SoundTips
Why your nails sound scratchy and how to fix it
A scratchy nail can make even a beautiful guitar sound like it needs an oil change. You know the sound: a f...
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You Broke a Nail. Now What? A Classical Guitarist’s Emergency Guide
There are two kinds of people in the world. People who break a fingernail and say, “Oh well.” And classical...
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The Forbidden Spoon Hack: How to Fix a Hook-Shaped Nail
There are certain things classical guitarists do that sound perfectly reasonable to other classical guitari...
SoundTips
How to Stop Weak Nails From Splitting
A guitarist’s nail doesn’t usually break all at once. It starts with something small. A rough edge. A tiny ...
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Finding the Right Nail Length: The Balancing Act Every Guitarist Faces
One of the first questions many classical guitarists ask after growing their nails is, “How long should the...
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The Ramp Shape: The Nail Profile That Lets the String Do the Work
If there were a “secret” to great classical guitar tone, it probably wouldn’t stay secret for very long. Th...
Guest artist tips
From the world's stagesST
Scott Tennant
Concert guitarist
"My favorite way to shape my thumbnail is with the file flat, never on edge — it's the difference between a clean attack and a click."
PR
Pepe Romero
Concert guitarist
"One habit I've kept for forty years: buff before every rehearsal, not just before concerts."
JV
Jason Vieaux
Concert guitarist
"I travel with two files, not one. A backup has saved more than one soundcheck."