Nail or flesh

[RodB]

Both - Short slightly ramped nails but the side of the finger tip usually makes the initial contact.

[E-OM]

Flesh + nails with thumb pick.

Visit the nail parlor every 3 weeks.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by runningplanet

Do you fingerpick with your nails or flesh? I’ve always used flesh because I’ve never been able to get consistent results using my nails. It may just be a flaw in my technique but I seem much smoother and in control using only flesh.

Hi rp…

Never had the luxury to protect my hands/nails. Too many tools involved, and my nails are rather soft (break easily).

So since I was 15 yrs old I've played fingerstyle in what we now call all-flesh style. I'll use a hint of nail once in a while for accents.

Interestingly I strum with nails.

[E-OM]

Flesh + nails with thumb pick.

Visit the nail parlor every 3 weeks.

[macmanmatty]

Without a thumb pick I use flesh to pick the strings.

With a thumbpick (I now only use black mountain thumb picks on guitar) I use dunlop metal finger picks .2 .225 .25 in that order for guiitar. On banjo however I still use white national thumb picks.

[Andyrondack]

I used to use nails untill they started growing weirdly , tried flesh but could never get any volume, the hard skin pads which are supposed to grow never happened for me so I use fingerpicks. Use nails once in a while when they are in good condition but they never stay that way for long, shame cause it feels much better when it works but the picks are ok and allways consistent.

[birkenweg42]

I keep my nails just long enough to make contact with the strings. Same with the thumbnail.
I occasionally use a thumb pick for rhythmic Travis picking.

[Sodaross]

Nails, I come from a classical background. Surprisingly, my nails have held up playing on electric and steel string acoustic. I keep them on the shorter side so there’s some flesh engaged as well. Luckily, I have fairly hard nails and keep them in good shape.

[jseth]

Flat pick between thumb and forefinger, short nails on the remaining fingers for fingerpicking in a hybrid fashion.

Shorter nails seem to be more hardy and resist breaking, chipping or splintering much more than long ones... plus, I love the tone when there's just a bit of flesh along with the short nails...