Finger Nails - any tips? - GuitarTalk Community

Finger Nails - any tips?

Wynand

Hi all,

How many of you guitar forum readers have tried growing their nails for guitar playing?

Earlier this year I decided to take up the flamenco style of guitar playing(been playing for 10yrs). I went full out, even doing the "long nails" thing - which freaked me out at first, but I sort of got used to it. I was pleasantly surprised by the great tone I got while playing the good ol' steel string with these new "perma-plectrums" ?

Only problem is that the steel string playing is especially tough on the nail of my index finger. It seems to "dig a ditch" into the nail after only one session.

Any tips on strengthening the nails would be appreciated

Bob-Dubery

Experts do not agree!

Martin Simpson uses a plastic thumb pick and artificial nails on his picking fingers.

Martin Carthy uses a metal thumb pick and natural nails which he looks after very carefully by doing as much as possible left-handed.

Bruce Cockburn uses nothing on the thumb as far as I can tell, grows the nails on his picking fingers and coats them with super glue

Richard Thompson uses a thumb pick or a flat pick and keeps his nails short and thus uses finger tips rather than nails on his picking fingers

I would think that the Simpson approach is the most common, but it's not the only one.

I got tired of broken nails (usually just before I was going to play a gig) and having to keep them at the right length (I found too long was a problem too). So I'm moving to flesh all round. There was an adjustment to be made, but it's not a big one. I don't think I notice a difference in speed or accuracy, but I do notice a difference in tone and in balance of bass strings re treble strings. This is not "better" or "worse", just "different".

deefstes

I've had long fingernails on my right hand for many years now. It still draws remarks from people who see it but I'm used to it by now. I prefer the tone I get with nails by far to the tone I get with finger tips. That and, after many years of playing, I have still not gotten used to playing without nails.

Of course, my nails break fairly often (especially my index and middle fingers) which messes up my playing one time seeing as I'm not comfortable playing with finger tips. It's a major downside and I wish I knew what to do about it. I've tried nail strengtheners and I've even had a nail bar fit me out with acrylic nails (which was absolutely fantastic, but last only a relatively short while).

Another downside is that I hate switching between fingers and plectrum so, when I switch from fingerstyle to strumming I usually strum without a plectrum which, on a steel string, eats away at my index finger nail like nobody's business.

So to answer your question, and to reiterate Bob's point, there's no silver bullet. I wish there was. I'd recommend you try some nail strengthener that you can buy from any nail bar and most pharmacies or cosmetics counters. They certainly help but in my case they're not enough. Alternatively you could consider getting acrylic nails done, for me it worked like a charm, best solution yet. The biggest problem with that is that they last only a couple of weeks by which time you need a touch up and after a few touch ups you need new nails. Also, the mess up your real nails something fierce so when they come off you won't have guitar nails for a month or however long it takes for them to grow out again.

Ray

I growed my finger nails as well. It wasnt comfortable. And the okes in my fourball told me to get lost. And I couldnt get into another fourball. So I cut my nails. And then the other day I found this little bowl of funny things and I said to my wife what's this? And she said it's fingernails that she got from a friend whose nail bar went under. It's no wonder when you check all the nail bars down all the roads hey. Anyway, I've got these but I dont know how to put them on. I suppose I need some glue or something. Why dont you paint some superglue on your nails?

Bob-Dubery

You can always try something like this...

Bob-Dubery

See my remarks above about Messrs Carthy and Thompson. Long nails are a hassle. You have to protect them. Carthy tries to do lots of things left-handed and has an odd grip on the pen when signing autographs (I know this from personal experience). Thompson likes to garden and camp and hike and do odd jobs around the house and he said that for him the better bargain was to just keep his nails short and play with finger tips (he plays hybrid - flat pick and fingers - nearly all the time).

There's no free lunch! I'm currently resolved to not grow my nails or have any kind of glue-ons or clip-ons. So when I start getting that lekker feeling when there's just enough nail to get some on the string and give it the tone that I got used to I have to cut them back again - but at least there's not much to break and if it does break it doesn't impact on my playing.

