Thumbpicks - Fred Kelly's

[digitalsnipe]

I just thought I'd put my 2 cents in about thumbpicks. I use them much of the time and found the best for me is Fred Kelly's Delrin thin Slick Picks (yellow). They're not compensated but I have tried many others and these seem to have the greatest comfort and playability for me. They also impart less noise than the polycarbon, with regard to recording. They're cheap too.

[Jerry NT]

This could turn interesting.

I stopped using thumb and fingerpicks because they were too firm and inflexible.

Now that we have the internet and GC, it opens the possiblility that there are some picks out there that are not, if I get your gist.

 

Comments on the various picks?

[strat2]

I use Dunlap,I don't know if it's any particular model or if it's the only one they offer, but yea way too thick.

 

1. Way too thick.

2. Too long.

3. Don't line up axis wise for my use.

 

I modify all my thumb picks to bring them up to my pers spec needs, would be great to find one already set up.

 

Once you find or build a thumb pick that's just right ,it doubles as

a flat pick and you can blaze the single string at a time phrases where needed.

 

Just found some ernie Ball's ,

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=101/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/110899/

says this particular one is .075" , this is what you could use on your submarine bulkheads.

I'd start their and tapper down to .022" or so as you start getting to the actual picking point. You need the initial thickness to keep it on the thumb.

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[Terry Allan Hall]

I started using the orange Fred Kelly Speed Pick and find them to be perfect for guitar and banjo, but I still prefer a heavier pick on dobro/hawaiian guitars.

 

Still searching for the Holy Grail in fingerpicks...right now, Dunlop .015s are as close as I've gotten.

[fatback]

Used a metal propik - tended to be a little noisy - and played merry hell with my cheap magnetic pickup. Now using a propik with a plasticy tip. Like the sound better. Retains the bass without the rasp. Anyone any tips about finger picks. I dont use them at the moment but my second finger - nails split every two weeks or so.

 

Phil

[Jerry NT]

 

Originally posted by fatback Used a metal propik - tended to be a little noisy - and played merry hell with my cheap magnetic pickup. Now using a propik with a plasticy tip. Like the sound better. Retains the bass without the rasp. Anyone any tips about finger picks. I dont use them at the moment but my second finger - nails split every two weeks or so. Phil

 

 

 

Try Alaska picks. They fit under your nails. The problem I had with them is that they tend to move if your nails are'nt long enough. Taping them down helps.

GC has them and I think you can find them at MF and M123.

[strat2]

 

Originally posted by fatback Used a metal propik - tended to be a little noisy - and played merry hell with my cheap magnetic pickup. Now using a propik with a plasticy tip. Like the sound better. Retains the bass without the rasp. Anyone any tips about finger picks. I dont use them at the moment but my second finger - nails split every two weeks or so. Phil

 

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Don't know about finger picks but here's what I do about my nails:

 

I use that 3/4" blue construction tape (it's the best, tried many others) under and wrap around the top of nail , you have to cut an oblique angle of the tape about 40 degrees or so and throw in a curve to it , should be about 1 1/4" long or so .

Slide it under your nail and wrap it around and squeze it all together tight.

Fold it over to the outside and trim with nail clippers.You have to work with it but you'll get it.

Makes pickin slighltly difficult but saves the nail giving it time to grow, and reduce chips, during a gig just don't use it then and put back on for most of a practice session.

Oddly enough I found accidently that as I get better at finger pickin I get more acurate and need less nail length, which makes occasional finger tap style possible.

Keep a good pack of nail files (through away cheapies) and keep nails filed perfct with all smooth edges.

Lastly make sure your not super deficient in calcium.

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[digitalsnipe]

 

Originally posted by Jerry NT This could turn interesting. I stopped using thumb and fingerpicks because they were too firm and inflexible. Now that we have the internet and GC, it opens the possiblility that there are some picks out there that are not, if I get your gist. Comments on the various picks?

 

 

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I know what you mean. The Fred Kelly's I use are made from a softer (nylon) material with the trade name Delrin. I have a large thumb and the Thin Slick Pick fits it comfortably. The "thin" means that it has been molded to taper from the point of where it protrudes from the thumb to the tip and is actually quite thin at the tip. I use it playing my classical and it really performs there for me. There is less of the audible "thump" in recordings than the polycarbs. The thins are yellow (color coded). It is equally suited to my acoustic playing.

 

In the past I have used polycarbs and, not much of one to frequent the music stores, thought they were the state of the art. Then one fine day I did saunter into a store and found these Slick Picks. I came home and plugged in Fred Kelly's thumbpicks into the address bar and up came a bunch of stores carrying them. I bought 10 for about 75 cents each.

 

Regarding length - these seem to be the optimum length (for me) out of the package. I also have tried Zookies (L-30) which is compensated but entirely too long. These I reworked with files and sandpaper to get the profile I like and they work pretty well. The wrap is comfortable across the top of the thumb and that, along with the compensated profile, is why I bought them.

[Bajazz]

 

Originally posted by Jerry NT This could turn interesting. I stopped using thumb and fingerpicks because they were too firm and inflexible. Now that we have the internet and GC, it opens the possiblility that there are some picks out there that are not, if I get your gist. Comments on the various picks?

