Some Thoughts

on Nails and Strings

 Some Thoughts
on Nails and Strings
Some pre-requirements for playing the guitar
Nails and strings are two subjects of con-
stant concern for guitar players. When
do you change the strings? What strings
should you put on? And how about your
nailswearing down through practice,
maybe damaged accidentally, or just plain
weak? How do you save them, preserve
them, and strengthen them?
I am going to tell you about some of
the things I have learned through per-
sonal experience. I am not suggesting that
these are the only methods or remedies.
I couldnt do that without an exhaustive
investigation. But they have worked for me.
STRINGS
VARIABLE FRACTORS:
The strings you choose should depend
on how loudly you play, the height of the
action on the guitar, the instruments ten-
dency or otherwise to buzz, the balance
between bass and treble, and not least, the
sound you like to produce.
Without wishing to avoid the questions
I posed above, let me say that different
strings suit different guitars and different
players. Here are some examples:
a player who likes to make a loud sound
on a guitar with a low action. My advice:
high-tension strings.
a player who likes to make a loud sound
on a guitar with a high action. My advice:
medium-tension strings.
a player who likes to make gentle sounds
in his living room, the only location
where he plays the guitar. My advice:
low- or medium-tension strings.
a guitar with strong basses and weak tre-
bles: try carbon strings on the trebles.
MY ADVICE BASED ON
WHAT I DO:
Although time-consuming, I experiment
with lowering the nut and bridge to the
lowest point before the guitar begins
to buzz, and play with medium-tension
Some Thoughts on Nails and Strings
by Carlos Bonell
strings. I like the way strings sustain and
respond to the touch. Sometimes I put on
a high-tension 6th string and medium-ten-
sion strings for the rest, and find the guitar
responds differently again. So let us imag-
ine you have fixed the strings and action.
You are happy that the guitar sounds good,
it doesnt buzz, and the action feels right.
Now you have to consider the all-
important part that comes into contact
with the strings: your nails.
NAILSTREAT THEM WITH
RESPECT:
The most important thing you can do in
the short term to preserve your nails is to
learn how to play at an angle to the string
that doesnt wear them out, and to develop
smooth, relaxed strokes. In addition,
please treat the nails with the respect they
deserve. In other words, dont bash them
against the strings for an hour as loud as
you can, and expect them to be happy and
undamaged! For most people, the nails will
complain in the only way they know how
by wearing down and even splitting.
Always play with your nails as smoothly
polished as possible. Use an emery board
and fine emery paper around and under-
neath the nail until there are no catches,
ridges or imperfections.
WHAT YOU EAT:
In the medium and long term you can
strengthen your nails by encouraging them
to grow strongly by what you eat. Find
foods that contain calcium, zinc, silica, bio-
tin, folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 and cod
liver oil. Here are some of the foods that
include these: fish (especially herring and
salmon), oysters, liver, watercress, spin-
ach, alfalfa, lettuce, kale, kelp, asparagus,
sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts,
nuts, wheat germ, oats, brown rice, buck-
wheat, soy beans, bananas, fruit, molasses,
and cider vinegar.
NAIL-FRIENDLY BREAKFAST
SPECIAL:
Try this for breakfast on weekends: wheat
germ sprinkled oatmeal porridge with
bananas and soy milk. Sweeten with honey.
NAIL-FRIENDLY MAIN MEAL:
Raw oysters with lemon juice as a starter,
followed by grilled salmon with lemon
juice, and a watercress and spinach salad,
toasted sesame seeds, boiled buckwheat
(a rice substitute) with a dressing of cider
vinegar and olive oil. And if you dont like
salmon, try herring or another oily fish.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS:
You can also take vitamins, minerals and
cod liver oil in capsules. You can apply nail-
strengthener liquid directly to the nail.
A WORD ABOUT SPLITS AND
BREAKS:
Unless you break a nail off completely
and lose it, most breaks and splits can be
repaired. A mix of super-glue and resin
can hold a split nail together for up to two
weeks. Read the instructions carefully,
especially when you apply super-glue to
the nail. Apply it first onto a tooth-pick and
from there onto the nail surface. A word of
caution: Some nails are more vulnerable to
the effects of super-glue than others and
can suffer. If in doubt dont use it!.
MY ADVICE BASED ON WHAT I
DO:
I do take care about my diet, and not just
for the nails, but for my general health,
which in turn helps the nails grow strongly.
I apply nail protein directly to my nails.
When I damage a nail I use a nail kit (there
are several on the market) and that sees me
through thick and thin (pardon the pun).
From the April 2013 issue of Classical Guitar.
First published at carlosbonell.com