drathbun Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Many of you know that I have a YouTube channel on which I post various videos of guitar related stuff. I also use the same channel to do videos on another hobby of mine; fountain pens. I like to order various inexpensive Chinese fountain pens and do unboxing and writing sample videos on them. Of course, I demonstrate the pens with my hands in front of the camera. I am careful to let viewers know I am a fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and that's why you see long nails on three fingers on my right hand. Regardless of this caveat, I get feedback that I should "trim your nails dude!". The other day, I got a comment that my "Skanky nails ruined the entire video". I've worn my nails long for more than 20 years. I keep them trimmed, clean and filed. However, even after all this time, I'm still self-conscious about them. I can't play with a thumb pick. I've learned to play with nails and I like the sound they make. At what point do I trim them shorter or even try to play with the flesh of my fingertips and lose the nails to keep from being seen as a SKANK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Not reading the replies may be the best course of action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Is it not a day and age where any one can be offended by anything? Apparently Good Ol Roger is just another snowflake who has a hard time coping with reality... scriv's got the fix... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 My typical answer would be, “well, your MOM likes my nails!”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Why not just let them know you are a guitar player musician and that you need your nails to be the length they are as a result. The truth will serve you well! QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/never-complain-never-explain/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/never-complain-never-explain/ Well I never Words of wisdom on an internet forum Pretty cool scriv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 Thank you for your replies. I did expect those suggestions but I don't think I asked the right question in my OP. What I meant to ask was about others who use their own nails or even the James Taylor type false fingernails to play guitar. What kind of reactions do you get in public (when you're not playing your guitar)? If I wear a Gibson hat or Taylor shirt or carry my Gibson pen with me, at least those are visual clues for people to figure out I'm not a skanky freak. I hate having to introduce myself "Hello I'm Doug, I play guitar" at social events. Or do you just keep your right hand in your pants pocket at the risk of having people think even weirder things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/never-complain-never-explain/ I like this bit scriv! “Never explain — your friends do not need it, and your enemies will not believe you anyway.” –Elbert Hubbard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Cant help you Doug, I cut my nails be cause they looked weird 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 Cant help you Doug, I cut my nails be cause they looked weird 🤣 LMAO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scriv58 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Cant help you Doug, I cut my nails be cause they looked weird 🤣 Same here- so I use Dunlop clear plastic picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 been years since i've been called a skank... good memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsharp Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I play fingerstyle all the time, but I have short nails and just use the finger tips. Its hard to get much dynamic range that way, but it avoids the obvious issues you are having. I've tried more than once to use fingerpicks and that never goes anywhere. I get frustrated too quickly to keep at it, but I think I could get used to them eventually if I had to. Maybe that's a possible solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I thought "skank" was a word that morons used on the fairer sex.......Anyway Doug, you ain't no skank. Screw Roger and the horse he rode in on......Keep on pickin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Mac Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I don't have particularly long nails but, they have brought comments from time to time. I usually just say that I'm a guitarist and leave it there. One time, long ago, when I was younger and even more foolish, I told an unusually offensive questioner that my nails were long so that I could more easily rip his throat out. Fortunately, that had the desired effect as I am not a very skilled pugilist. I still can't believe how stupid I was to say such a thing! I'm very lucky that the guy wasn't a Navy SEAL or a master of kung fu. Anyway, Good Luck...honesty is a policy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 I thought "skank" was a word that morons used on the fairer sex.......Anyway Doug, you ain't no skank. Screw Roger and the horse he rode in on......Keep on pickin'. Yeah, that's what I always thought MP! But I guess trolls like Roger are more PC these days. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 I don't have particularly long nails but, they have brought comments from time to time. I usually just say that I'm a guitarist and leave it there. One time, long ago, when I was younger and even more foolish, I told an unusually offensive questioner that my nails were long so that I could more easily rip his throat out. Fortunately, that had the desired effect as I am not a very skilled pugilist. I still can't believe how stupid I was to say such a thing! I'm very lucky that the guy wasn't a Navy SEAL or a master of kung fu. Anyway, Good Luck...honesty is a policy! Good one G Mac! And, referring to my YouTube video, I actually DID say, on camera, that my nails were long because I'm a guitarist so please don't tell me to trim my nails! