Thumb Pick Poll and Question

frybaby
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:36 am

Gentle Forum Friends, I have, of late been giving some serious attention to my finger picking technique.
I have come across several online sights that strongly recommended using a thumb pick while fingering picking.
I bought a National Medium. First time to use a thumb pick and it seems quite awkward.

But if there are advantages to using one I will persist, otherwise work on my technique with out the pick. Is it worth the effort?

So I want to poll the members and guests to see :
1. who does and who does not use a thumb pic
2. why or why not they so choose.
3. what type of thumb pick is preferred.


jfletchey
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:09 am

I do not use a thumbpick because I prefer the tone I get from my bare thumb. I find it much easier to keep the bass and treble balanced. I also do not use my nails for the same reasons.


BigBear
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:05 pm

I've tried an assortment of finger and thumbpicks throughout the years. I have weak fingernails so I was looking for a way to overcome that. I always felt clumsy with picks so my experiments usually didn't last long.

I usually pluck the string to be played with the flesh of my fingertip and nail. If I use all flesh the tone to me is too subdued. And if I use all nail it sounds too thin. The combo works well for me.

Another advantage to not using picks is it is possible to use the back of the nail to strum or pick, which can create speed and more tonal possibilities when necessary.


BigBear
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:14 pm

I use a thumb pick frequently. I also use fingerpicks because I have no nail on my middle finger (accident).

I use a Zookie L-20 thumbpick. These are great because the pick part is angled (you can buy different angles) so you get a good angle of attack.

I use Pro Pik fingerpicks, double band, open fingers. These are great because with the double bands you can bend them to fit your fingers perfectly. Because they are metal they are a little bright but I haven't found anything that fits that well. Also, I can adjust them so they only extend past my fingertips just a little bit.

Thumb and fingerpicks take practice, lots of it (have we heard that one before?). I spend a lot of time doing different Tarvis picking patterns, forward and reverse rolls etc. But I'm an old folkie and I love the sound of Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot etc., all great fingerpickers!!

If I had the choice I wouldn't use picks, I'd use my own nails because the sound is so much more natural, but for me, it's not an option.


haoli25
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:24 pm

FRYBABY, the best thumb pick I have used is the 'Fred Kelly Speed Pick'. I actually don't use a pick any longer for finger-picking. As Greg said, I find that it is easier to balance the relative loudness of the bass notes with the melody notes by just using my finernails and my thumb.


Catman
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:17 pm

I don't use thumb or finger picks, never have.

Probably because I started out playing classical guitar.


caymandiver55
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:47 pm

I play mostly with a thumb pick, especially when travis picking. It seems like I might have more to add to that, but I don't:P

JJ


Chasplaya
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:06 pm

I've never used thumb or fingerpicks so can't comment constructively on the use. But I feel the more natural sound of nail flesh combo works best for me anyway.


astronut
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Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:14 pm

I've just renewed my efforts to become a better player. I've been goofing around with lots of half songs and a few whole ones by Harry Chapin and all of them have been strumming style. Now I want to learn finger-picking and I've found that my thumb just won't bend in a way that lets me use it the way most other players do. To get my thumbnail to the string my thumb ends up UNDER my fingers ... so for me the thumb pick is the only way that I've been able to keep my thumb out from under my fingers.

When trying to choose a thumb pick, I was interested to find out that my first inclination was incorrect. I bought an assortment with most being on the thin side. One even has some funky cut-out to make the part that contacts the strings even thinner. BUT ....

What I found is the in my efforts to find a thumb pick that had a "gentler" sound it was actually the THICKER pick that produced the more mellow, skin/nail like tone.

(the one's that I like are "National" and the "cutout" ones were "FRED KELLY SPEED PICK")

So that's my $0.15
(2cents adjusted for inflation since 1958)
Tim


AndyT
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Sat Aug 01, 2009 4:38 am

Some truly great guitarists say you should use this pick or that one. Its going to come down to a personal choice like so much of everything else in guitar playing. You have to go with what makes the sound you want that you are capable of using.


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