MikeM

Try not to wet that hand for a while. My nails become super hard when I had a cast on and I have a hunch that it's because it was kept from hot water etc for a while.

guitarboy2828

You could always get acrylics. I swear by them now that I've used them for the past 5 months. I have them on 4 nails (thumb, index, middle and ring). I go in every 2-3 weeks and get them filled in. They are super strong, nothing can break those things. If you are serious about getting into flamenco or fingerstyle on steel string, check out the acrylic route. Just be warned, you will not find a girlfriend easily, the general public probably won't accept you and unless you're REALLY good on guitar, no one will believe that they are actually for guitar. ?

Keira-WitherKay

well if you play a lot ........as in more than once a week , maybe consider acrylic gel nails....... i use em .......and they last 3 weeks before i redo them ....in fact i have an apointment to get them done tomorrow ........... i find them perfect for nylon and steel string ........... and i do music pro......and only use my nails ......for the world music(on nylon flamenco guitar ) and the jazz (on semi hollow electric jazz guitar and telecaster) and i have no probs.....and i been doing it for ages and no damage to my real nails either .......

best advice is find what works for you and stick to it .........

AlanRatcliffe

I only play with nails. Ideally you need a good balance between flexibility and hardness (like a katana) to keep your nails in top shape for playing. Nail hardeners (Hard as Nails, etc.) are just formaldehyde (yes, the stuff they preserve bodies with) and while they harden your nails, they also make them way too brittle, so they break easily. A layer of superglue helps thicken up thin nails and can be touched up as needed - that's the best solution for most. Use superglue and tissue paper for repairing split nails.

Fibreglass (silk & superglue) overlays for me when I'm playing a lot (especially electric), but without roughing up my real nails before applying (the overlays come off after a couple of weeks, but don't damage the nail underneath when they do). Closest thing for me tonally and feel-wise to my real nails and can take some serious punishment...

Classical players also commonly cut up ping pong balls and glue those on as falsies - the nitrocellulose of the proper balls is the closest thing you will get to a real nail tonally and flexibility-wise (but they do look weird).

Paul E wrote: Just be warned, you will not find a girlfriend easily

Learn to use them properly and their reservations disappear very quickly. 'Nuff said...

Had a funny situation a few weeks ago. Sitting having breakfast with Steve Newman and we were discussing nail care at length while my wife (a pianist who has never had long nails) was bored out of her skull.

Wynand

Thanx for all the tips guys,

For now I'm going to try the super glue coating, and see how that goes.

I think I might try out the finger picks as well if the glue doesn't do the job.

With regards to social implications, I've had some people really checking me out weird. Especially when I have my nailed paws wrapped around a cup of java ? Luckily most people I know, know It's for guitar and appreciate my playing.

deebee

Resin and tissue cloth fibreglass. There is fairly new resin catalyst, [it's a powder], on the market which dries mixed resin to full strength in 5 seconds as soon as it is hit by UV light. Use laminating resin, it is slightly flexible, and u can add on to it without needing to sand.

deefstes

wynj wrote: For now I'm going to try the super glue coating, and see how that goes.

Sorry for being a fly in the ointment but I would advise against that. It's not that I don't think it's a good solution (I've never tried it myself) but I just don't think you should start with it. There's been a lot of good advice in this thread from players who's been around the block and found something that worked for them. That's not to say that you should use whatever worked for someone else.

I would rather recommend you start by just trying to strengthen you nails in a more natural way. There are products on the market that does a fairly good job. They don't harden your nails as such, they basically just feed the keratogenous membrane to produce stronger nails. It didn't work for me (well, it worked sort of but not good enough) and might not work for you but I'd say it's worth trying before you start treating your nails with superglue.

Once you've tried that and it doesn't work, I'd suggest you could start looking at something more invasive. Just my thoughts.

Wynand

Thanx Dewald,

I like the idea of actually trying a natural approach.

Keira-WitherKay

wynj wrote: Thanx Dewald,

I like the idea of actually trying a natural approach.

i too am into the natural approach with most things.but i too play with my fingers and i'm afraid if you play seriously ( by that i mean a s a performing musician) and play more than just an hour or so a week then face the facts you will need nail help .......... as the wear and tear is too much for natural nails to maintain over time......... natural nails are great for the occassional use or when someone uses a pick /plectrum for most of the show and only a number or two on nails..........

and i too don't like using what i do (acrylic gel nails but it's essential and sorts all the probs........ and there will always be some exceptions of people with strong enough natural nails that will use it .but for the rest of us (and thats most every pro fingerstyle and classical player i know ) we all use some kind of "false nail" there are many options........as you can see above......... try em all and then settle on one ......... that works for you ...it took me about 6 months and 3 different types of false nails before i settled on what i use.......

but by the sounds of it you a flamenco player so thats pretty hectic right hand technique which will damage and take it's toll on your nails ,

deefstes

Keira WitherKay wrote: and i too don't like using what i do (acrylic gel nails but it's essential and sorts all the probs........