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Before I reached retirement, in my banking career I kept my music gigging and guitar playing separate from work. I may have only let like one or two other guitar players in the organization know and that was always cool as about once a week we’d close the door and talk guitars to one another as a stress reliever. So years later I am asked what kind of music I would like at my retirement party. So, I answer very corporately correct, classical music. The party planner says no prob, we’ll have Bach Mozart, Beethoven music playing in the background during the retirement party. So jump to the retirement party. I see the planner and ask where’s the classical music? He hits a button and you know what fills the whole room? Recordings of me playing my guitar from music I have put on YouTube. I ask how did he know? He answers we all know about your guitar playing, I just asked you what kind of music you wanted to throw you off that we all have known. And, my retirement present...a gift card to go buy myself another guitar for my collection. (Turns out they called my wife and asked her what kind of guitar I would like for a retirement present and she wisely told them, don’t ask me, Jeff is very particular with what guitars he likes, just give him a gift certificate or gift card and let him buy what he wants.) So, I found that all of my covering up efforts that I played guitar all my career to keep it separate from work, was actually meaningless. It turned out just that just about everybody at work knew I played guitar, knew all about my gigging all along for many years...and really liked all of that about me. Go figure! BTW, I ended up buying my Epiphone Masterbuilt Archtop guitar with the retirement guitar gift card money. Sent my former bosses a photo of it after retirement with thanks! QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Great story, Jeff. Doug is still kinda Skanky though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Skank? Must be a case of generational appropriation without an understanding of history. You gotta be female to be labeled a skank. And long fingernails don't make anyone a skank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVUGCdTVpug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 First thing that popped into my head was something Ed Gerhard one said - you start off playing guitar to get girls and end up talking with middle age men about your fingernails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I don't have particularly long nails but, they have brought comments from time to time. I usually just say that I'm a guitarist and leave it there. One time, long ago, when I was younger and even more foolish, I told an unusually offensive questioner that my nails were long so that I could more easily rip his throat out. Fortunately, that had the desired effect as I am not a very skilled pugilist. I still can't believe how stupid I was to say such a thing! I'm very lucky that the guy wasn't a Navy SEAL or a master of kung fu. Anyway, Good Luck...honesty is a policy! Had to laugh appreciatively at your story. My right hand nails are usually quite long, but so far nobody's had the raw courage to ask about 'em. One of the (few) perks of resembling a Sasquatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Before I reached retirement, in my banking career I kept my music gigging and guitar playing separate from work. I may have only let like one or two other guitar players in the organization know and that was always cool as about once a week we’d close the door and talk guitars to one another as a stress reliever. So years later I am asked what kind of music I would like at my retirement party. So, I answer very corporately correct, classical music. The party planner says no prob, we’ll have Bach Mozart, Beethoven music playing in the background during the retirement party. So jump to the retirement party. I see the planner and ask where’s the classical music? He hits a button and you know what fills the whole room? Recordings of me playing my guitar from music I have put on YouTube. I ask how did he know? He answers we all know about your guitar playing, I just asked you what kind of music you wanted to throw you off that we all have known. And, my retirement present...a gift card to go buy myself another guitar for my collection. (Turns out they called my wife and asked her what kind of guitar I would like for a retirement present and she wisely told them, don’t ask me, Jeff is very particular with what guitars he likes, just give him a gift certificate or gift card and let him buy what he wants.) So, I found that all of my covering up efforts that I played guitar all my career to keep it separate from work, was actually meaningless. It turned out just that just about everybody at work knew I played guitar, knew all about my gigging all along for many years...and really liked all of that about me. Go figure! BTW, I ended up buying my Epiphone Masterbuilt Archtop guitar with the retirement guitar gift card money. Sent my former bosses a photo of it after retirement with thanks! QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff That's a terrific story Jeff; a great testament to how highly you were regarded by your colleagues! Great story, Jeff. Doug is still kinda Skanky though... I resemble that remark Murph! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted March 24, 2019 Author Share Posted March 24, 2019 Skank? Must be a case of generational appropriation without an understanding of history. You gotta be female to be labeled a skank. And long fingernails don't make anyone a skank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVUGCdTVpug Great song! Hey! I did NOT know that Garrison Keillor could play the bass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.