The Steel Guitar Forum

For the last 37 years or so, I've used both "National", or "Dunlop" fingerpicks, mainly the latter, in about a .020 guage. Being one who is always looking for new - and better - ways to do things, I'm always trying something new. Awhile back I started using "Dunlop Mini Picks". Again about .020 guage. There is a totaly different sound (brighter) from these, and it seems that I can get around with them so much better. I never really heard of anyone else using them, and was wondering if anybody does?? Jimmie

Jimmie,
I too have used the Dunlop and then the Nationals but then a guy gave me a pair of the John Pearse high rider picks. I'm not sure what the gauge is but probably about .20 I imagine. These are by far the best and most comfortable picks I've ever used. I can't say I play any better or that they sound any different but the comfort level is not even close. My fingers no longer turn black from playing long periods and they don't get sore around the cuticles anymore. Big Big difference.

I like the Kyser pick....and after trying them all....it's the only one for me.
Ricky

I love the Showcase 1941
JJ

I use Jeff Newman fingerpicks and Zookie thumbpicks. They seem to work pretty good for me. I have a habit though of purchasing at least a couple dozen of each for fear that as soon as I find something that works good they'll stop making them. Go fig?

Darn, Ricky! we agree on lacquer w/wood necks, tuning, & now kyser picks, whats up? are we just a Webb amp, away from a perfect match? au

I'm back to using the Dunlop brass, .025 size. I like the thicker pick because the control is all in your hand; you're not waiting the nanosecond for the pick to flex.
I've used the Pro-Pik, but the two-strap Pro-Piks have a tendency to catch the top strap (furthest away from the blade of the pick) on the next string up. The single strap ones are good but there are so many choices of angles and blades that you'd probably have to buy all of them, and, over the next month or two, figure out which is best for you.
Pro-Pik now makes a brass pick, but I was really disappointed in the way it was finished. Normally, a brass pick is less scratchy than a nickel one. That's why I like 'em. The ones I tried were way more scratchy. Sounded more like I was using a rat-tailed file on the strings instead of a pick.

I've used Dunlop .022 picks for a long time, and tried some others to improve tone, but I found that right hand position and the way it affected pick angle had way more impact on my tone than the picks. Ricky D. wised me up first, and then Tommy Detamore watched me play and showed me the same thing. Two players of that caliber saying the same thing independently really made the point with me.

It's all about the angle of the hand and the resulting angle the picks have when they hit the string. I'm fighting a very 'flat' hand habit that developed over quite a few years, but it's very slowly starting to become automatic to get that right hand 'curve' happening. That's not to say you can't get tone with a flatter right hand, I'm sure some do. Sorry, sort of off topic....

------------------
Home Page

Another Kyser man here. John Pearse Thumb pick. ---bb

I used the old Nationals, but the new ones weren't the same. I now use the Kyser's, (with a D'Andrea thumbpick.)

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Gosh Al;......that is cool.
So are you saying I'm to buy a Webb Amp now?????ha.....ha....You know how I'm a Fender Tube amp guy....but I'll tell ya what....after playing through the Webb amps Tommy White has fixed up for the Opry....heck it ain't that bad at all.....
Bill;.......nice point on the sound of the picks thing....your learnin' well "young skywalker"...
Oh and I got a little off topic so.....KYSER...KyseR.....KYsER.......kYseR
There.
Ricky<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 05 July 2002 at 03:38 AM.]</p></FONT>

I just bought a late-model Webb. I will A/B it with a souped up Fender Vibrasonic and let you know what I think when it gets here. I have a feeling, one of these 2 amps will be on the auction block soon - it's just a matter of which one...

<font size=1> Mostly because my (truck) engine block just gave out on me 2 days ago...</font>

Oh yeah, I like the Kyser and the Showcase 41s about equally well.

------------------
<font size=2>'66 Emmons D10, Franklin D10, Fessenden (Giles) D10 lacquer, '36 Gibson EH-150 lap , ~'54 Rick Bakelite lap, <u>Tube</u> amps</font>


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 05 July 2002 at 07:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

The Showcase 41's work good, and since they cost so much, you keep up with them better!

Does anyone use Earnie Ball .013 besides me.

You guys may think I am crazy, but here goes: Try Mother's mag and aluminum polish on both the bar (stainless, that is) and the blade of your picks. It will definitely get rid of the "scratch" if that is your problem. If you polish your bar, it gets as slick as a chromed one. (won't chip off either) JMO

Hey thanks guys!! Somehow I've missed "Showcase 41", but I've got easy access to "Kyser". I'll give 'em a try. Catch ya all later... Jimmie

Kyser and a Big Golden Gate thumbpick. I couldn't get used to the Dunlop, even though they are more comfortable and readily available..that little "lip" seems to catch the adjacent strings.
Ricky, is that the Webb amps on that Opry Video clip on your website? I love that video...great, real country, and no formica and Peavey. Woo Hoo!

Newman finger picks and some old no-name black thumb picks that I stocked up on probably 25 years ago.

------------------
Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Hey Brian; yes indeed that is the Webb amp head(there's a stack of 5 or 6 of them in a rack) and a speaker on wheels that rolls around in front of which ever steel player is playing that time. Is that Orpy video still playing on the website??? Cool..I forgot that was still on there....I'll go listen again.......and yeah I got a terrific sound......and even Lloyd Called Tommy and complimented my tone.....So maybe I'll have to check out the Webb amp more.....I know Tommy likes it "ALOT" and if he likes it....than it must really be the thing.....because that Tommy White is "KING" in my book........oh and I was using KYSER finger Picks....and Dunlop Thumb pick......ah.....ha
Ricky

I tried them all (nearly) and found my dream-set in comfort and tone:
Fender-thumbpicks (shape like the Herco´s but more solid) and Sammy Shelor -fingerpicks (stainless steel).

------------------
Horst Waisznor

My dad give me his 1971 national finger picks(the old kind with the patent number)that he found a few years ago and I love them.I wouldn't use anything else.I also use either the national large brown or white thumb picks.

Robert<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Robert Rogers on 07 July 2002 at 12:31 AM.]</p></FONT>

Kyser finger picks and a Pearse thumb pick for about 10 years now , after trying everything...

------------------
Olli Haavisto
Polar steeler
Finland

Jeff Newman's fingerpicks are perfect for me.

Brad Sarno
St. Louis

Recently I switched to the new Red Rajah picks. I used to use the old chrome plated picks, but they all disappeared one by one. I like the Red Rajahs for 3 reasons.

1- They're red.

2- They don't slip off your fingers. The powder coating acts like an adhesive against your fingers.

3- They're red.

I use pro-pik #2 finger picks with the single wrap,and fred kelly white nylon thumb picks. I also have used the jeff newman thumb,and finger picks too.