tiki359
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 27
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Post by tiki359 on May 17, 2019 21:12:54 GMT
I've recently switched from metal to plastic finger picks. It gives a nice, fatter sound. Even more so with a Blue Chip thumb pick. I'm liking the white Dunlops best so far. Anyone else made the switch recently? Or maybe some have always played this way.
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mando
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Post by mando on May 17, 2019 22:48:37 GMT
Personally I never liked metal fingerpicks on guitars, as I find the sound to be thin and harsh. I prefer plastic ones, because as you mentioned they bring a bigger, warmer sound. I don't like the feel of plastic ones, as they feel a bit bulky... but sound first in my opinion  Strangely, I much prefer metal fingerpicks when playing the banjo! |
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tiki359
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 27
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Post by tiki359 on May 18, 2019 1:50:11 GMT
They do take a getting used to! I play clawhammer banjo so I don't worry about picks but I agree, plastic fingerpicks on a banjo is just wrong.
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Post by bryanbradfield on May 20, 2019 20:31:56 GMT
I switched to plastic finger picks after discovering and listening to Stacy Phillips. He used clear Dobro finger picks. I use Dunlop (I believe?) white finger picks with no identifying marks on them, thicker than the run of the mill unmarked ones. I found a batch a few decades ago, and bought all of the stock that the store had. These are very small and it took several weeks for me to become accustomed to the pain, which I no longer notice.
More recently I discovered a touring Canadian player named John Cronin. We were mutually attracted to each others' tones. He has acrylic finger nails re-attached to his index and middle fingers about once every 3 weeks, and maintains them himself in between beauty shop visits. When not playing he keeps his right (picking) hand in his pocket.
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tiki359
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 27
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Post by tiki359 on May 21, 2019 0:42:12 GMT
I tried the salon nails for clawhammer. No go.
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Post by bryanbradfield on May 21, 2019 1:48:43 GMT
tiki359 - Is your disappointment with plastic picks and nail extensions on banjos related to tone?
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tiki359
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 27
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Post by tiki359 on May 21, 2019 2:15:06 GMT
More for feel. For clawhammer banjo I have never tried a so called frailing pick that I liked. I have short nails but using my own fingers feels more natural .
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Post by Michael Messer on May 21, 2019 7:56:22 GMT
I started out in the 70s with vintage National fingerpicks and clear plastic Dobro thumbpicks, then in the late 80s went over to plastic and stayed with them until three years ago when I went back to metal fingerpicks for most things. Occasionally for recording I use white heavy plastic fingerpicks. Thumbpicks...these days I use Fred Kelly D2B-H-8 large white heavy Delrin. Fingerpicks....ProPik Vintage Style Steel (Blade No2).
I don't like any new fangled versions of thumb or fingerpicks that are weird shapes, or fit in weird ways, just classic shape old fashioned picks.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by slidefever on May 21, 2019 8:48:11 GMT
I’ve tried plastic and metal. The metal sound good but I can’t pick without them chirping.
Chris
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Post by slidefever on May 21, 2019 8:49:01 GMT
Except on lap steel.
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Post by pascal on May 21, 2019 14:04:43 GMT
Played most, since 1976, with plastics, celluloid in fact, old Gibson tortoise finger picks from the 40' or 50'. But the shape and thickness of the new ones aren't the same since, couln't adapt to that thickness and bad curve of the white Dunlop.
So I switched to standard Dunlop brass fingerpicks, sounds is more like the plastic ones compared to the silvered ones (german silver?), but more finer in thickness. For thumb always was a great fan of the "calico" Dunlop plastic (heavy).
Mainly on lap (vintage National hawaiian tricone, dobro, lap steels), for "spanish" playing I only use my thumb calico and nails, hopefully they are strong!
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Post by Michael Messer on May 21, 2019 16:51:58 GMT
I have some Vintage Brass ProPik fingerpicks that are very nice and have a warm sweet tone. I like them for playing quietly and sometimes for recording. They are exactly the same as the steel ones, but made of brass.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by christophe on May 22, 2019 16:00:34 GMT
I've been using fingerpicks for years. Unlike what tiki359 says, to my ears metal picks sound thicker (how subjective sound is!), but I don't like the zing of them of steel upon steel, so I mostly use plastic Dunlops and a Fred Kelly thumbpick. Maybe brass is a good option, I've never tried that.
Anyway, plastic or metal fingerpicks should always be twisted a bit to accomodate the fingers, and for the lip of the pick to be parallel with the strings when playing. I put plastic picks shortly in boiling water to soften them so I can shape them as I like.
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Post by bryanbradfield on May 23, 2019 0:18:56 GMT
It appears that this plastic lover should finally try some brass finger picks, for tone.
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Post by christophe on May 25, 2019 13:50:23 GMT
It appears that this plastic lover should finally try some brass finger picks, for tone. I'm not a plastic lover, and I've just ordered some brass picks  . We keep on trying to find the best tone. |
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. We keep on trying to find the best tone.