More About Thumbpicks

[TRU]

The problem Im finding is that if I wanna strum, I'll use a pick. No worries. Dynamics controllable. If I wanna fingerpick, I have found something that works well for the thumb. The butterfly pick.

 

What I cant overcome is when I fingerpick AND strum within the same song. A true thumbpick is too much. It doesnt work like a regular pick. Bare thumb is not enough.

 

Does anyone use superglue on their thumbs? Is the thumbpick just something I need to learn more in order to use it with proper dexterity?

 

Again, my problem isnt finding the notes with a thumb pick. I can use one just fine. Its the strumming with one that is confounding.

[MDLMUSIC]

I found a couple of sites showing how different people tried attaching a regular pick to a thumb pick. I did it by cutting off the pointy part of a thumb pick and super-gluing a regular pick in place by holding it where I wanted it. Seems to work pretty well.

[TRU]

Fred Kelly makes a pic like that, the Bumblebee. Steve Earle uses it. Too cumbersome for me.

[TRU]

I wonder if coats of glue, athletic tape, fake thumbnail, or some other home remedy will allow for better strumming with the bare thumb.

[recordingtrack1]

I have been trying for years to learn how to use a thumb pick. Challenging and lots of failure.  I read an article online one day about using one and realized (as Terry Alan notes above) that you can trim off the end.  duh....

I took a pair of snippers and began to experiment until I got it cut to a length that didn't require me to hyper-extend my arm away from the body of the guitar, which was my main shortcoming in the process..  In other words, I cut it very short.  Voila'!  it worked and I am making progress with the thumbpick. I also took sand paper and sanded it off to a point all the way around like a regular pick would be (if that makes sense).

Now to the second part of the problem, which is exactly the same as you report.  What I learned (or am working on learning) it to take my first finger and press it into the back of the thumbpick and relax my thumb (very difficult for me to make myself do) and drive the pick using my first finger.  After a while you start to get the feeling that you can use the thumb pick like a regular pick.  Believe me, it is a case of 'mind over matter' but I am making progress with this.

It just dawned on me (while I am typing this) that Tommy Emmanuel does the same thing, I think.  I know he uses as thumb pick at least some of the time.  I'll have to watch.

Anyway, that's my two cents worth.  Good luck!

EDIT:  Endless Road.  Go to youtube and check that out.  I believe it to be a perfect example of using a thumbpick as a regular pick.  I hope this helps.

[dunnb]

I have tried for a long time to use a thumb pick to no avail ! How ever, I did try the following with great success. I tore off a small piece of tissue

paper and attached it to the part of my thumb that comes in contact with the guitar strings with a layer of super glue. When dry I got a piece of sandpaper and smoothed out any rough surfaces. Works a treat !!