Dig it! Think I've finally found fingerpicks that suit me!

Terry Allan Hall

Idol Of America's Youth
Last night, I was introduced to some amazing fingerpicks, that are not yet on the market, but may be soon!

At the party my trio, Too Hot For Snakes, played last night, I met a couple guys, one the host's brother-in-law, who works in the Plastics Industry, and are bluegrass pickers on the side (one's a banjoist, one's a Flatt-style guitarist) who aren't happy with the fingerpicks available, either, and decided (with their supervisor's permission) to try making their own.

They've come up with several plastic fingerpick designs, in various thickness and sizes, and had some samples of each with them, so brought 'em in to show me, and one "model" is pretty close to what I use to use! I used two of their version of my preferred ones (for forefinger and middle finger) for the rest of the fingerpicking songs last night and these are great!

So, I bought up the rest of this "model" they had with 'em, and now I've 12 in all. No more "click" and "clank" from the steel Dunlops and the tone stays the same, from thumbpick to finger picks. What's interesting to me is that the "band" (the part that goes around your finger) is of a different composition of plastic than the "blade" (the part you pick with), so you can get the feel you want, but the picks don't go flying off mid-song!

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They've discussed with the plant supervisor the idea of offering fingerpicks along with all the plant's other products, once they figure out which will sell, and he's interested, so they may be commercially available in about a year.


In the meantime, I've ordered another gross, just in case the ones I like don't make the cut into regular production. A gross + 12 just might last me the rest of my life.
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It is always nice to find something that works. I'm sold on the Alaska picks myself. I couldn't imagine using anything else, now.
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It is always nice to find something that works. I'm sold on the Alaska picks myself. I couldn't imagine using anything else, now.
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I've tried those, and some similar brass fingerpicks, and really couldn't get 'em to work for me.

Used to get these great copper-colored plastic fingerpicks that looked like they came from the same molds that the Dobro clear plastic fingerpicks came from, but with a softer plastic, when I was a teenage ...those stopped being available about 40 years ago, and I've looked for a suitable replacement ever since!

The interesting thing I noticed at today's gig was that these new fingerpicks, as they heat up to body temperature, become more "adhesive" (bur without leaving anything on your fingertips when you take them off)...I'm thinking these guys are onto something!

No idea how long these'll last, but with a gross ordered and the 12 I bought last night, I expect that I'm covered for quite a while! 8) Totally_jammin_out 8)
 
Very interested in those.

I got a banjo for Christmas and dug out my metal picks that I got from my brother a while ago and I really don't like the sound of them. Like you said, different than the plastic thumb pick and kinda clanky.
I have a metal thumb pick too, but I hate the sound of it when it hits the strings.
 
Very interested in those.

I got a banjo for Christmas and dug out my metal picks that I got from my brother a while ago and I really don't like the sound of them. Like you said, different than the plastic thumb pick and kinda clanky.
I have a metal thumb pick too, but I hate the sound of it when it hits the strings.
They haven't put up a website yet, due to getting their patent(s) worked out, but as soon as they do, I'll post the URL.

There are other manufacturers of plastic fingerpicks (Dunlop, I think, still offers them), so you could try a set of those, which can be shaped by putting the blade into boiling water for about 15 seconds, to soften the plastic, then shaped to your preference, and finally put into ice water for a minute, so as to keep the new shape.
 
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My problem is that I use the thumb and finger pick for both finger-picking and strumming. Those "claw" type picks mess me up. I'm glad you found something that works for you, though. it took me many year to find my best combo.
 
I enjoy bare fingers too much to stick with finger picks for long. I still like to try new or different picks, though.
These Propik Fingertone hybrids look like something I might like.
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I already have the thumb pick pictured:
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I played bare-fingered for many years. I few years ago I had to play a couple of finger-picked songs at a grave-side service and used finger picks so the guitar would be heard. now, with the 12-string, I couldn't imagine not using them.
 
