{"id":1186,"date":"2014-09-26T17:42:02","date_gmt":"2014-09-27T00:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/classicalguitarshed.foureyes.com\/?p=1186"},"modified":"2025-05-17T00:04:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T07:04:15","slug":"classical-guitar-nails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/","title":{"rendered":"Classical Guitar Fingernails &#8211; A Guide to the Guitarist Nail"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Classical guitar fingernails can add warmth and beauty to your playing.\u00a0 But they can also sound tinny and brash.\u00a0 And aren&#8217;t they a pain to take care of?\u00a0 (&#8220;Plus what will my friends and co-workers think?&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p>In this video, you&#8217;ll learn:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The benefits of classical guitar nails<\/li>\n<li>How to shape your nails for great sound and tone<\/li>\n<li>How to care for and protect your nails<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"centerc\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z0jz1ms_AlM?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;autohide=1\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Contents<\/strong> (click the link to go to that section, or scroll down):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#need-fingernails\">Do you need fingernails to play guitar?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#end-goal\">The end goal of nails<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-nails-work\">How nails engage the string<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#guitar-technique\">The role of guitar technique<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#shape-nails\">How to shape your fingernails<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#thumb-nail\">The thumb nail<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#polish-nails\">Polish nails for best sound<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#experiment-nails\">How to run nails experiments<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#nail-repair\">How to repair broken nails<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:784.844px;--tl-form-height-t:564.562px;--tl-form-height-d:564.562px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_106209 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n<h2 id=\"need-fingernails\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Do you need fingernails to play classical guitar?<\/h2>\n<p>The question of nails is truly personal. Many people think it inconvenient to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/living-with-classical-guitar-nails\/\">maintain fingernails<\/a>, even on one hand. \u00a0Many players work in professions that do not permit long fingernails (culturally or practically). And so they opt to keep their nails short.<\/p>\n<p>Classical guitar nails are not absolutely necessary to playing guitar. You can choose to play without nails.\u00a0 In fact, traditional lute technique uses short or no nails. So there is a historical basis for playing without nails as well.<\/p>\n<p>But using nails allow for a much wider range of tone color on the instrument. You can have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-tone\/\">very lush, warm sounds,<\/a> as well as very bright, metallic sound.\u00a0 Smooth nails allow us to create a wider variety of sounds and volumes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-without-fingernails\">Click here for a more detailed article on &#8220;Do you need guitar nails?&#8221;<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"end-goal\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Start with the end in mind<\/h2>\n<p>The actual shape of the nail or length of the nail should be determined by what it ultimately needs to do.\u00a0 The way we play guitar will affect the ideal shape of the nail.\u00a0 (Unless guitarists play left-handed, in which case they sound the strings with the left hand.)<\/p>\n<p>Before shaping the fingernails, it&#8217;s useful to review classical guitar technique.\u00a0 Good <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/how-to-learn-classical-guitar-arpeggios-right-hand-technique\/\">form, positioning and technique<\/a> will make our guitar playing sound more beautiful.<\/p>\n<p>Also, the different characteristics of our unique fingers and nails also affect the ultimate shape and length of our fingernails.\u00a0 Some people have very meaty finger tips. Other people have a very thin tip that slopes away from the nail at a severe angle.<\/p>\n<p>Some people have very flat fingernails, while others can be curved or hooked. Nails grow in a variety of different ways.<\/p>\n<p>So there is no particular length or shape that works for everyone.\u00a0 There are, however, methods of shaping that can be used by nearly everyone, regardless of playing style.\u00a0 More on these below.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-nails-work\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What happens at the string level?<\/h2>\n<p>To understand how to shape your nails, you need to first understand how they stroke the strings.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1193 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic5-slides-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Classical guitar nail shape\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic5-slides-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic5-slides-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic5-slides.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When the string is activated in a circular motion, the resulting sound is warm and beautiful.When the string is snagged or hooked, the string vibrates with more of a back-and-forth motion, which makes the sound brash and ugly.