Ever been in an accident so bad you couldnt play guitar?

Mr Mojo Risin · October 2005

Today I was at work and we were putting some vinyl siding to stock using a forklift. The guy on the forklift was new to driving it and he dropped nearly 1,000 pounds of siding on me. There were three bundles on the forklift. The first bundle came down and landed on my foot and broke my ankle. I tried to push it off with my hands, then the other two stacks came down and scraped the skin and fingernail off my finger and broke the bone and spranged my other finger. Luckily it was my right hand so I can still play guitar. But now I cant fingerpick like I normally do because I use all my fingers except the pinky. But I can still use a pick.

Does anyone else have a story like this? Or am I alone?

Thomas · October 2005

Sorry to hear about the accident... The good news are, it happened today. So you have time to let your hand heal dude... I broke my right hand pinkey (boxer fracture). Didn't keep me from playing, but my picking was never any good anyway - lol... Give it a month or so to heal, and you will be as good as new

Mr Mojo Risin · October 2005

I took a vacation at the beginning of summer and couldnt play the guitar for a week. But when I got home, I played better than ever. So maybe some good will come from this.

Thanks for the support 8)

T3 · October 2005

Sorry to hear about the accident. Your lucky that all that happened to you.
I'm an electrician and work in the field and have seen a lot of accidents over 20yrs. Safey in the work place is not a joke. I've had my share of hand and finger injuries. Well, as in athletics - work around it.

Take this time to learn theory.
Learn other techniques - around your injuries
Spend time programing drum tracks
work on mixing, recording even creating patches.
Work on your guitars - maintenance and upgade parts

Good luck and heal fast.
T3

P.S. enjoy those pain killers

AtomicNinjaRobot · October 2005

\T3\ wrote:

Learn other techniques - around your injuries

I smashed my left index finger in the tailgate of a pickup once. I used the splint on my finger to play slide 8) Unfortunately (fortunately?) it healed before I got any good at slide guitar.

When I played in a band, my bass player slipped on some ice and broke his ankle. I ended up having to lug his gear to practice while he sat around with his foot propped up :evil:

Anyway,I hope you have a speedy recovery.

aRcTuRuS · October 2005

I got half my right index finger chopped off with my lawn mower

haha thought id be safe in clearing out the grass stuck inside while it was still running, but put my hand in just a bit too far and BANG. Hurt like f*** for the next 3 hours where i had to continue mowing the lawns (was only 17 at the time)

put me out of playing for a couple of weeks just because i coulnt grip a pick with it.

Area5150 · October 2005

The main thing is that you can still play guitar. Get well soon. The bright side is that you now have more time to play guitar. There's an upside to just about everthing.

Cheers,

Jason

0Dannyboy · October 2005

:roll: It was the 80's on a Fri morning and my Lead Guitarist/friend at that time was working at a fast food resturant. We had a big gig that night had printed up a thousand flyers and were ready to Rawk! He starts day dreaming about the gig/girls at work and sticks his left hand completely in a vat of french fry grease! :shock:

It swelled up like a Balloon :x he could not even move his fingers. so we got to watch tons of people show up to the gig and curse @ us for having a bogus show

...Man I loved those days

Terranaut · October 2005

I was 10 yrs. old and had just started playing guitar, (a red, Kent Mustang-like electric), and my father and I were burning leaves and scrub in a large metal barrel. The barrel was going to the dump afterwards, so my Dad looked for other metal scrap to throw in. One of these items was a metal broom handle. There was also a wooden pole we used to stir the fire with. Guess which one I grabbed? My right hand was fused to the metal for a second, ( the longest second of my life!), until I shook it free, and ran screaming into the house, bound for the refrigerator for ice. My hand was badly blistered and had to be kept in ice water for days. Naturally, I couldn't practice picking, so I would sit and work on chord positions. It was strung with 013's, so it really helped with my left hand strength. So, I guess I made the most out of a bad situation. I'd much prefer to improve my playing less painfully next time though. FIRE...BAAAAAD! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Mr Mojo Risin · October 2005

Those are some funny stories. They probably werent funny at the time but its always fun to look back on this kind of stuff in the future.

I used the splint on my finger to play slide Cool Unfortunately (fortunately?) it healed before I got any good at slide guitar.

Lol I tried that yesterday, but it was hard because its on my right hand.

I got half my right index finger chopped off with my lawn mower Very Happy haha thought id be safe in clearing out the grass stuck inside while it was still running, but put my hand in just a bit too far and BANG. Hurt like f*** for the next 3 hours where i had to continue mowing the lawns (was only 17 at the time) Sad put me out of playing for a couple of weeks just because i coulnt grip a pick with it.

I almost did that once, but I decided not to risk it and turned it off. I bet you wont do that again.

