The Steel Guitar Forum

During the 30 years I've been playing Pedal Steel, I've had only 3 sets of finger picks. To me, it's an important part of the big picture. Once I have my finger picks fitted and bent the way I want them, I protect them like precious gems. Anyone else care to weigh in?

I'm with ya, Charlie!

I bought about 20 Nationals 20 some years ago. I still have about a dozen, and they ain't moving from my junk drawer. I think they're about worth their weight in gold now.

I was recently reunited with my old National finger picks.

CLICK HERE

I have four of the little buggers. Ain't gonna part with them, no siree!

This is off the topic but oh well. Are you the Charlie Whitten that played on Martina Mcbride's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet?" If it is, I would like to say that it one of my all time favorite solos. Your tone, execution, taste, everything for that matter is perfect. Such an exquisite solo and all on two strings. Your playing on the rest of the song, as well as the other tracks you are on, are top notch and are classics in my book.

Me too. I bought about 20 nationals back in 1963. When I got my mastertone 5-string. Some have the USA on them, and some don't. I think I payed about 50 cents each for them back then. So far they all are great, and 2 of them are bent in for some small fingers on my 11 year old grand daughters hand. I wouldn't part with them, and they will be here long after I'm gone. They don't rust, or dissolve. On the banjo hangout I could sell them for a huge profit. I think they go for about $25 a pair. Mine will stay with me forever.

I posted pix in that original post.. and am still using the old style Dunlops.. they feel way more comfortable for me. Your results may vary!
I keep the extra I still have for a rainy day. MY first pair lasted 20+ years .. I hope I outlive the extras I have.

Wally, I'll jump in and answer here.
Yes, thats the Charlie Whitten above.

Charlie is not new to steel guitar by any means, but he is new to the Forum.
He has not been properly introduced, so I'll welcome him once again, and brag on him a little.

I met Charlie back in 84' when he was working with the Judds. Charlie has an extraordinary work ethic, never settling for anything less than perfection when it comes to his playing. He demonstrates such a meticulous attention to the tiniest detail, that you'd convince yourself that it was Sonny Garrish himself, doing road dates with the Judds. http://countrymusic.wolfgangsvault.com/ Hear for yourself. (He's playing a Sho-bud Pro II)
I was lucky enough to reunite with Charlie this last spring, when we'd both come off of a long layoff from playing steel, and actually bought the same guitars.
(GFI Ultra)
Charlie is also the fella responsible for goading me into offering my VP mounts, and other gizmos to other players.
I'm proud to call him a friend.

Hi Lee, I stand re-directed. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. In the future, I will try to keep up with the current posts. Thanks again, Charlie

Hello Wally, As Dale was so kind to have pointed out, I am the Charlie Whitten playing on those tracks. It was an honor to have recorded with martina, I think she has one of the finest voices in the world. Thank you for your kind words .

Hi Dale, I really appreciate your kind words in regards to my work with the judds, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I want to thank you once again for the picks & bar cart you made for me. It's a permanent part of my set-up now as well as the chart holder. Your friend, Charlie

Hey Charlie, From your post it seems lick you understand the feeling of seeing one of your finger picks fly off, hit the dance floor of the Eagles, seeing a size 13 cowboy boot in mid air, and knowing exactly where it will land. They say in time I will get over it. Doc

Hi Doc, You are right on the money. That is exactly how I parted with my first set. Take Care, Charlie

I once heard Tom Morell say, when he couldn't find his picks, that he'd "rather lose the guitar than lose the picks."

I started playing my Excel S10 (keyless) without finger picks a few years back and am doing fairly well without them , but I do have a set of 3 that I guard with my life, just in case!!? I got a "new" thumb pick this year from Sonny Curtiss at Don Burrow's Ohio show, and I'm also guarding that with my life! I bought 6 and was so impressed with them, that I gave my buddies each one, so there's only one spare left. I trim the shank, per Joe Wright! and remember doing that way back in my early days before pedals! Back then I had a metal thumb pick (I didn't know any better??) and had bent it so that it had a real short shank? Seemed to help with the blocking?? It died when I dropped my stuff in Greg Cutshaw's driveway (he was still in high school!) and backed my car over it! No help for that one after that!

