Ahh! Not my nail again!

Oh sorry to hear about the broken nail...Don't fingerpick SO much that it breaks..Give it a rest.

I play classical guitar so i fingerpick all the time.The nails should NOT break i guess.
Come over to GN a few more often.(that seems like a reverse advice lol )

Rahul

That sucks,

I am blessed with very hard nails and have never broken one. I do know that Paul McCartney wore a fake nail to play blackbird with because he was wearing it off.

No one that I know uses one but why not give it a try.

I tried Alaska Piks but...I don't really like them that much. I'm into thumbpicks and fingerpicks now because of the lap steel, BUT for many years I kept my nails up for classical and fingerpicking on electric.

You might try false nails, but also make sure, when you're shaping the nails, to not use a regular cross-cut file. Use one of those 'encrusted' type; the netal ones but with the sandpaper like coating. My classical teacher told me years ago that the cross-cut files shred and tear the nails rather than grind them down evenly.

The next most important thing is to keep the edges of the nails smooth. When they start to roughen up, they create more friction against the strings and wear down even faster. I use a #320 opencoat sand paper; the whitish looking stuff (also at the suggestion of my teacher), and it smooths and polishes the nail edges down so they're smooth like glass. As soon as I'd feel a rough spot developing, I'd smooth it with the sand paper again. It's best when the paper gets a little used and gray looking; it really gets things polished then.

Also, and I think you already know this, never play right after washing your hands or getting your nails wet in any way. Let things dry out first. But...don't go overboard; I've heard of concertizing classical guys wearing playtex dishwashing gloves in the shower, only opening doors with their left hands, etc.

I guess if you're making a living at it, okay, but...whoa, you know?

Acrylic nails - no

Fingerpicks - I struggle with them

Clear Nail Varnish is the answer. A couple of layers does the job nicely and keeps the nail intact. Asking for some in the middle of JPMorgan's main London building was an interesting experience, though, and only got me one response; from one of the girls. Now I keep some in my guitar case.

Best,

A :-)

The strange thing is, the nails on my strumming/picking hand break easily - the nails on my fretting hand don't.....

So I asked a question on the other side forum, how do you toughen up your nails -----

Elecktrablue recommended hoof cream..... haven't found any yet, but I live in hope.....

:D :D :D

Vic

The strange thing is, the nails on my strumming/picking hand break easily - the nails on my fretting hand don't.....
Could that have something to do with their length?

I tried growing my nails recently but after two weeks of not biting them they still weren't long enough to pick with. I go so frustrated with picking with my fingers-with-not-quite-enough-nails that I bit them off and went back to the flesh. I'm happy playing like this but still curious as to what it would be like picking something with a nice set of grown nails. Maybe it was never meant to be.

Polish helps and don't let them grow too long. About 1/8 inch past your finger tip not more than 1/4 inch. The longer they are the more likely they are to break.

I posted this in another forum where someone was asking a similar question, may have been Vic. I get acrylic nails put on my right hand because I play almost exclusively with my fingers and my picking hand nails break no matter how short I keep them.

You can buy some nail strengthener from QVC.

QVC is on the blocked list on my telly - QVC + Marilyn + Credit Card - oh I don't even want to think of the financial chaos that could create!!!

I also broke a nail last night, but that's the least of my problems - also broke my left forearm, two fingers and tore a musccle in my shoulder...it'll be 6-8 weeks before I can pick up a guitar again.....

But I'll bet I'm back in 4 weeks.....

:D :D :D

Vic

How in hades did you manage to do that Vic?
You know, this would be a perfect time to get a lapsteel :twisted:

Give Marilyn the Credit Card and QVC, maybe she'll buy you an Estenban Guitar and Hat

There was a dog lying where the top stair should have been.....

there are fourteen steps, I swear I hit every one of them at least twice....

then the front door - that woke Marilyn up......."Who the hell's knocking at this time of night..."

Oh Well - back to the blues harp....

:D :D :D

Vic

You could take a look at the Emergency Nail Kit here - http://www.ricoguitarnails.com/id1.html .

Haven't tried them myself, but I've been thinking about giving them a go.

tmac