The 4 Best Guitar Gloves – Playing Gloves Review 2023

guitar gloves, guitar playing gloves

Photo by Rodrigo Ruiz Ciancia / CC BY

For most guitar players, playing guitar with gloves on sounds counter intuitive. With that said, there are those who must use gloves if they want to play stringed instruments at all. The reason for this is a number of medical conditions that makes playing guitar without gloves borderline impossible.

However, this is not the only reason why gloves are used for playing guitar and bass guitar. If you play a style of music that requires you to do numerous slides, a glove can alleviate a good portion of pain and skin damage that is usually the result of this playing technique. Today, we are going to take a look at several products that will help you if you have trouble playing with your bare fingers.

These will include gloves, finger caps, and other solutions. What we are looking for in all of these products is their comfort, ease of use, and the ability to resist wear. All of these factors were used as guidelines when we chose the products for this article. With that said, let’s go over our picks—the 4 best guitar gloves for the money.

Musician’s Practice Glove

Musician’s Practice Glove is currently one of the best guitar playing gloves on the market. This model alone pretty much dominates this very niche segment. This glove was designed and manufactured in a way that gives you the maximum comfort, and the ability to retain the most of the sensitivity you have when you play with bare fingers.

This particular version of the glove can be used on both your left or right hand. The material is very soft and thin. This makes it warm and comfortable enough to be used over an extended period of time, while at the same time giving you the ability to feel exactly what you’re doing on the fretboard. If you are looking for a glove suitable for playing bass guitar, this is it. No matter the string gauge, you can rely on Musician’s Practice Glove to give you the performance you need.

And for those who suffer from arthritis, Musician’s Practice Glove is warm enough to keep your joints comfortable even in colder environments.

Reusable Rubber Finger Gloves

If you find guitar playing gloves to be too cumbersome and uncomfortable, Reusable Rubber Finger Gloves offer a great alternative that can give you most of the attributes a regular glove can, with a much smaller footprint. The ones we are looking at here are made of a durable compound that is capable of sustaining a lot of use without getting damaged. Aside from being rugged, this material also enables you to acquire a much better grip on the fretboard. It reduces slipping and is a perfect tool for those who have sweaty hands.

These finger gloves are actually very thin, which ensures increased dexterity. The fact that we are talking about five separate finger gloves instead of a standard glove means that you can choose which fingers you will cover. Not only that, but you can trim these to get the length you want or need. For some users, this kind of versatility is a must. This is exactly what the Reusable Rubber Finger Gloves bring to the table. Reusable Rubber Finger Gloves are a great product not only for those who have specific medical conditions, but also those who want to avoid getting calluses or just want more comfort when playing guitar.  Bar none, these are among the best guitar gloves.

Musician’s Practice Glove

This glove is pretty much the same as the one we described earlier, with the main difference being that it comes in a two-pack. If you’re wondering why we decided to put the same glove on this list twice, it’s because this glove is simply that good. The level of comfort and dexterity it brings to the user is just impressive. Truth be told, this product is aimed more at those with a medical condition which prevents them from playing their instrument normally. We are talking different skin conditions and arthritis.

In the first case, this glove protects the skin on your fingers by reducing the contact between the ribbed surface of the strings and your fingers which would otherwise cause significant damage. With that said, the glove is warm enough to keep your joints comfortable if you have arthritis or other conditions that affect this specific part of the finger.

BCP Fingertip Protector

Lastly, we got a very inexpensive solution that does a decent job at protecting your fingertips. These fingertip protectors made by BCP are constructed using a very fine silicone compound that protects the surface of your fingertips while impacting your tactile dexterity only slightly. These are definitely not a remedy for more serious medical conditions; rather, they offer a solution for those whose fingers get easily callused. On the other hand, if you have recently injured your fingertips but still want to play guitar, BCP Fingertip Protectors will get the job done just fine.

These come in different sizes, which makes them pretty versatile despite the size of your hands. There are three pieces for each size, allowing you to cover up to three fingers at a time. When it comes to their durability, BCP Fingertip Protectors are reusable and will last you for quite a while before they start getting worn out. This is not a long term solution by any means, but they are perfect for a short term remedy.

What to Look for When Buying the Best Guitar Gloves

Comfort, durability, and dexterity were the main things we were looking for in products for this list. Comfort is likely the most important one as it guarantees that the user can play over extended periods of time without suffering fatigue or pain. This is especially important for those who have arthritis as their joints are extremely sensitive in this regard. In terms of durability, we needed products that could be used over and over again without getting damaged or worn out.

The Musician’s Practice Glove is definitely best in this regard. The rest of the products on the list offer varying levels of durability. When it comes to dexterity, our requirements were that using any of the products we come up with wouldn’t limit your ability to be accurate on the fretboard. The four products we listed here are definitely your best bet when it comes to this type of glove on the market.  They are, in our humble opinion, the best guitar gloves you can buy.

playing guitar with boxing gloves

Written and Reviewed By

  • Micah Johnson started playing music in high school, when he taught himself the bass to join his friend’s band. He added guitar and drums during his twenties playing in local clubs, and along the way, he picked up unique, hands-on experience from hand drums to studio mixers. On Song Simian, he aims to share this knowledge from 20+ years playing and recording music. When not in gearhead mode, he enjoys photography and travel.

  • Marko is the senior editor and writer on Ultimate Guitar, the No. 1 guitar spot on the web, since early 2013. His work was also featured on a variety of other notable gear spots such as Guitar Fella, Consordini, and, of course, Song Simian. His musical journey began at a very young age, and he finally opted to pick up an instrument in his early teenage years. A fan of King Crimson. A travel enthusiast.

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