FINGERNAIL FINISHING PAPER?

[Guitar Slim]

Here's a tip for getting that "silky smooth" sound. Try using some very fine finishing or polishing paper on your nails before you play. Look for anything from 500 to 1,000-grit paper, you can get it at most hardware stores. I can't find the blue/gray paper I used to use anymore, so now I'm using the black stuff. I'm not sure what material is best.

I'm sure some of you CGers out there use finising or polishing paper on your nails. Care to share what you use, what works best, what grit and material are your favorite?

Thanks

[Pepe Vergara]

[quote] ... Care to share what you use, what works best, what grit and material are your favorite?

Thanks
Nail clippers, fifty-cents file at the drugstore, and several pass on my Levi's.

[racer_x]

After using a real file smooths them out pretty nice.

[Todd]

I use a four sided emery board.

Its just a file with 4 grits from coarse to fine.

The last grit is so fine, it puts a shine
on the nail.

Dont really need the sandpaper,etc..

TK

[Guitar Slim]

Thanks Racer-X. Do you know off-hand what material it is? What brand?

Sr. Vergara: I know the old school wisdom is, "trim them and play for a few hours, that will smooth them out." Is that standard operating procedure for flamenco guitarists? Been using the old Levis trick for years, BTW.

[racer_x]

ALI Silicon Carbide waterproof sandpaper.

[Zak]

First i use a file. I have one called "Revlon Shaping" - good for shaping without being too aggressive. Then I go over them with 600 grit sand paper to clean up the crap that the file left behind. Finally I polish them with 1500 grit, which gives a nice glassy surface that plays smoothly and sounds nice too.

[Sandra]

I've been using Ruby Stone crystal nail files for years.

They don't wear out, but after an extended period of time they seem to get a little dull from the accumulation of nail particles in the surface. Soak in some soapy water and use an old toothbrush over the surface and they're as good as new. They will, however, break if you drop them on a hard surface.

I don't think I could ever go back to a regular emery board or metal file. I have no idea what grit they would correspond to but these things are super fine. :)

Couldn't find a manufacturer's site, but here's what they look like. You can find them in beauty supply stores.

http://www.cachebeauty.com/files.htm#ruby

And so what if they're pink? Get over it, guys! :D

[BigMac5]

ALI Silicon Carbide waterproof sandpaper. Whwere do you buy yours? I can only find 600 grit in my local hardware stores.

[Charles W]

I've been a long-time user of the 3m tri-m-ite free-cut 500 grit. I get it from Strings by Mail or Maple Street guitars. I just recently ordered some cloth-backed nail files from Luthier Music Corp. The package comes with 9 grits starting at 1500 and going to 12000. From what I can tell, it looks like Micro-Mesh. The grits are a bit misleading. I found out that the 1500 grit is about the same as 400 grit sandpaper. Still, by the time you get to 12000, its micro, micro-fine. I think the 12000 is similar to that final grey buffing surface on the 4-way files that Todd mentioned. I wanted to try these because of the range of grits you get and the fact that their cloth-backed, which seems like it would make it easier to really get underneath the nail. For my nails, especially a, I find that up underneath in the corner right where the string releases from the nail is the crucial spot to get glassy smooth. My order of these cloth files hasn't arrived yet. Has anybody tried them?

[Guitar Slim]

I've been a long-time user of the 3m tri-m-ite free-cut 500 grit
Bless you, Charles! This is the stuff I used to use in music school back in the '80s. No hardware store in town had it over the counter, the only person we could get it from was the instructor. He used to order it from some secret source he had out-of-state.

[Guitar Slim]

And so what if they're pink? Get over it, guys!
LOL, Sandra. Any guy brave enough to file his nails in public wouldn't worry about using a pink file. It would only add to the mystique!

Seriously, I've always preferred the Revlon double-sided files, shaping on one side, fininshing on the the other. I only use the finishing side.

But, for a buck and change, I might give one of these ruby stones a try if I can find one. Thanks for the tip.

[Travis_Warner]

[quote] ... Care to share what you use, what works best, what grit and material are your favorite?

Thanks
Nail clippers, fifty-cents file at the drugstore, and several pass on my Levi's.

ditto :D

[JoeAlders]

There is in our “Guitar World” an endless discussion with what kind of polishing our RH nails should be treated ( for the left handers- LH- of course). My own experience is that the secret is in the very first place lying in the SHAPE and LENGTH , and then, at a “light years” distance away from them, polishing comes into the picture.
My “m” is always troublesome when producing a good
tone, regardless the polishing treatment (Ruby Stone- xxx-grit, whatever). Quite mysteriously, my “i” and “a” are not so sensitive to such kind of delicate treatment, they always seem to produce a “good” tone regardless the polishing (at least to my ears ).
By the way I am using Struers P # 4000 Waterproof Silicon Carbide Paper as a final
“treatment” for i,m.a .
Joe.

[sl455]

Everyone should try those crystal or tempered glass files. You should be able to find them at your local Walgreens or CVS or RiteAid or your favorite mega-pharmacy. They aren't cheap, about $7-$8 but very worth it. It leaves a very clean finish that blows the metal files (even the finishing side) away.

