brass vs. nickel finger picks

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

Moderator: Brad Bechtel

Post Reply
Fred Brown
Posts: 67
Joined: 23 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Austin, TX

brass vs. nickel finger picks

Post by Fred Brown »

Curious why I would pick one over the other. I have always used nickel. Didn't even know brass existed. Then I dropped one of my finger picks between the slats of a deck. And it disappeared in the nether. Looking around, I discovered brass picks. Just curious why I would pick one over the other.

For reference, I play a Tut Tennessean and a 50's Oahu Tonemaster in a church worship band. I play other instruments also. But use the reso for folksy stuff and the lap steel for a bit more of an edge.

thanks for any comments,
Fred
FredB
40's Dickerson lap steel
2002 Crafters of Tennessee TTT reso
Oahu Tonemaster
Michael Kelly DragonFly model F5
MIM Tele
Epiphone 12 string
all manner of Irish tin whistles
bodhran (Irish frame drum)
User avatar
Don Kona Woods
Posts: 2726
Joined: 11 Dec 2004 1:01 am
Location: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Post by Don Kona Woods »

Brass is softer and lends itself to a more mellow sound.

Aloha, :)
Don
User avatar
John Billings
Posts: 9344
Joined: 11 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by John Billings »

Here's what I use. But I ain't normal!
Image
Fred Brown
Posts: 67
Joined: 23 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Austin, TX

Post by Fred Brown »

Thanx, gents for your feedback. It was helpful.

Now, John, that pic is begging for an explanation. The axe, the fingerpick in the front, no thumbpick?, why that bar? I am curious. And I would like to hear something from this setup.
Fred
FredB
40's Dickerson lap steel
2002 Crafters of Tennessee TTT reso
Oahu Tonemaster
Michael Kelly DragonFly model F5
MIM Tele
Epiphone 12 string
all manner of Irish tin whistles
bodhran (Irish frame drum)
User avatar
John Billings
Posts: 9344
Joined: 11 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by John Billings »

Fred, the guitar is a 1935 Dobro M-32. It's a V-neck guitar that I use for bottleneck stuff. I do use an ordinary plastic thumbpick, but cut pretty short. The double-sided index fingerpick is somethin' I came up with about 25 years ago. I was doin' double-duty, 6-string and pedal steel. Got tired of takin' my picks on and off. I just cut the "blade" off of a spare pick, and silver soldered it onto another. I can play brush strokes with it, and I can also hold it with my thumb and play it just like a flat pick on my Tele. Odd, I know! But it works extremely well.
Here's a bad pic of how I hold it to use it as a flatpick:
Image
If you go to this site, and scroll down, you'll see the guitar that was the next one built after mine. And it's in a lot better shape! But mine has "character."
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/dobro.html
Fred Brown
Posts: 67
Joined: 23 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Austin, TX

Post by Fred Brown »

Ah, that all makes a lot of sense. I forgot about bottle neck.

I really like that index fingerpick thingy. That is a great idea. I am tired of trying to do a brush and launching a pick across the room. And I could see how much simpler it would make it when I make my switch to my Tele also.

I have also found that a shortened thumbpick is easier to play with.

thank again,
Fred
FredB
40's Dickerson lap steel
2002 Crafters of Tennessee TTT reso
Oahu Tonemaster
Michael Kelly DragonFly model F5
MIM Tele
Epiphone 12 string
all manner of Irish tin whistles
bodhran (Irish frame drum)
Clyde Mattocks
Posts: 2992
Joined: 26 May 2005 12:01 am
Location: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

Post by Clyde Mattocks »

I have some of both and for a while I thought I preferred the brass, but now I'm not sure I can tell any difference in tone. The brass picks don't slip off as easily.
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Harlow Dobro
Fred Brown
Posts: 67
Joined: 23 Jul 2002 12:01 am
Location: Austin, TX

Post by Fred Brown »

Good input. I really couldn't tell the difference either. And I am assuming that it will be even more difficult when I am actually playing with the rest of the group.

The slippage comment is interesting. I will definitely check that out.

Thanx,
Fred
FredB
40's Dickerson lap steel
2002 Crafters of Tennessee TTT reso
Oahu Tonemaster
Michael Kelly DragonFly model F5
MIM Tele
Epiphone 12 string
all manner of Irish tin whistles
bodhran (Irish frame drum)
Post Reply