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Post by roger on Aug 7, 2006 12:33:08 GMT
Thanks to everyone for their replies, looks like I will have to persist with the finger picks. I have been trying to use them over the last couple of days and it is getting a little easier.I have been wearing the picks when not playing, the only problem I have found is that you forget you have them on, I nearly had my eye out when it devolped an itch. Thanks again to everyone the advice is much appreciated. Regards Roger
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Post by Andy S on Aug 8, 2006 10:12:34 GMT
I must say I have never got on with thumb or finger picks on any guitar, I have yet to find any which are in any way as forgiving as either plectra or bare flesh. Maybe other forum members can steer me towards some that are, but I would love to find some with a little more "give" in them, the picks I have got are so jarring to your thumb and fingers, its like hitting your strings with a hammer. Does anyone make nylon picks, like the Dunlop plectrums?
I actually like the sound of bare thumb on the bass strings and nail on the rest, also a guitar with a quarterman cone in it played with anything other than bare skin, is too loud for late night noodling. I keep my thumb nail short to give the thrum, and my right nails long to give a bit of zing.
I would give picks a go if I could find softer less jarring ones, but also I like the different tones you get from using both skin, nail and plectra. Also as Michael said on another thread, its good to use your resonator to play other things than usual, tune it to standard and play rock riffs with a plectrum, using it when theres a sing song with lots of kids is a great application of its volume, (and they all love their reflections in the coverplate too!), I lent mine to a classical guitarist who made it sound awesome with what he played (I bet Flamenco would sound good on it too). I also like playing my Telecaster with thumb and fingers (a la Wilco Johnson) as well as plectrum.
Its about just playing really, I find my fingers and thumb suit me right now, maybe picks will in the future, I guess thats what makes all our playing sound individual. As the French say "Vive le difference!"
Andy S
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2006 10:29:13 GMT
If you need a bit more "give" in a thumb pick, do what my guitar teacher suggests. Cut the pick part off a thumb pick & then slot a preferred flatpick (more choice in the thickness department!) in its place - you may need to cut the back end of the flat pick to get the correct amount of pick sticking out. If I do this, I usually superglue the two pieces together - it works for some. ;D ;D
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Post by marshcat on Aug 8, 2006 17:50:38 GMT
For a flexible thumb pick, Google 'Fred Kelly Speed Picks". I couldn't get on with thumb picks for decades till I found these! You can order 'em from the States and a big bag gets here in a few day and lasts for years, or until your mates nick the last one!
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Post by mistercanetoad on Aug 8, 2006 18:45:49 GMT
I play with fingers and am just about getting the hang of fingerpicks. I found these hefty resonator strings were wearing my nails down faster than they could grow! I tried the Pro-pick type that allow you to feel the string as you play it. Seemed to help a lot. When I tried the usual type again it seemed to be much easier. Its also worth noting that you can get Pro-pick style picks on E-bay for about £3.50 a set. They're not the real thing but they seem to work okay!
Dave
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Post by Colin McCubbin on Aug 8, 2006 19:28:45 GMT
Stuart,
I see that 'Fred Kelly Speed Picks" are stocked at a Vancouver store so I'll drop by and take a look.
Thanks for the info.
Aloha
Colin
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Post by Gerry C on Aug 16, 2006 17:50:07 GMT
Hi all - just back from hols in France and this thread caught my eye for reasons which will become clear. I've always preferred the sound of fingers to picks. I've always used a thumbpick (early picking heroes being folkies such as Bert Jansch, Ralph McTell, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, all thumbpick users) and preferred to use my nails, though actually it's a combination of my right-hand finger-tips and the nail. However: I suffer from an arthritic condition in my back and as a consequence have to monitor my calcium intake carefully so that my spinal ligaments don't bone up any more than they're going to anyway. Result? I have beautiful soft shiny hair and fingernails to match. For picking hard they are less use than a chocolate teapot. I've tried all manner of picks over the years, metal and plastic, and whilst I can use them (medium Dunlop plastic thumbpick and Dunlop 020s on my index and middle) I find I can't get as intricate as I want to on some numbers as I can without them. I also tried every conceiveable way of hardening or reinforcing my nails known to woman. The light-bulb moment came about four years ago when I was having a chat with Martin Simpson after a gig. I asked him how he managed to play so hard and he said, "Acrylics!" So now about every six weeks I hie me down to my local nail salon, have a cup of coffee and chat to an extremely nice and attractive young lady whilst she's putting plastic caps over my nails and coating them with acrylic goo which sets like concrete. I can then play really hard and loudly and can even use my index fingernail as a plectrum. I can play brushed downstrokes without fear of 'throwing a shoe' and get my fingers under the strings if I want a little ol' Delta snap, something I find impossible with picks. BUT: I still use picks for rough slide numbers such as Rollin' and Tumblin' or A Few Short Lines. I'll also use them in a group situation and in my church music group. (If you think banjos are loud you should try playing with a sax at your left ear!!) Still prefer that 'flesh tone': one of these days I'll give up the thumbpick... Cheerily, Gerry C PS Why did this thread catch my eye? Well after a fortnight of camping, beach-bumming, driving, hill-walking and wine-sampling, my acrylics are wrecked; can't get 'em fixed till tomorrow so I'm having to use picks to get back to proper playing speed...
