The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm surprised that no one has commented on Bobbe Seymour's latest newsletter about playing without finger picks.

Harry Clark
Kingston Springs, TN

Mullen D10 HWP
Nashville 400

Not to be a smart a@@ but Why??? If you can play without picks why not? I never use pick on my acoustics.. I like the sound and feel of meat on the strings. One day when I grow up, I may stop using them on steel too.
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Bo Borland on 08 February 2006 at 04:08 PM.]</p></FONT>

I didn't see Bobbe's newsletter, but just thought I'd say that I've always played steel without fingerpicks at all. I play fingerstyle spanish guitar and never could get used to picks for one guitar and no picks for the other, especially at a gig where I take both guitars. I never found it a problem without finger picks on steel, quite the reverse, I can use three fingers more easily for grips. The only problem is keeping the nails in shape. Believe me I've broken a nail and gone to the drugstore for women's false nails to use...have even glued on a piece of broken off nail with crazy glue to get me through the night.
Cheers,
Mac

Well, take your ‘pick’! Some people use/like them and some don't! I like picks and haven't had the desire to remove them from my playing technique. But, I might just try removing them when I'm not playing, one of these days just for fun¡ Every time I rub my eyes, I scratch my glasses!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

Everyone to their choice, as noted. I like the "bite" of finger picks on the steel and don't like the tone without them.

However, on 6 string guitar I (attempt to) play Chet Atkins style and only use a thumb pick.

Some steelers can learn to use picks and

some can't!

Uff-Da!

I played without 'em when I was young 'cause I didn't have the money to buy 'em; now it seems the skin of my fingers is too thin, oh well.....

When I started playing steel in 1974, I didn't even know that picks were the norm. So I played for about 6 months 4 nights a week plus rehearsals without picks. I got a tone but man did my fingers hurt and a giant callus formed on my thumb. At times the skin would come off and my fingers would bleed. What do you no picks guys do about that. BTW, I play six string guitar without picks and it works OK. But then again I am not playing 20-30 hours of six string per week.
TC

Guess that's why I've always used plastic finger picks, nice in-between sound from metal to fingernails. Get a little "bounce" out of them too.


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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

I switch off between Telecaster and steel all night long. I play Telecaster with a flat pick and three fingers with bare nails. I play steel with the conventional plastic thumb pick and two steel finger picks. Keeping my nails in one piece for Tele picking has always been a challenge. A broken nail can screw up my playing for weeks. Once I saw Chet Atkins perform and he mentioned that he had broken a nail just before the gig and was using a Lee Press On!!! Personally,I've never been able to make those things work. Lately I've be using nail dust from a file combined with superglue to repair nail splits. Works better than anything else I've tried.

Well, as a PSG beginner with some nylon string background I first tried playing without finger picks. But it did not work out for me because when I play nylon I often "dig in" when plucking the string like an archer pulling back a bow string. After playing PSG about 6 hours one day I had pain at the base of my nails at the cuticles. The cheese cutter strings on the PSG, compounded with playing close to the bridge, have very little give. So, I adapted to finger picks, one thumb and three finger picks. (Had them on backwards at first!) After a week I got used to them. Now I can play all day without pain. Also I prefer the tone of metal picks.

Joe

The answer is a thumbpick and three Acrylic Nails. They are strong and give a bright clear tone. Blocking is easy and harmonics are great.