Thumbpick sounds terrible! Why?

[gfa]

I'm a rhythm player, mostly strumming with a bit of flatpicking. My usual pick is a Blue Chip flatpick, which I like very much. I aspire to switching to a thumbpick and periodically work with one. I like the ergonomics of the Herco thumbpicks (sort of like a flatpick attached to a thumbholder), but geez Lousie it sounds terrible! Compared to my Blue Chip and to other flatpicks the Herco is harsh, tone-killing, LOUD, and terrible! What's the deal?

Originally Posted by gfa

... I like the ergonomics of the Herco thumbpicks (sort of like a flatpick attached to a thumbholder), but geez Lousie it sounds terrible! Compared to my Blue Chip and to other flatpicks the Herco is harsh, tone-killing, LOUD, and terrible! What's the deal?

Try different thumbpicks. Some folks trim them down. I have been practicing with one lately for Blues stuff. I don't like how low the bass is with just the flesh of my thumb when I palm mute; I want more volume and that means a thumbpick. The thing I noticed right away is that they are too long. I've begun whittling mine down shorter. Not only does it not get in the way (as much) it's stiffer and makes a different sound. I don't like thin picks because I can always hear the pick. I want the pick to do it's job and not insert itself into the tone. Thick picks do their job and don't get their noise into the tone.

[Bluemonk]

Wrong tool for the job. A thumbpick is not a flatpick substitute.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by gfa

I'm a rhythm player, mostly strumming with a bit of flatpicking. My usual pick is a Blue Chip flatpick, which I like very much. I aspire to switching to a thumbpick and periodically work with one. I like the ergonomics of the Herco thumbpicks (sort of like a flatpick attached to a thumbholder), but geez Lousie it sounds terrible! Compared to my Blue Chip and to other flatpicks the Herco is harsh, tone-killing, LOUD, and terrible! What's the deal?

I'm not sure how you play, but if you are trying to strum with a thumb pick as you would with a flat pick, my own experience is that a thumb pick, I don't care who makes it, is no good for that.

For me, what makes a flat pick work for strumming is the ability to flex your fingers or your wrist to adjust how the flat pick goes against or across the strings. For me, this provides the right kind of sound. A thumb pick, being stuck to your thumb, does not allow you to make the kind of adjustments you can make while using a flat pick.

A thumb pick is good for finger picking, which is what I mostly do. Even when I am finger picking, if I want to strum across the strings, I use the back of my nails on my fingers. A thumb pick for strumming does sound bad, at least in my opinion and the way I play.

My YouTube channel is linked below and there are about 80 videos on my channel now. There are plenty of examples of my style of finger picking and strumming, if you are curious to see where I am coming from.

- Glenn

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I'm not sure how you play, but if you are trying to strum with a thumb pick as you would with a flat pick, my own experience is that a thumb pick, I don't care who makes it, is no good for that.

For me, what makes a flat pick work for strumming is the ability to flex your fingers or your wrist to adjust how the flat pick goes against or across the strings. For me, this provides the right kind of sound. A thumb pick, being stuck to your thumb, does not allow you to make the kind of adjustments you can make while using a flat pick.

A thumb pick is good for finger picking, which is what I mostly do. Even when I am finger picking, if I want to strum across the strings, I use the back of my nails on my fingers. A thumb pick for strumming does sound bad, at least in my opinion and the way I play.

My YouTube channel is linked below and there are about 80 videos on my channel now. There are plenty of examples of my style of finger picking and strumming, if you are curious to see where I am coming from.

- Glenn

Your playing is lovely! Nice to put a face with the name after all these years.

[Goat Mick]

Not all thumbpicks are created equal. These were designed to do what you want to do. Shoot me an IM if you want more info.

www.GoatWhiskeyPicks.com

[Steel and wood]

I've used Herco Lights before but they were quieter than other thumb picks like the Dunlop's I use now. (Especially when palm muting the strings).

I liked them at the time (but I never used them as a flat pick) but eventually went back to a more heavier metal and then back again to plastic Dunlop thumb picks.

[philjs]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I'm not sure how you play, but if you are trying to strum with a thumb pick as you would with a flat pick, my own experience is that a thumb pick, I don't care who makes it, is no good for that.
...snip...
A thumb pick is good for finger picking, which is what I mostly do. Even when I am finger picking, if I want to strum across the strings, I use the back of my nails on my fingers. A thumb pick for strumming does sound bad, at least in my opinion and the way I play.

It depends on what you want, Glenn. I write and play solo contemporary fingerstyle with thumbpick and acrylics but I also play in a world/celtic trio that does "contemporary traditional" music from all over and I do all of the accompaniment and chording with a thumbpick (Golden Gate if anyone cares!). You, and the OP, should give a listen to the tracks posted on our website...all of the guitar (and bouzar for the 2nd track) is played fingerstyle with thumbpick chording throughout.