<\/p>\n<p>So we want our stroke to activate the string in a circular motion (not back and forth). \u00a0To do this, the string must <strong>slide off<\/strong> of the skin (flesh) and fingernail as the finger moves through the string.<\/p>\n<p>If the finger nail snags in any way, it will produce a bad tone.\u00a0 A good stroke produces a good sound.<\/p>\n<p>So we don&#8217;t need necessarily long nails.\u00a0 We instead benefit from well-shaped nails that work with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-for-guitarists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our playing technique<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"guitar-technique\">Technique plays a role<\/h3>\n<p>So to move the string moving in a circular pattern, we need to use good right hand guitar technique.<\/p>\n<p>High-level guitarists push through the string, instead of hooking it and pulling up (which I call &#8220;bicycling&#8221;).\u00a0 It&#8217;s useful to contact the string in a consistent way, so that the tone quality is also consistent.\u00a0 Using good technique will improve both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-scales\">scale playing<\/a> and general arpeggio (finger picking pattern) playing technique.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1194 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic6-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Classical guitar bad technique\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic6-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic6-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic6.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Embrace the process<\/h3>\n<p>You may not file your nails absolutely perfect the first time you shape them. \u00a0That&#8217;s fine. \u00a0Over the years you will improve at it. \u00a0Chances are, your ear has not yet developed to a point where you automatically know how your guitar sounds best and how your nails affect it.<\/p>\n<p>This is a process every classical guitar player goes through, and one that will progress over the years. \u00a0Feel free to experiment and play around with abandon.<\/p>\n<p>There will be times when you take off too much nail, or have too much or not enough of an angle to your nail. \u00a0There will also be times when your nails grow too long and you won&#8217;t realize that it could be improved upon.\u00a0 Doesn&#8217;t matter. \u00a0Your nails will keep growing, and you will have more opportunities to practice the art of shaping your classical guitar nails.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"shape-nails\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Let&#8217;s do it: Shaping your New Classical Guitar Nails<\/h2>\n<h3>Use a file, not clippers<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_1192\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1192\" class=\"wp-image-1192 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic4-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"classical guitar nails\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic4-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic4.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1192\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tip: Keep your nails still and move the nail file.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>One of the biggest mistake beginning classical guitar players make with their nails is that they try to cut them into a particular shape, using scissors or nail clippers.<\/p>\n<p>This rarely ends well. \u00a0Instead, it&#8217;s more effective to shape the right hand nails using a nail file.There are a number of different types of nail files on the market.<\/p>\n<p>Many classical guitarists fingernails are shaped with a metal or <a href=\"https:\/\/thesoundfile.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">glass file<\/a>. But you can achieve great results from just about any shape or material of nail file.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1190\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1190\" class=\"wp-image-1190 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic2-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"shaping classical guitar nails\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic2-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1190\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Metal files work great, just don&#8217;t try to take them on a plane.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>File lightly at an angle<\/h3>\n<p>To start with, it might help to sit in a chair with your elbows resting on a desk or table. \u00a0This will keep your hands stable.<\/p>\n<p>When you begin filing your nails, it&#8217;s best to keep your right hand (the hand with nails) still, and move the nail file with left hand. \u00a0Many right-handed people hold the nail file still and move the nail across it. \u00a0You will have more control moving the nail file.<\/p>\n<p>Important: <strong>Remove just a little at a time.<\/strong>\u00a0 You can always file more.\u00a0 So go slow and check frequently.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1191\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1191\" class=\"wp-image-1191 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic3-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"classical guitar nail shape\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic3-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic3.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1191\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">File nails from underneath, at an upward angle, instead of flat.