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i dont know maybe it's not your case ,but I tend to neglect my nails and though this is not a good advice....I observed that usually some people that overdo washing and cleaning and filling tend to have easier to break nails.
If you play enough, you will get callus on the thumb. Than you dont need a long nail any longer. Just ca.1mm and thats really nothing. I allways had a long thumbnail coz I protect it well and I was to scared to rasp it too short. So it was allways a bit longer than I needed. Than, during a hasty moment when I tryed to open something it broke. Only 0,1millimeters were left. Hey!! I can play faster and more acurate since that day. I prefer shorter nails. Maybe you can play with a shorter nail better, too.
If you have the money it makes sense to go to a nail salon and get them done with gel tips. It'd be easier to rip the nail off your finger than to break a gel tip. Since I got mine I haven't had a single problem. Costs a bit to have it done every month, though...
Some of my friends do that , too. But for example for me its not good. Coz with gel the nail is to big (I dont mean long). When its to big its harder to have the same control. And picado isnt possible with too big nail for me, too. I need thin nails. I think every guitarrist have to test all possibilities of protection be himself. I needed 4 years to find a good way to protect my nails.
- apply 3 coats, let it dry for 15 min between coats. - apply them before bedtime so they will be dry and cured over night - remove them with nail polish remover after a week and repeat - apply only the outer part of the nail, about 1/3 of the nail but not the entire nail - remember you won't have a perfect nails but you will have 25% improvement. If you don't think it good enough play with a pick
Maybe you could try applying some nail glue or super/crazy glue and or some Sally Hanson's nail hardener to your thumb nail even while it is too short. This should help it from getting grounded off so much while you are waiting for it to grow back.
Also, maybe you could concentrate on other techniques for a bit such as rasgueados etc...
When I practise alzapua, the thumb upstroke damages the nail the most. So to prevent this I do this excercise till the nail is back in business. (just my two cents)
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