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  #1  
Old 12-04-2017, 11:56 AM
MBDiagMan MBDiagMan is offline
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Default String Benders, How do you Trim your Nails?

I am trying to get back into playing, but the style I am evolving involves lots of full step string bending. I am playing nines on an electric. I end up bending a string way past it’s neighbor. My nail(s) hang on the neighboring string. I have trimmed my nails pretty darn short, but they still hang on the neighboring string.

I am sure that you experienced guys have learned to deal with such things. The key to solving my problem may have nothing 5o do wi5h my nails, so I appreciate any suggestions you might offer.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 12-04-2017, 12:06 PM
hornrocker hornrocker is offline
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String Benders, How do you Trim your Nails?
I use nail clippers






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  #3  
Old 12-04-2017, 12:11 PM
MBDiagMan MBDiagMan is offline
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Thanks rocker.

I guess I left myself open for that one. Do you trim them ridiculously short, or leave some length and drag the nail along the fretboard to keep the string from getting underneath?
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Old 12-04-2017, 12:24 PM
Paleolith54 Paleolith54 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBDiagMan View Post
I am trying to get back into playing, but the style I am evolving involves lots of full step string bending. I am playing nines on an electric. I end up bending a string way past it’s neighbor. My nail(s) hang on the neighboring string. I have trimmed my nails pretty darn short, but they still hang on the neighboring string.

I am sure that you experienced guys have learned to deal with such things. The key to solving my problem may have nothing 5o do wi5h my nails, so I appreciate any suggestions you might offer.

Thanks in advance!
I doubt that the length of your nails is actually the problem. A couple of things to try:

1. Look at your bending technique. Are you bending with one lone finger or with 1-2 additional fingers supporting the bending finger and helping you mute and move the adjacent strings as you bend? There is a REAL good chance that correct bending technique will fix this (it sure did for me).

2. Try higher action with those .009s, or maybe try .010s. Some folks think skinny strings/low action facilitates bends but that's definitely not always the case, as you tend to bend up under the string(s) above the string being bent, which can also lead to getting the string hung on your nail.

3. Of course, just plain old practice solves most problems.
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Old 12-04-2017, 01:05 PM
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JeffreyAK JeffreyAK is offline
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I bend a lot, and my left hand nails are non-existent, no white at all. But that's mostly because feeling nails on the fretboard annoys me, not so much because they interfere with bending. I'd echo the higher action comment, something I learned from a Robin Trower interview decades ago - to bend strings well, you need higher action so you can get under the adjacent string, and how high depends on your own fingers. My electric action is not as high as my acoustics, but it's quite a bit higher than many electric guitars, and that's because I like to bend strings.
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Old 12-04-2017, 01:28 PM
RRuskin RRuskin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBDiagMan View Post
I am trying to get back into playing, but the style I am evolving involves lots of full step string bending. I am playing nines on an electric. I end up bending a string way past it’s neighbor. My nail(s) hang on the neighboring string. I have trimmed my nails pretty darn short, but they still hang on the neighboring string.

I am sure that you experienced guys have learned to deal with such things. The key to solving my problem may have nothing 5o do wi5h my nails, so I appreciate any suggestions you might offer.

Thanks in advance!
Short nails and use 1 finger to bend with others behind it on the same string but positioned in such a way as to move the other strings out of the way. Said position is different from player to player.
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Old 12-04-2017, 02:15 PM
muscmp muscmp is offline
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i trim for electric and acoustic.

try using the pad on your finger(s) more as you bend. that will keep the nail(s) out of the way and should deaden the string(s) you want to mute.

play music!
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Old 12-04-2017, 02:37 PM
ManyMartinMan ManyMartinMan is offline
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Short but not too. When they start to be in the way, they get cut.
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Old 12-04-2017, 03:07 PM
jdmulli jdmulli is offline
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I keep mine trimmed real short, but most of your problems will be solved by a bit of technique practice.
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Old 12-04-2017, 03:44 PM
1neeto 1neeto is offline
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I mostly use 3 fingers and my nails are short but not too short because I’m not a fan of ingrown nails.
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  #11  
Old 12-04-2017, 09:17 PM
MBDiagMan MBDiagMan is offline
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Great comments and advice folks! You have already helped me. I had started bending with one or two extra fingers and had been getting away from that. Using three fingers sometimes and two fingers sometimes has helped already.

Thanks a bunch!
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:16 AM
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I use the Eco - Green method and just chew them short
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:41 AM
j3ffr0 j3ffr0 is offline
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Seems like you are on the right track with using multiple fingers to bend. I keep my left hand nails very short, but they don't come into play with bending if I forget to trim them.

The pic below is of me bending with the second and third fingers. You'll notice my index finger is covering all six strings. There is a reason for that -- I can strike all the strings as I'm bending the second string, but only the second string will sounds (there is also a cool percussive effect from beating on six strings to bend one note). My point is that it's always a good idea on the electric to mute any notes you don't want to sound.... especially when bending.



happy bending!
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Old 12-05-2017, 11:58 AM
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Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
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I bend a lot. As others have said, I keep my finger nails short, but not because of the bending.

Bob
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  #15  
Old 12-05-2017, 10:15 PM
MBDiagMan MBDiagMan is offline
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You guys are the best!

I have probably gotten a few hours practice altogether since I started reading your suggestions. I have made a remarkable improvement. There is a lick I have been working on for awhile, but I was interrupting neighboring strings while bending. I now play that lick pretty darn clean!
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