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>When we file our nails, we want to file from the bottom of the nail at about a 45 degree upward angle. \u00a0Do not file at a right angle to the edges of the nails.<\/p>\n<p>The next angle you may want to start with is the angle from the corner to the peak of the nail. \u00a0Because we want the string to slide off the nail, we will create a sort of &#8220;ramp&#8221; from the (thumb-side, not pinky side) corner to the peak.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1189\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1189\" class=\"wp-image-1189 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic1-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"shaping classical guitar nails\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic1-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1189\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Form a ramp that the string can slide off of.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You can start with about a 30 degree angle and go from there.\u00a0 \u00a0 The angle at which you play the strings will affect this angle. \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/how-to-hold-a-guitar\/\">How you hold the guitar<\/a>, and the angles of your hand and wrist play a part as well.<\/p>\n<p>With time, you will better understand and be able to get things just right. \u00a0To begin, just go for it and see what happens.\u00a0 Alternate between shaping and filing, and playing your guitar.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s good to remember that you are trying for a particular effect with the nail and the string. \u00a0<strong>What the nail looks like is of no importance<\/strong>. So instead of making it <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">look<\/span> like a &#8220;ramp&#8221;, instead make it <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">feel<\/span> like one when you play.<\/p>\n<p>For most guitarists, the index\u00a0 (&#8220;I&#8221;) and middle (&#8220;M&#8221;) fingers will be in a ramped shapes for oblique playing.\u00a0 And the ring finger (&#8220;A&#8221;) will be more rounded, because it plays more perpendicular to the string.\u00a0 Most guitarists do not use the little finger, so this nail can be kept short.<\/p>\n<p>You will have to experiment to find the right length, but a good rule of thumb (no pun intended) is to have enough nail so that the string is activated in a circular pattern.\u00a0 But not so much that the nail catches on the string and snags it. \u00a0You want to still be able to feel the string with the flesh of your finger tip, as each note plays.\u00a0 Play around and notice the nuances.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"thumb-nail\">What about the thumb nail?<\/h3>\n<p>While the thumb nail may be longer, it plays by the same rules as the fingernails.\u00a0 \u00a0Regardless of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-thumb-technique\/\">thumb technique<\/a>, file from below, at an upward angle. \u00a0Create a bit of a ramp. \u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1196 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic8-thumbnail-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"classical guitar thumb nail shape\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic8-thumbnail-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic8-thumbnail-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic8-thumbnail.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The thumb nail shape is usually far more forgiving than the fingernail shape. \u00a0As long as you have any thumbnail at all, you can generally sound decent. \u00a0Not so with the fingers.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"polish-nails\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Polishing the nail comes next<\/h2>\n<p>Once you have shaped your nails, you have just one more step. \u00a0The file you use will leave scrapes and ridges along the edges of your nails. \u00a0You can feel them now, if you drag one nail over the edge of another.<\/p>\n<p>To get rid of this texture (which will create bad tone) you need to polish or buff your nails. \u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1204 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic9-paper-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"classical guitar nail paper\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic9-paper-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic9-paper-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/nail-pic9-paper.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For this, my favorite product is a very fine sandpaper. \u00a0You can have a piece in your pocket at all times, and your nails will thank you for it.<\/p>\n<p>To use nail paper, simply grind or file your nails with the sand paper. \u00a0Fold it, bunch it, whatever you like.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure to polish the area of the nail that meets the sides of the finger tip.\u00a0 (These can catch on things and rip the nail.)<\/p>\n<p>The end result is a smooth glassy finish that sounds great. \u00a0You may be shocked and amazed at the differences you will hear coming from your guitar.\u00a0 Most all professional classical guitar players now do this, and it really does make all the difference in the world.<\/p>\n<p>If you want this particular paper, you can get it at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/3m-500-grit-open-coat-sandpaper-6-sheets-1320.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">StringsByMail.com<\/a> (not an affiliate link).\u00a0 Or, if you try a few of the available products, you might find one that feels best for you.