This seems ridiculous...fingernails?

[Dane]

Making an ultimate nail thread http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...nd-all-for-nail-questions&p=573462#post573462

 

[itsme]

Glass nail files or the metal-dust things (like the Revlon files) are ideal.

I'll second the glass files, also known as crystal files. While you can find fancy ones in a suede sheath aimed at classical guitarists for $10+, I like the "Ruby Stone" you can find at beauty supply stores (or even amazon) for <$2. They're pink... get over it.

They do a much better job and are very gentle on your nails. They don't wear out but they do clog up over time as nail debris gets stuck in the nooks and crannies and become less effective. All you have to do is soak in a little warm soapy water, scrub with an old toothbrush and they're good as new again.

A word of caution... they will break if you drop them on a hard surface. Been there, done that.

 

[OldePhart]

There's still blood spattered inside the sound hole of my old uke.

Reminds me of the time a guy in our band didn't realize that he'd broken open an old cut and slung blood all over the place playing his djembe... Sometimes you just have to put a little of yourself into the music - LOL

John

 

[Dane]

My ohana has some of my blood in it

 

[Chris Tarman]

I have no advice to give on this, but I did want to share this quote:


"You start out playing the guitar to get girls and you wind up talking to middle age men about your fingernails."

Ed Gerhart (I think)

That is the most awesome thing I've read in ages!

 

[Chris Tarman]

Reminds me of the time a guy in our band didn't realize that he'd broken open an old cut and slung blood all over the place playing his djembe... Sometimes you just have to put a little of yourself into the music - LOL

John

I saw The Who in Boulder Colorado in '89, on their 25th anniversary tour. A few nights later (in Seattle, I believe), Townsend was doing his "windmill" thing, and stuck the whammy bar of his black Schecter custom Tele THROUGH his hand. THROUGH his hand. I'll say it one more time. THROUGH his FREAKING hand! Amazingly, he didn't hit any bones, or important nerves or arteries. I read an interview with him where he said he didn't even feel it, he just suddenly couldn't move his arm through the rest of the swing, and looked down and saw blood and thought "What is THAT??" And I thought "Man, that is the coolest thing ever! LONG LIVE ROCK!!!!!!"

 

[fromthee2me]

My experience with the "hard as nails" product by Sally Hansen (made in the USA) is that it appears to be a clear varnish, and it comes off partially (after you have let it dry) when you play . There could well be some chemical process taking place, as it made my nails (index and middle finger) flake at the end. The ramping part is something new that I have just read, and will give a try. My music teacher swears by superglue, and I must admit that long nails on a man somehow don't look right to me either, but they make the uke sound nice and bright. FWIW

 

[OldePhart]

I've had good luck with the Hard as Nails and I don't have any problem with it coming off as I play as long as I wait until the smell has gone away before I play. I.e. it will feel to the touch like it is dry, but if you hold your fingernail to your nose and can smell the "paint" smell it is not yet cured. If I wait until I can't smell the paint smell when I hold my finger under my nose then it does not come off at all while playing.

I've also found that I can't do an "over application" (i.e. a new coat on top of the old) more than once or it will begin flaking as fromthee2me describes. So, I try to make it a habit to do my nails once a week and remove the old before applying a fresh coat.

Gosh, I feel like such a dweeb; a fifty-something guy discussing how he does his nails! LOL

John

 

[TCK]

Thanks gang- tons of great information here, and even more laughs. Chris- that Townsend bit is incredible...long live rock!
Back to filing for me

 

[ichadwick]

I have played guitar 45+ years, and uke 3 years. I cut my nails to the quick and never use them for picking. I've used plastic and metal fingerpicks for some types of guitar music, but on steel-stringed instruments. On nylon I always use my fingertips. I find them a lot more expressive than nails or fingerpicks. Plus I never have to worry about them catching, breaking, damaging strings, scratching the instrument or getting chipped.

 

[Hippie Dribble]

I have played guitar 45+ years, and uke 3 years. I cut my nails to the quick and never use them for picking. I've used plastic and metal fingerpicks for some types of guitar music, but on steel-stringed instruments. On nylon I always use my fingertips. I find them a lot more expressive than nails or fingerpicks. Plus I never have to worry about them catching, breaking, damaging strings, scratching the instrument or getting chipped.

:agree:

Yep, I agree with Ian. It comes down to feeling more in control of the instrument, "closer" to it if you will, and for me, results in more expressive playing. But I guess we're all different!

 

[Dane]

I find them a lot more expressive than nails or fingerpicks. Plus I never have to worry about them catching, breaking, damaging strings, scratching the instrument or getting chipped.

I disagree with this, I think that having the option of more muted notes or more clear notes makes it MORE expressive. To me playing only flesh it sounds muddy and lazy, but when the two are mixed, that is when the expression happens. Also, I don't worry about any of the things you listed. Once you learn how to take care of your nails and how to shape them and they strengthen, none of the things you mentioned even cross my mind.

:agree:

Yep, I agree with Ian. It comes down to feeling more in control of the instrument, "closer" to it if you will, and for me, results in more expressive playing. But I guess we're all different!

I, and I'm sure many other nail players, hit the flesh of our fingers as well as the nails, even when the nail is hit, most of the time the flesh is hit first. So I don't see how this would distance you from the instrument at all.

 

[Hippie Dribble]

I disagree with this, I think that having the option of more muted notes or more clear notes makes it MORE expressive. To me playing only flesh it sounds muddy and lazy, but when the two are mixed, that is when the expression happens. Also, I don't worry about any of the things you listed. Once you learn how to take care of your nails and how to shape them and they strengthen, none of the things you mentioned even cross my mind.
I, and I'm sure many other nail players, hit the flesh of our fingers as well as the nails, even when the nail is hit, most of the time the flesh is hit first. So I don't see how this would distance you from the instrument at all.

like I said, it works FOR ME. I was expressing an opinion about a personal preference for playing. No definitive statements about uke technique here. I've played guitar with picks for over 20 years. Got nothing against using picks or fingernails...for playing guitar, it's the pick that is more expressive for me, but for ukulele, I like to use the fingertips. To each their own. We each do what works for our own style don't we? Like Dylan said, most likely you go your way and I'll go mine.

 

[Dane]

like I said, it works FOR ME. I was expressing an opinion about a personal preference for playing. No definitive statements about uke technique here. I've played guitar with picks for over 20 years. Got nothing against using picks or fingernails...for playing guitar, it's the pick that is more expressive for me, but for ukulele, I like to use the fingertips. To each their own. We each do what works for our own style don't we? Like Dylan said, most likely you go your way and I'll go mine.

Yes and I was expressing my opinion. We are friends here, why are so many people treating conversations as if they are attacks?