Great tip for shaping nails

[Louise Wilson]

Muchi - you are certainly correct about this being the way to shape nails - and the critical thing is to use the very fine 400 grit sandpaper - otherwise the edges are just too rough - then people say this method doesn't work !!

[ksf0601]

I have struggled quite a bit to get the right nail length and shape. This is the first I've heard of putting sand paper on the strings to get the correct angle. It seems like it would work though. Thanks for the advice

[Leitmotiv]

400 grit? I don't see this as 'fine' when you can get 2000 grit instead. I buy a product called 'Capriol Nail Papers', which includes two types of paper; 1200 and 2000 grit (£4.50 in England).


You should sand in only one direction also, across the whole nail, as this minimises snags and such.


The smoother the better.


Leitmotiv

[ksf0601]

Where do you get this sandpaper at?

[Leitmotiv]

I got mine from Spanish Guitar Centre, 44 Nottingham Road, New Basford. (Nottingham, NG7 7AE UK.)


They trade on the net as www.Guitarnotes.co.uk


Leitmotiv

[stevnpa]

I remember seeing a device which was basically 6 thin round files set between two pieces of wood with the files spaced as guitar strings. Did the same job as the sandpaper on strings. I don't know if it was commercially available or home-made but Gilbert Biberian (my teacher at the time) used it.

Steve

[Marko Räsänen]

I think this thread deserves a lift.

I used to file and buff, but found the process to be too arbitrary. Shaping the nails seemingly the same length and form that had worked the previous time would suddenly cause catching or clicking. I then saw Daniele Magli do the method suggested in this thread in one of his Youtube videos, and decided to try it. It works like a charm for me! I use first 400 grit, then 800 then 1200 sandpaper folder over the first string (for i,m,a) and 6th string (for p). I do both free and rest strokes, and vary the angle of attack between more and less perpedicular. I fold the paper underneath 2nd and 3rd string for free strokes, and keep it pointing towards sound hole for rest strokes. This method leaves my nails ramped to varying degrees depending on the finger with sharp corners that I take out with a file (and polish with sandpaper).

Pros:
+ no catching, no clicking in any hand / finger positions that I normally use
+ my ring finger nail hooks down at slightly right of the center, whereas my i and m finger nails are very flat, but I don't have to think about the individual nail shapes anymore. This method seems to create invariably perfect shapes for each nail, at the underside of the nail edge where the string contact area is.
+ leaves the profile of the edge of the nail more rounded as opposed to when filing at 45 degree angle, after which I needed to separately blunt the edge with file.

Cons:
- it takes time and patience to do this using 3 papers, but on the other hand saves the trial and error involved with filing.

I decided to stop using a fine grade buffer altogether, because for me it introduced clicking which was probably related to loss of friction between the finger tip & nail and the string. I also seem to get better tactile control of the strings without buffing. The quality of tone is good enough for me after 1200 grit sandpaper.

[robin loops]

Another tip: once you found the perfect shape and length, is to file a little away every day. This way you don't end up having to reshape them all over again once the start getting too long.

[Rick-in-Annapolis]

Another tip: once you found the perfect shape and length, is to file a little away every day. This way you don't end up having to reshape them all over again once the start getting too long.

Even better, once you have found the perfect shape and length (I haven't yet!), take a picture so you can remember what they look like.

[robin loops]

Photos are a good idea when you are still looking for perfect shape and experimenting. But, I wasn't referring to the experimental stage and didn't mean having to start from scratch to find the right shape. My perfect shape is burned into my memory but it's still a hassle having to file down and rework large amounts of nail. More of a maintenance suggestion.

Once you're done with experimentation and know the shape you want, if you pass a rough file over them and rebuff every day you never have to spend more than about 30 seconds at a time on nail care.

[AsturiasFan]

After a long while I have confirmed a previous post of mine on why this nail shaping technique doesn't work for me. However, others for which this method doesn't work might find an adaptation that does.

The basic problem that the technique is supposed to correct are nails that are too acutely contoured. Scratching the nail on sandpaper like one is playing can indeed make indeed make things worse because the excessive contour may start somewhat away from the left edge. You easily file away the far left edge where there is the most pressure. This makes the contour even more irregular with disastrous results. So the location of the excessive contour can make a difference in whether the technique improves contour or destroys it. If you have a small hump (point of excessive increase in slope) that needs to be flattened it doesn't make sense to file the good flat parts and there is no guarantee that this method doesn't file the good flat parts.

The first step in my adaptation is to precisely identify where the excessive contour is: (1) Make firm nail-flesh contact with the string and nail on top of string ready to play; (2) Depress the string vertically downwards to create very firm pressure on the nail (perhaps half way to the sound board); (3) Slowly slide the nail off the string; (4) If the movement gets hung up at a precise nail location a bad point of excessive contour has been found.

