Fingers and nails..

EndlessDream

So i play both electric bass and acoustic guitar. I fingerpick a lot of steel string folk stuff and my nails are pretty damn important to the sound. 

However, i despise the sound of my nails on the bass strings and that attacking sound and always have. I prefer the muted thump of nailless finger tips. 

Where do you suppose i find the middle-ground? I've tried finger plectrums for the guitar and i hated them, but i only tried the plastic ones and possibly im not using them right? Or maybe some sort of glove is in order for playing bass? Anyone find themselves in a similar predicament? 

Balrog68

I'm actually the complete opposite although I play the same as you mainly bass and acoustic /classical guitar, but I can't stand having long nails... I've always trimmed my nails very short and plucked with the tips of my fingers. 

HAL9000

I never use a pick but use my nails on the treble strings, and the fleshy part of my thumb on the bass strings.

EndlessDream

HAL9000 said:

I never use a pick but use my nails on the treble strings, and the fleshy part of my thumb on the bass strings.

I do the same regarding the thumb, but enjoy the brightness the nails give you on the high strings. 

stickyfiddle

I'm not sure I can add much. I fingerpick a lot but always use fleshy bits and never nails.

My best suggestion would be to focus on picking finger choice so you maximise use of thumb on the lower strings and keep the nails for higher. Or possibly keep one finger nail short to use on lower strings as well while leaving the other 3 longer to use the nails on the high strings?

Stuckfast

Same problem here, never really found the answer. I guess that if you play bass with a very light touch you can avoid hitting the strings with even quite long nails, but it's hard.

Roland

The only thing I can suggest is picking with the side of your finger to lessen the length of nail. Not a complete solution, but might get you partway there.

GuyBoden

I prefer the sound of no nails. As you all probably know, Classical guitar was played with fingers not nails until a few centuries ago. Even the great Fernando Sor played with no nails.

"Sor played without nails. He generally used only the thumb, index and middle
fingers. He sometimes placed his little finger on the soundboard."

Dionisio Aguado 1784 -1849

“...it must be understood that the strings are not plucked only with the nails, because the sound would not then be very agreeable. The string is first played with the fingertip using the part nearest the thumb, the finger slightly extended (not bent as for plucking with the fingertip only), and then the string is immediately slid along the nail...If the nails are used, runs can be performed very rapidly and clearly. There is an important exception, however. Persons with very long fingers should not play with the nails, because this gives each finger more leverage on the strings and thus diminishes the force used.”

Obviously, playing Classical guitar with no nails is not the deriguour.