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  #1  
Old 09-01-2018, 07:13 AM
Rocky Dijohn Rocky Dijohn is offline
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Default Butterfly Finger Picks

I recently saw the Doobie Brothers guitarist Patrick Simmons playing some guitar in a store and his fingerpicks looked really weird.

By coincidence, my Facebook feed this week had an ad for them. They are called Butterfly Finger Picks.

I guess if he uses them they must be pretty good.

Can anyone provide feedback on these, and why they are preferred over traditional metal fingerpicks and other variants?
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Old 09-01-2018, 12:15 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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I have some similar ones. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tone-Deaf-M.../dp/B000NGVQKO

The advantage (as with the butterfly picks) is that they leave the fingertip exposed so you can feel the string before you pick it, same as with nails.
Being metal, they're also easily adaptable to finger size and shape, unlike Alaska piks, which also expose the fingertip (I tried those and actually found them painful, because their curve didn't fit the curve of my fingernail, forcing it outward).

The ring sits up right under your fingernail (or where your fingernail would be).
Personally I only use them when I break a nail and have to cut it right back. I can't comment on the butterfly picks, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good those tone deaf ones sound. I was expecting a harsh metallic attack, but they're quite mellow. They sound like playing with nails, but just a little louder and more positive.
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Old 09-11-2018, 02:36 PM
Nymuso Nymuso is offline
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Tried them. If I absolutely had to, I could get used to them for the fingers. The thumb is another story, I would have to use a conventional plastic thumb pick. Consequently the whole undertaking does not seem worth the effort.
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Old 09-11-2018, 02:59 PM
reeve21 reeve21 is offline
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Thumbs down from me. But take that for what it is worth, as I can't adjust to any finger picks.
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Old 09-22-2018, 02:37 PM
soao soao is offline
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I’ve been using butterflys for years. I got so I just make them myself out of wire. I’ve recently switched out and use a traditional thumb pick with 2 butterflys. I love feeling the strings with my fingers. I just couldn’t get reliability out of the thumb.
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Old 09-22-2018, 03:20 PM
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srick srick is offline
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That’s an interesting question for me as I have just rediscovered them. I have a lot of picks, both finger and thumb. Several years ago, I dropped a few bucks trying to find the right pick for me. As usual, it was not the pick that was the issue, but my finesse in using them.

The reason that I am using the butterfly picks now, is that I am hitting the adjacent strings less often (it’s all about technique and not the pick) and getting a cleaner sound.

I had a terrible time when first starting out picking because I was using way too much force. Also, my strokes were too horizontal which caused he picks to fly off. Bottom line, you need to find your own path.

Some of the things that have been relevant for me are:
  • Metal picks are more comfortable for me as my fingers are nota always the same size from day to day
  • Picks that pinch my cuticle or are under my nail (like Alaska picks(( are irritating (to me)
  • I will sometimes use a wrap of surgical tape to keep picks from flying off
  • Polished metal (nickel silver or stainless steel) is more comfortable for me
  • Learning to play softly really improved my picking technique. The guitar is not a banjo!

I suspect that I would love some great acrylic nails, but that’s not in the cards. Rico nails worked really nicely, but were inconvenient. The new Tiptonic nails are way too expensive.

Good luck on this journey.

Best,

Rick

PS - as I observe fingerstylists that I admire (and have asked quite a few after their performances) they are generally using either Dunlops or acrylic nails. And Thumb picks are another thread altogether.
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Last edited by srick; 09-22-2018 at 03:43 PM.
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