The Steel Guitar Forum

I started playing steel when I was young, so I've outgrown several different sizes of thumb picks.

My first thumb pick was a generic clear plastic pick. I outgrew that and switched to a Dunlop Medium. I outgrew that one too and switched to my fathers old (c. 1980s) National Medium. I liked that pick, but in time it aged and got too loose (I think it was starting to crack). Since I liked it, I bought a new one. However, National had changed the design slightly, and the new pick was almost too small. (I prefer my pick fairly far back on the thumb.) I decided I'd try a bigger size, so I bought an National Large.

Both the new National Medium & the National Large have the same problem: while playing, they have a tendency to rotate slightly on my thumb. That makes me hit the wrong strings, etc. Most times, it's not too bad; I just adjust the pick between fills, but when it turns in the middle of a speed-picking break...

Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas/suggestions?

FWIW, I do block some notes with my picking fingers, so perhaps that plays a part in this problem.

I'm not any good, so I'm not qualified to offer advice. I will say I use propik brand picks, which allow you to shape them to your thumb just the way you'd shape your other metal picks to your other fingers. I think that would solve your problem.

The best thumb picks I've ever used are the Dunop ULTEX mediums.
They are very comfortable and stay on tight without ever moving.

My hands are only average size, but I can't get a Dunlop medium on to my thumb. I used the large one when I first started playing, but I found that the wound strings wore it down quite quickly, and of course a new one would feel different until I'd got used to it, by which time it was starting to wear down...well, you get the picture.

So now I use a Propik, which as Andrew says is adjustable. And I've decided I prefer the sound of a metal pick anyway.

I know it sounds gross but applying spit to the thumb makes the thumbpick stick. Works on the metal finger picks too.

A poster in a different thread on the subject suggested coating the inside of the pick with fingernail polish. I haven't tried that yet, as I am satisfied with my own solution, so to speak.

I sweat bad. When it was hot where I played I had trouble with my pick slipping and turning. My banjo picking cousin suggested scoring inside of pick with a sharp knife,
This was my solution.
Went to Ace Hardware and bought a piece of the glue backed stair safety strip. Rub it lightly on the abrasive side with a piece of metal to remove long sharp points. Then cut a piece to fit the front flat inside of pick. Peel the plastic protector strip off the glue and position it in the pick, Press down firmly. All my picks has this modification. Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

I would say the ,Golden Gate, thumb pick would cure your problem. They are a little heavier duty than most with a little more added to them.
Ive been using the same Golden Gate thumb pick for over 10 years & it is still holding its shape,,,firm.
The blade is a little worn down, but no problem.
I remember some years ago I found some Golden Gates at a local music store & bought 5 or 6, so I wouldnt run short, little did I know .
Maybe I should grab one of the new ones just for the heck of it.
Dont know if these picks are even for sale anymore .

Lick your fingers before you put your picks on and you almost have to pry them off when the time comes. Of course I'm a diabetic so there might be some extra sugar involved in your spit ;-{).

I read about scoring the inside of the thumb pick in a Earl Scruggs article. I used to use the National Large (lefty), but the size was not consistent. I switched to the Fred Kelly slick picks. They are all I use now. They have Delrin and Polycarbonate. The Delrin has more elasticity and does not break. The Polycarbonate has less elasticity and a sharper sound, but I have broken a few of those. good luck,
Lefty

Lefty wrote:I read about scoring the inside of the thumb pick in a Earl Scruggs article. I used to use the National Large (lefty), but the size was not consistent. I switched to the Fred Kelly slick picks. They are all I use now. They have Delrin and Polycarbonate. The Delrin has more elasticity and does not break. The Polycarbonate has less elasticity and a sharper sound, but I have broken a few of those. good luck,
Lefty

+1 on Fred Kelly picks. I use the "Regular" thumb pick for steel and the slick pick for guitar.

I used National mediums for years, but they're not the same as they used to be. The John Pearse mediums are very close to what National mediums used to be, but I've been using Zookies for awhile and they seem to fit a little better. They also fit a lot like the old Nationals did.

Dave

I like the Golden Gate thumbpicks, only had one break in several years. I do have to try them on to make sure they fit.

