Prototype thumb picks

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 26 Jul 2020 7:47 am

These are some of my latest experiments in thumb picks. I like the one with my "Landis" logo the best for steel guitar and banjo. I know, they're metal. But please, for a minute put aside everything you know about metal thumb picks and check these out. Sterling silver is a soft metal but similar in hardness to some of the hard plastic picks that are so popular. The thick sterling blades produce a superb tone that I prefer over anything I've used previously.

The hand cut gripper teeth makes them really comfortable without slipping. I'm also wrapping the end of the band around so it tucks under the thumb slightly to avoid string hooking. There are so many elements that have to be done by hand, I'm unsure if I can tool up to make them any easier to make than how I'm doing them now. I sent off the first few orders Friday. Custom made one at a time to any size, blade shape, blade length, etc.

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 26 Jul 2020 8:13 am

Sorry, I thought I was posting in "new products"... Feel free to move it.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 26 Jul 2020 8:59 am

Wow, really beautiful. I made a comment in the forum when i got the fingerpicks that no thumbpicks sound like them.

Is the blade of the 2 in last pic flat or curved?

Will it be on your order page soon?

https://www.landisstudios.net/finger-picks

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 26 Jul 2020 9:10 am

Gene Tani wrote:Wow, really beautiful. I made a comment in the forum when i got the fingerpicks that no thumbpicks sound like them.

Is the blade of the 2 in last pic flat or curved?

Will it be on your order page soon?

https://www.landisstudios.net/finger-picks

Yes, I'll probably post them on the website next week, along with an 'economy' version of my fingerpicks. Sizing on the thumb picks can be problematic. When they fit right, they're REALLY nice. So, I've been making the hammered band the style I'll be offering. I like to keep the blades fairly thick for tone. But the bands need to be thin enough to be manipulated by the player, so I hammer them thinner, then soften the work-hardened band with a torch so they're somewhat pliable. But I still have to make them pretty close to the right size to start with.

The blades are beveled and rounded with a file but I can also shape the ends with more of a curve similar to a fingerpick shape. These are custom made one at a time with an unlimited variety of options on blade length, shape, etc.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 26 Jul 2020 9:26 am

Your one talented person I love those Thumb picks.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 26 Jul 2020 12:15 pm

I can measure around thumb but the shape of the band would have to be different, tapering at the end. At right is my steel TP, left is banjo TP, middle is the same as right with no mods to the band, which catches under the strings a lot

(Nice fingerpicks, huh?)

James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 26 Jul 2020 12:45 pm

I don't see thumb picks are your site. Are they a future product?

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 26 Jul 2020 2:06 pm

From his earlier post:

....Yes, I'll probably post them on the website next week, along with an 'economy' version of my fingerpicks.

Ron Pruter · Post by **Ron Pruter** » 28 Jul 2020 3:48 pm

Very impressive!

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 29 Jul 2020 6:20 am

Very talented work. Paul Revere would be proud. Is the engraving that looks like a pattern (the roses for example) hand engraved or stamped? Man that looks like a lot of work. I imagine you can get in the zone and loose all track of time. Do they tarnish or get a patina over time?

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 30 Jul 2020 2:42 pm

Jim Fogle wrote:Very talented work. Paul Revere would be proud. Is the engraving that looks like a pattern (the roses for example) hand engraved or stamped? Man that looks like a lot of work. I imagine you can get in the zone and loose all track of time. Do they tarnish or get a patina over time?

Thank you. I still enjoy my work tremendously after doing it professionally fo over 40 years now. I'm a hand engraver and cut that all with traditional hand held gravers. I've been doing it so long I can do most of the ornamental work directly on to plain surface with no pattern applied.

My fingerpicks have ornamental work stamped into them from dies that I've engraved. When we get tooled up to make the thumb picks with presses and dies, I'll probably just stamp them plain and and offer engraving at an added cost.

As far as tarnishing, yes, silver will tarnish over time if you just leave it sit in your case. If you're using them, the blades stay shiny from the burnishing action of the strings. The blades are thick and don't wear that quickly, so they'll last for many years.

