https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 23:02:32 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354200 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:36:44 +0000 Slide and Alternate tunings Steinar Gregertsen https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354200 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354159 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:37:33 +0000 Slide and Alternate tunings Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354159 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354153 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 03:13:33 +0000 I think the people into whose bodily orifices I must occasionally insert my fingers or even more occasionally, a hand, would generally prefer that I stick to using fingerpicks rather than growing out my nails. They might prefer it -- until you lose a fingerpick in there. Ouchie! :lol:]]> Slide and Alternate tunings Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354153 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354149 Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:18:47 +0000
I'm glad you've found success with your nails!]]> Slide and Alternate tunings Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354149 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354140 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:13:01 +0000
At last, I've got what I've wanted for years.

The advantages of fingerpicks have been well described upthread. The big advantages of bare fingers: availability of different tones from nail, flesh or any nuanced combination of the two; ability to mute strings with picking fingers; no need to carry utensils to the music store. Small distinctions, and it's totally a matter of personal preference. Everyone should play the guitar the way they want to play it. Myself, I think mostly I just like to feel the string directly.

If fingerpicks bug you, you CAN get good results from bare fingers & nails, with a little daily maintenance. Moisturizing a few times a day definitely helps. So does sanding/filing rather than clipping, I think, and rubber gloves for housework. Scrybe, thanks again!]]> Slide and Alternate tunings Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-354140 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-353131 Fri, 21 May 2010 04:34:27 +0000
I already knew where my Reso Piks for lap style playing were.)

:mrgreen:]]> Slide and Alternate tunings Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-353131 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-353119 Thu, 20 May 2010 22:09:57 +0000
Instead of emery boards, most nail shaping is done with a small stack of wet-or-dry sandpaper -- progressively finer grits up to 1500. Moisturizing primarily with 100 percent aloe vera gel, then with an olive oil-beeswax combo (homemade).

Also practicing -- slowly and carefully -- with metal fingerpicks, put on "sideways" as Steinar suggested, and a small thumbpick modified to change contact angle with strings. These modifications have got me back to work, and that's a blessing. They are a viable option, after all -- but I'm hoping in the long run for usable nails.

(I'm keeping this thread updated because it's clear I'm not the only player who doesn't favor fingerpicks, & maybe someone else will benefit. You never know who's lurking out there....)]]> Slide and Alternate tunings Crow https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-353119 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-352877 Fri, 14 May 2010 08:23:30 +0000 Slide and Alternate tunings Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-352877 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-352812 Thu, 13 May 2010 08:17:53 +0000 Slide and Alternate tunings Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/3/#post-352812 https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/2/#post-352800 Thu, 13 May 2010 00:50:53 +0000 Slide and Alternate tunings Scrybe https://guitarnoise.forum/slide-and-alternate-tunings/fingernail-follies-rant/paged/2/#post-352800