countryguitarch... The kind of nail overlay I use for playing hybrid style country guitar. Other players that use fake nails are Brent Mason, Johnny Hiland and Raye Flacke to mane a few. James Burton actually uses a steel finger pick.
So, youtube browsing brought me here somehow, but I ended up watching the whole thing because you're so damn likable. I had to comment because it struck me several times how charismatic you are. It seems completely natural and not.. idk... host-ish. if that makes any sense.
I started using steel finger picks for electric and acoustic guitar after playing around with a lap steel that my late stepfather gave me.My hands have terrible carpal tunnel and I would not have dreamed of finger picking until I found the steel picks.Playing with steel picks are painless,to me the volume and attack fits perfectly with a heavy fender plastic pick.I look on UTube to see if I am the only one who does this.I would probably have given up guitar had I not discovered the steel picks,thank you dear Step dad.
Hi Rowbocaster. By the time I get around to changing them, they are pretty much falling off, so I generally just carefully peel them off. And I was using the gels when I did this video. Thanks!
@CountryGuitarChops; Thank you soo much for this video! I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar but I was told either stick with my fake nails or choose the guitar. I chose fake nails. Now I know that builder gel is strong enough to stay (I have some here at home with me) I can start learning^^ Thanks again!!
I've had pretty good luck this summer so far using "Hard as Hoof". It's only about 5 bucks a jar from Walmart. I've been playing a ton and can still keep, although not very long, a good set of natural nails.
Upon your recommendation I’m using hard as hoof as well. So far so good. I’ll keep doing that but might try this gel at some point. I’m just not understating if it the gel applied to our natural nails or on top of acrylic nails.
I take the gauze from the middle of a band aid, and glue it with layers of superglue to my nail. Or sometimes glue the gauze to the underside of a plastic nail, and glue that to my nail. Gluing the gauze to the underside of the plastic nail seems to make a stronger connection to the fingernail. When it loosens every few days, just peel it away and re-glue. There's a lot of of filing away at this mess with emery boards, and the more obsessive you are the better! Keep some spares too. Cheap as chips. Luckily my thumb nail is built like a log.
Sounds similar to what James Taylor does. I just use superglue gel and baking soda. Has worked great for me. Use an axe file after, then a fine double cut or bastard file to smooth out. Throw out the cheapie finger nail files!! This stuff is hard! I like the idea of putting a layer of gauze mesh in there. James Taylor uses a layer of fiberglass with his Bionic nails, Don't see why gauze wouldn't work just as well. Thanks for the tip with the gauze, But just superglue and baking soda to work as a fast catalyst works fine!!
I had nail fungus on many fingers. OTC Nonyx gel worked for some but ultimately I ended up taking RX Lamisil pills for 2 months and they cleared right up. Up until a year ago I bit my nails all my life (I am 40 in March). After I stopped biting my nails they would grow back but break really easily. I started taking Biotin supplement 2 months ago and I can honestly say my nails are thicker and stronger.
I found this video just after I posted my own on the same topic. I'm mostly happy with builder gel for guitar but I'm going to add a "full cover nail extension tip" between the builder gel layers to make them even stronger. I found the gel was chipping off at the tips, which is probably because of how cracked my real tips had become from the acrylics beforehand. Using a nail extension layer should help.
Thanks for your video. I have an idea, how about a glove made from ultra fine ultra light elasticated material, then stick the nails on the glove. Just a thought.
There's also a creme called Barielle. That's the fancy manufacturer's name for the stuff now that it's marketed for women's beauty supplies. It's basically the stuff horse groomers use to keep the horses hoofs strong. So, as I've been told, they slopped on the horses hoofs and it worked. Then someone - other than me, of course, - found a more marketable use for the the product. I've always have used it and it definitely works. Still had to keep the nail at the right length. When the got too long, they could chip as they lost some of their elasticity.
Stuff is hard to put on(as a beginner). I bought a more powerful lamp than you did figuring that it would be better to cure "Faster" but had a heat spike. Wasn't badly burned but I think I'll wait a week for it to heal even so. Put a thinner layer on pointer finger that wasn't thick enough to extend the nail but didn't cause any burning. I wonder If I should just put it over the natural nail I have to strengthen it and backfill as needed.
Nice one. I'd never heard of this. I use acrylic nails, but just like you say, they can pop off on the most inconvenient occasions. I've a question about the gel. When the nail grows and new nail starts pushing on from behind, do you just fill it up with more gel?
Thanks for all the hard work you put into all your videos, man! So well presented and endlessly useful and interesting; wish I had a solid month to spend with these and the ones on your chickin pickin CDs I ordered and love. . Just like on the guitar, you make it seem effortless to present the lessons so fluidly and coherently, when in fact it's just the opposite. Thanks a million Mr.Carlson!
so i m just learning the guitar and i am letting my nails grow i am interested in fingerpicking. is this what i m looking forward to in the future to have fake nails and then to have these procedures done :>)?
Superglue gel from Dollarama 1.25 Canadian. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) 2 boxes for a buck. Do your nails with that! Hard stuff. Apply the glue and sprinkle baking soda on, add more glue if you want to build up more, repeat as required. File to smooth out. Done!! I figured if you can repair a nut slot that is filed too deep or worn, Why not try it on my nails? Works great! I have psoriasis and weak nails. Have a decent set of files to smooth it out. Works for me! Needs touching up as your nails grow, No biggie!!
