Impact of Fingerpick Thickness on Tone and Speed

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

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DJ Sillito
Posts: 145
Joined: 22 Nov 2000 1:01 am
Location: Lethbrige, Alberta, Canada

Post by DJ Sillito »

Chuck,
For what is worth I may be the odd ball here but I like the thinner picks also and I prefer a banjo pick. However I couldn't imagine paying $30 for a pair. Anyways try this for size. Get a pair of Ernie Ball Banjo picks ( cost: no more than $2.00). They are lightweight easy to bend and have a tapered or pointed end. I think they are great. There are thin though and I am not sure of the gauge but when they wear out they are cheap to replace. I have tried BJ , Nationals, Dunlops, and Reso and always come back to these Ernie Ball Picks.
Just my two cents worth

DJ Sillito
Carter D-10,Mullen volume pedal,Nasville 400,
ProfexII
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David Mason
Posts: 6072
Joined: 6 Oct 2001 12:01 am
Location: Cambridge, MD, USA

Post by David Mason »

Bending the bands across the back of the picks properly is also really important. The best thing I've found for proper fitting is a pair of round-nose jeweler's pliers - NOT squared off needlenose. It's not a quick adjustment, figure how many hours you're going to wear those picks a week. They don't have to hurt or turn your fingertips blue, it's just a matter of adjustment.
gary darr
Posts: 359
Joined: 25 Jul 2000 12:01 am
Location: Somewhere out in Texas

Post by gary darr »

Does a Fender med. flat pick count? Guess I played six string too long

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Sho-Bud proII custom,Session 500,American standard Strat,Shecter tele,Peavy Classic 50,Fender Vibrolux

Paul Warnik
Posts: 1845
Joined: 1 Mar 2001 1:01 am
Location: Illinois,USA

Post by Paul Warnik »

.020 Dunlaps for pedal steel .025 Nationals for acoustic resos .0225 Dunlaps would be the compromise if I were only able to adjust to one for everything .018 and lighter just dont work for me-I have tried them-I dont hear or feel any difference between brass,nickel silver,or chromed-but getting the proper bend around and angle onto the fingers is important to me-because I pick block alot I do not curl or bend the picks sharply under the finger tip as I have seen many players do-but rather tend to leave them stick out the way that they come when you buy them-I have very large hands-no problem to palm a basketball Image
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