After I get my picks bent just right I keep them handy to pick my nose with.

Take that Charlie............Ques

Yes Ques, One's best tone is usually found in the nose along with other places.

Hey Doug, I never ran over any of my picks with an automobile as you stated in your post. I did however, flatten my second set with a size 10 "roper" while in a frenzy on a dark stage after having just dropped my "precious gems" right after the show ended. Bye Bye set no.2.

Hi Charlie...is that a boot? a "roper" I used to get the Miller-Stockman catalog out of Denver when I was learning to spin a rope and play guitar! My first pair
of cheap boots was hung on the mailbox by our RFD carrier, I ran to get them, wow my first pair of boots!
I got in the house, opened the package & yikes!!! two black boots just what I ordered, but then I noticed they were both for the left foot!! true story, so help me! And that's been the story of my life! Always not quite what the doctor ordered??? Like the first $6.00 the dance hall lady gave me.....I said no, "I'm just playing for the experience!?" She insisted & the band said it was OK! I took it though.....spent it on my guitar & strings.....and ever since, I always spent $12.00 for every $6.00 I earned!! Story of my life! I don't lie! The caller was drawing the crowd, he got $10, the rest got $8 'cept'n' Slim (the kid) & I got $6!! That fall my Dad & Mother taught me the square dance calls, from the Henry Ford book (still have it!) and from then on it was even split all around! piano lady, drums (later bass.....he & I still play together!) fiddle & the kid on guitar (later added lap steel! 11/46) After graduation I joined the Sunset Ramblers ( do a search....we're on the net from France !) and we split I called & played(?) steel! Bucky slept with me, sang & played string bass, good singer! We payed $3.50 (week) each to the landlady for our sleeping room and ate at restaurants, times were rough....TV was starting to come in, Petrillo's AFM was on strike! and we were doing radio for free to get the publicity! Oh my the good old days??!! We loved our band and our music! ASCAP was fighting and BMI came in! Hill & Range would send us artist's copies of the new tunes each month or week, don't remember which! Jenny Lou Carson was one of the writers and who was the western swing gal!! One of the best....she wrote Cherokee Maiden, a great tune Merle Hagard did a great job on! He really learned to play fiddle in 6 months?? to do the tribute to Bob Wills album?? I been playin' forever & I still can't play fiddle?? so I gave my late brother's fiddle to my granddaughter, Alicia! She can play it! This summer she took up guitar on a borrowed one! I gave her my old flat top for Xmas! She loves it! Was she Cindy Walker & was she from Texas??

Hello Again Doug, Wow, what an interesting life!. Your post prompted me to do a little research. First, the Sunset Ramblers. I hope your experience with them was a good one. If my comprehension of your last question is correct, it appears Cindy walker & Jenny Lou Carson were not the same person. Both were great song writers, Cindy Walkers "You Don't Know Me" is an unforgettable classic. Thanks to your post, my brain has a little more information stored. Take Care, Charlie. P.S. "Ropers" are boots.

Cindy Walker was the prolific writer I was trying to remember and she wrote Cherokee Maiden, right? The Jennie Lou Carson tunes were earlier perhaps? The Sunset Ramblers job allowed me to learn the steel and only because I could call the square dances. 5 way split instead of 6 way! The previous band had a caller and a steel player plus fiddle, bass, rhythm guitar & an accordion! We did add a lead guitar man later & so had 6 men! Riffs with guitar, fiddle & accordion......
three part stuff with head arrangements! The accordion & I were the only music readers, the rest were strictly "ear" players, but once they learned it was "welded " in place!

I've seen Big "E" remove his picks and toss them out to players in the audience!

Perhaps that's a way of saying that it's wise not to get too attached to a particular pair, sort of like saying "Don't put all your eggs in one basket".

Hey Donny, I think that's correct. After having smashed my second set, I started thinking, perhaps I should keep more than one set in reserve just in case. Charlie

I use .025 Dunlops. I dont bend them very much at all...I do however wear them slightly off center to facilitate attacking the string squarely...Any player can bend my picks....doesnt bother me...I bend them back in a matter of seconds...