\u00a0 For the polishing step, smooth is the goal, so higher numbers on the sandpaper will be more appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>Also, as your strings age, they get small dents and scratches on them.\u00a0 If you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/change-classical-guitar-strings\/\">change your classical guitar strings<\/a>, you&#8217;ll produce a better sound and take care of your nails.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"experiment-nails\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Experiment: Trial and Error with Classical Guitar Fingernails<\/h2>\n<p>Chances are, we&#8217;ll sometimes remove too much nail, making them too short.\u00a0 Or we&#8217;ll let them go too long.\u00a0 This is normal.\u00a0 Just keep a nail file in your practice area.\u00a0 When you feel called to shape your nails, do so.\u00a0 It may be just light touch-up taking only a few minutes, or a major re-shaping.<\/p>\n<p>With practice, we can find the best length and shape for our playing.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of what happens, nails grow. So they&#8217;ll always return for another go, eventually.\u00a0 And if you break one, you can fix it using a ping pong ball&#8230;<\/p>\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:784.844px;--tl-form-height-t:564.562px;--tl-form-height-d:564.562px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_106209 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"nail-repair\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Broken Fingernail Repair<\/h2>\n<p>For a split nail, superglue can be used to hold it together while it grows out.\u00a0 For more protection, a few cotton fibers or a ply of tissue can be but on the superglue when wet.\u00a0 This can then be filed down once dry.<\/p>\n<p>For a broken nail, we can apply a fake nail. There are commercial products available.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stringsbymail.com\/guitar-accessories-2\/nail-care-408\/nail-kits-health-1202\/\">Rico Nails<\/a> are popular with guitarists in particular.\u00a0 And any beauty store or department should have many different options.<\/p>\n<p>Most of these glue to the top of the fingernail.\u00a0 This can work, but is visually noticeable and obvious.\u00a0 A stronger method is to super glue just the strong part of the fake nail under the existing nail.\u00a0 This can be a little painful at first, but it works, and often sounds as good or better as our natural nails.<\/p>\n<p>Another option is to use a ping pong ball.\u00a0 Here&#8217;s a video to explain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"centerc\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CVeyrS0Ho0A?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;autohide=1\" width=\"\u201c700&quot;\" height=\"\u201c393&quot;\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">All Articles on Classical Guitar Fingernails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"wpv-view-layout-117747-CATTR192cab8ecce3bf2c81212774e0d3fc8a\" class=\"js-wpv-view-layout js-wpv-layout-responsive js-wpv-view-layout-117747-CATTR192cab8ecce3bf2c81212774e0d3fc8a\" data-viewnumber=\"117747-CATTR192cab8ecce3bf2c81212774e0d3fc8a\" data-pagination=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;117747&quot;,&quot;query&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;disabled&quot;,&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:500,&quot;speed&quot;:5,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;disabled&quot;,&quot;stop_rollover&quot;:&quot;false&quot;,&quot;cache_pages&quot;:&quot;enabled&quot;,&quot;preload_images&quot;:&quot;enabled&quot;,&quot;preload_pages&quot;:&quot;enabled&quot;,&quot;preload_reach&quot;:1,&quot;spinner&quot;:&quot;builtin&quot;,&quot;spinner_image&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-views\/embedded\/res\/img\/ajax-loader.gif&quot;,&quot;callback_next&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;manage_history&quot;:&quot;enabled&quot;,&quot;has_controls_in_form&quot;:&quot;disabled&quot;,&quot;infinite_tolerance&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;max_pages&quot;:0,&quot;page&quot;:1,&quot;base_permalink&quot;:&quot;\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186?wpv_view_count=117747-CATTR192cab8ecce3bf2c81212774e0d3fc8a&amp;wpv_paged=WPV_PAGE_NUM&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;data&quot;:[],&quot;id&quot;:0}}\" data-permalink=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186?wpv_view_count=117747-CATTR192cab8ecce3bf2c81212774e0d3fc8a\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\t<ol class=\"wpv-loop js-wpv-loop\">\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-without-fingernails\/\" target=\"_blank\">Can You Play Classical Guitar Without Fingernails?<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/\" target=\"_blank\">Classical Guitar Fingernails &#8211; A Guide to the Guitarist Nail<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-tone\/\" target=\"_blank\">Classical Guitar Tone Production<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/fake-nail\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Create a Fake Nail Using a Ping Pong Ball<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/living-with-classical-guitar-nails\/\" target=\"_blank\">Living With Classical Guitar Nails<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/warmer-tone-using-attack\/\" target=\"_blank\">Warmer Tone on Classical Guitar, Using Attack<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\n\t<\/ol>\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Classical guitar fingernails can add warmth and beauty to your playing.\u00a0 But they can also sound tinny and brash.\u00a0 And aren&#8217;t they a pain to take care of?\u00a0 (&#8220;Plus what will my friends and co-workers think?