After that I use your standard 3M 500 sandpaper, available at very reasonable prices at, as mentioned, stringsbymail.com. Order a bunch (since they have an incredible shipping offer) and get some strings and wrap it all up for yourself under the tree for Christmas.

The emory boards are good too.

Charles, I've seen that packet before. I think it's made by Lisa (Lisa Strings) and distributed by Luthier in Manhattan, NY. It's a good idea and probably works for some poeple.

My motto is, keep it simple. The super fine stuff produces amazing results but it's impractical for me--I need the time to play, not perfect my nails.

[GSI Fan]

...My motto is, keep it simple...

All the more reason to cut the nails off completely...aka Tarrega!!! :wink:

[Pepe Vergara]

Guitar Slim:
Your avatar is very known to me. What is your relationship to it?

[Guitar Slim]

Sr. Vergara

I find this work of art meloncholy but somehow hopeful at the same time.

I chose it as my avatar because I sometimes feel like my pursuit of music is like "tilting at windmills." I once had the desire to be a professional, fulltime musician -- maybe even a world-class concert guitarist! But it was not to be. Now I am 45 years old, I work a regular day job and pursue music when I can find the time.

I don't know much about the work, except that it is by Picasso and represents Don Quixote. Do you know anything more about it? Does it have any special significance to you?

[Pepe Vergara]

Within the same proportions, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is to Spanish what Shakespeare (sp?) is to English. The book EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIJOTE DE LA MANCHA is one of the most important works in the Spanish language. It is the balance beetween idealism and practicalism (Don Quijote versus Sancho Panza). This book can be considered the teenagehood of the Spanish language. The childhood would be EL POEMA DEL MIO CID. You are right: Don Quijote wants to change the world and make it better for everyone, but people think that he is crazy. Sancho Panza, his servant, knows he is missing couple of screws, but decides to accompany him just in case something bad happens. He could protect him. Don Quijote did not see things the way we see them sometimes. He saw and heard dogs barking when he was riding his horse along the street. Sancho saw people making fun of him. Don Quijote dismissed them by saying: "Ladran Sancho, senal que cabalgamos." ("They are barking Sancho, that means, we are moving ahead."). It is indeed one of the most wonderful books ever published. Everyone should read it.

Back to your 45. You are at the begining of the real life. Get started. Music is a language, not a destination. Ask any Puerto Rican, they speak the language of music so well that it seems that they always communicate in music. So start learning that language.

[Guitar Slim]

Sr. Vergara,

"Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be."

I found that quote on line. I wish I could say I've finished the book, but alas I have not. I started it once, many years ago (in English translation). But it was in two volumes, and the local library lost volume 2 and I never got around to finishing it.

So tell me, is Don Quixote ultimately seen as the "hero" of the book? Is Cervantes point that it is better to live as Quixote lived? To not just dream of a world of honor and dignity, but to live as if the world really was that way? Or does Sanco Panza's "practicality" win out in the end?

I really must read the book someday...

[Pepe Vergara]

There is no heros in literature. If any, the reader, who endures the reading of good and bad books. Because as Don Quijote used to say to Sancho: "reading books will always teach you something, even if the book is a bad book. They will teach you that there are bad books."

[Libre]

I happen to be reading the book now - as it happens. A translation - my Spanish literacy is about at the level of reading ads in the subway cars for lawyers (abigados).
So far, I don't have much sympathy for Don Quixote (as it is spelled in my translation). He has noble ideas but really is totally out of his gourd - I mean, he is completely gonzo - if you know what I mean. So far (I've only read about 100 pages) he has done no good at all, and has done quite a bit of harm. Sancho Panza, by the way, was persuaded to leave his wife and children to accompany Don Quixote on his lunatic excursions, with the promise that Don Quixote would appoint him as a ruler of a province, as sometimes crusading knights did with their squires.

[Pepe Vergara]

Libre:
The reason I said there are no heros, is because I try to look beyond we can only "see" in the description (for example, when you see the color of a note, or a chord, or a sound.) In such a small paragraph that you wrote, you said so many things. You obseved so many things. However, you told us using the "standard notation", not using the "color" language of the notes. Try that, and you will see the drama, misery, etc. that reading few pages showed you. Haven't we had dreamers that seemed stupid, but were trying to do the idealistic thing. Some succeded, others did not. Who is the most practical, the one who by losing a lot, only lose material things that he can recover later? Libre. I like your definition. I certainly got desparate with Don Quijote, I always admired Sancho. He did appoint him as governor of the Isla De Barataria. Ah! Cervantes, you do not know how much our elected officials would learn from Sancho during his tenure as governor. A lot more than reading THE PRINCE of Maquiavelo.

[Libre]

Pepe-
I get your point - I'll try harder to see the color of the notes. I'm taking it at face value, not reading into it much.

Slim-
If it's not too personal, what is the "regular day job" you are working at?

