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I'm sure we''ve all read a billion threads on nail care and different products etc to cope with the battering one's nails get playing flamenco, but I thought a poll would be interesting to see the actual breakdown on what people use.
Please participate folks, and let me know if I've missed anything!
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Ultra fine self adhesive nail silk, and super glue is the only thing I have found that works, all the nail varnishes out there make the nail surface soft, and so deaden the sound of Rasguedos. The nail silk is available from most guitar shops. Nottingham Guitar Studio is where I buy mine from. Dave
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Billyboy)
Sorry didn't look at the top of the page, I will be doing some nail repair tomorrow, as I'm playing at a guitar club, all the nails on my right hand are down to the bone. Just like to add the super glue needs to be fresh, you need to open a new bottle for each repair sesh, Its expensive but worth it, also the new super glue with a brush is just perfect for nail repair, as the least super glue you use the better. Dave
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
It's really hard for me to fathom anyone who plays a lot not using acrylics. Once I got them, there was really no turning back. By the way Dave, what's a guitar club? Is that like a metal device you affix to it so that no can steal it?
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
quote:
Dave, what's a guitar club? Is that like a metal device you affix to it so that no can steal it?
LOL You cant be serious with that question can you? I have never used acrylics, trouble is they are perminet, you should only cover the tip of your nai with the silk, to let the nail breath, covering the nail with anything deteriats the nail, and once you start using silk the nail becomes thin and weak, and it takes months to recover. I have seen the acrylic kits in Boots, how do you use them? Cheers Dave
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Miguel,
I second the notion.
I'm not using acrylics, but the home application product of Lume', which is very similar to acrylics. I have been down the road with glue, polish, silk, you name it and I will never go back!
Other than filing, I don't have to mess with my nails but every month or so.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Dave,
The fact is, anything you apply to your nails that has good adhesion will determinate the nail if you peal it off. The question is, why would you need to take off acrylics or gels like I use? Sure, if you peal off acrylics you will have a thin nail because part of the nail surface will go with the acrylics. But that's not an issue, as you don't take them off.
The only thing you need to do about once a month is apply a new coat to cover the newly grown out area. With the product I use, I buff off the gloss and it looks almost identical to a normal nail.
When I used glue and silk, it was a constant pain it the butt. I screwed with my nails as much as I played. Not anymore!
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Patrick)
You would need to take it off, when they break. Are the acrilic sets you get from boots good enough, or are we talking special arcrilic kits with a lamp? Thanks Dave
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Dave,
No, with the system I use it would be very rare to ever remove them. The Lume' system uses gels that are set with an ultraviolet light. Like I said, about once a month you just apply a new layer to touch them up.
I think what you are talking about are the fake nails you glue on. The system I use and acrylics that are professionally applied are not glued on, they are applied as liquid or powder, and then set on the nail. They actually bond with the nail surface.
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
I go to a salon, they have them on ever corner here. You go in and there are a bunch of middle-aged Vietnamese ladies, they almost always send me to the same one. She puts on the nails, and I pay my $20. This lasts for a month or two. They never break, although sometimes the left corner starts to flake off, and I can fix this with superglue. If you were to remove the nail, the real nail would be very thin. However, that is irrelevant, since the only time you remove the fake nail is to put another one on. I play aggressively and nothing bad happens to my fingers. The firmness of the nail gives me more security and a more powerful tone. When the nails are newly applied, and when properly maintained, they are indistinguishable, from a distance of more than three feet or so, from natural nails.
Posts: 533
Joined: Jul. 16 2003
From: Toronto, ON, Canada
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
There's been lots of talk of acrylics and it is one method I have not yet tried. I recently wrote Jason Mcguire, and he wrote that he uses "5 Second Nail Glue and acrylic powder... making a thin acrylic overlay like what they do in the salons, only thinner". Is this an actual product, 5 Second Nail Glue, and does anyone know where to get it and/or the acrylic powder? Jason is a really cool guy. He answered all my questions and gave me lots of great advice. What a player, too!
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Andy,
I also wanted to mention the trick I found to keep them from delaminating is to first use the No Lift Primer. I then file at an angle so the nail is slightly resessed under the gel coating (does this make any sense?). I hold the file at about a 30 to 40% angle so I am actually playing with more of the gel, rather than the nail. I found if you file staight across the end, the nail will catch and potentialy separate.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Conrad,
I would guess that 5 second glue is just a faster setting superglue. As for thin or thick you can have the salons apply a thinner coat (if they will listen) or put a thin coat on if you do it yourself.
As for Jason he is an outstanding player and has a ton of experience.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to TANúñez)
Your lucky if you don't need anything, some people have finger nails like toe nails, and I'm envious, but if you do a lot of rasgueados or accompanieing, they are bound to wear paper thin. Dave
Posts: 70
Joined: Nov. 16 2003
From: Wieringerwerf, Holland
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
Andy, (and others ofcourse)
I red last month about Eric Vaarzon Morel, a dutch prof. flamenco player, the only one we get here in Holland, He lets grow the nail of of his left hand thumb. Cuts it off and uses the nail for his right hand finger(s) He glue's it with 2 second glue.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
Andy,
I think you will really like it. They say that the shelf life of the gels are only six months, but I am on about nine. The trick is to cover the jars as soon as you are done and keep the UV light away from the open containers. I think I can get at least a year from the gels.
The other thing is to do a good job preping the nail. Let your nails dry at least an hour if you get them wet before applying the gels. Also, I have been using one coat of base and two coats of finish. They tell you to use one of each, but they seem to be a bit thin.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
Andy,
I don't have all the answers. The first application I made was perfect. No, the No Lift product has to be purchased separetly. If you use the primer that comes with the kit, it will work ok, it's that the No Lift is better.
The trick with the primer that comes with the kit is to get the nail rough with the course file and keep applying the primer untill the nail surface turns white. You may have to apply the primer three or four times. You only have to use one coat of the No Lift primer.
You should only have to set the base coat for 60 seconds. It will be tacky after only 60 seconds. This is OK. Then apply the top coat and cure for 60 second and apply a second top coat over the first (no primer) and cure for another 60 seconds.
Also, after you prime the nail do not touch it as it will get contaminated with oil. You should also turn the lamp on for a few minutes before you use it to warm up.
I had OK results with the primer that comes with the kit, but the No Lift has been the way to go.
I would hold off filing the edge of the nail for a few days. I just put the stuff on and play untill I need to file the nail. The gels do get harder after a few days from light exposure. I run the gel over the nail edge like they say in the video and just play that surface untill I need to file (I bet that will take care of your problems). If it does lift a bit on the edge, just float some superglue into it. The No Lift will cure almost all lifting.
Sorry for not saying the No Lift is not in the kit. You should diffinately get it.
Give it another shot. Once you get it. you will love it. This post took longer than I spend putting the stuff on. I am telling you, I spend about 30 minutes each month!
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
Andy,
Yes that's it. They call it Nail Cleanser. This is the primer. I would say the superglue could be the problem. As they do in the video, rough up the nail surface big time. You need to apply the Cleanser untill the nail surface turns white. Like I said, you may have to apply it a few times. It drys fast. With the NO Lift you don't have to have a white surface. Just rough up the nail, put on one thin coat and slap on the gels.
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