any bare finger players?

[Gary Lee Gimble]

BGrado,
I can just see you explaining that fish story

Bgrado has graciously shared with us, from a players perspective, what had worked for him. By suggesting that someone's hands on experience is a fish story can be interpreted as rather rude. Read his post again, the man has gigs....

[Bob Grado]

fish story? I'm sharing my personal experience.

I started out playing without picks not because I prefered the tone but because I was not disciplined enough to learn how to use them.

If I can prevent another player from making the same mistake I'm glad to do so.

All I'm saying is if you plan on playing out 8 to 10 times a month without picks be prepared to play through the pain.

That is a fact.

[Bill Hankey]

BGrado,

I have no problem what-so-ever discounting Gary's input. I'm not sure about what he wears. BGrado, there are more holes in your stories than a rusted out tinned pail. If there is one thing that I have had experience with, it's a no picks playing style. Actually, 6 string guitars are much more difficult to play in terms of no picks. How do you explain the Atkins story. You are stuck, I'm afraid, on that question?

[Bob Grado]

I had a dream once that I had the last word in a Bill Hankey thread..

Then I woke up. lol

[Stephen Silver]

CLICK

[Bill Hankey]

Stephen,

It will be up to the readers to determine if you deserve to mosey out of range of facing a bunch of truths.

[Bob Grado]

You can deny it all you want but there must be a valid reason why 99.9% of all the pedal steel players in the world choose to use finger picks.

[Ron Brennan]

For what it’s worth:

Bob Grado is a very, very fine PSG player and teacher. I know him to be a person of integrity, highly experienced and always helpful with other players, no matter what their skill sets are. Just so we all know, Bob Grado is very well liked because he is a straight shooter, great sense of humor and personality and know s what he is talking about…….

BHankey, IMHO, you and a very few others, have a personality flaw in which you act rude and issue nasty comments about other players you don't even know or met. Your comments in re: Bob Grado are completely unnecessary and in very poor form.

Testimony here has stated you have done well for others in the past. Too bad you have soured many players with your rudeness on forum posts. If you can't respond in a cheerful way, why not just keep it to your self. Do yourself a service......Cheer up!!

I do/did not want to engage with you on your level, now or at anytime in the future...This time, however, I take issue with your comments about Bob Grado and his sincere opinion.….....I speak for myself, if I see BHankey on any post......

*CLICK*

[Dr. Hugh Jeffreys]

B.H. "from Heaven?" I'm not sure I understand your reply?

[Gary Stevenson]

I knew there was a reason I avoided Hankey posts, and this just confirms it. Hard to have an opinion when somebody takes cracks at you for expressing it.

[Bill Hankey]

Dr Hugh Jeffreys,

I opened up your offer to sell recorded material that was produced by you playing with no finger picks. Owing to your achievements, I'd certainly consider the surprise information coming from a source greater than all the forum exchanges amassed together. I would deeply regret entertaining such thoughts, if I wasn't familiar with the way things of this nature are resolved.

[Jerry Eilander]

hi , have a look on this page,
there is a nice big picture there,
try them, you'll love them, cheers Jerry
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... c&start=25.

[Tor Arve Baroy]

Most of my favourite steelers play with picks, but I dont like the way I sound with fingerpicks....
So for me, I play only with a thumb pick on steel.

On banjo I use fingerpicks though....

Here is my bands newest video...The steel parts are played on a GFI expo, through a tube preamp and ::::
Without fingerpicks..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krd8LF9Nlt8

In the video I use a Shobud and a Vox AC30
It does look better than a GFI and a tube preamp

[Bill Hankey]

Ron Brennan,

I'm still to this day trying to determine who wrote an unprovoked letter to one of my heroes of the steel guitar. You can't imagine how many times I've wondered how anyone would have the nerve to write the things that were written in that letter. The letter was postmarked in the state of New Jersey. It happened about 20 years ago. It would show very clearly that no matter how helpful or "nice" a subject tries to be, don't get too comfortable with thinking that you've wiped out rudeness and those harboring negative thoughts. You are cautioning me about offending a good and just fellow musician. I resent that ridiculous charge. I haven't ever, nor will I ever engage in those practices. I pointed out that letter, written to my friend to urge you to remember that it wasn't I who chose to be held in question, by not standing behind what I say. These are centuries old behaviorisms that have existed longer than recorded history. Read the daily news!

[Steve Nelson]

I am primarily a regular guitar (by that I mean 6 string) player...now...but I started on a Gibson HG-00, no finger picks. From listening to Chet I started playing Hawaiian guitar in 1962 at age 5 with just a thumb pick.
Now I play guitar, pedal steel (with no finger picks) banjo (again...no picks) cuz I can't/won't switch over!
I do still play pedal steel..an EMCI Universal 12 no fingerpicks. It does give me a warmer sound, and I am working on the attack, but when I was playing guitar and steel in bands I had to switch quickly and I really never got used to finger picks. I don't know if it's wrong, but it is my style anyway.
Here's the problem...breaking a nail! LOL...

Cheers,
Steve N.

[Darrell Owens]

I know am bound to draw criticism.

