The Steel Guitar Forum

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

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

Aloha,
Don

Here's what I use. But I ain't normal!

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

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:

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

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

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.

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