Fingerstyle guitar is a rather broad subject; there are as many styles and opinions about it as there are pickers playing it. Being as opinionated as anyone (and more than most), I'll offer some of my responses to questions I get from students and others interested in learning to play fingerstyle guitar.

Why play fingerstyle?

Although there are some things better done with a pick, most guitar playing is easier if you use your fingers rather than a pick. And there are many new things you'll be able to do. You can play both rhythm and melody at the same time to give your accompaniment more interest, or you can play a complete composition all by yourself.

Should I use finger picks?

I've never been a fan of finger picks, although thumb picks make sense for some songs where you want a stronger bass (usually muted with your palm). Finger picks, on the other hand, always seem to get in my way. Although that may be a testament to my lack of willingness to practice with them, I still feel it's best for beginners to use bare fingers for direct contact with the strings. It's tough enough to master this without unnecessary plastic (or metal) between you and the instrument. It will be a bit painful for a couple weeks until your fingers toughen, but you've dealt with that problem before.

How should I start?

Roy Book Binder once responded to that question by saying "First you quit your job.". Although Roy was indulging in a little hyperbole, learning fingerstyle does take dedicated practice and learning a new motor skill can be frustrating.

The essential element to the style I play is a steady, rhythmic bass. You can start with the tutorial and work through the exercises, or you can replace your flatpick with a thumb pick and try playing some tunes (4/4 time) using a single downstroke with the thumb on each beat. Once that becomes comfortable, try playing some notes from the top of the chord with your index or middle finger.

How many fingers do I use?

The more the better! Obviously, more fingers gives you more speed and dazzle but for most material, your index and middle finger are sufficient. Merle Travis used only his index finger.

How long does it take to learn fingerstyle?

Like most things in life, your mileage will vary. I've had students pick it up in 20 minutes, other several months. I'd say that with a half-hour practice each day, your should be well on your way in three to six weeks.

What kind of guitar is best?

The only ones that ever give me a problem are those with low clearance between the strings and the guitar's top. Prime offenders are Stratocasters because of the center pickup. I also prefer guitars with a little wider spacing between the strings, but I have wide fingers. Most guitars being built today have a nut width of 1 11/16" which I find a tad narrow.

I need a better guitar, what should I get?

There are many good instruments in the $200-$300 range; shop around and try as many as you can. Some will feel much better than others. You'll also favor instruments that have a full, resonant bass so pay particular attention to how the bass strings sound. As you go up in price, the sound quality does improve although beyond the $600-$600 range, the improvement per dollar is rather slight. A large-bodied guitar (like a dreadnaught) will give a fuller sound but I find them unwieldy to hold so I'm willing to trade off some acoustics for ease of handling.

Will I have to cut my nails?

I know some people do play with their fingernails but my nails are soft so fingernails aren't e reliable tool. If yours are real hard, maybe it will work, or you can buy fingerpicks that simulate nails. On the other hand, I think bare fingers are best because you have a better feel of the strings.

Will I have to learn new chords?

Yes, you probably will, especially if you want to play complete melodies. Good fingerstyle chords give you bass notes on two of the bottom three strings and leave at least one finger free for melody notes that aren't included in the chord. Merle Travis invented several chord shapes that use the thumb to handle the bottom two strings. Another good source is jazz chords and one of the best books for these is published by Mel Bay called the Rhythm Guitar Chord System (Product #93214).