Take this time to learn theory.
Learn other techniques - around your injuries
Spend time programing drum tracks
work on mixing, recording even creating patches.
Work on your guitars - maintenance and upgade parts

Thats not a bad idea. I never took the time to learn theory because its something that comes to you as you play the guitar. But I have no doubt that learning it the boring way will help alot. Would you recomend using the internet, or getting a book from the library?

Once again, thanks for all the support. It really helps me feel better.

ednrg · October 2005

At the risk of getting labeled as :shock: \"...make lemonade\" :shock:

It would be a perfect time to bone up on music theory.

Choronzon · October 2005

Not trying to outdo anyone but I have had a few accidents with my right hand. Jammed it in a door when I was younger and it mashed up my third finger real good. Lost the nerves in my second finger due to a pane of glass LOL. I guess thats why I never got the hang of that finger pickin stuiff.

Funniest one I ever did was the afternoon before a gig, was laying some carpet with a stanley blade and the blade slipped, right down to the bone on my left thumb. Still played the guitar that night but the remarks I got about leeking blood all night LOL

Jesus Rules!! · October 2005

Ouchie!!

Broke my right elbow, but that did not stop me from playing guitar or pool.

I choked up to much on a sledge hammer and tore a hunk off of the font of my right pointer finger between the 1st and 2nd knuckel. Raked it on a metal stake. :evil: I was really mad at myself, and thought, \"how could I do such a thing!\" and it all seemed un-real at the time.

I saw a little white rubber-band looking thingie in there (tendon), every thing was gone around it, but it was un touched, THANK GOD!!

I wraped it, bleed for about 10 min. then went back to work, after about 5 more min. I was getting faint, so I quit and headed home. I was out in the country doing concrete and did not want to pass out there all alone in the middle of nowhere.

My wife had the sence to make me go in and get 13 stitches in it. They put shots in my hand at the knuckels, OUCH!!

The worse part was that my wife was talking to the Dr., I finally said, \"Baby, will you please let the man do his job? Because the shots are wearing off.\" The last two stitches were 'Rambo style.\"

Thomas · October 2005

Let's not forget about the good ol' master Mr. Les Paul who was injured in a near-fatal automobile accident in January 1948 in Oklahoma, which shattered his right arm and elbow. Paul spent a year and a half recovering. He instructed the surgeons to set his arm at an angle that would allow him to cradle and pick the guitar. I think history has proven he was able to pick up the old axe again

And there is always the one armed bandid in Def Leppard!!! It is amazing what strong will and some ingenuety can do

Peace,

Thomas

Mr Mojo Risin · October 2005

Heres an inspiring story. Ozzy's old guitarist got the tips of two of his fingers chopped off his left hand. He thought he would never play guitar again. Then he put a special kind of tape on his fingers and he played guitar better then ever. He continued playing at live shows and was able to play everything he used to play.

I went to the doctor for a followup and I have to go back to work tomorow morning. Its gonna suck. Theres nothing I can do on my job with my condition.

aRcTuRuS · October 2005

\Mr Mojo Risin\ wrote:

Heres an inspiring story. Ozzy's old guitarist got the tips of two of his fingers chopped off his left hand.

Correction, Black Sabbath's current guitarist

and it was his right hand, cuz he is a leftie axeman

Mr Mojo Risin · October 2005

What did I say?

Heres an inspiring story. Ozzy's old guitarist got the tips of two of his fingers chopped off his left hand. He thought he would never play guitar again. Then he put a special kind of tape on his fingers and he played guitar better then ever. He continued playing at live shows and was able to play everything he used to play.

Nevermind lol

granitehead · October 2005

I might get the prize for the most unusual hand disorder. I have this weird hereditary disease called \"Dupuytren's Contracture\" whereby the facia (sub-dermal layer) under the skin of the palms thickens and forms hard nodules and/or ropey cords that constrict movement of the fingers. It first started to manifest about 2 yrs ago and completely knocked out my bluegrass banjo playing which is all about fine motor control in the right hand. Really bummed me out.
But, since flat-picking's completely unaffected, I took it as an opportunity to get back into kick-butt rock guitar which I did for 20 yrs before picking up the banjo back in '89. Jeez, I'm having a blast doing this! And, I can still play mando and clawhammer banjo which don't require the fine finger control that Scruggs-style picking does, so I can still keep my fingers (as it were) in the Bluegrass / Old-Time cookie jar.
- g

P.G.Shadow · October 2005

I did a real nice one just acouple of weeks ago,Stuck myself in the backside of my forearm with my carpet knife.No nerve damage,but I think I tagged a tendon,It was alittle sore for a few days,but things are getting back to normal.

Ever been in an accident so bad you couldnt play guitar?

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