Ultimate FingerPicks

[GELewis]

I play mostly finger style. Though I love the sound of fingerpicks and have purchased dozens of different kinds over the years, I've never found one that felt truly comfortable, so I mostly play with the pads of my fingers. In January, 2019 I saw an ad for the Ultimate FingerPicks. They looked more like an extension of my fingers than the typical fingerpick, so I decided to give them a try. I placed an order and paid that same day via PayPal.

I had forgotten I'd ordered them until yesterday, when I received an email from Crossroads Music. That email began with:

"Hi Gary,
We have finished processing your order.
Order #3710 (January 29, 2019)"

Twenty-three months to 'process' an order for finger picks!

[birdsong]

I'd say that defines "ultimate", in a sense..... are you sure it's not "ultimatum"?

J

[Lillis]

They must have anticipated covid

[musicman1951]

So how do they work/sound? I'm expecting them to be spectacular.

[raysachs]

Let us know if they were worth the wait. Kind of an interesting looking concept, but ugly as all get out. Like a small condom with a weird looking fingernail sticking out of it. I can't imagine liking it because I like to feel the string with the meat of my finger. Even when I use fingerpicks, they're the open finger design (see pic below), so you feel the string with your finger before the metal part passes over it. So having a relatively heavy layer of rubber between my finger and the string doesn't sound great to me. But I guess if you're used to playing with just your miles, this could be good?

Interested in your impressions in any case.

unnamed-3 by Ray, on Flickr

[mawmow]

I tried so many fingerpicks too...
Finally hired a coach and changed my technique with just a bit of my brittle nails
extending from the tip and gently snapping the string : that requires the finger
flexion to happen mostly at first knuckle instead of second (and third) and somewhat
tuning my hand so that my fingers would kind of slip on the strings rather than trying to grab them.

[GELewis]

The Ultimate FingerPicks arrived in the mail today. I had to moisten my fingers in order to slide the picks on, but once on, they were secure. The tips are open, allowing my fingertips to feel/touch the strings - which is a real plus for me.

There was almost no 'having to get used to them.' I started out doing some simple pattern picking, was able to quickly move on to more complex fingerpicking and after a few minutes I almost forget I was wearing them.

They seem to work more like an extension of my fingers (or maybe finger nails) than something I wear on my fingers. The sound isn't as loud and ringing as something like a Dunlop metal fingerpick, but it's definitely louder and crisper than when I pick with the flesh of my fingertips.

I've only been playing with them for an hour or so, but so far, so good.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Let us know if they were worth the wait. Kind of an interesting looking concept, but ugly as all get out. Like a small condom with a weird looking fingernail sticking out of it. I can't imagine liking it because I like to feel the string with the meat of my finger. Even when I use fingerpicks, they're the open finger design (see pic below), so you feel the string with your finger before the metal part passes over it. So having a relatively heavy layer of rubber between my finger and the string doesn't sound great to me. But I guess if you're used to playing with just your miles, this could be good?

Interested in your impressions in any case.

unnamed-3 by Ray, on Flickr

What type of finger picks are these pictured?

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

What type of finger picks are these pictured?

They look like Propik Fingertones - great picks, I’ve tried every pick ever invented (or that’s how it seems!) and these are the best of them all. Warm-sounding, comfortable to wear (I like the split wraps for their ease of adjustment) and, of course, the all-important ‘feel’ of the flesh on the string. I’ve used them for years now.

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CA4CDB3D-90C6-4174-A4B0-EEFB2EB5D1F9.jpg

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

What type of finger picks are these pictured?

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

They look like Propik Fingertones - great picks, I’ve tried every pick ever invented (or that’s how it seems!) and these are the best of them all. Warm-sounding, comfortable to wear (I like the split wraps for their ease of adjustment) and, of course, the all-important ‘feel’ of the flesh on the string. I’ve used them for years now.

Yep, that’s what they are. I like the double banded ones for comfort, but they all play and sound the same...

-Ray

[mc1]

Is this what the Ultimate Fingerpicks look like?

[rgregg48]

I tried them,,,they gave me "nose bleeds"

[Mr. Paul]

I found them very clumsy to use and honestly I'm surprised to hear they do actually work for someone. Could be that the ones I got were too large.

[TRose]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Yep, that’s what they are. I like the double banded ones for comfort, but they all play and sound the same...

-Ray

Thanks Ray. These look like what I could use.
Ordered some today.
Cheers,
Tom