Getting set up on quality finger picks

[Dustin Rigsby]

Dustin,
I don't think he was shyster, he just had a wry sense of humor.

I apologize Erv. After another post about Jeff got Rolene Brumley all out of sorts, I guess I became sensitive....I never met Jeff but his deadpan and sarcastic humor makes me laugh. It seems lost on some people.

[Chris Lucker]

I use blue Hercos dr thumb but like the JF candy cane. But they do break.
They are crisp sounding. But I like bright.
The JF finger picks are just as solid sounding as Nationals, but ikle to mix as I explained above.
Funny, playing my old resonators, I prefer lighter Dunlops. Hands down.

[Tom Wolverton]

I like Hoffmeyers best.

http://www.hoffmeyerpicks.com/Hoffmeyer ... Picks.html

[Erv Niehaus]

Dustin,
Not a problem.

[Jon Hyde]

I've always used Nationals but I was recently given a pair of Sammy Shelor picks and I like them a lot. More comfortable but feel really familiar. Thinking about getting a second set!

[Glenn Uhler]

Regardless of what brand of fingerpicks you use, two things are always true. 1. No two finger tips are the same size and shape, even from right hand to left hand. 2. No brand of picks will fit all of a person's finger tips perfectly right out of the box. Any set of picks will probably need to be custom fitted (bent) to fit. Until you get them adjusted properly; they will hurt, fall off, cause hangnails, and just plain be uncomfortable.

If you don't believe me, take a close look at your own fingers; they're oval, not round, and some are flatter than others.

[Walter Bowden]

Hey y'all! Good thread and would like to contribute.

I was lucky enough to be a bit "flush" in the late 70's and attended one of Jeff's weeklong seminars. This was before JF picks much less than DVS.

He "busted me" on day one when he spotted my Dunlop finger picks, MSA hollow bar and slouchy/sloppy posture.

It didn't help me any that he spied 2 National fingerpicks and a solid Emmons bar in my pouch. My sentence was to have him reshape my National picks with his needle nose pliers and wear them until the fingernail and cuticle adapted. No pain no gain?

I had to swear to never use Dunlop fingerpicks or hollow bars again. He made me sit up straight and hold a magazine tight between my right arm and side. He helped me stop bad habits before it was too late.
I'm using JF picks now and agree heat shrink helps. I still view Right Hand Alpha and think it should be on anyone's short list of good instruction.

FWIW Jeff also didn't care too much for photocell volume pedals back then but I can say first hand he really seemed to care for his students and would go the extra mile to share his experience and "hands on" teaching that helped may beginners stick with the instrument and probably turned out some excellent steel guitar players over the years.

Best wishes, Walter

[Jim Cooley]

An update on my earlier post above:

I have a pair of the padded Nationals that I bought off the forum a couple of years ago. I was using them before I tried the ProPiks. After playing at home with the ProPicks for about an hour yesterday, I put the padded picks back on for comparison. The difference was immediately noticeable. I get better tone and attack with the Nationals, even though most of the rubberized coating has worn off. A little tweaking of one band made them pretty darned comfortable. I might try adding some heat shrink tubing just for grins.

I have some Newmans also. They are very comparable to the padded Nationals except that the Newmans' bands have squared corners instead of being round. I find it easier to shape the Nationals to my fingers.

[chris ivey]

and also the jf picks have diamond shaped cutouts so your tan line is different at the end of summer.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

The Bob Perry power Picks from elderly are by far the most comfortable picks I have used to date. They don't have holes in the band ,but rather a smooth polished feel. No sore fingers here.
They can also be found here http://www.cobaltbp.com/pricingnew.htm

[Ian Rae]

I just tried some JF picks and although they felt weird for a few minutes, they are certainly guiding me to get the hand shape and attack that Right Hand Alpha is designed to achieve. I was doing sort of o.k. with Dunlops bent to the same shape (quite closely as it turns out) but I had to file the tabs so they didn't catch on the string above. The JFs are narrower there and pre-bent so they can be used straight away.

I'll see how I get on with them.

[Jack Stanton]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it, but I bought a set of Hoffmeyer's and within a half hour they felt like the old pair of Nationals I used the first ten years I played. Never adapted to a set of picks so quickly. They feel and sound great.
Before that I was using a set of chrome BJ's (Buddy/Jeff) that I picked up the first week they were making them at an Emmons C6th class at Jeffran. Sound great and the pick angle is perfect, but always had a hard time keeping them on. 30+ years later, they still look brand new.

[Tucker Jackson]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it, but I bought a set of Hoffmeyer's and within a half hour they felt like the old pair of Nationals I used the first ten years I played.

Jack, do you use the standard or customs? I'm curious if there are significant differences between the Hoffmeyer and Nationals? I ask because the standard Hoffs are supposed to be a modern replica of the classic pre-war National -- as are the National NP2s. Seems they would be quite similar.

[Jack Hanson]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Dunlop picksl, I've been using them for years with NO problem.

I second that emotion, Erv.

Whatever shortfalls may exist in my playing, the Dunlops will remain blameless.

[Bob Knight]

$15-$50 finger picks has got to be the worst "Flavor of the week" choice yet. .

[Jim Reynolds]

Started playing in 85. Had a pair of Dunlop first, that's all you could get around here, then went to BJ's, as mentioned. Buddy & Jeff. I have met and had become friends with Jeff, took several of his courses and started using his picks, JF. I have tried every pick on the market, and still go back to Jeff's. I can only say, Everyone is different, and not everyone will like the same things. To me Jeff was one of the honest, and done more for the promotion of steel guitar then anyone I know. I wear his picks today, the rest are in my seat, and yes I too review the right hand technique. I say, "Use what ever is comfortable for YOU" for a newbie, start with either JF's or National. There gauge are .025, which I understand gives the best sound. I don't know all the little details, but they do sound better to me. JF's or National. Enjoy it no matter just play.