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#1
06-02-2018, 07:43 AM
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The Thumb Pick Effect
To the finger pickers here who use a thumb pick.
I was messing around this morning harkening back through the tunes and years they represented to me and remembered when I finger picked without a thumb pick. I used mostly flesh back then. I remember could not abide the classical guitar sound played with flesh alone so I didn't take to the instrument. fast forward - When I began using finger nails on steel strings the sound projected so much more that I soon couldn't abide steel string playing if my nails were messed up. But, I did not play with a thumb pick then. I gave one a half hearted go but gave up before I really tried to make it work. The base notes from the thumb were not as articulated as they were from my fingers. fast forward again - One day someone sent me a Fred Kelly Speed Pick (Little Brother) so I thought one good turn deserves another and made an honest attempt to use it. Well, within a week I was not only playing naturally with it I ordered more from Kelly and didn't want to play without one. fast forward to now - I developed the use of the thumb pick for strumming, single string runs (lead work) as well as patterned finger picking. My fingers and thumb together are now much more orchestrated across the strings than they ever were. And, because I see the importance of my nails as a part of the guitar itself (tone generating) I've moved to classical guitar where they give the projection from that instrument that I could not ever get before. And, it has a better warmth and fundamental than can be obtained from the metallic sounding steel strings. This is what got me harkening back. What if I'd tried the thumb pick much sooner? 
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#2
06-02-2018, 07:47 AM
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Quote:
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#3
06-02-2018, 10:37 AM
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You make a great point. I've been wanting to like a thumb pick for a while now but haven't bonded yet. I like what it can bring to the table (all the things you mentioned).
My biggest issues are......I either haven't found the right pick or just haven't invested enough time to get comfortable with one. I also have a huge disparity on tone since I play mainly with the finger tips (flesh) and the thumb pick is way louder. That may be a technique issue.......I don't know. Anyway, I may give the speed pick a try and put some work into it. You got me thinking................
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Dan
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#4
06-02-2018, 07:51 PM
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I bought some Fred Kelly speed picks, then sanded down the blades on several until they are very short. I like that arrangement since it seems easier to me to get the right volume of bass that doesn't overpower the rest of the strings.
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#5
06-08-2018, 12:47 PM
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Quote:
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RM ----------------------------------------------------- Taylor 856, Taylor GC7, Martin 00-28, Breedlove Oregon Concertina, Breedlove Jeff Bridges Signature, Guild JF55-12, Guild D212, Larrivee OM3, Eastman E20 OM, Farida OT22w, Cordoba Fusion 12 Orchestra, Blueridge BR-361, Pono 0-15 mango, Journey OF-660, Tanglewood TWJP parlor (Nashville tuned), Paul Reed Smith SE Custom.
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#6
06-08-2018, 02:40 PM
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Plus 1 on the Fred Kelly Speed Picks. They've been the only ones I've used since I discovered them 10 years ago.
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#7
06-08-2018, 06:05 PM
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Another Fred Kelly thumbpick fan but I use the Slick Pick more. It seems to give me a rounder, mellower bass tone while the Speed Pick gives me a more articulated bass tone. For most of my fingerstyle playing, the Slick Pick serves me better. The Speed Pick works better when I want the bass to stand out more. I use both of these thumbpicks in combination with Alaska Piks. I started using Fred Kelly thumbpicks with the Regular but it seems to be noisy with the wound strings (scraping/screechy noise). It’s good to try all three.
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Doerr Trinity 12 Fret 00 (Lutz/Maple) Edwinson Zephyr 13 Fret 00 (Adi/Coco) Froggy Bottom H-12 (Adi/EIR) Kostal 12 Fret OMC (German Spruce/Koa) Rainsong APSE 12 Fret (Carbon Fiber) Taylor 812ce-N 12 fret (Sitka/EIR Nylon)
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