[JoeAlders]

By the way, the avatar of Guitar Slim is a drawing from the famous
Picasso. I do not know if Picasso illustrated Cervantes book
“Don Quichotte from la Mancha” but certainly Dali did! When I was in Port Lligat in 2004 in Spain where Dali once lived, I visited an art gallery where some part of his work was exhibited. There I saw some beautiful drawings Dali made for Cervantes book but I cannot remember when and by what publisher it was printed.

Joe.

[Guitar Slim]

Sr. Veraga:
I am going to the book store today on my lunch break and intend to pick up a copy of Quixote. If I ever finish it, I will let you know my impressions.

Marc:
I am a buyer in charge of maintenence and engineering supplies for a medium-sized factory in S. California. We are the automotive branch of a multi-national corp that also owns Harman Kardon, JBL and Infinity. So I'm at least peripherally still connected to the music biz!

Are you a full-time musician, or do you hold down a day job as well?

Joe:
I knew the drawing was by Picasso. It was once a very popular poster, and is probably still available at most art/print stores in the US. I don't know if Picasso did any further illustrations from Don Quixote, but this particular work is something of an icon.

I never knew Dali illustrated the work, I'm curious to see the illustrations. I'm only familiar with a few of Dali's really famous surrealist paintings. And I know he designed a comlete Tarot deck that's really cool.

[MWA]

JoeAlders

I was in an antique/junk store and found a copy of the Don Quixote edition you refer to. My edition was copyrighted by Random House in 1946 and is part of the "Modern Library" series. If you Google "Modern Library" you can find that there are sites devoted to collecting these books. I bought it for the Dali illustrations (there are a lot in the book) which are quite dramatic and a little bizarre.

[JoeAlders]

JoeAlders

I was in an antique/junk store and found a copy of the Don Quixote edition you refer to. My edition was copyrighted by Random House in 1946 and is part of the "Modern Library" series. If you Google "Modern Library" you can find that there are sites devoted to collecting these books. I bought it for the Dali illustrations (there are a lot in the book) which are quite dramatic and a little bizarre.


MWA,

I googled "Modern Library" (Random House publisher) as you suggested but could not find any link to the book you are posessing. Can you please be a little more specific?
I know this is far out of the subject of this thread but......

Guitar Slim,

I personnaly think your curiousity will be highly rewarded when you once see Dali' s illustrations he made for this book!!


Joe.

[MWA]

Joe Alders

I was able to find one source dedicated to the collecting of the "Modern Library" series. It is www.dogeared.com. However, this is a "members" site so I didn't investigate it further. You may look into Amazon or ebay to see if there are copies available. If I find anything else I will let you know. Also, if you google Dali and Don Quixote together, you will get some interesting sites.

[Stefan*]

Wow, from fingernail polishing to Don Quixote! While you're at it, give War & Peace a go. Excellent ... it should be mandatory reading in high school. we get too much shakespeare and not enough world literature.

Anyhoooo

I've been using Ruby Stone crystal nail files for years.

Couldn't find a manufacturer's site, but here's what they look like. You can find them in beauty supply stores.

http://www.cachebeauty.com/files.htm#ruby

And so what if they're pink? Get over it, guys! :D

I got one of those with a guitar I bought (Mine's a manly Dk Brown). Worked great and that's the one I use now plus some good ol 500 or 600 grit wet sand paper from your local H/W store. Just cut a big sheet into usable strips. I've never tried 1000+ grit ... never felt the need, but I might just see what happens.

[Pepe Vergara]

There is a museum dedicated to Don Quijote in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. I saw couple of old books there, but I did not pay attention to the illustration (the books were in a protected case, visible only through glass). It pays to go there. Once there, jump to Paracho and check the guitars over there.

[Pepe Vergara]

Here is a link to the book illustrated by Dali:

http://www.loslibros.com/principal.cgi?isbn_button=yes&keywords=8408055496&page=&cart_id=002_7209943_47282

[JoeAlders]

Joe wrote:
There is in our “Guitar World” an endless discussion with what kind of polishing our RH nails should be treated ( for the left handers- LH- of course). My own experience is that the secret is in the very first place lying in the SHAPE and LENGTH , and then, at a “light years” distance away from them, polishing comes into the picture.
My “m” is always troublesome when producing a good
tone, regardless the polishing treatment (Ruby Stone- xxx-grit, whatever). Quite mysteriously, my “i” and “a” are not so sensitive to such kind of delicate treatment, they always seem to produce a “good” tone regardless the polishing (at least to my ears ).
By the way I am using Struers P # 4000 Waterproof Silicon Carbide Paper as a final
“treatment” for i,m.a .
Joe.


Stefan wrote:

Stories & Sandpaper
Wow, from fingernail polishing to Don Quixote! While you're at it, give War & Peace a go. Excellent ... it should be mandatory reading in high school. we get too much shakespeare and not enough world literature.

Stefan:

You are absolutely right with your remark, but my first comment was the above mentioned “fingernail finishing paper” and you can see nothing of “world literature” in it!! But world literature and guitar are good companions and in my opinion there is nothing wrong with this!!


Pepe:

I visited the website you recommended, I think I will take the risk and buy the book, regardless they do not show some of the drawings Dali made.

Joe