Phil

[MrDB]

I bought a pack of Fred Kelly thumbpicks. They have a skinny blade to them, and I've filed the blade shorter on a number of them to experiment with different blade lengths. I've settled on a pretty short blade, with just enough length to get some bass volume without the pick getting caught on the string.

[musicman1951]

Why doesn't a $1.25 thumbpick sound as good as your Blue Chip?

There are lots of thumbpicks out there, I'd try a handful before I went crazy trying to make one I didn't like much work better. Quite a few members here do impressive bevel work on flat picks. I wouldn't be afraid to alter any of the cheap picks that don't please your ear.

[Nailpicker]

Originally Posted by Bluemonk

Wrong tool for the job. A thumbpick is not a flatpick substitute.

This...,.

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I'm not sure how you play, but if you are trying to strum with a thumb pick as you would with a flat pick, my own experience is that a thumb pick, I don't care who makes it, is no good for that.

For me, what makes a flat pick work for strumming is the ability to flex your fingers or your wrist to adjust how the flat pick goes against or across the strings. For me, this provides the right kind of sound. A thumb pick, being stuck to your thumb, does not allow you to make the kind of adjustments you can make while using a flat pick.

A thumb pick is good for finger picking, which is what I mostly do. Even when I am finger picking, if I want to strum across the strings, I use the back of my nails on my fingers. A thumb pick for strumming does sound bad, at least in my opinion and the way I play.

My YouTube channel is linked below and there are about 80 videos on my channel now. There are plenty of examples of my style of finger picking and strumming, if you are curious to see where I am coming from.

- Glenn

....and this

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by philjs

It depends on what you want, Glenn. I write and play solo contemporary fingerstyle with thumbpick and acrylics but I also play in a world/celtic trio that does "contemporary traditional" music from all over and I do all of the accompaniment and chording with a thumbpick (Golden Gate if anyone cares!). You, and the OP, should give a listen to the tracks posted on our website...all of the guitar (and bouzar for the 2nd track) is played fingerstyle with thumbpick chording throughout.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Nice job! Looks like I stand corrected! I don't know how you are doing it (I looked up the Golden Gate pick and it looks pretty conventional to me), but you seem to be able to do what I cannot do. No surprise, I guess. None of us are going to be able to do everything. Again, well done -- my compliments on your music.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by justonwo

Your playing is lovely! Nice to put a face with the name after all these years.

Thank you Juston.

- Glenn

[vindibona1]

Just slumming on this Saturday morning and mic was set up so I thought I'd throw down a quick recording. I've tried a lot of thumbpicks. What I do sometimes calls for me to do strumming, then finger picking, then solo/flat picking without a pause. FWIW, I think my touch tends to be a little heavy which you'll hear in the recording, but I'm working on it. I hope to demonstrate that strumming with a thumbpick is just a matter of getting used to it. I don't grab onto it the way I do a flatpick. I sort of let it hold on to me and let my thumb and wrist provide the flexibility needed. I'll use my index finger sometimes to gain a little more stability, but too much pressure from the index reduces fluidity in strumming. I think my favorite at the moment is the Golden Gate GP-8 pick with speed bevel.

Strumming isn't so much the issue as is flat/solo picking. You'll hear that some of the "solo" runs are cleaner than others. The speed beveled picks really help as they don't get hung up as easily. I didn't edit anything so you could hear the bobbles as well as when I played is (sort of) clean. The speed bevels also contribute to a little crisper tone and I find that even on my flat picks I'll use one gauge heavier sometimes and then speed bevel to add crispness while letting the rigidity of the pick push it through the string.





Picks, in the order in which they are used in the recording.[ Note the ones with red marker indicate speed bevels]

[gfa]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Just slumming on this Saturday morning and mic was set up so I thought I'd throw down a quick recording. I've tried a lot of thumbpicks. What I do sometimes calls for me to do strumming, then finger picking, then solo/flat picking without a pause. FWIW, I think my touch tends to be a little heavy which you'll hear in the recording, but I'm working on it. I hope to demonstrate that strumming with a thumbpick is just a matter of getting used to it. I don't grab onto it the way I do a flatpick. I sort of let it hold on to me and let my thumb and wrist provide the flexibility needed. I'll use my index finger sometimes to gain a little more stability, but too much pressure from the index reduces fluidity in strumming.

Strumming isn't so much the issue as is flat/solo picking. You'll hear that some of the "solo" runs are cleaner than others. The speed beveled picks really help as they don't get hung up as easily. I didn't edit anything so you could hear the bobbles as well as when I played is (sort of) clean. The speed bevels also contribute to a little crisper tone and I find that even on my flat picks I'll use one gauge heavier sometimes and then speed bevel to add crispness while letting the rigidity of the pick push it through the string.





Picks, in the order in which they are used in the recording.[ Note the ones with red marker indicate speed bevels]

Cool, thanks so much for doing that. I will give it a listen when I have a chance.