# Acrylic Nails?



## ArmondLuckey (Mar 18, 2015)

Has anyone experimented with getting acrylic nails? My fingernails don't grow very far, I'm talking like don't even clear my skin. So i'm constantly playing with flesh and there's just not enough volume or definition. Thanks in advance


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## GRIZ (Mar 18, 2015)

They do make picks that you put over your fingers..

Plastic, metal, tortex... You name it, they have it. Would be cheaper and more reasonable than acrylic nails.


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## Neilzord (Mar 19, 2015)

"I'm constantly playing with flesh" 



As said you can get finger picks that go onto your fingers but in my experience (be it along time ago) they fall off & Don't feel "right" although personally I wouldn't want to glue acrylic nails on ( I barely play finger picking anymore) I can definitely see this being a good option to solve your problems!


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## ElRay (Mar 19, 2015)

My Daughter's Classical Instructor uses the DIY Silk Wrap from Ulta Beauty Supplies when he's got a chip or a split, but not on a regular basis.

I've used regular drug store nail strengthener, and that just sets on top of my nails and playing flakes it off. Plus, it's noticeably shiny.

There's some matte nail strengthener that some online shops that cater to Classical players stock, I have no experience with it. 

Other than the typical finger picks I know of:

aLaska picks: aLaska Pik - Finger & Thumbnail Pick for Stringed Instruments




​
Butterfly Picks: Butterfly Finger Picks



​

I've been tempted to try the Butterfly picks, but over the winter I've had a good run of keeping my nails in good condition. We'll see how the summer goes.

Ray


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## Baelzebeard (Mar 20, 2015)

An old acquaintance of mine played with fake nails. Worked great for him.


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## InfinityCollision (Mar 20, 2015)

Acrylic nails have a slightly different sound, and they'll do a number on your natural nails underneath. All well and good if you're committed to them, but the transition back to natural nails is rough.

I'm not a fan of aLaska picks. They're fine for basic fingerpicking technique once you've put a proper shape on them, but lousy for strumming or any other "outwards" finger motion and you still have to maintain some nail. Not sure if those butterfly fingerpicks would have the same issues with strumming.

Given time and use, your fingertips will callus. It's possible to get volume and definition without nails, though it's still a slightly different sound and certain techniques won't sound properly without nails (for instance, flamenco players generally cite uneven rasgueado tone).


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## ElRay (Mar 20, 2015)

InfinityCollision said:


> ... It's possible to get volume and definition without nails ...



Not this again  The last time 'nail users' vs. 'non-nail users' came up, this happened:





Actually, the engraving is supposedly about using the LH thumb for fretting: LH Thumb


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## russmuller (Mar 21, 2015)

I used acrylics during my classical/flamenco phase. Loved it. All my schoolmates were gluing ping pong balls under their nails, and while it was effective it just didn't feel as good or solid as the acrylic to me (I tried both).


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## Necris (Mar 22, 2015)

Since I had heard that they could damage your natural nails I always stayed away. I'm lucky in that as long as I don't let them get overly long my nails are pretty resilient.


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## Randy (Mar 24, 2015)

I've been playing near exclusively with thumbpick+nails for the last year and I've tried almost everything (gel, acrylic nails, etc.) with varying shades of bad results. Basically, all all the vibration and percussion of the nails hitting metal causes the nail to deflect differently than the material on it, and cracking/chipping/splitting is inevitable.

What's finally working for me these days is this:



If you don't build them up too much, the fiberglass flexes just enough that it doesn't force separation from your nail but it's rigid enough (especially because of the web-like nature of it) that it makes your nails tough as hell. The other upside is that you nails still "look like finger nails" and they're really easy to repair on your own, without any special equipment


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## InfinityCollision (Mar 24, 2015)

Do you remove old coatings periodically, or do you treat it as a semi-permanent application?



ElRay said:


> Not this again


 I've been playing with nails since before I signed up here and staunchly prefer them. It's rare that I'll even use a plectrum. I'll not discount the success others have had without them though.


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## ElRay (Mar 25, 2015)

InfinityCollision said:


> I've been playing with nails since before I signed up here and staunchly prefer them. It's rare that I'll even use a plectrum. I'll not discount the success others have had without them though.



Same here. I don't play with a pick. I just feel disconnected.

SnowfaLL is the only other user (not counting bassists) here I can recall that prefers to play everything finger style. Check-out: [url="http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/tags/fingerpicking.html]Threads tagged with "*fingerpicking*"[/url]

Ray

EDIT: I need to add Randy to the list. We're up to 4 
EDIT^2: Digging through older threads, Solodini gets added to the list. We're now the furious five.
EDIT^3: Adding Necris. We're up to our sixth pair of Don Alverzo's tweezers. Will we make it to seven thousand Macedonians dressed in full battle array?


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## ElRay (Mar 25, 2015)

Randy said:


> ... What's finally working for me these days is ... the fiberglass flexes just enough that it doesn't force separation from your nail but it's rigid enough (especially because of the web-like nature of it) that it makes your nails tough as hell ...



What tape are you using? I haven't see any fiberglass tape that thin.

Ray


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## Randy (Mar 25, 2015)

All Season Nail Fiberglass Nail Wrap

I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what JT's using (looks like the same roll, from the video). Super thin. I've got ~5 layers on my main fingers and, even up close, the thickness is almost indistinguishable from my actual nail.



InfinityCollision said:


> Do you remove old coatings periodically, or do you treat it as a semi-permanent application?



