ping pong nail

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

ping pong nail

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

ping pong nail

This is very Spanish flamenco and it works. You use superglue (Cyanoacilicrato) and a ping pong ball. Very good for those emergency situations where the nail is seriously broken and your wallet is not into fancy pedicure. This one is now a week old and works very well.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

Attachment (1)

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 16 2012 21:25:34

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

haha, i've heard about this but have never actually seen it done. nice.

but what about rasgueados? do the strings get caught where the ping pong nail ends and the real nail is exposed?

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 16 2012 21:33:39

Elie

Posts: 1837
Joined: Apr. 10 2010

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

_____________________________

http://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarristaAD

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 4:21:57

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Once your real nail grows enough. I recommend applying a cutting from womens flesh coloured stockings to the thumb nail.

It's very easy to stretch over the nail while glueing, enabling a thin and less intrusive coating. It is also more than strong enough to prevent tearing whilst still enabling some flex in the nail. Handy for when it gets bumped into something. I only use 1 stretched layer.

It also seems to stay on longer than anything else i have tried. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the thickness and the way the glue easily penetrates it? Since i have been using it I have only had to redo it when the nail grows to much. I always clean the nail with soap to remove any oil, and then scuff the surface before glueing.

I have tried tissue paper, silk, ping pong ball, fake nails, nail hardener, bits of plastic, various types of silk and synthetic ribbon and nothing has worked as well as these stockings. The transparent flesh colour is also an advantage being relatively inconspicuous.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 6:53:14

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

What do you think the macho flamencos here in Spain will think if I start wearing female stockings on my nails ????????

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 7:16:17

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

What do you think the macho flamencos here in Spain will think if I start wearing female stockings on my nails ????????

It will be your little secret

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 8:07:06

Ramon Amira

Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

The only problem is that if you keep playing with that on, you get tennis elbow.

_____________________________

Classical and flamenco guitars from Spain Ramon Amira Guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 13:14:11

ralexander

Posts: 797
Joined: Jun. 1 2010
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

I've experimented a lot with this kind of thing for steel string playing - I used to use these drug store fake nails that were glued on in two layers. The material is very similar to what you're using here:

Very thick and strong, worked great for the steel string. However, I found these sounded like **** on flamenco guitars. Plus the shape shown here is not ideal for flamenco techniques. Anders, you are smart to leave some natural nail exposed. These glues can definitely weaken the natural nail and it's always nice to have some fresh nail growing in. I've been thinking about trying something like this again, using a single layer and more appropriate flamenco shape.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 13:51:10

paul.troutfisher

Posts: 161
Joined: Feb. 16 2011
From: Danville, CA

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

I too have heard of, but never seen this.

Boy, my wife hates my nails as they are (think she's jealous), but I'm sure she leave me if I had a ping pong ball nail :)

Or maybe she'd just hit me with a paddle!!

_____________________________

troutie

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 15:01:29

rombsix

Posts: 7815
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Ramon Amira)

quote:

you get tennis elbow.

Table tennis elbow actually.

What kind of ping pong ball (brand) do you use?

Stiga?

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 15:04:49

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

This is just a cheap noname brand. I think Stigas would be better. They are more flexible.

Troutie, If you wife hits you with a paddle, then you can hit her back and the two of you´ll have some fun together.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 15:54:14

paul.troutfisher

Posts: 161
Joined: Feb. 16 2011
From: Danville, CA

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

yes, that crossed my mind as I was typing the previous email :)

_____________________________

troutie

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 17:25:54

rogeliocan

Posts: 811
Joined: Nov. 23 2009
From: Canada

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to at_leo_87)

quote:

but what about rasgueados? do the strings get caught where the ping pong nail ends and the real nail is exposed?

Your rasgueos actually end up being much much faster because you get the ping-pong effect

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 18:04:12

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to KMMI77)

quote:

I recommend applying a cutting from womens flesh coloured stockings to the thumb nail.

that sounds like an excellent idea. i'm going to try it. thanks kris!

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 18:15:17

Ricardo

Posts: 14822
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

This is just a cheap noname brand. I think Stigas would be better. They are more flexible.

Troutie, If you wife hits you with a paddle, then you can hit her back and the two of you´ll have some fun together.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 18:59:41

Ricardo

Posts: 14822
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to ralexander)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ralexander

I've experimented a lot with this kind of thing for steel string playing - I used to use these drug store fake nails that were glued on in two layers. The material is very similar to what you're using here:

Very thick and strong, worked great for the steel string. However, I found these sounded like **** on flamenco guitars. Plus the shape shown here is not ideal for flamenco techniques. Anders, you are smart to leave some natural nail exposed. These glues can definitely weaken the natural nail and it's always nice to have some fresh nail growing in. I've been thinking about trying something like this again, using a single layer and more appropriate flamenco shape.

No offense man but those pics freaked me out at first cuz I saw this movie when I was a kid:

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 17 2012 20:14:08

NenadK

Posts: 137
Joined: Jun. 6 2010

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Angel Heart. That's a pretty sweet movie...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2012 0:19:56

Estevan

Posts: 1936
Joined: Dec. 20 2006
From: Torontolucía

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

Attachment (1)

_____________________________

Me da igual. La música es música.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2012 18:37:24

gounaro

Posts: 875
Joined: Sep. 28 2008
From: Athens, Hellas

RE: ping pong nail (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

I prefer my thumbnail to be shorter than most people.

If i have a long thumbnail, i have a problem stucking between strings.

But that's my "problem" i suppose.

Hopefully i dont have any breaking problems.

To much milk and cheese i think...