For those who use fingerpicks...

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by Transylvania

Probably a redundant post but am looking for recommendations for finger picks. I am past the age where my fingernails will stand up to the wear. I am playing with thumb Pick and flesh but miss the crispness and volume of a hard surface.

So...what do you like?

Thanks,

Frank

Hello Frank,
I use a pair of modified ProPik Fingertone on my middle & ring finger. Somehow my index fingernail keeps on keepin' on.

What I love about the Fingertone units is the open loop, and how easy it is for me to file, polish and bend to the correct contact angle. Here's a couple of pictures:

The first shot shows a factory fresh on the left, and my tailored piece on the right. Note the loop has been thinned, etc.



This next shot shows notch I cut on the ring finger unit. A notch is also cut on the opposite side of the middle finger unit. They were cut to prevent them from clicking against each other:



This straight-on picture of the pair shows the slight bend I put on the loop so that it contacts the string 'flat-on', thus eliminating any scraping noise. No need to 'twist' or 'rotate' the whole pick to achieve clean articulation.



The natural nail on my index finger makes far more string noise than either fingerpick because I can't change the contact angle, so it scrapes the windings.

It's annoying, but I deal with it because what I CAN'T DO with finger picks is 'frail', so it's a compromise. If I were to go into the studio and it really was important, I'd just put plastic tips on all three and get the best tone possible.

It's always a work in progress.

Best,
Howard Emerson

[Nymuso]

Dunlop plastic thumb pick and two brass propiks, #3 blade. Brass is quieter than steel and I use saliva to help them stay on, there’s nothing better.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

Hello Frank,
I use a pair of modified ProPik Fingertone on my middle & ring finger.

I always enjoy and respect your contributions, but I couldn't help looking at your image and seeing two Donald ducks, complere with the customary hairstyle!

[jmagill]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

When I used finger and thumb picks I used the Dunlop white plastic ones. They were always too small so I had to heat them up and relax the bend so they would fit my largish fingers and thumb. I tried metal picks and hated the brash tone they produced. The plastic ones were much better for me.

Me too.

I like fingerpicks to "sound invisible" – no harshness or sizzle from metal scraping metal or the edge of a fingernail; just more volume.

I've tried everything: nails, nail hardener to extend my nails, metal picks, Alaska Piks, ProPiks (with nail hardener painted on the ends to mute the metal sound), and I kept coming back to the white plastic Dunlops I learned to play on 60 years ago.

With a little practice, any sound of plastic against metal is muted, with just an increase in volume. Listen to any of Robin Bullock's magnificent recordings for the sound of a guitar played with plastic fingerpicks and no pick noise.

I soften the fingerpicks with boiling water, shape them for each finger and number them. Depending on the bass response of the guitar I'm using, I use different thumbpicks with different tips and thicknesses and keep a set in each guitar case.



.

[Silly Moustache]

I won't be of much help ( so what's new!) as I have finger/thumb nails like buffalo horn (!) which serve me well for guitar.

When I played Dobro in bluegrass bands, I used to use Pro-pic split grips and for a thumb pick, the most basic Dunlop thumb pick in clear plastic with a sharp point - ref 9035 I believe.
NOTE : As they were clear, I painted them with some red nail polish so I could find 'em!

'''''''''' I bought a camouflage tent - and put it up in the back yard ... I can't find it! (Stephen Wright).

[brancher]

I've used the Props, the Fred Kelly ones, and AlaskaPiks. My old nails are also subject to breakage.

For me, the AlaskaPiks fit the bill. I can trim them to the exact height I use with my nails, they stay on my fingers, can adjust the crispness of sound a little, and my D18 doesn't sound like a banjo when I play! That having been said, lots of folks like the Propiks.

BUT: I also use the GNC Hair and Nails stuff as well as 'Hard as Hoof' and Vaseline intensive care cream from time to time. Do they all work? Th GNC product seems to work pretty well and I think the others do to some extent as well....

Funny -- I believe it was Ed Gerhart who once said "You learn to play guitar to meet girls, but end up talking with other middle-aged men about your fingernails...".


As usual, ymmv.

[Transylvania]

Originally Posted by brancher

Funny -- I believe it was Ed Gerhart who once said "You learn to play guitar to meet girls, but end up talking with other middle-aged men about your fingernails...".


As usual, ymmv.

Love this quote. Thank to everyone for this top-shelf information!! One of the reasons I love the AGF--so much knowledge and experience on this forum.

Frank

[mclarry53]

I've tried every metal finger pick I could find (and some plastic) over the last 50 years. I settled on finger's friend model from Cling Pro (canadian company).
They are the most comfortable picks I've ever used but also are pretty quiet for metal picks.

[6L6]

I've been using these since 1965:

[Ugly Dougling]

Take a look at my review (and others) on this site of Tiptonic finger picks.

[gfirob]

I am amused at how many people said "I have tried them all and the winner is..." So, I have tried them all and the winner is

https://massstreetmusic.com/products...gerpicks-pair?

All metal fingerpicks I have ever used cut into my cuticles often making playing painful. Acri pics have large flanges on the sides which hold them on without cutting into my cuticles. They are large, well formed and sound great. And believe me, I have tried them all....

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Jdogblues

Tried them all and came back to cheapo dunlop .025 steel or brass

Same here, but I prefer the brass to steel. I also use Dunlop Ultex thumb picks.

[Mr. Jelly]

I use the old-style regular plastic picks for my fingers. I use boiling water to get a good fit. I don't like the feel or the sound of metal. The plastic last forever so I have several sets, the thumb pick is the only one that needs replaced now and again.

[rllink]

As always, a dozen different opinions on what's best. It can get confusing. Just know that whatever you go with, none of them are magic, it takes some time to get used to them. I accumulated a box full of finger picks before I figured that out.

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by rllink

As always, a dozen different opinions on what's best. It can get confusing. Just know that whatever you go with, none of them are magic, it takes some time to get used to them. I accumulated a box full of finger picks before I figured that out.

That is so true.

And, I have been using Dunlop heavy ivoriod or tortise thumbpicks for decades. It took a while to get used to the long blade on these Dunlop thumb pics. But now I can almost flat pic with it. I noticed Tommy Emmanuel doing the same, but of course infinitely better ha ha ha.

https://www.stringsbymail.com/dunlop...ick-28667.html

The last seven or eight years I have also been using Fred Kelly freedom fingerpicks. They are very interesting pics and different from most. That is because they cover your nail, and have a slot that lets your bare flesh contact the String if you want to strum or pluck uphill…

https://fredkellypicks.com/product/p...om-finger-pick

I found that even their large size was not big enough, and I don’t have big fingers. So I called and talked to Fred‘s daughter who is very nice. And she informed me that you can special order even larger although they are still marked large.
Just a bit bigger but that is enough difference to make them a lot more comfortable

I just use one on my index, as the rest of my nails are able to take playing without wearing through. This leaves me enough fingers open to mess with Harmonica in the rack and what not

Worth checking out!

Have fun Frank

Paul.