Keira, could you explain a little more specifically please? I've used acrylic nails before and it worked wonderfully but the way I understood there are two types of false nails, i.e. acrylic nails and gel nails. Have I got it wrong or what exactly are you referring to by "acrylic gel" nails?

AlanRatcliffe

Keira WitherKay wrote: i'm afraid if you play seriously ( by that i mean a s a performing musician) and play more than just an hour or so a week then face the facts you will need nail help .......... as the wear and tear is too much for natural nails to maintain over time.........

+1. I can get away with it when I'm not playing too much, but the moment the gigs step up, so do the overlays. And I have naturally strong nails and don't play steel-string acoustic guitars.

Bob-Dubery

Playing the guitar is actually not a very natural activity. It's not what our fingertips evolved to deal with or, if you prefer, a task to which our residual nails are well suited.

Playing nylon string guitar is not a natural thing to do. Playing steel string guitar is even less natural.

This leads me to conclude that natural remedies and products that promote some kind of natural process ain't going to cut the mustard.

Playing soccer is not a natural activity really, but nobody thinks twice about wearing boots and shin pads.

deefstes

Guys, I'm not disputing the value of artificial nails or artificial strengthening. All I'm saying is that it sounds a bit extreme to immediately start treating your nails with superglue or get acrylic nails fitted before you've even tried a natural remedy. Don't underestimate the value of rubbing your fingernails even with just a vitamin E oil or hand lotion every time you've washed them. People tend to forget that healthy nails are stronger nails. Take care of your cuticles and your nails and they will be stronger. Whether it is strong enough for your style of guitar playing remains to be seen but it is worth trying, isn't it?

And it's not even that I'm all fanatic about being au naturel. I'm all for acrylic nails or whatever artificial method works for you. But you'll have to admit that each one of these artificial methods have its down sides. To me the biggest down side of acrylic nails is that you have to touch it up regularly and replace it intermittently. Plus, there is NOTHING more horrible than an acrylic nail breaking on you. It happened to me once and it hurts like hell. Conversely, I'm not aware of any down sides to products that provide extra nutrition to the keratogenous membrane - other than that it may not be good enough for you (but then again, it just might).

As a matter of interest, I don't play flamenco, but I know that long fingernails are not the norm as one might think (except for the thumb). The two most dominant styles (apoyando and tirando) both rely on shorter fingernails which offer greater speed. At least one very prominent flamenco guitarist that I know of (Tomatito) plays with only his natural nails except for the thumb on which he uses a plectrum for the alzapúa thumb technique. Look him up on youtube for some excellent flamenco.

V8

wynj wrote: Hi all,

How many of you guitar forum readers have tried growing their nails for guitar playing?

Great question - thanks for asking (and to all for answering!)

My 1st throught was - Dietary, Calcium supplements, etc... But I'm wrong - http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/nail-care/tips/home-remedies-for-nail-problems1.htm. Acrylic nails it is...!

I've been doing a head-u-cation on my ears - Finger flesh vs Fingernails vs Flat Pics, vs Thumb Picks, etc...From my reading (and experimentation), if I want a certain sound, I gotta use a certain right-hand technique (of which picking is large part). E.g. Albert King/SRV have a style, Hubert Sumlin has a style, Kirk Hammet has a style, etc...

It has really helped that I've got two nicely set-up instruments - A kinman equipped stratocaster & I was lucky to be the receipient of one of Keira's iBeam equiped nylon string Yamaha acoustics, because I wanted to explore flamenco a bit - and over a few months I've found that I have to play with my nails. Particularly on the acoustic, the flat-picks now sound 'dead' to my ears compared to the tone of finger nails. The woody tone really stands out with nails and seems (to me) dulled by the use of a pick.

But I only play 8-10 hours a week and I don't gig, so I can suffer a week or two waiting for a nail to grow back ?

What surprised me, was that I prefer the finger nail tone on the electric as well - although they get in the way of playing bass the way I was used too...Swings and round-a-bouts I guess :-\

greets,

V8