+1

 

I could be a thumbpickers now haven't it been for the excactly same reason. Think I will try to find a light one...

[fatback]

Thankyou Strat and Jerry

 

I have found some that filing my nails as seemed to help. I'm from the UK so I treat my nails much the same way I treat my teeth.

 

Thanks again

 

Phil

[strat2]

"...I'm from the UK so I treat my nails much the same way I treat my teeth."fatback

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Ha!Good one fatback,

 

My middle finger gets the heaviest wear usually.

So I do what I can to spread the load to the other fingers.

 

I've got a lot of senority on guitar but only about 4 years on finger pickin so I'm no virtuoso with finger pickin,still I try to use the little finger just like the rest . I think a lot of people try to avoid using it,just takes a bit of time but it can do a great job.

 

Also on 'strumming intensive' tunes , I decided to learn to do nice job of strumming with just one finger or two at a time and any of the four by themselves , or all at once. I think Malaguena is a great tune to play for keeping the chops up.

The beginning is borring to me so sometimes I'll skip it or play it a little different , then I also make up whole lot of other parts in the tune as I go along.

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[fatback]

Yes I've played for a long time but only a little while fingerpicking. I on occation use my little finger - mainly when I want to pick a note outside the melody.

 

Phil

[digitalsnipe]

I've used the 5th finger from day one - thought that was the way fingerstyle was supposed to be. Been 30 years fingerstyle now and one thing I've learned is using all 5 can sometimes be "less". Things can get a little sophisticated (unnecessarily complex) and the music suffers. So, NOT using the 5th finger has become a discipline I have to keep in mind. It seems to naturally be on the hunt for a note to sound at this point.

 

I also use Malaguena as an exercise. It can be fun improvising a mock version and it is a great workout.

 

Years ago I tried using steel fingerpicks and polycarbon thumbpick. It was a futile and fruitless endeavor so I went to fingernails and bare thumb. I have talon-hard fingernails but never developed use of the thumbnail. With these Fred Kelly's thumbpicks my playing is balanced for the 1st time in ages. It's much more fun now. I'm not brand-conscious - it just so happens that the picks I identify here are the ones I "discovered". I'm sure there are other makers with similar products.

[strat2]

True ,that's a good point .

Less is very often more .

There's a lot of phrases that'll smoke if you sans the pinky and go thumb,mid index,..smoke.

But If I was teaching guitar, just like at work training an apprentice...

"Learn this our mf way , and when we ask, you better be able to show us you learned it right. And then after you've got it right, change it up and do it however you want as it suites you..."

 

Where do you guys find your picks?/, the only music store within 90 miles of here has one pick in a littel box behind a display window. I think they'll order another one once it's sold.

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[Jerry NT]

 

Originally posted by strat2 True ,that's a good point . Less is very often more . There's a lot of phrases that'll smoke if you sans the pinky and go thumb,mid index,..smoke. But If I was teaching guitar, just like at work training an apprentice... "Learn this our mf way , and when we ask, you better be able to show us you learned it right. And then after you've got it right, change it up and do it however you want as it suites you..." Where do you guys find your picks?/, the only music store within 90 miles of here has one pick in a littel box behind a display window. I think they'll order another one once it's sold. - -

 

 

 

You can order online from Musician's Friend or Music 123. Probably other stores also.

[digitalsnipe]

Originally posted by strat2 Where do you guys find your picks?/, the only music store within 90 miles of here has one pick in a littel box behind a display window. I think they'll order another one once it's sold. -

 

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Ordered mine from www.bigcitystrings.com They just arrived today smatterafact. They're in Bridgeport, CT.

PH: 800-275-2971.

[strat2]

Thanks guys,

 

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[Rocinante]

I have some Fred Kelly (white) speedpicks, and occasionally get one out to attempt country licks a la Brent Mason/Doyle Dykes, but I'm a newbie to this style. I have a problem using the thumpick longer than a few minutes because I lose circulation and sensation in the thumb. Is this normal? How do professionals deal with these things?

[tamolina]

We begin guitar playing to impress girls and we end up talking to other men about our fingernails. Is that what they call "irony"?

[digitalsnipe]

 

Originally posted by Rocinante I have some Fred Kelly (white) speedpicks, and occasionally get one out to attempt country licks a la Brent Mason/Doyle Dykes, but I'm a newbie to this style. I have a problem using the thumpick longer than a few minutes because I lose circulation and sensation in the thumb. Is this normal? How do professionals deal with these things?

 

 

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The white is too stiff and has a tenacious grip on the thumb. Try the yellow. It's thin and has less tension.

 

Yes, Tamolina, women often like to see the softer side of men and delight in the idea of having something in common that they can actually offer advice/help with at the personal level. Furthermore, my wife is a cosmetologist and has often worked with men who regularly get manicures - straight men who maintain an elevated sense of vanity. Or, if you prefer, men who allow their feminine sides a little more air-time. Professional men who work with clients and the general public like a good looking set of fingernails, for appearance's sake, as they shuffle papers past their customers. She has also manicured men who play guitar and help them keep their nails healthy and stong.

 

I'm a mechanic and have to be real careful. Bowling is not one of my hobbies.

[fatback]

Order mine from elderly instruments

 

Phil