Unfortunately my fingernails are pretty weak and they break quite often. As Pierre said, usually it's on the side very low so that there's nothing that can be done about it.
What I've done to fix it successfully quite a few times is to use superglue! Depending on how deep the crack is, I put quite a large glob of it on top of the crack and spread it around to sometimes as much as a quarter of my whole fingernail. When it dries, I usually put on a second coat. After that one dries I go at it with the fingernail file to smooth it down and shape it correctly at the edge. It's ugly, but it works. I want to keep playing so I'll try anything and this seems to work.
-Tom
Acrylic Nails
Cobalt-
I tried the acrylic filler for a few months with mixed success. It was very difficult to get the acrylic on smoothly. I would dip the brush in the solvent then into the powder trying to get the ratio right. Then when I would apply to the nail it would often get very thick and irregular. I would sand it down and smooth it out but it never looked real good. I also had trouble with them falling off after a few days. I dont know if I didnt clean my nail properly before applying or if I just didn't apply it right. Occasionally all the stars would align and the acrylic would go on perfectly, then they did work very well. I have been thinking about going to a salon but haven't yet. I think if you had the ability and you practiced enough you could do it yourself successfully.
I tried the acrylic filler for a few months with mixed success. It was very difficult to get the acrylic on smoothly. I would dip the brush in the solvent then into the powder trying to get the ratio right. Then when I would apply to the nail it would often get very thick and irregular. I would sand it down and smooth it out but it never looked real good. I also had trouble with them falling off after a few days. I dont know if I didnt clean my nail properly before applying or if I just didn't apply it right. Occasionally all the stars would align and the acrylic would go on perfectly, then they did work very well. I have been thinking about going to a salon but haven't yet. I think if you had the ability and you practiced enough you could do it yourself successfully.
I never, ever had a problem with my nails until I started playing Blackbird which, for some odd reason, grinds away the nail on my index finger just as surely as if I opened the car door on the Santa Monica Freeway and dragged my finger along the asphalt at 65 miles an hour. And since I stubbornly insist on keeping Blackbird in my repertoire, that poor little nail never has a chance to grow back.
O, Paul McCartney, why hast thou forsaken me so?
O, Paul McCartney, why hast thou forsaken me so?
dennisg wrote:
PM uses fingerpicks????(plectrums)
I never, ever had a problem with my nails until I started playing Blackbird which, for some odd reason, grinds away the nail on my index finger just as surely as if I opened the car door on the Santa Monica Freeway and dragged my finger along the asphalt at 65 miles an hour. And since I stubbornly insist on keeping Blackbird in my repertoire, that poor little nail never has a chance to grow back.
O, Paul McCartney, why hast thou forsaken me so?
PM uses fingerpicks????(plectrums)
A few months ago, someone here posted a link to James Taylors new web site. James said he was going to start teaching guitar. Well, he's a hell of a singer/songwriter, but he certainly isn't a teacher.
Anyway, the one thing I did see on his site, was that he too uses fake nails. And he showed footage of how he does it. It was pretty informative.
Scott
Anyway, the one thing I did see on his site, was that he too uses fake nails. And he showed footage of how he does it. It was pretty informative.
Scott
The trouble I have with my nails is they grow too damn quick, and are very strong never break. Because they grow so quick I constantly have to trim and file them which is honestly a pain in the proverbial! Amazing the number of people that sight my long nails on one hand and short on the other and know straight away I play guitar, great conversation starter sometimes; those that don't know give you a funny look and sidle off sideways mumbling something about very important appointment with the laundromat!
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neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
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Chasplaya wrote:
Get that nail growth under control Chas, or it'll play havoc with continental drift!The trouble I have with my nails is they grow too damn quick, and are very strong never break. Because they grow so quick I constantly have to trim and file them which is honestly a pain in the proverbial! Amazing the number of people that sight my long nails on one hand and short on the other and know straight away I play guitar, great conversation starter sometimes; those that don't know give you a funny look and sidle off sideways mumbling something about very important appointment with the laundromat!
This topic is of great interest to me. I was going to bring this up at one point with a similar topic regarding the nails vs. no nails aspects of fingerstyle playing. I just never got around to it. From the replies I’ve read here it appears the benefits of having well-shaped nails that are long and strong enough are far more important to fingerpicking than I had realized.
My problems is I can’t seem to keep the nails on my right (picking) hand long enough to be of any real use. Oddly enough, from time to time I do have to file the nails on my left (fretting) hand a bit so they don’t compete with the callouses on my fingertips. This has caused me to shy away from fingerpicking songs which in itself isn’t too terrible since I lean towards flatpicking anyway. Of course it is limiting my scope because whatever fingerpicking songs I do play have to be able to sound decent when played with just the fleshy part of my fingers. That rules out some songs with heavy emphasis in bass line and the like.
Currently I am working on two songs that primarily are flat picked but have parts where pinches and/or rolls require the use of my fingertips. Lacking the nails on those fingers makes it a major challenge to get it to sound right. I had never considered artificial acrylic nails, and still don’t think I’d want to go that route but I am certainly going to look into some of the other options such as nail conditioner, strengthener and/or acrylic filler mentioned here.
Thanks for the topic and the input folks!
♫ Ken ♫
My problems is I can’t seem to keep the nails on my right (picking) hand long enough to be of any real use. Oddly enough, from time to time I do have to file the nails on my left (fretting) hand a bit so they don’t compete with the callouses on my fingertips. This has caused me to shy away from fingerpicking songs which in itself isn’t too terrible since I lean towards flatpicking anyway. Of course it is limiting my scope because whatever fingerpicking songs I do play have to be able to sound decent when played with just the fleshy part of my fingers. That rules out some songs with heavy emphasis in bass line and the like.
Currently I am working on two songs that primarily are flat picked but have parts where pinches and/or rolls require the use of my fingertips. Lacking the nails on those fingers makes it a major challenge to get it to sound right. I had never considered artificial acrylic nails, and still don’t think I’d want to go that route but I am certainly going to look into some of the other options such as nail conditioner, strengthener and/or acrylic filler mentioned here.
Thanks for the topic and the input folks!
♫ Ken ♫
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cobalt1254
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Thanks for all the replies as I am going to watch the James Taylor video. From watching the lady in the nail place do mine I don't think it will be too hard. Ive read some about "lifting" and that has never happened to me while getting them done from a pro. The nails do make a nice difference as your picking is much more loud and clear. About the reference to Paul M, he has one acrylic nail on his index finger and he did that because of using it so much over the years, it just wore down on him. So I guess that now I have to figure out where to buy the stuff! Thanks again everybody.