The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone use plastic fingerpicks? Are there advantages/disadvantages compared with metal ones? How do you mold them into a usable shape? What brands do you like? I'm curious.

Thanks,
Carl

I use the large white Dunlop fingerpicks as well as the large white Dunlop thumbpick. Why ? My fingers are more comfortable with plastic and I like producing the same sound on a string whether I'm useing my thumb or finger. I bend the tips up a bit by pressing them down on the bottom of a pan filled about 1/2" of nearly boiling water. I spread the finger wrap bits on one of them by jamming the fingerpick on the end of my 3/4" diam. steel for a couple minutes - spreads it just right for use on my middle finger. That's it.

I use both, (steel finger picks or plastic) depending upon my mood. Just take the plastic pick, hold it with needle nosed plyers over a steam kettle for a few seconds, place it on your finger while still warm and it will set to your finger size. I find plastic picks to be quieter, but as mentioned, it all depends upon my mood at the time.

Bob Brozman and I think Bonnie Raitt use plastic fingerpicks. I've tried them, but I still don't sound like either of those two...

The plastic picks are quieter than steel, with a rounder sound, and the string feels different. A friend of mine uses them on a nylon-string guitar, and steel on his steel-strings.

I`ll stick in my 2cents, I use a combination of both. A plastic thumb pick for a warmer sound and metal finger picks because their easier to adjust to my finger size. However,
I think I`ll give that "steam fitting" techinque on plastics a try.
Ya`ll take care....Frank.