Once I have clearly identified the location of the bad point, a visible inspection usually confirms it even though I wouldn't necessarily notice it in advance. I then conservatively flatten that local area with just two or three strokes of a file (or strokes on sandpaper with that specific point in mind.) That alone has worked for me repeatedly. There's less than a 50% chance that I will I have to go through the process again or flatten a wider area because I don't file my nails very acutely to begin with.

[Marko Räsänen]

The basic problem that the technique is supposed to correct are nails that are too acutely contoured. Scratching the nail on sandpaper like one is playing can indeed make indeed make things worse because the excessive contour may start somewhat away from the left edge.You easily file away the far left edge where there is the most pressure. This makes the contour even more excessive with disastrous results. So the location of the excessive contour can make a difference in whether the technique improves contour or destroys it. If you have a small hump (point of excessive increase in slope) that needs to be flattened it doesn't make sense to file the good flat parts and there is no guarantee that this method doesn't file the good flat parts.

I can easily see how the excessive wear of the left edge can happen, but I think that could be related to you having decided on a nail shape you want, and then trying to correct the problems with the contour by scratching on sandpaper on a string. For this method to work best in my opinion, one should stop filing i, m & a finger nails altogether, and let the nail shapes be determined by the scratching process. For me this means rather steep ramps for i and m fingers (approx. 30 degrees), and a more shallow ramp for 'a' finger that starts to level off at the middle point of the nail edge. Because of the ball-like shape of the right hand, the angles for i and m finger that the string "sees" are actually quite a bit shallower (those fingers will be slanted towards the fretboard). Another interesting effect that the scratching method has had on my i finger nail, is that the left edge of the ramp is a bit higher (away from the guitar top) than the right edge, so the ramp itself is a bit slanted, so that the picking angle seen by the string is a bit more perpendicular than the angle of the finger itself. This compensates for the angle of the flexing movement of the finger, which is slightly towards the right side of the hand compared to 'm' or 'a' fingers, so at least i and m finger nail ramps will contact the string at roughly same angle despite their difference in movement direction.

As most of my string catching problems tend to happen at (near) perpendicular picking angles, that kind of picking angle is where I have been concentrating my scratching efforts lately, with the emphasis on rest stroke. That puts the pressure more evenly on the whole length of the nail edge. Also because I need to keep the sandpaper in place with my left hand, gripping the string beneath the sandpaper firmly, I haven't felt the need to depress the string vertically. This of course means that the "scratch stroke" is a bit different compared to actual stroke, because the string does not have any (or very little) give. It also means that the applied pressure (and hence the amount of abrasion) can be controlled with finger muscles for various stages of the "stroke". Because my nails curve downwards at the middle or right side of the nail (probably the regions that grow fastest), I tend to increase the pressure towards the end of the "stroke", which actually happens quite automatically when fighting the middle joint's tendency to rise away from the string (because the string does not give in, as it normally does).

Finally, I've noticed that it's relatively important to work on a,m&i at the same time, doing for example ami pattern on the string (I use the 1st string), because that allows me to compare the resistance of individual fingers while scratching away, so I can concentrate on the finger(s) giving the most resistance.

After 6 weeks of doing this, I'm still perfecting this method for myself, trying to see what works and minimize the time spent on scratching and buffing, so the method is by no means a "fool proof" automatic problem solver, but even with all the variables with the implementation of the method, I'm surprised by the consistency of the results and happy with the tone I have achieved. As with guitarist nails always, lots of experimentation is required, and there are no guarantees that this method will work for everyone. If one does not like ramped nail shapes, this method clearly won't work as the only means of maintaining the nail length and shape. If very short nails are preferred, there are probably easier ways for maintaining them. At least for me this method allows for longer nails (both the actual nail length, and the length of the ramp) than would be possible otherwise, which makes my playing very comfortable, and allows for better control of tone than short nails.

[AsturiasFan]

Thanks Marko. I think you're right that my already having decided on a nail shape is what may not be consistent with this method. You gave a lot of information for me to mull over and reconsider.

Edit: I tried Marko's multiple-adjustments-covering-the-entire-stroke-range idea on my thumbnail and it worked out really well. Parkening also wraps sandpaper around the string but for small adjustments only. For my fingers, I'm sticking to Parkening's variant. Smoothing through playing movement seems more precise than using a file. I will never use this method to determine the original basic shape.

[dbeau]

The first step in my adaptation is to precisely identify where the excessive contour is: (1) Make firm nail-flesh contact with the string and nail on top of string ready to play; (2) Depress the string vertically downwards to create very firm pressure on the nail (perhaps half way to the sound board); (3) Slowly slide the nail off the string; (4) If the movement gets hung up at a precise nail location a bad point of excessive contour has been found.

Once I have clearly identified the location of the bad point, a visible inspection usually confirms it even though I wouldn't necessarily notice it in advance. I then conservatively flatten that local area with just two or three strokes of a file (or strokes on sandpaper with that specific point in mind.)

This is how I've been addressing sticking issues, especially with 'a' for about 9 months and it needs correction every session, so very short nails result.
Marko's analysis/experience makes such sense that I'll go back to the sand paper scatching using his technique for awhile - maybe someday ?