Considering the number of my heros who regularly do most of the things most of these post say not to, I suspect it comes doen to personal preferance...

When I fingerpick, it's with fingernails and a thumb pick... it's the way I do it... I'm with mbo... can't strum with fingers either... sounds muddy and amaturish when I do it... probably because my finger-struming tech. -is- muddy and amaturish...

To strengthen nails... Diet! keep up yer vitimens... E especially... And get some jello into you from time to time... And get your hormones running... *evil grin* Extra testosterone is great for the quickening the growth of beard nails, but it does contribute to male pattern baldness... Also to strengthen nails... Tap them on stuff... yer pint glass, yer keyboard tray, yer steering wheel, yer cat, yer dog, yer better half... just do it... (swoosh!) drives people around ya nuts, but tough... it's the price they get to pay associating with a musician...

Fakes... well, sometimes even the best nail is gonna break... it's an imperfect world, screws fall out... and when they do break, well if fakes are good enough for Leona Boyd, Don Ross and James Keelaghan, ect ect then they sure as hell are good enough for me... the real trick near as I can figure is shaping them properly... I glue 'em on with krazy glue, duct tape, snot and spit, whatever I can find, and file 'em down to the exact shape fo the original nail... (again, personal preferance.. Mine come to points nearly... nice and sharp).. and then I leave 'em on until they grow out or fall off... Never have I had any problem with ruining the nail underneath...

Krazy Glue also makes a good calouse replacement on your fretting hand BTW... just let it dry well befor eyou pick up yer ax for that gig...

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