&#8221;) In this video, you&#8217;ll learn: The benefits of classical guitar nails How to shape your nails for great sound and tone How to care &#8230; <\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":129187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[202,21,434],"tags":[66,359,375],"class_list":["post-1186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-favorites","category-technique","category-main-content-parent","tag-nails","tag-right-hand-technique","tag-tone"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Classical Guitar Nails: Everything You Need to Know<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about filing, polishing, and shaping your nails to play classical guitar. Discover the different shapes. Bonus: How to Fix a Broken Nail\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Classical Guitar Fingernails - A Guide to the Guitarist Nail\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn about filing, polishing, and shaping your nails to play classical guitar. Discover the different shapes. Bonus: How to Fix a Broken Nail\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Classical Guitar Shed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ClassicalGuitarShed\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-09-27T00:42:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-17T07:04:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"320\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Allen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@CLguitarshed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CLguitarshed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Allen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Classical Guitar Nails: Everything You Need to Know","description":"Learn about filing, polishing, and shaping your nails to play classical guitar. Discover the different shapes. Bonus: How to Fix a Broken Nail","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Classical Guitar Fingernails - A Guide to the Guitarist Nail","og_description":"Learn about filing, polishing, and shaping your nails to play classical guitar. Discover the different shapes. Bonus: How to Fix a Broken Nail","og_url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/","og_site_name":"Classical Guitar Shed","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ClassicalGuitarShed\/","article_published_time":"2014-09-27T00:42:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-17T07:04:15+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":320,"url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Allen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@CLguitarshed","twitter_site":"@CLguitarshed","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Allen","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/"},"author":{"name":"Allen","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85d09303adb38d43cdedd2033f6b016e"},"headline":"Classical Guitar Fingernails &#8211; A Guide to the Guitarist Nail","datePublished":"2014-09-27T00:42:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-17T07:04:15+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/"},"wordCount":2056,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg","keywords":["nails","right hand technique","tone"],"articleSection":["Favorites","Guitar Technique","Main Content Parent"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/","url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/","name":"Classical Guitar Nails: Everything You Need to Know","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg","datePublished":"2014-09-27T00:42:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-17T07:04:15+00:00","description":"Learn about filing, polishing, and shaping your nails to play classical guitar. Discover the different shapes. Bonus: How to Fix a Broken Nail","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/classical-guitar-nails-640-2.jpg","width":640,"height":320,"caption":"classical guitar finger nails"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-nails\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Classical Guitar Fingernails &#8211; A Guide to the Guitarist Nail"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/","name":"Classical Guitar Shed","description":"Learn Classical Guitar Online with No Guesswork","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#organization"},"alternateName":"ClassicalGuitarShed","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#organization","name":"Classical Guitar Shed","url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/CGS-logo-black-400.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/CGS-logo-black-400.png","width":400,"height":192,"caption":"Classical Guitar Shed"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ClassicalGuitarShed\/","https:\/\/x.com\/CLguitarshed","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/classicalguitarshed\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/classicalguitarshed\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/ClassicalGuitarShed"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#\/schema\/person\/85d09303adb38d43cdedd2033f6b016e","name":"Allen","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd2cda6ac2676c1fa6a476f9338cd2d0c15e585829ea7de118320c6c9a977400?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd2cda6ac2676c1fa6a476f9338cd2d0c15e585829ea7de118320c6c9a977400?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Allen"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com","https:\/\/x.com\/CLguitarshed"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1186"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208669,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1186\/revisions\/208669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}