Getting a string caught under the fingernail

SamusChief

SamusChief

New member
OW! I've had this happen a few times, and I don't think my left ring or middle fingernails will ever grow correctly again. It debilitates me from guitar for days... really sucks. Even stings to type.
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

Never happened to me.

But I got other pointy/slashy things get stuck in there, yeah it hurts like a motha but eventually it gets back to the way it was, till the next time that is :9:
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

It may sound daft - but I had a similar injury, and bandaid do this finger tip adhesive plaster now that kept me playing while it healed....bit of a Tony Iommi vibe, but it actually helped me discover some different riffs that I incorporated into my playing.
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

man... i play with my fingers alot. my nails are short but get messed up from heavy strumming. im on stage someplace playing and my finger nail splits a little and the string gets stuck in the crack. im bashing away on the guitar and then all of a sudden my finger is attached to the string. took me a second to figure out what the hell happened and let me tell ya, it did not feel good. had to stop playing and pop the string out then get back to it. i was very cautious the rest of the gig
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

jeremy said:
man... i play with my fingers alot. my nails are short but get messed up from heavy strumming. im on stage someplace playing and my finger nail splits a little and the string gets stuck in the crack. im bashing away on the guitar and then all of a sudden my finger is attached to the string. took me a second to figure out what the hell happened and let me tell ya, it did not feel good. had to stop playing and pop the string out then get back to it. i was very cautious the rest of the gig
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:eyecrazy:

Reading that made me squirm. Ouch.
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

SamusChief said:
OW! I've had this happen a few times, and I don't think my left ring or middle fingernails will ever grow correctly again. It debilitates me from guitar for days... really sucks. Even stings to type.
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Yet you suffer the pain to persevere to come and post about it. Trim your nails rub some dirt on it and go play some more... I mean your not worried about ruining your chances as a hand model cause your fingernails are a little dinged up are you?
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

Maybe get a blister on your little finger, maybe get a blister on your thumb!
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

Cut your nails shorter. Keep them less than 1 mm and you'll rarely have this problem.
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

SamusChief said:
OW! I've had this happen a few times, and I don't think my left ring or middle fingernails will ever grow correctly again. It debilitates me from guitar for days... really sucks. Even stings to type.
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Keep your fingernails trimmed short.
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

trying to do the old Pete Townshend windmill i ripped off a few finger nails in my younger days... i smashed my wrist into the bridge of my Les Paul Deluxe once and thought i broke my wrist... turns out i bent the bridge and had to have a new one installed...

i keep my finger nails trimmed short at all times... that pain and suffering of ripping one off is enough to make me dance and howl! I've had huge gashes to my skin that hurt less!
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

I keep mine trimmed right to the edge of the quick. I trim them before they get to the end of my finger...that's WAY too long. First time one touches a string, it's trim time, both for the fretting hand and the picking hand for when I do finger picking.
 
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Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

guitfiddle said:
I keep mine trimmed right to the edge of the quick. I trim them before they get to the end of my finger...that's WAY too long. First time one touches a string, it's trim time, both for the fretting hand and the picking hand for when I do finger picking.
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Same here exactly.......
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

You really have to get that bow out of that neck and lower the strings.

Plus a little personal hygiene on the fingernails would not hurt!
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

jeremy said:
My finger splits a little XXX and the G string got stuck in the crack.

Then all of a sudden my finger is attached to the G string, while it took me a second to figure out what the hell happened and let me tell ya, it did not feel good.

Had to stop playing and pop the G string out then get back to it.

I was very cautious the rest of the night
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Just having a little fun with this one...
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

I don't cut off the excess string length at the tuners, but coil them up carefully so i rarely get the 'jab under the fingernail' when reaching out to tune a string.

On some guitars, jabbing that short piece of string with the underneath of your fingernail could break the headstock off. :1:
 
Re: Getting a string caught under the fingernail

crusty philtrum said:
I don't cut off the excess string length at the tuners, but coil them up carefully so i rarely get the 'jab under the fingernail' when reaching out to tune a string.
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The way I string my guitars, I can just move the twig at the tuner back and forth until it breaks off. I haven't used a clipper in over ten years.
 
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