Finger nails or lack thereof

Souper

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I was forced into having to use a pick. I lost all my finger nails on my right hand due to. Strumming. I have weak nails. I liked how my ukulele sounded with my fingers strumming.. Does anyone have any ideas for what to do?
 
If you have a little nail, I advice Alaska Pik. Great, but need a little nail to put the pick between finger and nail. Really confortable and sounds almost like nails.

Alternative : Fred Kelly Picks Poly Freedom Finger Picks. They don't need nails, 'cause you will wear on your fingers.

Hope it helps
 
If you have a little nail, I advice Alaska Pik. Great, but need a little nail to put the pick between finger and nail. Really confortable and sounds almost like nails.

Alternative : Fred Kelly Picks Poly Freedom Finger Picks. They don't need nails, 'cause you will wear on your fingers.

Hope it helps

Interesting pics. Thanks for letting me know about them.
 
I hope you like Jello(R) or other gelatin products :)

I had weak nails... that I chewed on as well, ahem, but I have 'stronger, thicker' nails
now, I believe, from eating Jello(R) whenever it's available to me. [I don't make it
for myself :)] That's usually when I'm at a buffet, or potluck when someone brings
a Jello(R) salad.

anyway, I believe adding Gelatin to your diet may help with strengthening your nails...
and hair! :)

Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV ?), as the saying goes. But that's my story and I'm
sticking with it.

BTW, whenever I lead a song circle for an hour or so, I develop a curved hollow in
my index fingernail where all that friction wears away the nail. Funny, the strings
don't seem to be wearing like my nails are. I'm sure they are, though.
Got to eat more Jello(R)!

keep uke'in',
 
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+1 vote on Alaska picks. I got them few years back when learning guitar, and they added the extra length that may be needed for wanted sound.
However, they are not complete savior, as about 2mm (1/12th of an inch) of protruding nail is needed either way (the fingernail holds them propped against the finger)...
(also, dexterity of fingers is decreased a bit - however this can be ironed out in extent with more practice)
 
I hope you like Jello(R) or other gelatin products :)

I had weak nails... that I chewed on as well, ahem, but I have 'stronger, thicker' nails
now, I believe, from eating Jello(R) whenever it's available to me. [I don't make it
for myself :)] That's usually when I'm at a buffet, or potluck when someone brings
a Jello(R) salad.

anyway, I believe adding Gelatin to your diet may help with strengthening your nails...
and hair! :)

Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV ?), as the saying goes. But that's my story and I'm
sticking with it.

BTW, whenever I lead a song circle for an hour or so, I develop a curved hollow in
my index fingernail where all that friction wears away the nail. Funny, the strings
don't seem to be wearing like my nails are. I'm sure they are, though.
Got to eat more Jello(R)!

keep uke'in',

Thanks I thought it was just me. I like jello I will have to give it a try. One problem I'm having with a pic is controlling it. It sounds very loud. I need to get some rhythm.
 
Keep at it...........you will get used to the pick..............plus it will give your fingernails a rest, and hopefully they will grow back stronger
 
I've gone through this torment for years now. I've tried everything, including all available picks, and salon nails. The salon nails worked well, but ruined my natural nails and nail beds. I've come down to using Alaska Picks. They are as close as you can get to natural nails in a pick. My own nails are weak, and crack and break as soon as they are grown out much at all. But, I can maintain just enough natural nail to support the Alaska Pick. Also, I've cut back to using just my thumb and index finger for picking. That works just fine for me. It works fine for Ledward Kanaapa too, although he uses old school Dunlop style thumb and finger picks. By using only the thumb and index finger for picking, I eliminate the uncomfortable crowded feeling I get when putting any style picks on several fingers. I hate the way it feels when picks are rubbing together while I play.
 
I tried Alaska Picks and didn't like them overly much. Very uncomfortable to me. I have good nails, but picks provide more volume so I like to use them sometimes. What I found works well are the Fred Kelly's Freedom Picks. They are put over the finger, like a thimble, and come in two different materials. Much more comfortable. (I also like their Slick Pick thumbpicks.)

As for finger nails, drinking lots of water, taking fish oil and magnesium/calcium supplements, as well as using a nail brush regularly, increases their strength noticeably.
 
I'm lucky in that I have really tough nails. They are even hard to cut. They have to be trimmed at least once a week. I'm growing the right hand ones out, but I cut the thumbnail already because it kept snagging my strings. Maybe I'll order a thumb pick.
 
I have my nails cut very short on both hands and I don't have any problem at all strumming with my index finger. Mostly I am strumming with the fleshy part at the tip because it sticks out so much farther than the nail... so far no pain, no bleeding, no irritation. I guess I must have developed strumming callouses??
 
I watched a YouTube video from Antigoni Goni on nail care. She talks about her secrets for strong nails. One of the things she recommends is Biotin supplement.
I've been using Solgar brand Super High Potency Biotin 10,000 MCG. AND keeping my nails from dryin

https://youtu.be/1GgsWEIXWAg

Check it out.
 