Semi-permanent. Basically as your nail grows out, you clip your nails like normal and just add another layer or two near the tips (as James mentions in the video, you build up the edges and taper back) to make up for whatever you removed.


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## ElRay (Mar 25, 2015)

Randy said:


> ... Sally Beauty Supply has hair products, salon supplies, spa supplies, cosmetics, and more! ...



Well, looks like I'll be buying something for myself daughter's guitar playing the next time were in there buying Hawaiian Silky for their hair. I already feel weird enough going in there by myself. Especially when they ask me if I need any help, and I know exactly where I'm going.

Do you use the "daylight gel", UV cured, etc.?

Ray

EDIT: Randy, is this your spouse's review:


> Bought this for my husband, who plays guitar and needed finger-picking nails. We saw a video of James Taylor explaining how to use it. He put it on himself, and is happy with the results.


?


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## Randy (Mar 25, 2015)

No, but I guess that's a testament to how well it works.

I actually tried to go with my g/f, to cut down on the awkwardness, but that store was all sold out. The next chance I got was while I was on lunch break at work, so I didn't have the luxury of having my girlfriend in tow. It wasn't too awkward, sans the fact the cashier was clearly trying to figure out what the hell I was doing there by myself. If nothing else, the girls shopping there seemed to think it was novel. 

I used the 'instant nail glue' JT mentions in the video, which is pretty much literally straight super-glue; thus, air cured. I was tempted to just use cheap super glue that I have at home, but experience has led me to believe 'not all super glues are created equal' and the consistency of 'actual nail glue' makes it much more controllable.

In the same section, they've got a small bottle and a 15mL bottle of the quick dry stuff. I opted for the 15mL because the bottle it comes with is really easy to handle vs. smaller, squeezy type dispensers. YMMV

With regard to the strength of the glue itself, typically the 'fast dry' nature of CA glue makes it brittle, but the way you pool/saturate the fiberglass during application slows the drying of the glue on the bottom layers and seems to form stronger and more flexible bond. Overall, I'd say it gets tacky in about 3-5 minutes (when they become stable enough to move onto the next finger), the surface layer cures in about 10 minutes and the nails become 'playable' ~30minutes in; I waited more like an hour just to be careful.

EDIT: FWIW, when I was trying gel and acrylic nails, I did use UV light cured and all that stuff. I didn't find it to be all that tough. When it was dried, it felt really hard to the touch and like it would be a bitch to peel off, but when they started to crack, they got really bubbly/peely fast.


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## SnowfaLL (Mar 25, 2015)

ElRay said:


> Same here. I don't play with a pick. I just feel disconnected.
> 
> SnowfaLL is the only other user (not counting bassists) here I can recall that prefers to play everything finger style. Check-out: [url="http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/tags/fingerpicking.html]Threads tagged with "*fingerpicking*"[/url]
> 
> ...



Not to get too far off topic.. I don't use the nails thing.. 

Yea, been 3 years now with 100% thumbpicks. I experiment with "normal picks" occasionally, but its mostly with my Chris Broderick Pick-Clip. Normally, I use a super thick Golden Gate pearloid thumbpick, shaved down to my liking.

Of course, the idea for this came from jazz comping, getting that separated Ted Greene-style chording and switching to soloing faster after it. Essentially, I can use all 5 fingers with this style, even if my pinky is kinda weak. I've built up decent strength with my index/middle/ring without the use of a longer nail, I use the meat of my finger. Its not proper "classical" technique, but it works for me.

Fun stuff! I do at times use no pick at all, most often at music stores if I didn't bring my thumbpick.. and was actually getting decent technique down even for rhythm with just the backside of my index finger. I understand classical playing requires a bit more "nail" but I think it can be done without longer nails, just a bit more pain in the beginning.


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## ElRay (Mar 26, 2015)

I know I've even further derailing, but ...




SnowfaLL said:


> ... even if my pinky is kinda weak ...



Anyway, I actually find my RH pinky stronger than the ring finger, especially if I'm doing a double-stop with the thumb. I'd much rather do a p&c 'pinch' than a p&a 'pinch'

I have the Postlewate "Right-Hand Studies for Five Fingers" book, and I'll start incorporating exercises from that when I'm back on a serious focus cycle. Right now I'm in a hang-on-and-hope-to-keep-up-with-my-8-yrs-old's-lessons cycle. 

Ray


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## Necris (Mar 26, 2015)

ElRay said:


> Same here. I don't play with a pick. I just feel disconnected.
> 
> SnowfaLL is the only other user (not counting bassists) here I can recall that prefers to play everything finger style. Check-out: Threads tagged with "*fingerpicking*"
> 
> ...



6. I've been playing almost exclusively with fingers for the past few years, I'll still use picks if I want that sound but I'm even playing death metal with nails at this point (tremolo picking chords in the standard death/black metal way is a high risk activity, rasgueados don't sound right though). I'll have to try that stuff Randy found, more insurance against breakage is never a bad thing considering the alternative is playing like crap after a nail breaks until it grows back to the proper length.


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## Randy (Mar 31, 2015)

Going on a month with the same initial nail treatment, with an occasional extra coat here and there, no chipping/cracking or separation at all. Hands down best nail solutions I've used.


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## Dutchbooked (Apr 13, 2015)

For me after about 20 years of frustration with nails I finally gave up and just went the Tarrega route and cut them off for good.

There are some flamenco sounds with a thumb nail I really miss but it is not worth it IMO.

Maybe you lose some speed but even that I'm not sure if it is the lack of nails or my lack of practice at the tempo.


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