#16
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#17
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Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#18
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#19
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You'd think after watching my nail lady do it for 20 years that I'd be able to replicate what she did, and that wasn't the case. I was able to get nice looking nails that sounded good, but they wouldn't last very long. They tended to come off after a week or so, and I always had a ragged back edge as they grew out that would catch on strings. Like Bob, I decided the nail people really do earn their money and was thrilled when the salons opened back up. Sadly, my nail lady of 20 years had had enough and retired during lockdown, but I found a guy at a salon I can walk to from my house, who does, if anything, an even better job. BTW, another product that can help, for those who don't want or need the full power of acrylics is something like Sally Hanson's Hard as Nails. It's just like a nail polish, but it does indeed become very hard and reinforces your nails. I've tried it a few times, and it seems definitely better than raw nails, tho I want more myself.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#20
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I vividly recall seeing Martin Simpson's right hand close up after a gig in the north east of England many years ago, and was fascinated by vicious looking talons that looked like they were built out of layers of fibreglass. That was back when he was playing more bluesy and fraily stuff, and I don't think normal nails would survive the speed and ferocity (not to mention the sheer speed) of attack he employed.
In one of his instructional dvds he explains how he goes to a nail bar to have them 'silk wrapped' regularly - the downside being that the process pretty much destroys whatever natural nail is underneath. For the amount and type of picking I do I've found Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails is generally more than enough, in combination with a Wolfram Precision:Crystal nail file which is, pound for pound, one of the best bits of kit I've ever bought. (Someone mentioned not liking the chemical smell of H As N a while back - but in my experience it dissipates pretty much as soon as the lacquer has dried and fully hardened.) Once a week or so, I roughen the existing surface with the file and apply another layer and generally find I can go several months without any serious breakages. One minor caveat to that - and I'd be interested to know if anyone else has experienced this - is that I have a natural fault line running the length of the nail on my middle finger. Every now and then that leads to a split on the end of the nail which will deepen if I don't catch and file it in time. It seems to come and go, and I wonder if that might be diet-related. I think supplements to strengthen nail growth were mentioned on another thread somewhere - I'd be interested to know if anyone has any suggestions. Angus
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Lowden F23c (Toffee) Brook Torridge Taylor LKSM Yamaha LL-11e (Bert) Gibson Chet Atkins Studio Classic Terry Pack SJRS Harmony H173 Prismatone (Clawdia) Harmony H174 (Clawdette) |
#21
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Probably falls into the “dumb question” category but:
I’m a week into pro-installed acrylics (the powder/liquid brush on). So far I’ve done 3 gigs and feel it’s the best decision I could have made (time will tell). I did 3 nails—index, middle, and ring. My index fingernail was pretty short, so the tech had to add more material to lengthen it (the others less so). My question is—I assume that since my nails grow out from the base that they will grow longer, and as time goes on the acrylics will eventually just be supporting my natural nails? That is, the acrylics will allow my natural nails to grow longer, and not require the addition of material to lengthen them, and the acrylic will be more of an overlay? (Hope my question makes sense). Thanks |
#22
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All the best, Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#23
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Martin is directly responsible for me using nails. I took my wife to see him, and she was impressed. At the break she asked why I didn't sound like him. Before I could explain that he was Martin Simpson and I wasn't, she pronounced her conclusion - his nails! I protested, but she was convinced, and you know how that goes. When we got home, she glued some of those plastic drug store nails on me. It wasn't ideal, but it was enough to convince me it was a huge improvement. She took me to see her nail lady the next day. I pretty quickly realized this was a game changer that most of the players I admired used, but that I'd been oblivious to, and I've used them ever since. I still don't play like Martin, but don't tell my wife.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#25
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I was blown away the first time (well every time really) I saw him - I'd never seen anyone play guitar like that. I've had a go at his frailing/flicking technique with limited success - the speed and accuracy he achieves on tunes like Broke Down Engine and I Want My Crown is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
I think I'll just stick with my Hard As Nails and learn to accept my (considerable) limitations Angus
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Lowden F23c (Toffee) Brook Torridge Taylor LKSM Yamaha LL-11e (Bert) Gibson Chet Atkins Studio Classic Terry Pack SJRS Harmony H173 Prismatone (Clawdia) Harmony H174 (Clawdette) |
#26
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I got a look at Martin Simpson's nails up close and couldn't help thinking that with nails that long he was never going to brush the strings with the fleshy pad of his fingers yet he attains the most incredible control with his right hand.
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#27
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I try to keep mine pretty short, basically trying to end up with flesh and nail hitting almost together.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#28
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Suppose the only way to know is to ask him. |