Not only do I play the DAY set up on an EMMONS guitar, I play with a thumb pick and three acrylic nails. I can play with picks, I just don't play as well. AND when my index finger is NAKED it is available for harmonics. It is hard to hit a harmonic and a natural note together with picks on.

I began playing fingerstyle guitar when I was very young, and since I learned that way, I found it natural to play psg the same way.

One note of caution! If you break an acrylic nail - IT HURTS! It happened two weeks ago on a Sunday morning, and I couldn't play for a week.

[Jerry Hayes]

I played both guitar and steel for many years with a thumb and fingerpicks. This last year I've been "weaning" myself off of fingerpicks on guitar as you can get too "clean" of a sound with the fingerpicks on six string. I've been trying to get more of a bluesy sound and digging in on it a little to get a more of an edge to my guitar tone.

Since some of these threads about no fingerpicks have started I've been trying here and there to play steel also without them. At my gig last night I went finger pickless for about three tunes and then we did a very fast 2/4 tune (Rocky Top) and I had to put 'em on. I just couldn't keep up as without picks there's just too much "drag". On six string you can keep up using hammer ons & pull offs so I think I'll keep 'em off for guitar and stick 'em on for steel. At times I attempt some finger style things on steel and I'll go bare fingered for that as it's easier to block the notes doing that stuff. In addition I agree with some of the others as to the tone being better on steel with picks..........JH in Va.

[James Mayer]

Since some of these threads about no fingerpicks have started I've been trying here and there to play steel also without them. At my gig last night I went finger pickless for about three tunes and then we did a very fast 2/4 tune (Rocky Top) and I had to put 'em on. I just couldn't keep up as without picks there's just too much "drag". On six string you can keep up using hammer ons & pull offs so I think I'll keep 'em off for guitar and stick 'em on for steel. At times I attempt some finger style things on steel and I'll go bare fingered for that as it's easier to block the notes doing that stuff. In addition I agree with some of the others as to the tone being better on steel with picks..........JH in Va.

The "drag" you mention is because your nails probably aren't shaped right. Classical and flamenco guitarist can get some serious speed and excellent tone by shaping their nail like a ramp. See photo below:

[Marke Burgstahler]

Most of my favourite steelers play with picks, but I dont like the way I sound with fingerpicks....
So for me, I play only with a thumb pick on steel.

On banjo I use fingerpicks though....

Here is my bands newest video...The steel parts are played on a GFI expo, through a tube preamp and ::::
Without fingerpicks..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krd8LF9Nlt8

In the video I use a Shobud and a Vox AC30
It does look better than a GFI and a tube preamp

Tor, the band sounds great, and your playing and tone are smooth as silk! Good stuff!

[Marke Burgstahler]

Dang it. I got sucked in again...I didn't see the warning sign until well into the thread.

CLICK

[Olie Eshleman]

When Playing 6 string, i try to function as the bass player, (we don't have one) and palm mute the lowest two strings(tuned C and F or G) and therefore can't use a thumb pick. i have spent nearly 20 years developing this style as well as desperately trying to maintain functional nails. Keeping a nail file in your pocket helps a little, but some of the more physical work I do breaks em no matter what. There's always super glue, lots and lot of super glue.

Also I get harmonics by laying my thumb on the string in front of my index, middle, or ring finger and lifting off. This works well for me, and any other alternative such as using your ring finger or pinky behind the picking finger sounds difficult at best.
I currently use 4 fingers regularly on steel and would only have my pinky pick free if I were to switch, which I am strongly considering.

I also feel I would like finger picks before a thumb pick, but I can see why many of you like the thumb pick. I like how they sound when other people use them!

[Mike Kirkley]

I've been playing for quite a while, and while I don't consider myself a professional steel player, I have found that I can't play using picks at all. I have tried, so help me, I have tried...I have spent hours sitting at that ol' Sho-Bud, fighting and fighting, but I just couldn't do it, so I play without them. Some of my good friends, including Wayne Appleby, Tomi Grasso, and Michel Rose, use picks, and they are among the best here in Aussie land, and I have heaps of respect for each and every picker around the world that uses picks...I just can't use the things! My opinion, for whatever it's worth. Mike

[Brendan Mitchell]

I started out with thumb and 2 finger picks now I just use a thumb pick . I think the computer is to blame : too hard to click or type with finger picks on . Now I will occasionally put picks on at a show when my fingers get sore .

[Scott Shipley]

I don't consider myself so much a steel player as a utility guy, however I have had artist gigs on steel, so I'll throw in my 2 1/2 cents. I use a flatpick and two fingers. I started doing that because there is not enough time to switch back and forth during a song, not to mention that a fiddle bow is dang near impossible to hold with a thumbpick on. I got used to it, and now prefer it. Sometimes on sessions and strictly steel gigs I use a thumb and fingerpicks, but not often. My tuning definitely makes the pickless approach easier. I use an extended E9 (I think, lol) with the G# on top.

[Alan Brookes]

I used to play with fingerpicks all the time in the 60s, whether it was guitar, banjo or Dobro. Nowadays I rarely use fingerpicks.