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Post by spikeymikey on May 29, 2012 8:53:31 GMT
I faced the same dilemma and posted a couple of months ago. I've ended up with a hybrid style using a thumb pick (it is after all better physics to strike the string with a pick at 90 degrees to the thumb - hence the popularity of flat picks) but I couldn't get on with plastic finger picks. I kept catching the strings with my nails. So go commando with fingernails. Ironically I do without the thumb pick for standard (non-reso) acoustic picking.
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Post by 1928triolian on May 29, 2012 13:15:45 GMT
After tried a lot of picks, combinations, materials, sizes... I came to the following right hand setup Fred Kelly delrin heavy thumbpick. I agree with Michael: they are superb. A prewar National metal fingerpick on my index finger: comfortable, with a thick, full, sweet sound, not metallic at all. Flesh with the other fingers: for me this works well and allows good combinations. Actually, I very often use my middle finger to end riffs or even lead melody lines on the 1st string as you need so often in open tunings!
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Post by Jaco on Jul 7, 2012 8:54:13 GMT
Hey Guys,
Just wanted to let you know the finger picks (Nationals) are working out great. As Michael said they are a bugger to get used to but my persistence has paid off as I'm becoming very comfortable using them. I wear the finger picks so that a bit of the flesh touches the strings, just gives me a more natural feel. I modified the thumb pick quite a bit to get it much closer to my thumb. I can hear a big difference in the sound and volume as opposed to just flesh and nail.
Best, Jaco
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Post by andys on Jul 10, 2012 14:05:57 GMT
I use bare fingers whenever a slide goes on my left pinky. I cant play slide with a pick or thumbpicks, I just dont get on with it at all.
Then conversely, as soon as the slide comes off, I tend to get out a plectrum....!!!
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Post by oldnick on Jul 11, 2012 18:56:54 GMT
I found that as I aged my nails became more brittle so eventually the only choice was which fingerpicks to use. I am currently happy with Dunlop medium whites or torties. Nick
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2012 21:40:43 GMT
I have no reso guitars now but play my side on an c1920 Parlor Guitar. I use Alaska pics, which I know are very out of favour(!) but work a treat for me as they are like finger nail extensions. For everything that does not need a slide I play with bare thumb and 2 fingers. Keeping the nail only just long enough seems to keep them strong.
Barry
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Post by Quarterquay on Aug 7, 2012 21:30:21 GMT
Until recently I've mostly used my nails.I couldn't get on with finger picks at all but then to be fair I probably didn't persevere long enough or try enough different kinds. I still use my nails mostly but now I sometimes use a combination of a Fred Kelly extra heavy Bumblebee thumbpick,the sort that pivots so you can angle the pick part. 45° seems to work best for me,and sorry I don't know if they have a specific name but the metal finger pick that looks like a small horseshoe on your fingertip so you can still feel and mute the string. I found not being able to feel the strings really did my head in so the horseshoe style pick came as a revelation. Still only on my index finger though,I use nails still on my middle and ring fingers.
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blew
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 37
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Post by blew on Aug 16, 2012 17:23:20 GMT
I wasn't sure about using picks or not. To begin with I couldn't find any that would actually fit my fingers. Just those silly dunlop things that don't appear to be any use to anyone with normal sized hands. When I did find some to fit, like you Jaco I found them to be clumsy, and the bass from the thumb pick seemed to loud. So I decided to look at what well known and respected players were using. It's pretty much 50/50 for those who do and those who don't use picks. I found people like Stefan Grossman and Rory Block never seem to use them, which is good enough for me. Also I thought about all the older blues players like Son House and John Hurt etc. None of those guys seem to have used picks. I bet most of the time they barely had any finger nails to pick with either. Never seemed to bother them. Anyway sorry, just my own personal thoughts on the subject. Good luck with your picks.
Blew
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Post by bluesbottle on Aug 16, 2012 22:09:31 GMT
I'm convinced the old players developed nice hard callouses on their fingers and the edge of their thumbs through lots of playing. A bit like we all do on the fingers of our fretting fingers.
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blew
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 37
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Post by blew on Aug 17, 2012 8:37:15 GMT
I've got callouses on the fingers and thumb of my picking hand, even with fairly well developed nails where the flesh contacts the strings they callouses have developed. However this is only since I've been playing a reso' with heavier gauged strings than my 000. Although to be fair I wasn't playing finger style very long before I got my reso'. I think that the callouses do make an obvious difference to both the tone and volume.
Regards,
Blew.
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Post by Jaco on Aug 18, 2012 11:11:39 GMT
blewIt's still a bit awkward using the fingers picks, and the thumb pick I took a lot off of it so it's much closer to my thumb. Still it's going to take time. You mentioned a couple of players who don't use finger picks. I know my favorite guitarist Ry Cooder doesn't use picks for playing slide, he prefers the sound of flesh and nail. Best, Jaco
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blew
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 37
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Post by blew on Aug 20, 2012 11:12:21 GMT
Just a matter of what you like. One of the things I like most about finger style is the fact that you don't need a pick, you can walk into a guitar shop pick up a guitar that catches your eye and play rather than fumbling around in your wallet for that pick you carry everywhere just in case. Of course that doesn't work so well if you want to play slide on said guitar. I find finger style on an acoustic guitar quite liberating after several years of playing electric guitars which you need to drag your pedal board out (if that's your thing) plug it in to your amp, plug your guitar into your board, switch it all on, let it warm up for a moment and then you can play. Not very good for those moments of spontaneity. Or maybe I'm just getting lazy . Regards, Blew.
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Post by mikenewport on Aug 20, 2012 18:31:49 GMT
Bare fingers for me but I like the Fred Kelly range and use the freedom finger picks along with a speed pick. They are meant for frailing banjo and allow you to pick, as with the alaska picks. but without the 'under the nail' torture! They sound a little 'mellow' but have the added advantage of being able to strum downstrokes. a link (no connection and so on) www.eaglemusicshop.com/details2.asp/ProductID/6154/fred-kelly-delrin-freedom-picks.htm
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Post by oldnick on Aug 30, 2012 22:26:23 GMT
Alternatively you can get false nails glued on at any nail bar which can be filed to whatever shape suits you best
Nick
Sent from my GT-P7510 using proboards
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Post by Stevie on Aug 31, 2012 8:03:01 GMT
But don't mention the guitar because they'll have visions of you returning with complaints of delaminated nails.....
Sent from a smartphone (sic) with all e&oe.
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