I mentioned the Fred Kelly's Freedom Picks above, but there is another type of fingerpicks that I recently tried that I enjoy greatly: the ProPik FingerTone picks. Those are banjo-style picks, but most of the pad of the finger is uncovered, so the strings are (or can be) hit by both the rounded metal and the flesh. They look like this. I was surprised at how good this sounded, especially with my sopranos that tend to lose volume up the neck when played with just fingers. It's also possible to strum with them, which really doesn't work with most fingerpicks. Fingerpicks that cover the whole pad are also noisy and sound metallic. These FingerTone ones have a natural sound, at least in my ears, with much greater volume and clarity. They are also very comfortable, unlike most fingerpicks that cut into the area around the nail.

They are not worn like the Alaska Picks, but the nail looking part goes on the underside of the finger, like this. The only trouble with them is that you pretty much have to buy two or three of each size to figure out which sizes work for you. For me, it is L on middle, M on index, and S on ring finger. Recommendations based on hand size I had read didn't really work out for me, so I had to order twice before I had a set that fit my fingers. I use them with a heavy Slick Pick thumbpick (similar sound, I find), but thumbpicks exist in so many shapes and forms that it's all very subjective.
 
I have my nails cut very short on both hands and I don't have any problem at all strumming with my index finger. Mostly I am strumming with the fleshy part at the tip because it sticks out so much farther than the nail... so far no pain, no bleeding, no irritation. I guess I must have developed strumming callouses??

Same with me. I don't really grow my nails (and index finger is the question here) and file them. Basically I just cut my nails with a clipper. I'm right handed, so can't use scissors effectively in left hand, never learned I mean.
Even now I have some nail breakage in my index finger, but nail is short, so no problems.
When down strumming I'm quite sure there is some nail contact to string, but could be also flesh as the last one.
Strumming up it would be reverse, mostly flesh but also maybe some index finger nail contact before leaving a string.

My fingertip on right hand index finger is soft, no callouses from strumming. No irritation either.
For accompanying myself i don't need any nails, but I can certainly hear that is not very loud comparing if I take a pick in my right hand.
 
I was having so much trouble with my nails, practically having to learn to play all overf again, that I got frustrated and cut them off. I'm glad I did.
 
for those who are looking for a way to strengthen strumming nails might I suggest Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails -
I think that's what they're called.
I use the clear product on my Thumbnail, Index fingernail, and Little (pinky) fingernail - the 3 I use when strumming.

I use my thumbnail strumming UP and the other 2 strumming down and the tips of the thumbnail and Index fingernail
get worn down pretty quickly - that is, they need a reapplication when I get home to prep for the next song
circle or gig :)

basically, it (the Hard as Nails coating) takes the wear and tear and gets worn down instead of that taking place
on my actual nails.

seem to be working for me at this time.

the Hard as Nails product doesn't seem to make a difference when finger picking as that is done, by me, with the
inside of the thumbnail plucking DOWN on the 3rd and 4th strings, and the underside of my index fingernail plucking
UP on the 1st and 2nd strings - per the Gordon Mark 2-finger method. Check it out on YouTube - Gordon Mark gives
a short ukulele lesson - a little over 2 min video :)

keep uke'in',
 
I mentioned the Fred Kelly's Freedom Picks above, but there is another type of fingerpicks that I recently tried that I enjoy greatly: the ProPik FingerTone picks. Those are banjo-style picks, but most of the pad of the finger is uncovered, so the strings are (or can be) hit by both the rounded metal and the flesh. They look like this. I was surprised at how good this sounded, especially with my sopranos that tend to lose volume up the neck when played with just fingers. It's also possible to strum with them, which really doesn't work with most fingerpicks. Fingerpicks that cover the whole pad are also noisy and sound metallic. These FingerTone ones have a natural sound, at least in my ears, with much greater volume and clarity. They are also very comfortable, unlike most fingerpicks that cut into the area around the nail.

They are not worn like the Alaska Picks, but the nail looking part goes on the underside of the finger, like this. The only trouble with them is that you pretty much have to buy two or three of each size to figure out which sizes work for you. For me, it is L on middle, M on index, and S on ring finger. Recommendations based on hand size I had read didn't really work out for me, so I had to order twice before I had a set that fit my fingers. I use them with a heavy Slick Pick thumbpick (similar sound, I find), but thumbpicks exist in so many shapes and forms that it's all very subjective.

Hey Mivo, thank you for posting information on the Freedom Picks and the ProPiks. Those ProPik FingerTone picks look ideal for finger-picking on my steel string guitars, while saving my fingernails for picking on my ukuleles and nylon string guitars. I'm going to order some and give them a try! :cool:
 
I have my nails cut very short on both hands and I don't have any problem at all strumming with my index finger. Mostly I am strumming with the fleshy part at the tip because it sticks out so much farther than the nail... so far no pain, no bleeding, no irritation. I guess I must have developed strumming callouses??

ahoy
glad to know that i am not alone
in not using finger nails
find it easier to play using finger tips

your results may vary
offer not good in sector R or D

yours truly
mac
 
mac-

I thought the restriction on sectors R or D was only after curfew.
 
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