Fingers vs Finger/Thumb Picks

[Dessery]

Personally i prefer playing with my fingers but im trying to practice at the moment with thumb/finger picks, mainly for the versatility in my sound.

It got me wondering though, what do others use? Are they like me? Do you guys like the choice, or do you pick one and stick with it.

Ive known a fair few bassists that are strongly against using plectrums and will only use there fingers, does the same apply to finger picking?

[DaveRed]

I've always used thumb/finger picks and plectrums. I find it impossible to play with my bare fingers.

[bod]

Funny thing, I've come to definitely prefer picks for lap-style but am finding a tendency to fall back on bare fingers for bottleneck

[SoloBill]

Hi,
I like the intimacy of using my fingers (and it saves hunting for the picks!). So I only use my fingers.

The sound is definitely different though so being able to change from fingers to picks must give greater versatility in terms of sound.

[jackstrat]

I'm with you BOD...picks 9/10 times for lapstyle, fingers most times for standard guitar/bottleneck...don't know why, but it works for me...!

Took a long time to get used to using fingerpicks for lapstyle/dobro but definitely worth it for attack, tone and volume. I use plastic thumb and metal fingerpicks.

Niall

[Michael Messer]

Thumb & fingerpicks take a lot of getting used to, but they do produce a loud clear note that cannot be achieved without them.

I pick guitars at home without them, but for performing and recording I always wear them.

There are many threads on this forum about wearing and getting used to thumb & fingerpicks, you just have to do it a lot to get used to them. At first they are uncomfortable and awkward, but eventually they feel comfortable and natural.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

I forced myself to learn to play with picks for bottleneck, and find now that I rarely use them preferring bare fingers. I use them now and again to get a different sound. Its definitely good to have the choice and well worth buying some decent thumb and finger picks to play around with.

All the best.

Rich.

[Deleted]

I played wooden guitars in finger style with just bare fingers for several decades! When I bought my first resonator I experimetned with all types of finger picks and now settle on plastic Artic finger picks and steel thumb picks.

After about a year of playing the folk stuff with picks and a plastic thumb pick I have recently decided to revert to bare thumb and fingers for the wooden guitars but use the picks for the metal ones