Ryan, you probably know this, but you can size many brands of thumbpicks using heat. It's especially easy to make them larger if they are too snug.

There are a few ways to do it, but I just heat up a mug of water in the microwave until it's really hot, like 90 seconds (you might have to experiment to get the water hot enough). It doesn't have to be boiling, but it has to be hot enough to soften the plastic.

Hold the tip of the pick with pliers and dip the rest of it into the water for a several seconds and then pull it out. The plastic will have softened so you can pry the band open a little bit and shape it. If it's not too hot, you can put it on your thumb to get the right fit. Work fast; it hardens back up pretty quickly as it cools.

It may not work on all types of plastic, but I've done this with white Dunlops and Golden Gates.

I went to the music store the other night and tried on everything they had. Nothing fit well; except the Golden Gates were pretty close. I might buy one of them.

I've often heard about heat-bending thumb picks, but never did it. Perhaps I should try "streching" my National Medium.

Thanks for all the responses so far; the SGF is a great resource. Wish I could contribute more here, but I'm already underwater with too many other things.

Ryan try this style they come in all sizes S, M ,L,
I put a small piece of heat shrink tubing on the metal part. Works great have not broke one yet.and they don't slip.
Larry

See link:
https://www.banjostudio.com/products/pr ... oCG_Dw_wcB

Ryan
You can't buy them in a store but you can buy your last thumb pick the SADDLE, that is Nylon, won't break, infinity adjustable , No heat to adjust , will fit your pinky finger or your big toe, won't snag on the strings, won't come off on the back stroke. Only available on line. Watch the video.

www.saddlethumbpicks.com

I've been reading along on this thread. I personally like the Dunlop metal thumb picks, # 94530. The picking edge isn't as along as plastics but they work for me.

As for fit, you can bend them to tighten and they hold well. Also, they come in lefty which I use.

It seems though most folks prefer non-metal for thumb.

Ryan Zimmerman wrote:I went to the music store the other night and tried on everything they had. Nothing fit well; except the Golden Gates were pretty close. I might buy one of them.

Buy 3. One for your thumb, one laying on the steel ready to go when heat expands the one on your thumb and one extra for when you lose one.

I am into Fred Kelly thumb picks personally. I use the standard ones. Delrin does not expand the same when it gets warmed up. I don't know how they would fit you though.

There where these red Jeff Newman picks around for a while that you would heat and then personally shape. I never messed with them but something like that might work.

I use a Herco HE115 Flex Thumb picks and sometimes a Fred Kelly Bumble Bee thumb picks which come in different shapes and gauges. I found an excellent solution to my problem with metal finger picks moving loose and hurting the cuticles on my fingers that may work for your thumb pick problem. I use a product called Monster Grips. www.monstergrips.com. For each metal finger pick I use I cut the Monster Grip in half and put each half on the part where the pick meets my cuticle. I have less cuticle pain and the picks do not move. I also put the Monster Grips on delrin flat picks which are very slippery. I find that the delrin picks stay in place with the Monster Grips on. I have never tried them on a thumbpick, but they are very inexpensive and I will not use a finger pick or a flat pick that does not have them on. I would give them a try. They might help you with your thumb pick problem.

Sorry for being crazy late about getting back here. I ended up buying a D'addario thumbpick that was smaller than my other thumbpicks. It works well for me, so 'nuff said.

For future reference I suggest a Blue Chip thumbpick. I had problems with common picks being too loose or too tight. I tried a Propik with a metal band and plastic pick but the pick was too thin for my taste.

Blue Chip makes 2 lengths, with stainless-steel bands and their synthetic tortoiseshell pick material. The pick is fairly heavy - about like a Dunlop - and the band is both very comfortable and easily adjusted. It works great on steel - also on resonator and banjo.

Not cheap - around $40 - but worth every cent IMO.

I'm too cheap to go spendy on thumb picks. I use a National medium or large. I take some of that stretchy medical tape that sticks to itself, cut a narrow strip, and wrap it around the pick when it's on my thumb. It stays nice and tight.

Ill add my $0.02
The John Pearse Thumb picks are so far my Fave!