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 30 Jul 2020 2:56 pm

A few more I made the other day. The two piece set is going to a lap steel player who used to back up Leon Redbone on keyboards, so I included a keyboard into the 'crazy quilt' sort of patchwork design.

I also made a left hand thumb pick with a hammered finish. The one with S. Moore is going to Steven Moore, who is an amazing banjo player and has won every major contest in the country at least once. He's been my 'test driver' since I first started developing these almost four years ago.

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 30 Jul 2020 3:18 pm

I'm still honing in on the thickness to use for these. I like the blade to be thick for tone, but the band needs to be thin enough that it can be adjusted by the player. I also added some form to this one and I like it so much that I've adopted it as my favorite dobro pick. It fits perfectly The engraving is a bit weird, but since I don't plan on selling this one, It will work fine for me. It's sort of an engraved version of the "clown puke" picks.

I'm always trying out new shapes, heavier blades, longer blades, and other variations just to try them and see. My new "favorite"has been changing frequently in the past few weeks but I think this one is a keeper.

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 31 Jul 2020 1:48 pm

They all are some really nice looking picks.

They look much prettier than the stamped steel picks I have that belonged to my brother.

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 1 Aug 2020 6:12 am

Experimental pick. Sometimes I try different things just to see what happens, such as my "Nine Pound Hammer" pick that is an extremely heavy pick made for dobro and guitar.

This one started with .051" silver. I hammered the band part down to about .030" It's actually stout enough to play dobro, although my intention was more of a steel specific pick. I've been going to more narrow bands and wanted to try taking it to extremes on this which is more like a zither pick. It actually works well enough that I would use this in a gig if I didn't like my current favorite so much that's slightly wider. That's the one with the Southwest style engraving in the first photo in this thread.

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 1 Aug 2020 10:31 am

Pretty pick. That's a thumb that has seen it's fair share of work too!

I'm glad you're proud enough of your work to take photos that show off the detail and work that goes into one.

Eric OHara · Post by **Eric OHara** » 7 Aug 2020 3:51 am

Hi Ron. These thumb pics are beautiful. Iâ€™m curious and have had inquiries into the price range? Many thanks. Eric

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 9 Aug 2020 12:39 pm

Can't wait for these to become available.

Steve Geis · Post by **Steve Geis** » 14 Aug 2020 1:32 pm

I'd be interested in one of your thumb picks. For sizing; I can use a standard Large Dunlop for sizing, but I play with a Tommy Dodd thumb pick with a Kevlar blade,...same pick for 3 1/2 years with zero wear & tear! (Side bar if you are interested: I use a solid white cubic zirconia bar I've had for probably over 5 or 6 years. Don't remember where I got it from now, but I think I paid about $75 for it. Zero wear & tear on it as well; great bar!) I certainly admire your work on your thumb & fingers picks. Can't wait to get some pricing! I'd love to help support your quest.

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 15 Aug 2020 5:46 am

Eric OHara wrote:Hi Ron. These thumb pics are beautiful. Iâ€™m curious and have had inquiries into the price range? Many thanks. Eric

Thank you Eric. I have been taking some orders and so far, I've been able to fit people pretty well. One dobro player liked his so much he ordered a second as a back up which is going out Monday.

I've been making these one at a time by hand for $150 each, which is about double what my production models will be once I have all my tooling in place. But the tooling (cutting and stamping dies) I'll need will be a 2-3 thousand dollars just for one style.

The ones with the hammered bands seem to work the best for now since the hammering works to thin the bands enough they can be manipulated by the user. For steel guitar, I like the ones with the more narrow band. I like the wider band models for dobro and guitar.

My email is rlandis2@cox.net for ordering. It may have to go back and forth one time to get the sizing right, but when they fit right, they're REALLY comfortable and the teeth. Also, check out my fingerpicks at www.landispicks.com

Ron Landis · Post by **Ron Landis** » 15 Aug 2020 5:57 am

Also, I'd like to invite everyone to subscribe to the Landis Studios YouTube channel we've recently started. We're starting out with a series of videos that show all the steps in how the fingerpicks are made. So far we have three episodes posted with three or four more that will be posted soon.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ-WG9 ... 2k4Mwc-reg