scalloping a touch guitar

[mrINFINITY]

I know this subject has already been discussed but has anyone out there ever successfully played a touch guitar while keeping their fingernails to play classical guitar by scalloping the fretboard?
As for Traktor if you're out there, will mobius do a scallop, or at least put me in touch with someone who can? not the whole thing, just the guitar side in an uncrossed tuning like a warr phalanx has. Thanks!

-Alan

[Tobias]

I know that german touch guitarist Wolfgang Daiss has played a scallopped t-g because he had to keep his fingernails for his lute and classical guitar playing. Now however he has these artificial fingernais he can attach to his fingers so he can keep his nails short.

Ola or Ray should know more about that I guess.

Tobias

[mrINFINITY]

Thanks Tobias,

I remember hearing that wolfgang daiss scalloped his fretboard so he could play without cutting his nails, that's where I stole the idea from. But just out of curiosity I scalloped part of the fretboard on one of my cheap guitars and it wasn't very easy to play anyway. I was just wondering how much flexibility was lost in doing this. I'm guessing enough if he decided to just cut his fingernails off.
I would like to know more about those nails that attatch on if anyone out there can inform me. I've heard of using acrylic nails and pieces of a golf ball superglued on the nail but I'm hoping theres a better way because I practice my classical guitar everyday and if i got another touch instrument i'd practice that everyday also :) .

-Alan

[lemur821]

In my experience, long nails are not really needed for classical guitar. In fact, I find them more of a hindrance than a help. It's more a matter of finger preperation: getting your finger in the right place before a stroke. My nails are pleny long enough for picking with, but short enough to tap comfortably on fretless instruments. Incidentally, I do recommend scalloping. I did my Strat and wouldn't go back. I like the way you can get a grip for bends.

Just my thoughts.

[mrINFINITY]

Lemur,

Thanks alot for your thoughts on the subject. How much classical guitar do you play btw? I used to actually own a warr and tried to keep my nails extra short so i could play it but it didn't quite ever feel right until I cut them completely off.
Maybe if I kept them extra short + scalloped the neck it may be more comfortable to play. If I ever get another tapping instrument it is probobly not going to be something like a normal touch instrument. I think if I try it again i'll go for the standard guitar scale length/tuning with a seperate neck for either a baritone or bass. I actually have this really cool design in my head for a custom touchstyle instrument but I lack the woodworking skills to put it together.
What kind of music do you usually play and on what kind of instrument are you on lemur?

-Alan

[Tobias]

By the way, you can reach Wolfgang at (address removed by admin).
I'm sure he'll be glad to give you some advice.

Tobias

[rockola]

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[Don Genaro]

I felt compelled to enter the discussion here since I WAS a classical guitarist and recently made the decision to cut off my nails. It was a tough choice, since I fall into the hardcore of those who believe that nails are essential for classical guitar. I know there are those who would disagree, but if you look at the elite of the performers today I would be surprised if you found even one without nails. They are indispensible for good tone.
I sympathize with your dilemna mrINFINITY. I wish I had a answer for you.
I geuss some folks can compromise as lemur821 has pointed out, by having short nails to accomodate both worlds, but I just can't seem to pull it off. I find that any nail gets in the way. Good luck to you all.

[mrINFINITY]

Don,

Thanks for your sympathy, I am the same way when it comes to nails and playing classical guitar. I feel that they are neccesary to get a good tone out of the instrument. So have you completely switched over to touchstyle instead of classical?

-Alan

[lemur821]

I used to play more classical than I do now, until an unfortunate slap bass accident broke all my nails at once. You can't get a very good bass sound with nails, so I left them short. I've had to relearn all my classical skills with the shorter nails. My interests have shifted some, so I'm not up to snuff yet, but I'm having an easier time with my shorter nails than I did with the long ones. Plus, they don't break so easy, a good feature when you work with tools. Mine aren't extra short, they are just barely short enough not to graze my bass strings, but long enough to pluck with.

I play on a scalloped Strat and fretless bass. I also play some unstringed instruments, like piano, horn, and a bit of didgeridoo. I'm working on the fiddle. Also, I'm building an electric mandolin. I'm afraid I may have the multi-instrument bug.

I like to play many kinds of music. I like classical, along with most everything else I hear. Much of my playing is just improvisation that doesn't fit well into any category, as I like to experiment. I'm moving into microtonal music now that I have a fretless instrument.

-Paul

[mrINFINITY]

Paul,

That's pretty cool, i actually made one of my classical guitars into a fretless so I could play microtonal music on it. Sometime soon though i'm gonna relay the frets again in a 19-tone system.
Theres some ground that hasn't been covered yet! a microtonal touch instrument. Wonder if any of those stickists out there would be up to it :P

-Alan

[Don Genaro]

Originally posted by mrINFINITY
Don,

Thanks for your sympathy, I am the same way when it comes to nails and playing classical guitar. I feel that they are neccesary to get a good tone out of the instrument. So have you completely switched over to touchstyle instead of classical?

-Alan


Hi,
Yes I have completely switched over. It was not an easy decision, but I feel good about it now that I've taken the plunge. I do wish I had more time like I did in my college days for practice. I used to spend 6 hours a day practicing, but I'm lucky to get in 1 or 2 these days, except on weekends when I can usually squeeze in a little more.