lot more often, and for longer times. Getting the great tone at any volume, allows me to play at different times than I used to be able to. The overall feel and tone has me wanting to play more, inspires me. That inspiration, fun as well as a lot less ear fatigue has me playing longer at a sit too.


    Well, this last Sunday, I had a marathon 6 hour session of practicing, noodling, creating riffs, etc. Just lost track of time. When I finished I realized how sore my fretting fingertips were. Almost got them to bleed through.


    Monday morning though, my strum hand started tingling a little in the thumb, and fingers. As the day progressed, that turned to pain. By Monday Night it felt like I had sprained the wrist or thumb, or broke something. It hurt that bad. Tuesday. even worse.


    Saw the Dr, and he determined it was really bad, inflamed tendonitis. Cortisone shot Wednesday, and it's getting much better overnight.

  • I don't know if it's better to cry or laugh while listening to this story, I don't think the KPA is the cultrip, but your guitar... Killer tone is clearly addictive, but you can eventually get used to it and concentrate on writing instead.


    Been there and had to push myself in good habits & rules (I'm 46 and working on a computer keyboard since I'm 11), I now limit myself to an hour per day of playing and one hour mixing & recording.


    There is a good thread about hand & wrist problems, check here

  • I don't know if it's better to cry or laugh while listening to this story, I don't think the KPA is the cultrip, but your guitar... Killer tone is clearly addictive, but you can eventually get used to it and concentrate on writing instead.


    Been there and had to push myself in good habits & rules (I'm 46 and working on a computer keyboard since I'm 11), I now limit myself to an hour per day of playing and one hour mixing & recording.


    There is a good thread about hand & wrist problems, check here

    I probably need to use some rules too. Been in IT my entire adult life, and on a keyboard, and a little less than a decade older.

  • You know it sounds ridiculous but I developed a serious case of carpal tunnel within three weeks of owning my Kemper.


    I'm not joking, I literally went from playing maybe 30 minutes a day, to five and six hours every night seven nights a week, I was addicted to the tone from the Kemper. My body just wasn't used to it, so I've been having to wear a wrist guard for the last month, I completely had stop playing for over a month, as I got tested for carpal tunnel, and they said if I didn't stop and give it time to heal it would require surgery!

  • Take it easy for a while. Tendon issues have a nasty habit of recurring.


    Players get an overuse problem and then rest and recover and feel confident to resume practice and then the problem comes back - this is a pretty common pattern with fretting hand issues.

  • Take it easy for a while. Tendon issues have a nasty habit of recurring.


    Players get an overuse problem and then rest and recover and feel confident to resume practice and then the problem comes back - this is a pretty common pattern with fretting hand issues.

    Yeah - I think it's necessary to relax for longer than it takes for the pain to disappear.

  • Take it easy for a while. Tendon issues have a nasty habit of recurring.


    Players get an overuse problem and then rest and recover and feel confident to resume practice and then the problem comes back - this is a pretty common pattern with fretting hand issues.


    Yeah - I think it's necessary to relax for longer than it takes for the pain to disappear.

    Pain went away for certain Thursday. I was planning on resting through the weekend. Think that's good enough?

  • Pain went away for certain Thursday. I was planning on resting through the weekend. Think that's good enough?

    I'm not a doctor, so I couldn't say. If it's exclusively due to the sunday session (and not an effect of playing more during a longer period), maybe if you take it slow and with frequent breaks. Maybe not.
    Whatever you do, take frequent breaks, listen to your body - stop and notice how your hand feels. And warm up before you start playing etc. All the boring smart stuff :) Don't rush into flight of the bumblebee immediately.

  • I've been using Ernie Ball strings for 30+ yrs and I have never had that happen. VERY STRANGE

    Yeah, I've used them before in the past, but never on a marathon session with the strings fresh out of the pack. I seem to remember having the grey fingertips a little bit, but not like this. I thought it was just a general nickel thing, but I had Black Diamond nickels on the same guitar just before these and there was no discoloration.


    My acids, their alloys I guess. I did like the tone though, similar to the Black Diamonds.

    I hate emojis, but I hate being misunderstood more. :)