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Acrylic
Nails
Q Can you give me some
suggestions about strengthening my nails for fingerstyle playing
without picks?
Laurie Browne
Kansas City, Missouri
A My own fingernails are
too thin to cope with playing on steel strings, and when they grow
out to a proper length and shape, just one hour of intensive playing
grinds them away. Years ago I began trying all the recommended ways
to supplement the natural nail. At some point I tried acrylic nails,
and they have served me well for years now.
The best way to learn how to work with acrylic nails is to have
a set professionally applied at a nail salon. Tell the manicurist
that you want the nails to be fairly short with smooth, rounded
tips, and be sure to explain that they are for guitar playing. Watch
carefully so that you’ll know how to apply the material yourself
the next time around.
One popular product for applying nails at home is the widely available
Fing’rs Acrylic Nail Maker Kit (www.fingrs.com),
which uses a two-part chemical process to build the new nail material
directly onto the existing surface. The two chemicals are a liquid
called monomer and a fine, powdered plastic that you mix with it.
The mixture begins self-curing when the two components are combined.
Within a couple of minutes, the plastic sets up rock-solid. The
viscous liquid mixture adheres well, so no potentially damaging
adhesives are required.
Most fingerstyle players add the acrylics to the first three fingers
of their right hand and sometimes to the thumbnail (unless they
use a thumbpick). Prepare the natural nails by cutting them fairly
short, about even with the tip of your finger. Don’t cut them too
short since the acrylic material needs to go underneath the nail
a bit for strength and stability. It’s a good idea to roughen the
top of the nail surface somewhat to help the plastic adhere. The
nail surfaces must be dry and clean. There are chemical precleaners
for this purpose, which remove any grease or oil that may be present.
It’s best to apply the acrylic material to only the upper half
of the nail. Covering the whole nail may look better, but it can
cause problems as the nail grows out. While applying the liquid
mixture, taper the top surface of the acrylic nail down to the real
nail surface. This technique makes application easier and requires
less future maintenance. The idea is to form a guitar pick–like
surface at the tip of the nail, where it contacts the string. Make
sure some of the acrylic material goes underneath the tip of the
nail to provide mechanical strength, but be very careful not to
allow the liquid to flow too far back under the nail. If the acrylic
gets too thick under there it can cause irritation and is difficult
to remove after it hardens.
Once the acrylic material is in place on your fingers, you can
shape the nails exactly as you want them with a professional-grade
"wet or dry" sanding board. You can also use a nail file or emery
board, but these tools don’t last as long. My advice is to start
with the nails longer than you think they should be. Try playing
your guitar and then shorten and reshape as necessary. Remember
that the tone will be harsh if the edge that contacts the string
is not extremely smooth.
You will eventually find the best length and shape, and then you’re
in business. The first thing you will notice is that you can get
a more precise and consistent attack,
more volume, and a fatter tone. You no longer need to worry
about damaging your nails by playing too hard, and you can therefore
be more aggressive with your right-hand technique.
—Pat Kirtley
FLAT
FINISHES
Q Some acoustic guitars,
such as the Martin D-15, are apparently unfinished, other than a
stain. Is it advisable to add a lacquer or oil finish to such a
guitar?
Jerry Prigmore
Fresno, California
A Rest assured that the Martin D-15
and virtually every factory-made guitar does indeed have a finish
on it. The finish may have no reflective gloss, but it completely
seals and protects the surface. This kind of "flat" finish is often
produced with the same material used in a high-gloss finish, but
it includes a chemical additive that causes it to dry without remaining
shiny. You should not add more finish on top.
—Frank Ford
LOS
INDIOS TABAJARAS
Q
Can you tell me anything about two brother guitarists from South
America who used to record under the name of Los Indios Tabajaras?
Richard Caligiuri
Woodbury, Minnesota
A According to legend, Los
Indios Tabajaras were Musiperi and Herundy, sons of a Tabajara chieftain
in a remote Brazilian jungle village. As the story goes, the boys
discovered a guitar abandoned in the forest by European settlers
and taught themselves to play. My old guitar teacher claimed that
the lads were conservatory-trained, but the truth is shrouded in
decades-old propaganda. Whatever their origins, the boys could really
play, and they found some modest success in Rio de Janeiro and points
north. A savvy agent buffed up their image, elaborated on the tale,
and sent them on the road as Natalicio and Antenor Lima, replete
with full tribal regalia, feathered headdresses, and a pair of classical
guitars. They specialized in elaborate guitar transcriptions of
classical violin and piano works, often played on custom instruments
with extended fingerboards and scalloped frets to facilitate the
difficult fingerings.
The brothers scored an international hit in 1963 with an instrumental
cover of the oft-recorded "Maria Elena." Subsequent records failed
to achieve similar response, but the act maintained modest success
in Latin markets. Antenor retired from performing some years ago,
but Natalicio--aka Nato--Lima continued the act into the ’90s with
his wife, Michiko.
—Paul Kotapish
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