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Post by slidebone on Aug 19, 2006 17:21:04 GMT
As said in all posts I also agree that picks are the best choice for playing acoustic slide guitar, althought I keep my bare fingers for playing electric slide. They hare more powerful, lowder, more precise and clear, and you'll find with time that with them you can also be more articulate and fluid (specially with bigger string gauges). I also avocate plastic picks since they can get a warmer and more rounded sound and tone than the metal ones. Yes, they'r difficuld to handle the first times, but stick with it everytime you pick your guitar and in a month or 2, you will be amazed on how better your sound and tone are, as well as your overall controll of the picks themselves
Good luck and happy slidin'
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Post by fitchmeister on Feb 12, 2007 15:06:28 GMT
I just searched back to when it was i started a more concerted effort to use finger picks - nearly 6 months ago!! I can now falteringly play a whole tune with finger picks on 3 fingers. Changing brand of finger pick made a huge difference.
For any one interested i used some 'no name' finger picks from the London Reso Centre.
Roj
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Post by smojo on Feb 12, 2007 16:37:00 GMT
This is an interesting thread for me too. Similar to Roger I have just started to play slide. For most of my previous playing I used plectrums - never seemed to get the co-ordination right for fingerstyle. Then I started dabbling with fingers about a year ago. I eventually got to like the control and sensitivity of bare fingers to the point where I hardly ever use plectrum. Then I set up a cheap acoustic to play slide and I felt I "had" to use fingerpicks so I bought some Dunlop plastic ones. Yikes I might as well have been playing with someone elses hand so I gave up on them again. Then I wanted a reso and joined a couple of forums and bought Michael's instructional DVD. Where's those damned fingerpicks - let's try again. Ah yes - that's why I gave up on them, uncomfortable and dead as a dodo to the touch. But I've been persisting a bit and the thumb pick is starting to feel OK so maybe the finger ones will become acceptable eventually but it's hard to imagine at the moment. How the hell do you play a downstroke with the fingerpicks too?
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Post by smojo on Feb 12, 2007 17:16:29 GMT
Have a look at Ebay and copy/paste this item in 290080636817 - these type seem like a good idea, anyone got any thoughts on them. I know some people don't like metal but they seem like you could adjust them easier and would feel more like nails when playing - I might give them a go out of interest.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2007 17:58:02 GMT
I couldn't play with finger picks at all! But after going to the Blues weekend at Pocklington I realised that I needed to get used to them. I was just so quiet playing with bare fingers I couldn't be heard!
So, I started with just the thumb pick and gradually added the other two fingers over time. Now I can't play with bare fingers.
So I personally think that if anyone tries picks then gives up they should persevere. It will get easier
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Post by Michael Messer on Feb 12, 2007 18:22:57 GMT
I agree - just don't give in!
I don't remember it ever being much of a problem. Sure, at first I was a bit clumsy, but with time it started to feel normal to have picks on. I have worn them for 25 years now. I started with metal National picks and sometime around 89/90 I started using plastic.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by steadyrollinman on Feb 12, 2007 19:06:21 GMT
I've been varying my picks between old metal ones and new Dunlops for the last year. Recently called into Hanks in Denmark St, London and found to my delight the best fitting, very slightly flexible thumb and fingerpicks. Check em out guys, it's not my imagination, they're great. For ease of indentification: they are tortoiseshell in appearance and have Hank's own name brand stamped on them. £3.00 for a set!
Chris.
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Post by Bill Stig on Feb 12, 2007 22:18:34 GMT
I've been using dunlop picks for a while now, mainly because they're easy to get hold of and previously, when I've tried others, I haven't found that they give me the same attack. I'll definitely try the plastic finger picks though after reading this. What I'd be interested to know is how other people modify their picks. I use a plastic thumb pick which I cut down to protrude from my thumb by quarter of an inch and then file it to a rounded angle. I bend the the mettle finger picks so that the tip is level with my finger nails, this makes them slide over the string more easily. I've played classical guitar for years and this seems to emulate my fingers as closely as I can. Some banjo players I've spoken to use different gauges of pick to accommodate for weaker fingers!!
Bill
Bill
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