Slippery picks!

[Slothead56]

Old man winter has officially arrived in the Northeast. Along with the cold temps, short days and bitter winds he’s brought dry, chapped hands and split skin around my nails. Ouch!

Lots of hand cream later the painful skin splits on my right thumb and forefinger have healed. But, as a consequence, my hands are so baby soft (not really) that I can’t hold on to a guitar pick with out it flying off into space. Never had this problem before.

I am an unabashed proponent of the same pick I’ve used since 1974...a Fender Medium in faux turtle. Nothing will sway me from this, ever.

Last night I went down to my workbench and pounded some dimples into a bunch with a nail set and gentle hammered a drywall saw into a few more to see if I could, literally, get a grip.

No avail. Still can’t hang on to the stinking things.

What do you all do when you lose your grip and can’t hold on. (And please, I have zero intention of changing picks. As great as some alternatives may be I’ve officially reached that age where what’s worked for 40 years ain’t gonna’ change!)

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

(And please, I have zero intention of changing picks. As great as some alternatives may be I’ve officially reached that age where what’s worked for 40 years ain’t gonna’ change!)

Would it hurt to use something like a sculpted Primetone for a few weeks while your hands recuperate? No need to throw out the Fenders, but you may find that the Primetones solve more than one problem for you.

I, for one, am happy to admit that what worked for me in my twenties and thirties no longer serves me well in my sixties. This goes for hairstyles as well as guitar picks.

[Stringed_bliss]

In an interview on Marc Maron's podcast, Bruce Springsteen mentioned gluing sandpaper on his picks so that they would not be slippery from sweat.

[nitram]

I,too,have a hell of a time holding on to picks.Even the Cat Tongue ones seem to get away.If someone could suggest something to help the things from twisting around and slipping away I'd be all ears(eyes?).

[golfreggie]

I have found Guitar Moose sells sticky dots to put on the pick and I have used them for a few years. Great feel, and you can put them on virtually any pick. Also, Scott M from Charmed Life Picks has contributed that he uses the rough medical tape and puts that on his picks. Lots of opportunities for "getting a grip", good luck!

[guitararmy]

I have dry hands and have trouble holding on to picks as well.
Lately I've been using the Tusq picks both for their crisp sound and because the raised logo on them helps me hang on to them.

[JayBee1404]

I have great difficulty holding on to any pick, my hands don’t sweat - ever - and my skin is very, very dry.

Over the years I’ve tried them all, and the only pick I can hold on to is a BlueChip. I’d respectfully suggest that digging one’s heels in about not changing for no better reason than ‘I’ve officially reached that age where what’s worked for 40 years ain’t gonna’ change!’ is counter-productive - I changed to a BlueChip seven years ago at age 65, and it’s the best thing I ever did, both grip-wise and tone-wise!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[blackbelt308]

When I could no longer get a good grip on my beloved Fender medium tortoise picks, I switched to these. I like them a lot! The grippy stuff does wear off after a few months, unfortunately. But they otherwise play and sound like old Fender picks.

Cool Pure-Cell

Ciao,
Rick

[Birdbrain]

Dry skin, in a climate that's always dry. I've tried those stick-on dots, and they're helpful. I've glued fine sandpaper patches onto picks, too. That's not a very pleasant feel to my fingers.

The best answer is to get a better pick. The dots molded onto Primetones help. The smooth acrylic material of my V-Picks really does stick to human skin. After playing awhile, the pick will adhere to my fingertip when I open my grip. It's an effortless, hack-free solution to a very common problem.

Currently I have about 20 picks, mostly rounded triangles, in various thicknesses and materials, with bevels and without. I experiment with picks constantly. I've never paid over $8 for one, so it's a cheap date. I can't afford 20 different guitars, but I can get 20 different sounds by varying my pick choice.

I can't understand why others get so stubborn about this, but I know it's true. A buddy I jam with is constantly dropping his Fender Lights as he plays. Once he plays my Tacoma for a half hour and gave it back to me with three picks dropped through the soundhole. He's a better guitarist than I am by far, but he won't try anything new.

We have so many more choices available now than 40 years ago. Why not try them? What are you afraid of?

[619TF]

I just discovered a product called "pickers grip". It's cheap, easy to use, not messy at all and definitely helps me hold the pick in place. Good for the Winter when the issue is as you've described as well as in the Summer when sweat tends to make me lose some grip on the pick.

[Goodallboy]

Altering a Fender Medium with a substance that will enable you to hold onto the pick will mean you've changed the pick.

There are many picks that mimic the pick you use and offer the tackiness you desire. I'd suggest being more flexible (not a pick pun), recognizing things change and advances are made in everything.

[SoCalSurf]

Y'all must get these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A total game changer.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

What do you all do when you lose your grip and can’t hold on. (And please, I have zero intention of changing picks. As great as some alternatives may be I’ve officially reached that age where what’s worked for 40 years ain’t gonna’ change!)

Evidently what's "worked for 40 years" ain't workin' anymore. I'd suggest you check out Dunlop Gator Picks.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

I have great difficulty holding on to any pick, my hands don’t sweat - ever - and my skin is very, very dry.

Over the years I’ve tried them all, and the only pick I can hold on to is a BlueChip. I’d respectfully suggest that digging one’s heels in about not changing for no better reason than ‘I’ve officially reached that age where what’s worked for 40 years ain’t gonna’ change!’ is counter-productive - I changed to a BlueChip seven years ago at age 65, and it’s the best thing I ever did, both grip-wise and tone-wise!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

at the risk of hijacking the thread, what do you recommend in a BC pick that's comparable to a Fender medium? (I love my BC mandolin pick yet that that one won't work for guitar)

[619TF]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Altering a Fender Medium with a substance that will enable you to hold onto the pick will mean you've changed the pick.

Not really. It just means you've changed your relationship with that old pick. Same pick, different feel (as in you don't keep having it slip). When you go into a store to buy new picks you're still asking for the old model and then you are altering it ever so slightly after the purchase of the same pick....no change of the pick itself.