Is there a thumb pick you would recommend?

[jsanfilippo5]

I just bought the speed picks as well - I find them to be very comfortable and easier to use, but I think I need a lighter gauge pick, these orange one seems to be LOUD compared to my other picks.

[srick]

Originally Posted by jsanfilippo5

I just bought the speed picks as well - I find them to be very comfortable and easier to use, but I think I need a lighter gauge pick, these orange one seems to be LOUD compared to my other picks.

Well that's the point of using thumb and finger picks, isn't it!

[jsanfilippo5]

Originally Posted by srick

Well that's the point of using thumb and finger picks, isn't it!

Just a little too loud for me

[srick]

j - Just a thought, try recording yourself and see if you feel the same about the apparent volume. I have found that the microphone to be a lot more accurate than my ears.

BTW one way to decrease the volume of the speed pick is to shorten the blade a bit.

best,

Rick

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Planet Waves Tortoise. Very reasonably priced, and performs quite well IMO. Also, the large is a perfect fit for my thumb. YMMV

[Ryan Alexander]

I've been a Golden Gate user for years - love them! I recently switched to the extra heavy version as it seems to stay on my thumb better and also matches the thickness of my acrylic nails:

[Matt G]

When I was using acrylic nails (or metal fingerpicks) and a thumbpick, I tried a bunch of thumbpicks and prefered the golden gate gp10.

Since then, I switched to just using my fingertips. After a couple months, my thumb built up enough callous to sound nice and loud without having to wear a thumbpick.

If you want to test a few thumbpicks, feel free to PM me, and I can mail you some of the ones I used to use, for just the cost of the shipping. I'm not using them anymore anyhow.

[samthinguy]

I dont know if this is helpful to you but i make mine. Ive done two methods. The first is triming filing and sanding a bevel on a dunlop pick. But my favorite one i clipped off the pick part of the thumb pick and superglued on a small triangle primetone that i like. I glued it so it would be as close as possible to how i hold a flat pick. Works pretty well for me

[Jambi]

I've actually had the best success so far with heavily modifying the Ernie Ball reds. Being lefty, I have to remold them to fit the left thumb then clip/sand the pick portion heavily, but it works.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW ANTOINE/DON ROSS CAN ROCK UPSTROKES SO WELL WITH A THUMBPICK! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!

</derail>

[srick]

Originally Posted by Jambi

I WANT TO KNOW HOW ANTOINE/DON ROSS CAN ROCK UPSTROKES SO WELL WITH A THUMBPICK! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!

</derail>

Jambi - I'm not sure about "their" secret, but I use a wrap of waterproof adhesive tape over the pick and the thumb. It works!
best,

Rick

[samthinguy]

Originally Posted by Jambi

I've actually had the best success so far with heavily modifying the Ernie Ball reds. Being lefty, I have to remold them to fit the left thumb then clip/sand the pick portion heavily, but it works.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW ANTOINE/DON ROSS CAN ROCK UPSTROKES SO WELL WITH A THUMBPICK! SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME!

</derail>

I’ve wondered the same thing and all I can figure is the just deal with it! I’m thinking it has to do with their attack angle, but I have no clue.

[vindibona1]

Thumb picks are just as personal as flat picks. The problem is that there is far less selection. You have to consider comfort, stability, length, shape, amount of flex, attack and overall sound. I use several different kinds/brands, but most are modified in some way. Here's a rundown of my choices.

Dunlop: Not a bad pick to start with. I find the "flange" too long and end up filing it shorter and reshaping it. Sometimes I'll give them a speed bevel if I want a crisper attack. FWIW the shape was loosely copied by a cheap "Alice" pick that I bought when I lived in Mexico.

Herco Heavy: Shaped like flat pick with a thumb wrap-around. Not a bad choice if you're switching between between strumming and picking. I sometimes speed bevel this as well.

Golden Gate Heavy: It's thick but the sound is a little too dark for me without the speed bevel.

[DanleyJ]

I have a tendency to use the back edge of a thumb pick with my attack angle rather than the forward edge and bare fingers with a little nail. I have a Blue Chip that I use for square neck dobro which changes my angle to using more the forward edge of the thumb pick. When I try on my standard acoustic the Blue Chip scrapes the back edge of the pick in an ugly sort of way so I've been trying to gently sand the back edge into the right shape. Not quite there yet because I'm a bit shy of mangling my $40 pick. The fit is great and the most comfortable of any I've tried. I can wear it for hours. It does ride closer to the thumb joint than standard plastic thumb picks which might affect your technique. The tone of Blue Chip is fantastic and beats all the rest hands down.

I also really like the Fred Kelly orange speed and slick picks. The speed pick has a light crispy sound and the slick pick is more of a standard shape with a more subdued tonal quality. Not quite as comfortable as the Blue Chip but I still use them regularly. But most of the time I don't use any picks at all. I've got good thick nails and can get plenty of volume out of my thumb nail.

I used to use the National Extra Heavies as they felt good on my thumb with the extra lip of plastic on the overlap band. I still use these on occasion and think they are great thumb picks, too.

[MrDB]

Originally Posted by jsanfilippo5

Just a little too loud for me

Try sanding the blade shorter, that will reduce volume a little and has the added benefit of making them easier to use.

[jsanfilippo5]

Originally Posted by MrDB

Try sanding the blade shorter, that will reduce volume a little and has the added benefit of making them easier to use.

I'll try that. It is a nice feel makes playing.g with a humbpick easier.