The only trick with apple cider vinegar is to remember to do it each day so that the momentum is maintained and that you make sure that the fungus is all gone before stopping. When, or if it reoccurs, it is important that you hit it straight away. Unfortunately, it means an enforced holiday from nail picking... harmonica practice?
Just so you know. i bought the builder IBD Hard Gel.. Lasted 3 days and started Chipping off. Im not certain if it was the Prep that wasnt right but im pretty disappointed :(
I’m a little lost… don’t tell anyone:-) Are you adding the Gel to your existing animals and then the UV light or do you also have acrylics on and this is to add even more strength.
I use just one or the other. I started using acrylics again about 6 years ago. I needed my nails done quickly one day, so I went to a nail shop and had them done. They do it faster and much nicer than I can, and they use the acrylics, so I've been going that route when I can.
Thanks for the video, I just started experimenting with a couple fake nails and can't seem to get the shape to work and smooth across the string they catch under the nail constantly. Any advice on the shaping topic would be much appreciated, thank you again!
I'm certainly no expert on the subject. I've burned my fingers a time to two also over the years. You may want to go to a professional a time or two and see how they do it. As you learned, you don't put a thick layer on, thinner layers work a lot better.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend fake nails unless you have a good reason for it. While preparing your nails for the product they need to sand them, so on the long term you get more and more fragile and weakened nails, and then you become really dependant on this stuff. I know what I say because it took me almost a year to recover from this. Queratine suplements can help, too. Thanks for the video.
Use my fingers, but there is no way I’m walking around with chick hands. I just need a little longer index and thumb nail. I want to try sewing thimbles, but I haven’t found any big enough. The only picks I can use are the big stubbies....I use the rounded part, not the pointed end. Still, even without nails, I play best with my thumb and index...I flick the strings with my index for attack ( when I can, and it’s needed).
Think I'm going to go and have my picking fingers professionally done. Don't like the idea of having to shell out $50 for a lamp. But you had a great video, and thanks for all your suggestions.
This is the bomb. I have similar problems with my nails and this gel works great. I play hard chicken picken and strumming both on guitar and banjo. I have to touch up the fingernails about every 3 weeks. One thing I have been using that seems to really help the gel stick is the acidless base primer. Great video, thanks for saving my fingers.
Hey Ken, I have a question. Do you also apply a bit of the gel to the underside of the nail? I'm like you...my nails are very thin and break easily and I've tried every fingerpick under the sun to no avail. Thanks so much for the video!
Two questions: 1) are you using a fake nail tip in conjunction with the builder gel? 2) does this stuff kill your nails? i had some gel nails done at a salon (not the powder) and they were great! However, when they eventually wore out, my nail bed was shot. Appreciate your take on it...thanks!
+Logan Haddox No, I don't use the fake nail tips. Your real nails do get soft from having the fake (gels, acrylics etc) overlay on, but I don't know what you mean by "shot". Thanks, and good luck!
I wouldn't say my nails are very long, but yes, typically the nail gel goes over the natural nail. If I happen to break one off, I'll build it out with the gel to make it long enough to play with. I don't like to do that, because the fake nail tends to get a ridge on the bottom side and wants to snag up on the strings.
Thanks for your video! Sorry, but i'm confused a little, do you spread the builder gel on your natural fingernails, or are you also buying fake nails and attaching them, and if so what kind? thanks!
Good Question Harvey! No, you don't glue the "fake" nails on first. You build up a fake nail as you apply 2 or 3 coats of the gel over your natural nails.
Thank you so much for your vid, I appreciate. So I've been going to the salon and getting the powder acrylic for years but can't now because of the pandemic. I want to order the products you talked about because it looks like what they do at the salon, but when it comes time to change out the nail what's your procedure for pulling the old one off and do you use the buffing tool?
I've actually been going to salons the past couple of years and getting my nails done there too because they do such a great job and they last longer than when I do it myself. I understand they are still using the acrylic stuff, but I was told it's more advanced these days. I only use the gel stuff now for emergency situations too. Anyway, to answer your question, NO, I have never used a buffing tool, but I'm sure you certainly can. I would generally keep mine on until they start to lift, and sometimes I will even glue them back on with superglue if I don't have the time to replace them right away. I remove them by sliding a thin flat pick under the lifting nail, and working it up and down from side to side until the nail pops off.
It's really hard to play the guitar with longer nails because you won't be able to fret the chords properly, and the strings will buzz. You'll find it easier to play if your nails are shorter.
You got the nail fungus because you left them on. You need to remove them after you play when they are no longer needed. That's why nurses and nursing students are not allowed to wear fake nails because of fungal infections. Definitely do not put fake nails over your toenails.
That is one of the most bizarre comments I've heard. I explained how I got the fungus, and it has nothing to do with wearing them for long periods of time, and I'm sure a s hell not going to "remove them" every night when I get home from a gig. A simple google search reveals that "some" hospital institutions don't allow personnel to wear them, although I would agree that none of them should allow it.
Thank you so much. I think you have nail psoriasis and not a nail fungous. Psoriasis is a skin condition that might spread to your nails. Google the images of nail psoriasis. it does not have a cure. There certain types of food that you have to avoid.
Hey Sean, I just got home from getting mine done too! I started getting them done at the nail shops about a year ago. They do it better and faster than I do, and the scenery is pretty good...
