Off Topic Finger Nail Length?

[ThatsAgood1jay]

Hey guys.

I have a tendency to bite my nails when stressed/anxious. Recently i went to a movie with my girlfriend that caused such feelings. After the movie, my finger nails were quite a few millimeters shorter than before. The next day when i picked up my guitar to play, i immediately felt the difference in my fingers due to the lack of nails.

So this got me to thinking, how do other plays prefer their finger nails while playing?. I generally prefer mine to be average length, because when they get short my fingers feel stubby and inaccurate, but when long hit against the finger board which throws me off.

Also, does anyone know of a good way to stop biting your nails?


The Poll is for your fingering hand - Edit

 

[ThatsAgood1jay]

Ah, I should have been more specific on which hand, my bad.

On my left (fingering) i pefer medium length. On my right i prefer it a bit longer.

 

[Sticky1973]

Deleted my original post, but could not remove original poll entry (tried not to screw the poll, sorry fella!)

Anyway:

Left hand - short; hate feeling my nail on the fretboard.
Right hand - longer than normal; love the clarity it gives picking.

Have never bit my nails, but have a friend who did it for years. He used some foul tasting liquid for a while as I recall, painted over the nail.

If I "break" a nail << >> on my right hand I know i'll be about 2-3 weeks before i get the feel back.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

Not to screw the poll, but:

Left hand - short; hate feeling my nail on the fretboard.
Right hand - longer than normal; love the clarity it gives picking.

Have never bit my nails, but have a friend who did it for years. He used some foul tasting liquid for a while as I recall, painted over the nail.

If I "break" a nail << >> on my right hand I know i'll be about 2-3 weeks before i get the feel back.

Spot on Sticky

My nails on the left hand are sooOoooo short. I try to keep the nails on the right hand nice and long. I honestly don't think they are that long, but it's enough for my GF to think they are gross haha

I actually snapped one at a gig on saturday... Been toying with the idea of getting nice strong fake nails glued over the top - really freak the mrs out

 

[BrickGlass]

Short as I can get them without actually removing them. When I was studying classical guitar in college I of course had the long right hand nails. Annoyed the hell out of me, but ya gotta do it.

 

[racerXazn]

I know some of my friends who play classical grow long nails on their right hands and super glue over them to protect them from breaking. I personally keep my right hand (picking) nails only a little long..I don't finger pick that often and I usually tap to get harmonics or for certain runs. My left hand's nails are short..it feels nicer to play that way.

 

[NorM]

The important thing for me is consistency. Short is the only way I can stay constant. Beside, for me guitar is touching the strings.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

I know some of my friends who play classical grow long nails on their right hands and super glue over them to protect them from breaking. I personally keep my right hand (picking) nails only a little long..I don't finger pick that often and I usually tap to get harmonics or for certain runs. My left hand's nails are short..it feels nicer to play that way.

Really!? Does it work... he doesn't have any problems or anything? Is there a particular glue?
Sounds like a cheaper long term option than acrylics... I may try it

 

[browndog]

If you want to stop biting your nails...

Google images like... microscopic germs on your fingertips. The pics should scare the bejeezus out of ya.

 

[andynpeters]

Fretting hand filed short, picking hand long ( to the extent that people often comment) and filed smooth.
My "technique" (such as it is) generally involves pick & fingers or all fingers. I appear to be very lucky in that I rarely break nails....as for biting them.....euuuuuuuuuuugh!

 

[buckethead777]

Seriously, is this really a thread?????
Whats next, color of your tampon poll?

 

[threeminutesboy]

Seriously, is this really a thread?????
Whats next, color of your tampon poll?

now to answer this thread the shorter the better for me both hands. I have when my nail hit the fingerboard, it's like the chalk on the blackboard effect if you see what I mean

 

[denny99]

Hey guys.

I have a tendency to bite my nails when stressed/anxious. Recently i went to a movie with my girlfriend that caused such feelings. After the movie, my finger nails were quite a few millimeters shorter than before.

What movie was?

I prefer keeping both hand's nails short. Don't like when the left hand (fingering) nails hit the fretboard, and I don't fingerpick with nails, so no reason to keep long nails on right hand either.

If you want to use superglue, just remember not to bite your nails right away

 

[racerXazn]

Really!? Does it work... he doesn't have any problems or anything? Is there a particular glue?
Sounds like a cheaper long term option than acrylics... I may try it

Yeah
my friend just applies crazy glue over his entire nail and allows it to set. He plays and gigs pretty often so I'm sure that it works. He's a pretty hard picker too-when he strums he really digs into the strings yet his nails don seem to break. You have to be careful though..don't go touching anything while that glue is setting...lol

 

[straycat113]

Real short on both hands.For those who bite you have to watchout that you do not get an infection, as I have seen friends that there finger looked like they hit it with a hammer and that finger is out of commission until the infection is goneI know some guys have to do it but I hate the long nails on the right hand.lol.

 

[colinboy]

These threads are getting weirder and werdier by the day!

I prefer mine short on both hands so my nails dont interfere with my playing and dont scratch my fretboards!

 

[andynpeters]

Seriously, is this really a thread?????
Whats next, color of your tampon poll?

I think that's a little harsh, we've had plenty of threads about picks and for some of us finger nails are just as important. .....to the best of my knowledge no-one use a tampon to play guitar (and if they do I do NOT want to know about it!)
The length of the nail on the fretting hand can be important too, have read about people whose nails pull away from the finger when they bend notes.
Personally I think it's an interesting topic to discuss....if the Mods disagree they'll no doubt act

 

[beej]

I'm okay with it ... just, please, no tampon threads.

Btw, I regularly trim my nails so they're never really long enough to bite. An ounce of prevention, as they say.

 

[ThatsAgood1jay]

What movie was?

I prefer keeping both hand's nails short. Don't like when the left hand (fingering) nails hit the fretboard, and I don't fingerpick with nails, so no reason to keep long nails on right hand either.

If you want to use superglue, just remember not to bite your nails right away

We watched Avatar.

 

[BrickGlass]

The guy using super glue to strengthen his nails, never heard of that. When I was playing classical I just used some stuff called Iron Shield, kind of like finger nail polish but meant to strengthen the nail. Worked really well. My wife told me about it and luckily had some on hand.