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Martink93

How do you guys stop your nails breaking

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I’m sure that others will chip in with suggestions that he sit with his nails in a saucer of vinegar or paint them with clear nail polish or similar. 

Ive always just filed mine short on both hands and use the pads of my fingers rather than the nails.

Almost certainly a poor technique that’s frowned upon but it works for me.

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I understand that learning good manicure technique is important (only filing in one direction, etc) and using quality files (Andy Summers uses a diamond one IIRC). Using clear coat nail varnish and building up the layers should help. I think I read somewhere that a renowned fingerstyle player uses stick on nails.
 

I try to grow mine, but they tend to flake (I don’t do any of the above) and I’m not keen on the sound of them on bass, so they stay short like @Skinnyman’s.

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On 28/01/2021 at 22:36, Skinnyman said:

I’m sure that others will chip in with suggestions that he sit with his nails in a saucer of vinegar or paint them with clear nail polish or similar. 

Ive always just filed mine short on both hands and use the pads of my fingers rather than the nails.

Almost certainly a poor technique that’s frowned upon but it works for me.

I do the same. Much prefer it. My problem was not breaking nails but rather a phobia I'd rip one off, or the high E would slide up between finger and nail like a cheesewire and pull it off. Never had a problem picking with the pads of my finger clawhammer style. 

The other easy option would be to get some finger-picks that slide onto the end of the fingers. Come in metal or plastic. Cliff Gallup used metal ones with his Gretsch back in the 50s, if memory serves. 

4Pcs/set Finger Guitar Picks Celluloid Finger Thumb Guitar ...

?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.RgER9wBqGgIgYlvyn4KIiQAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1

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25 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

What he says 🙂

Then again, I'm a bass player who plays with fingers so nails get in the way. If I finger pick on a guitar I still use the fleshy bit of my fingers rather than nails

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On 25/02/2021 at 09:35, EdwardMarlowe said:

I do the same. Much prefer it. My problem was not breaking nails but rather a phobia I'd rip one off, or the high E would slide up between finger and nail like a cheesewire and pull it off. Never had a problem picking with the pads of my finger clawhammer style. 

The other easy option would be to get some finger-picks that slide onto the end of the fingers. Come in metal or plastic. Cliff Gallup used metal ones with his Gretsch back in the 50s, if memory serves. 

4Pcs/set Finger Guitar Picks Celluloid Finger Thumb Guitar ...

?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.RgER9wBqGgIgYlvyn4KIiQAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1

I dabble with the banjo and use metal finger picks in a claw hammer style

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41 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

I have reported this to the relevant authorities.

 

😁

The last time I was practising, I was starting to get speed up with playing the rolls that are prevalent in Bluegrass music. Next thing Mrs Ubits son came through and closed over the door. Talk about being shut down without a word.

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3 hours ago, ubit said:

The last time I was practising, I was starting to get speed up with playing the rolls that are prevalent in Bluegrass music. Next thing Mrs Ubits son came through and closed over the door. Talk about being shut down without a word.


I know a cabaret performer who had just completed a rehearsal at home of a new number, looked at  his cat and said "What did you think?" Whereupon the cat vomited on the floor, and stalked off. Everyone's a critic... 

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