Hey Fingerpickers, What's your fingernail regime? Favourite strengthening tactic? How to protect your nails once you have them! Thanks, Kevin.

I Play almost exclusively with fingers and over the years have attempted to strengthen, varnish, file, use false nails etc. and then gave up completely by cutting them as short as possible and just use the end of the fingers... maybe not a bright as nails but I just add a little tops to my amp/PA to compensate... afterall I'm not a classical concert guitarist.

After years of all kinds of things, I've settled on nothing other than occasionally filing out any rough edges, nothing else. When I do gig a lot, I have fibreglass overlays put on.

kholmes wrote: I have tried acrylic nails and usually Epoxy them on, cos the "Superglue" supplied is not strong enough, but am worried that an extended period of doing that may damage my natural nails.

No, you need the proper stuff. The glue itself will not damage your nails, but if it adheres too well, then if/when the acrylic comes off it will take some of your nail with it. The way salons do it by roughing up the nail surface lasts well, but tends to weaken the nail itself so you are always reliant on having an overlay.

I get the silk fibreglass from http://mirosimic.com, which is the most natural sounding material, and use proper high grade thin superglue (from modelling/RC shops, luthier supply houses or better hardware stores). I clean the nail with acetone before applying (which removes any oils), but do not rough up the surface. They don't last as long as a salon applied nail, but when they come off, they come off clean, with less chance of damaging the real nail underneath.

Anyone tried Sally Hanson's Strengtheners?

Useless. Most hardeners use formaldehyde, which do make your nails harder, but also more brittle, so you are just as likely to break them.

Plain natural nails work for me. Filing them down is obviously necessary... they grow. I avoid wearing nail varnish, I find it weakens my nails, I've just had an unfortunate experience of my nails being weakened (because I sit scratching the stuff off) and now it's finally grown out - I'm so happy to have my nails back, they're more than adequate.

I have horribly weak nails, which drives me insane, so I'm pretty much in the same boat.

What you've gotta remember is that your nails are essentially the same make up as your hair, just compacted. Things like false nails when used for too long can result in the nail underneath weakening, my ex boss (Robin Gallagher) used to occasionally go through periods where the woman he was going to in order to apply acrylics would tell him to stop using them and wait for his nails to strengthen up a bit more before attempting to attach false nails again, so he'd end up using finger picks for about a month.

The best treatment to strengthen them is to actually condition them with oil, I think almond oil is what I used to use, essentially you just sit and rub it into your nails everyday for a bit, this hydrates the nail and allows it to be more elastic which helps curb breakage, also you shouldn't use harsh nail files, generally it's recommended to go as far as rather using 2000 grit water paper instead. The finish will be a lot smoother and less prone to catching.

These are all tips I got from a classical player I'm friends with who has a book called the nail primer for classical guitarists or something like that.

I use fingers exclusively. Used to have acrylic, which was great, however they do not apply to the motor trade that well. Even managerial you get dirt on your hands and when you wash your hands the dirt gets under the nails :'(

I'm surprised that more finger style players don't do what lap and pedal steel players do and use a pick on each finger along with a thumb pick. I would guess that there'd be an adjustment to be made as the picks would have the effect of pushing your hand away from the top of the guitar, but issues with nails (and with overlays) go away. Martin Simpson plays with a thumb pick and overlays and that can't be that different from using a full complement of picks.

there's only really one secret to great finger nails. and that's to do up your zip with great care, otherwise you will lose your index finger nail with regular monotony.

seriously though, although i'm not a serious gigging guitarist, the best solution i've found is to keep my nails at the best length for me, which is just peeking towards the tips of my fingers. i use that pink vaseline nail & cuticle stuff. seems to keep the nails in good condition. and don't be too vigorous when cleaning - use a nailbrush rather than a nail cleaner. if you must use a nail cleaner, get those nail sticks, they're more gentle on the structure of your nails, especially at the edges of your nails, which is where i generally find cracks and stuff start to appear.

in terms of length, the longer they are, the more prone they are to catching, stripping, and generally not playing the game. the shorter you can getting away with them, while still getting a little brightness on the strings, the better. lots of players do just use their fingers, but if you want to go ahead and use your nails, along with the tips of your fingers, i believe you can eke out a bit more dynamics from your playing.

have fun
dh|