Why do these finger picks cost so much?

Jerry Dragon · Post by **Jerry Dragon** » 24 Nov 2017 3:18 am

I am new to the PSG and am wondering why these fingerpicks are priced the way they are?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Seven-NATIONAL ... OSwUM5aE0d~

Travel back in time with this set of seven vintage metal National finger picks. These are all the coveted World War Two-era pre-USA "oval 8" "round 3" picks. For an explanation of all the different eras of National picks, check out the awesome and informative Dean Hoffmeyer website. Except for one, they have the original light tarnish. I did clean one with 000 steel wool, but decided to leave the others as is. I guess some folks might want the aged patina, but they will clean up easily and quickly. If you want, I will throw in a little hunk of 000 steel wool to clean them. The bands are unclipped. The blades have not been bent and have their original factory angle.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Nov 2017 9:03 am

The picks are priced that way because there are crazy people who will pay it.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 24 Nov 2017 9:14 am

I have some new sensibly priced ones and no audience has jeered at me yet.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 24 Nov 2017 1:59 pm

There's a sucker born every minute.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 24 Nov 2017 2:01 pm

And to think I felt like a schmuck the first time I bought a set of Hoffmeyers. I love em though and my first set is still going strong after 5 years.

Richard McVicker · Post by **Richard McVicker** » 24 Nov 2017 2:27 pm

The cost of making my picks require two sets of dies at a cost of $950 each The metal in the 20 gauge nickel/silver cost $0.94 and at present I hand form them. Patent protection $19,549, Packaging around 0.36,web site fees, purchasing process fees, all add up.
I will never get my money back even at a cost of $15.00 for a set of two. I just love helping people solve the finger pick problems I struggled with for years.

Jerry Dragon · Post by **Jerry Dragon** » 25 Nov 2017 4:01 am

I am finding picking is one of the hardest aspects of the instrument. I don't have any problem finger picking my guitar with just my fingers, but the PSG is another story all together. Anything to make it easier sounds good to me. The fingers work okay, hitting the right string is what hurts.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 25 Nov 2017 2:23 pm

Like many other things in the vintage guitar world, the WWI and earlier versions are collectable and have been steadily increasing in value.. Vintage ones with that specific shape are not all that common.

A few just get placed in collections with other items predicted to increase in value, but most get used - mostly outside pedal steel circles.

If you don't follow the vintage guitar world it probably won't make much sense