I find that using bare fingers with the banjo I get too much of the pad of my finger scraping the strings.
You can really hear it.
I'm going to grow my nails out a bit and see how that goes.

On the guitar, I almost always play with just my fingers - even on electric.
 
Picked up my gross last night and was told that as soon as the patents for the new plastic formulations are approved, production starts up. No plans currently for ordering them over the internet, at this point, as one'd really ideally want to try out the various "models", to to see which one suits individual players, but possibly that'll be in the future. They plan to introduce them at various guitar shows in spring/summer, initially, and see what the market turns out to be, and, they're hoping, to have them in stores by fall of 2014.
Took several pics of me playing my Guild with my new picks, which may make it into their advertising.
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I'm a folk-rock player, and have always done a lot of fingerpicking. I've always just used my fingernails, which is fine when I'm mic'd, or in my room, or can use a pickup, but I've been playing at a lot of political rallies lately, and that just doesn't work for those venues. I've resorted to avoiding fingerpicked songs for those setting, but I may have to experiment with some fingerpicks. They've always felt kind of unnatural and awkward to me, but perhaps I just haven't found the right ones yet.
 
I'm a folk-rock player, and have always done a lot of fingerpicking. I've always just used my fingernails, which is fine when I'm mic'd, or in my room, or can use a pickup, but I've been playing at a lot of political rallies lately, and that just doesn't work for those venues. I've resorted to avoiding fingerpicked songs for those setting, but I may have to experiment with some fingerpicks. They've always felt kind of unnatural and awkward to me, but perhaps I just haven't found the right ones yet.
Used to play bare-fingered, before I started gigging, but once I started, I found fingerpicks saved my fingertips from utter destruction, and I've never had strong enough nails to get by just with them.

Try Fred Kelly thumbpicks, and try different fingerpicks until you find some you like.
 
I will check those out, thanks!

Herco thumb picks are pretty cool, but I suggest getting the heavy or the medium because the lights tend to break.
 
I will check those out, thanks!

Herco thumb picks are pretty cool, but I suggest getting the heavy or the medium because the lights tend to break.
The cool thing about the Fred Kelly Delrin orange (medium) Slick Pick thumbpicks is that they last a very, very long time...been using the same 3 for about 8 years (started out with 5, but gave a couple away).

And I thumbpick pretty hard, so tend to get about a month out of other brands (National, Dunlop, Golden Gate, Ernie Ball, D'Andrea, etc.)...these, otoh, last!
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I'd be interested in trying the thumbpick. I've tried just about every sort of finger pick made and never found one I could get used to. I have a callus on each of my three fingers at the corner of my nail that seems to be a natural adaptation. I do use a thumbpick on occasion, a Fred Keely Speed Pick that I saw Doyle Dykes use. It works well when switching between styles mid-song.
 
I enjoy bare fingers too much to stick with finger picks for long. I still like to try new or different picks, though.
These Propik Fingertone hybrids look like something I might like.
PK47SP-M_sm_.jpg

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The Propik Fingertones arrived yesterday. Whoa, they are exactly what I've been looking for!
They never get in the way like standard metal finger picks and still allow me to use my fingertips for subtle attacks and muting. chewie0
 
I'd be interested in trying the thumbpick. I've tried just about every sort of finger pick made and never found one I could get used to. I have a callus on each of my three fingers at the corner of my nail that seems to be a natural adaptation. I do use a thumbpick on occasion, a Fred Keely Speed Pick that I saw Doyle Dykes use. It works well when switching between styles mid-song.
that kinda looks like a hand flipping the bird :lol:
 
Oh, and where do you get the speed picks? My pedal steel player has one that he got in a music store on a vacation, and I couldn't find them.
 
The Propik Fingertones arrived yesterday. Whoa, they are exactly what I've been looking for!
They never get in the way like standard metal finger picks and still allow me to use my fingertips for subtle attacks and muting. chewie0
How did you figure out the size to buy?
 
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