Is there a thumb pick you would recommend?

[buddyhu]

I didn't like Dunlops at all. Have settled in with Fred Kellly slick picks. I ordered a Blue Chip thumppick and have been slowly trying to bend it into a position that is more comfortable for me (more like the angle of attack in the slick pick, but am not sure that the shape of the Blue Chip pick surface. will ever give me the feel that I want.

Any suggestions?

[KarenB]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I didn't like Dunlops at all. Have settled in with Fred Kellly slick picks. I ordered a Blue Chip thumppick and have been slowly trying to bend it into a position that is more comfortable for me (more like the angle of attack in the slick pick, but am not sure that the shape of the Blue Chip pick surface. will ever give me the feel that I want.

Any suggestions?

What is the feel that you want?

[jsanfilippo5]

I just picked up Some fred kelly Slick Picks - The are the most comfortable thumb pick I have used.

[mercy]

Slicks are a vast improvement or the traditional heavy picks unless you mute all the time then the weight of traditionals gives some needed volume. I dont mute hardly ever as I play American fingerstyle so after trying most every pick I finally had to try the Fred Speed Pick. I had put it off cause the way it looks but man, this is the one for me. Ive been using them for years and they do what I want. Effortless execution and sound/volume matched to my natural nails. I use the orange one usually unless I want to turn the volume down a bit then I use the white.

[Glennwillow]

Hi Rich,

I use the Fred Kellly slick pick, also, and I am very happy with how it feels and sounds. I use extra heavy, which Fred Kelly no longer makes, though I have no idea why not. When I heard they were not going make any more of the extra-heavy ones, I bought a bunch of them, so presumably I will be set for life.

I have not used lighter versions of the Fred Kellly slick pick.

Hope you are doing well!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

I didn't like Dunlops at all. Have settled in with Fred Kellly slick picks. I ordered a Blue Chip thumppick and have been slowly trying to bend it into a position that is more comfortable for me (more like the angle of attack in the slick pick, but am not sure that the shape of the Blue Chip pick surface. will ever give me the feel that I want.

Any suggestions?

Rich, I use a Blue Chip pick. It can be carefully sanded to fit a shape that might work for you, but not sure the angle you're looking for. I got mine to where I want it. The material sands down quickly so you have to be careful and then lightly sand/polis any bevel you're looking to fashion.
I had years of frustration with plastic bands breaking....just after they were "perfect" and I'd have to start all over again! Now with the BC....no wear on the pick material after years of playing and the metal band is pretty much unbreakable and nice and snug. The consistency of not having any changes has really helped sustain my style.

[DissonantTimbre]

Herco thumb picks have a kind of jazz pick shape. I end up just cutting and sanding my Dunlop thumb picks until I have a shape I like.

[Dadzmad]

For a regular style heavy pick I like the Golden Gate picks (with the striped pattern). They do wear down so I have to have a few on hand

[StephenHD35]

I don't use picks anymore, but when I did I preferred the Slickpick. I had a couple of Blue Chip thumb picks, but really preferred the Slickpicks. That surprised me because I'm a big fan of Blue Chip flat picks.

[AcousticDreams]

These are FANTASTIC Thum picks...so many cool features and great sound. One of the very nice things about this particular thumb pick..is the form-able metal. You can shape it to get a nice fit.
https://www.guptillmusic.com/propik-...ic-thumb-pick/

[Steel and wood]

Originally Posted by DissonantTimbre

Herco thumb picks have a kind of jazz pick shape. I end up just cutting and sanding my Dunlop thumb picks until I have a shape I like.

Yes, used to use the Herco's but went back to Dunlop smalls. (Tight on the thumb but I like the shape and length of the pick).

[srick]

Rich -

I have gone through many designs to find the right match for me. I keep going back to the Fred Kelly 'Speed Pick' - tied for second place, the Pro-Pick, the ACRI and the Blue Chip JDM-1.

The biggest factors for me have been comfort, followed by the length and flexibility of the blade.

I do wear my thumbpicks further down the thumb, sometimes past the joint. I saw a video of the Rev. Gary Davis wearing his pick that way and figured, if it was good enough for him... it did help my rhythm and volume, for sure.

best,

Rick

PS- I do like the surface of the Fred Kelly the most. Some of teh otheres are stiff nylon, which doesn't do it for me as far as smoothness. And the Blue Chip vespel, although slick, has no give.

[Mr. Jelly]

Not to answer the ops question I use the old standards. I've even gone to plastic finger picks over metal finger picks. Dunlap heavy thumb pick. I don't like to have any binding from my picks. I modify my picks by putting them in boiling water and as they open up I stick them under cold water.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by Antaren

What is the feel that you want?

I like the shape and the angle of attack of the slick pick, but the grip on the thumb is a bit loose and the blade is a little too flexible for me.

I like the grip of the Blue Chip (metal, so quite firm), and I love the release of Blue Chip flatpicks (so I was really looking forward to trying their thumbpick) but the shape of the blade and the angle of the blade haven't felt quite right....I haven't done as much as I could to shape it, so maybe that is what I should be trying next. Either that, or ordering the thumbpick from Guptilmusic...that looks like it might be worth trying, and I don't know why I haven't tried it before my since I use Propik finger tone on my fingers. It just slipped by me.

Nice to read the responses. All are touching on the things that I have been mulling over: firm grip on the thumb, rigidity of the blade, overall comfort.

I know that Rev. Gary Davis and Jorma Kaukonen have worn their picks up close to the joint, and Jorma has said that his pick isn't comfortable, but it gives him the tone and control he wants. So maybe I need to de-emphasize comfort a bit.

Thanks for all the useful and thoughtful input folks!

[Kerbie]

I'm another in the camp of Fred Kelly's speed picks. I filed mine down a bit so my thumb is a little closer to the strings, but I think they are the best thumbpicks I've ever used.