My name is Steven Watson. I cut off my nails in the second Covid lockdown of 2020 — it was meant as an experiment, but years later I’m still doing it! I have a YouTube channel that I began when I cut off my nails, with many recordings of my playing and a few of me discussing the subject. (For information about my other musical work, please visit my website.)
I’m currently undertaking a PhD on playing the guitar without nails at the International Guitar Research Centre (University of Surrey), supervised by Stephen Goss. Information about the history and technique of no-nail playing is scattered across many (often very obscure) sources, and so my aim, over the next several years, is to create many resources for those interested in the subject. I hope this project will be of interest to all guitarists, however they pluck the string, and perhaps even some non-guitarists too.
I am always very happy to receive emails about no-nail playing — whether you have ideas, questions, suggestions, or just want to share your experience of playing without nails. It’s all useful!
If you are looking for lessons, I teach online, particularly (though not exclusively) students who play without nails. Do send me an email if interested.
Last thing: I dislike asking this, but please consider donating if you are able. This is a very time-consuming project with many expenses — research, the website, travel, making recordings, buying strings, and so on. Any and every donation helps greatly. You can donate via PayPal. Thank you.
(And in case anyone’s wondering, the little portrait next to the title of the website is Francisco Tárrega!)
No-Nail Guitar 
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