keeping finger picks on

[Ricker]

i'm tired of trying to keep my nails working for me so I'm trying to use finger picks, some of the moldable kind. they are working well, but tend to get loose and promise to come off. if I squeeze them down then they hurt. does anybody have any ideas on how to keep them on and secure? I thought about using some paper tape, but what a hassle? appreciate ideas.

[bnjp]

Tape? Never tried it, but it makes sense. OR What if you glued a little piece of rubber to the inside, like a piece of balloon maybe?

[Bigred53]

A cool trick is to get the liquid plastic (Ace Hardware) that gets used for dipping tool handles into,and dipping your fingerpicks into it... I play pedal steel guitar and came across this on the Steel Guitar Forum... a couple guys sell picks that they dip...I tried it and it works GREAT!! I did two dips and coated my dunlop fingerpicks.... did three pairs.... they stsy ON and feel VEY comfortable too.... give it a whirl..... the plastic dip is under 10 bucks... it will dry out in the can,so use it up on adjustable wrenchs etc....

[Ricker]

Excellent idea. I will try it.

Rick,

[Humulus]

I messed with them for a while and just couldnt get the hang of it. I started super gluing on press on nails and havent looked back.

[Starter]

I use Acri (? ACRI) heavy brass fingerpicks, sold by Elderly; they were recommended by Happy Traum on his intro to fingerstyle CD. I tried the lighter kind that sort of pinch onto your fingers but didn't like them at all. The heavier ones you adjust for each finger and they pretty much stay that way, and are very comfortable and (again, perhaps surprisingly) never come off even though they don't pinch into the skin.

Will

[fatt-dad]

dust up some violin rosin, drag your thumb or fingertip in the dust and put on your fingerpicks. This works. Just keep some violin rosin in your case (I use my metal fingerpick to gouge up some rosin dust. I learned this tip from John Cephas.

f-d

[Mycroft]

If the moldable plastic/resin of some sort, score the inside surface with a knife, razor blade or box cutter. Roughens them up and give more grip.

TW

[min7b5]

I've had good luck with Alaska fingerpicks. You can file them like real nails... They stay on great for me.

[jjrubin]

the .018 gauge Dunlop steel are light enough to bend to fit with comfort but still strong enough to hold their shape and stay on. The softer brass version, in same gauge, are more prone to loosen up while playing, I find.

I wear mine pretty loose except for gigs, when I'll tighten them up. Hate it when they come off during a show (and it happens!). As Jorma says, worse thing is when it goes inside your soundhole.

Now I know the flesh/nails/acrylic fingerpickers must be reading this thread and cringing, but I gotta say, I love my fingerpicks and the dynamic range they offer, with the ability to play all day and never be limited by wear or soreness on the right hand. And the thing is, once you master them, as with a thumbpick or thin flatpick (or nail, for that matter) you feel the string through the pick, so there is still plenty of tactile feedback and 'touch'.

Can't frail with fingerpicks, though I keep trying....

[Fngrstyl]

Originally Posted by Ricker

i'm tired of trying to keep my nails working for me so I'm trying to use finger picks, some of the moldable kind. they are working well, but tend to get loose and promise to come off. if I squeeze them down then they hurt. does anybody have any ideas on how to keep them on and secure? I thought about using some paper tape, but what a hassle? appreciate ideas.

Pete Huttlinger had a thumb pick doin this, so he glued a little strip of sand paper in the pick. He glued strips of 800 grit with super glue. Says it worked great!

[Ricker]

excellent ideas one and all. gives me a lot to try and see what works.

BTW, shop nearby had some plastic finger pics that went on rotated 180 degrees to other pics so the end overlaid your nail on top. push it out slightly farther and you are supposed to have an artificial nail effect.

i tried them yesterday and found these tend to pull up and away from the finger and then don't spring all the way back. thus the pick tended to move back and forth a bit which i found disconcerting. after a while the pick edge sat maybe 3-4 mm above the nail so i had to actually change the angle of the finger. i tried taping them and it helped a little, but they didn't float my boat.

[RussMason]

I have used steel fingerpicks for ages, never had a problem. Either Nationals or Dunlops, either nickel-plated or bronze. I think the gauge is .22. Not sure. They don't come off and fit snugly.

I am baffled by people who say their fingerpicks come off. Why is that?

[gmm55]

Originally Posted by fatt-dad

dust up some violin rosin, drag your thumb or fingertip in the dust and put on your fingerpicks. This works. Just keep some violin rosin in your case (I use my metal fingerpick to gouge up some rosin dust. I learned this tip from John Cephas.

f-d

Very interesting. I have used rosin dust in the shop for years, for all kinds of unconventional applications where very high friction is needed. I can see this idea working well, but with one potential liability. When applying, it is hard to control where the rosin powder goes, and if you are a hybrid picker, even the slightest bit of rosin accidentally applied to the fingertips will tack up and possibly impede finger picking. But perhaps it is a concern that does not manifest in actual use.

In any event, I am going to try this idea.

[Ricker]

talked to Todd at Elderly and ordered the medium brass ACRI picks and their thumb pick. Meanwhile I've been taping on the picks I have. Works fine except it takes awhile on and off.

going to try the glue on nails also, but have to wonder what happens as your nail grows--what, you just file the artificial nail down?

i truly appreciate all the wonderful expertise and experience that is available for the asking here. thank you very much,

rick