Better picks?

Michael Behrent · Post by **Michael Behrent** » 3 Apr 2015 11:49 am

I've been using finger picks I got at Guitar Center but find them a bit uncomfortable. Can anyone recommend better ones?

Chase Brady · Post by **Chase Brady** » 3 Apr 2015 12:02 pm

I use Old 97's
http://old97banjopick.com/

The big advantage is that they fit on your fingers behind the cuticle instead of right across it as most of the cheaper brands do. There are other good ones as well, I'm sure. Spending a little more to get picks that are comfortable is well worth it.

David Venzke · Post by **David Venzke** » 3 Apr 2015 12:49 pm

Michael,

You don't say which brand of picks you're currently using. And how long have you been playing with picks? I ask that question because for me it took about two years before I got over the "uncomfortable" feeling of wearing finger picks.

Now, having said that, the best recommendation I can give you (and I'm assuming you're using metal finger picks) is to spend 5-15 minutes with a good pair of needle nose pliers forming each pick to fit your finger like a glove. I have several different brands I wear/switch between and they are all "cuticle" length style, but making them fit well makes them comfortable for me (now that I'm used to wearing picks).

-Dave

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 3 Apr 2015 12:54 pm

I just switched over to silver nickel Dunlop thumb and fingerpicks as I didn't like the discrepancy between plastic and brass. HOWEVER until I get used to it the metal thumbpick sounds a bit scratchy. I'm assuming it will take a while.

But once use to it I'll never have to worry either about replacing a worn out plastic thumbpick. BONUS

Michael Behrent · Post by **Michael Behrent** » 3 Apr 2015 1:02 pm

I have to say the ones I have are cheapies. I even had to take a fine file to get rid of sharp spots. Never going to buy the cheap junk again. Thanks for the responses, those banjo picks look good.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 3 Apr 2015 1:02 pm

I have never worn out a plastic thumbpick.

Robert Allen · Post by **Robert Allen** » 3 Apr 2015 1:59 pm

I like the ProPik thumbpick because it has the ease of shaping metal but with a Delrin blade. The ProPik metal fingerpicks are contoured so they don't dig in around the fingernails. I buy them from Elderly. http://elderly.com/accessories/names/pr ... -PK43D.htm
and http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms ... ks&x=8&y=6

Bob

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 3 Apr 2015 2:04 pm

Dunlop .013s are my choice for electric. Comfort, tone, easily available and cheap.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 3 Apr 2015 2:45 pm

Hoffmeyer picks are the bomb.

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

David Knutson · Post by **David Knutson** » 3 Apr 2015 4:04 pm

I'm with Mike on the Dunlops. They are easy to shape to your fingers and they hold their shape. Great tone (I'm pretty much all Reso. these days) and they are everywhere. On the thumb I use a cut down white National. I trim that swooping point off to a nice, short triangle.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 3 Apr 2015 4:13 pm

For thumbpicks, the Zookies are my all-time favorites.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Apr 2015 7:20 am

My grandson broke my National thumb pick but I am very happy with a Golden Gate. For finger picks, I like the light gauge Dunlops, easy to shape to fit.

Michael Behrent · Post by **Michael Behrent** » 4 Apr 2015 10:50 am

Thanks guys. I picked up some Dunlop fingerpicks and a National thumbpick. Much better.

Steffen Gunter · Post by **Steffen Gunter** » 4 Apr 2015 3:03 pm

I know that Dunlops were good enough for the best players including Jerry Byrd and Mike Neer.

But they really hurt on my fingers (OK, one member mentioned steel guitar is not for pussies). and I guess nowadays better picks are available. I checked out Perfect Touch â€“ for me they are really better: they feel better, they stay on your fingers, they sound (!) better. I tried some other brands in the last months but I just love them â€¦

Dunlop is my thumb pick brand.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 4 Apr 2015 3:25 pm

Use needle nose pliers to shape them.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 5 Apr 2015 4:24 pm

Steffen, whoever mentioned that is a goddamn idiot. Steel guitar is for everyone.

Dunlop 0.0225s are my favorite. Sometimes it takes a bit of bending (for me, flaring outwards the part of the pick where the finger enters) to prevent discomfort to the flesh near the cuticle.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 5 Apr 2015 5:18 pm

For me, if a fingerpick gauge is too light, I can't get enough "dig" without it flexing. I usually bend the tip upwards. The more the shaft is bent upwards the "slicker" the picking is. I believe Paul Franklin bends his about flush with his finger.
I used to have some no-name fingerpicks that were in an old lap steel case that were very heavy gauge and had a "bowl" to the shaft part. They were my favorites.
If you look at where your fingerpicks wear, I am guessing many of you will see the wear is on the edge of the shaft. The bowl shape kept picking smooth and avoided any unwanted grating noise caused by picking on the edge of the pick on a wound string. You could even try twisting the shaft counter clockwise a touch to aid in picking the string "head on".

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 5 Apr 2015 6:16 pm

Talking about these, Chris?

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 5 Apr 2015 8:13 pm

YES!!!!! LOVE THE BOWL!!!! Thank you Mike. I wanna weep just looking at it.

Michael Behrent · Post by **Michael Behrent** » 5 Apr 2015 8:52 pm

I'm just getting started on lap steel and I have lots to learn. The forum is a great resource. I just ordered a big set of DVDs and CDs from Georgeboard on ebay and that should get me going pretty well. My finger picks are now Dunlop .018s and seem to do the job well, the fit still needs a little fine tuning but much better than the junk I had. Thanks to everyone for the advice and responses.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 6 Apr 2015 4:27 am

Chris Templeton wrote:YES!!!!! LOVE THE BOWL!!!! Thank you Mike. I wanna weep just looking at it.

Chris, those picks are still manufactured: http://www.musicalinstrumenthaven.com/m ... 2pack.aspx

They are definitely rigid and provide good tone. I tend to like the lighter picks, as I bend them to my finger tips and dig in to the strings for a wider variety of tones than I can get otherwise.

I used to use the .025 picks when I played tricone, but in switching to electric I realized I needed more of a "touch."

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 6 Apr 2015 2:59 pm

ACRI's rule, dude.

They just flat out eliminate any of the usual complaints like "picks" hurt and "picks fall off." I have to shorten the blades and re-curve them a bit, but I have to fix most other picks, too. Janet Davis and Elderly music have them.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 15 Apr 2015 7:36 pm

I've tried a lot of different picks, but always wound up with what I started with in the 40s..the National type...

Rich Gardner · Post by **Rich Gardner** » 15 Apr 2015 10:27 pm

OK, Jeff. How about no swearing on the forum?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Apr 2015 11:50 pm

I use Kyser fingerpicks (copies of the old Nationals) and either Dunlop or National thumb picks.

I have never worn out a plastic thumbpick.

Erv, I've worn out many thumbpicks in the past 45 years! When I played seven nights a week I wore out a thumbpick every two months. When I say wore out, I mean there was a deep gouge on the plastic blade of the pick from the wound strings and the tip of the blade was worn down quite a bit and the pick no longer held tight, but slipped around on my thumb.