Members ben_allison Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 So, even when I cut my finger nails as short as possible, my nails still get in the way on the index and middle fingers of my fretting hand. Like, the place where my nail joins my finger isn't as far back enough to give me a nice, fleshy area to fret with. Anyone experience this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PKTrono Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 pliers.jpg i never have this issue, but i also keep my nails extremely short Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Urinate Forever Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 my fretting hand has extra flesh due to callous. I cut my nails when they're touching the fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LSDis4me Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 This is why god gave us teeth and anxiety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members big_cat Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 gotta gain weight. only answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members evets618 Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Time to Iommi-ize! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blakemore Effects Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 I've always picked my nails as a nervous habit, so yes. Sometimes I pick my nails too short, and it hurts to fret, or I can't fingerpick as well. Really should try to break the habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OMTerria Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 This is why god gave us teeth and anxiety. This is my secret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tron Murphy Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Anyone else's balls make sex more difficult? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LSDis4me Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 ^ Try finding a partner without balls and you may have better results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PKTrono Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 This is why god gave us teeth and anxiety. that's how i keep them short Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members christianatl Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 I keep mine super short as well, but callouses do help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Yeah, the callouses on my left hand are pretty thick at this point. My right hand thumb, index and middle nails are a little longer for slide playing however. I'm not a fan of long nails at all, but it's way easier to strum with a little extra give on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Do you have very short frets? I only have issues if i haven't cut my nails for a few weeks then I cut them and I am like WOAHHH I am good at guitar again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 100 dollar cars Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 manicures don't work...every guitar player knows to chew nails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I bit my nails when I was a kid, but I managed to break the habit. Keeping the nails on my left hand cut short is crucial for me, or I have problems. I always felt kind of bad for fingerstyle and classical players who have longer nails on their right hands that they have to maintain, and short ones on their fretting hands. Must be a real pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ben_allison Posted October 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 I think this thread is making me realize it's cause I haven't been playing enough... must be that my callouses are thinner than they used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TravvyBear Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Yes.I cannot stand long finger nails. I cut all the 'wick' or white part off my nails. I keep them trimmed all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members driverhasabomb Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 I chew mine off so I have no wick at all. The nails stop a long way before the end of my finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oinkbanana Posted October 24, 2012 Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 I used to teach guitar, and i had two kids (siblings) that had ZERO pulp no their fingers. no matter how short their nails were, their nails always came into contact with the fretboard. They just had no finger tips to fret with. I failed them as a teacher because I really have no idea what do with with someone with a VERY bad posture. You're supposed to keep your knuckles bent but without any pulp you end up using the bottom of your finger, flattening your distal interphalangeal joints, which just leads to poor technique and limitations.just to come back and say that your anatomy might be limiting you, regardless of how short your nails are, some people just cant cut them short enough. I on the other hand have very fat pulp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted October 24, 2012 Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 I had a problem with a knuckle and had to go to a hand doctor. I could never cut enough nail off of my left index finger without it really hurting, so I took the opportunity to ask him about how to get fingernails short enough. He showed me these wooden cuticle pushers/sticks that you could use to gently push back the "quick" (I think that's what it's called) so that over time it would recede back far enough for you to cut more fingernail and therefore get more of the finger pad to stick out. You can get these sticks anywhere, Amazon for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LSDis4me Posted October 24, 2012 Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 I used to teach guitar, and i had two kids (siblings) that had ZERO pulp no their fingers. no matter how short their nails were, their nails always came into contact with the fretboard. They just had no finger tips to fret with. I failed them as a teacher because I really have no idea what do with with someone with a VERY bad posture. You're supposed to keep your knuckles bent but without any pulp you end up using the bottom of your finger, flattening your distal interphalangeal joints, which just leads to poor technique and limitations.just to come back and say that your anatomy might be limiting you, regardless of how short your nails are, some people just cant cut them short enough.I on the other hand have very fat pulp. When I lived in New Zealand, the orange juice container stated that it included pulp from China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ben_allison Posted October 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 I had a problem with a knuckle and had to go to a hand doctor. I could never cut enough nail off of my left index finger without it really hurting, so I took the opportunity to ask him about how to get fingernails short enough. He showed me these wooden cuticle pushers/sticks that you could use to gently push back the "quick" (I think that's what it's called) so that over time it would recede back far enough for you to cut more fingernail and therefore get more of the finger pad to stick out.You can get these sticks anywhere, Amazon for example. I've started doing this. Every day, I'm using the nail file part of standard nail clippers, so just edge my quick back. I stop short of serious pain. Over time that will help I think. That and making sure my callouses are constantly maintained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ben_allison Posted October 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 I used to teach guitar, and i had two kids (siblings) that had ZERO pulp no their fingers... I on the other hand have very fat pulp. This seems like a very sexual comment, though I'm not sure exactly how... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RUExp? Posted October 24, 2012 Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 You need to push back the skin under your nails. Cut off the end off a toothpick and round the end with a nail file. Soak your fingers in water to soften the skin and then roll the toothpick under the nail to push back the skin. Now you can cut your nails shorter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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