Make Your Own Guitar Picks For Free

[Casey4s]

I make picks from stiff leather.

 

 

Oh that's cool... What shape are you making them? How thick is the pick compared to a regular Fender type pick?

 

Got any photos?

[ToneSlinger]

:thu: The part I enjoy most about the actual building of an amp is fabrication. I like the problem solving involved in finding ways to make as much from scratch as I possibly can, even if some of it doesn't have that profesional touch. I have learned a lot of cool stuff to build amps.

same here. I'm into the woodworking side of things so fabricating cabinets and such for guitar amps is most of the fun!

I've even built a few guitars but will never do that again. dang that is a lot of work.

[ToneSlinger]

What else am gonna do with all the tools I insist that I need.

use the tools to build more storage for MORE tools!

[Casey4s]

I just couldn't help myself, I got to thinking about materials to make picks out of so I rummaged through my shop (Garage) this afternoon and made some more picks.

One from .063 Amuminum (( Edit: Correction it is .050))

One from White Plexiglass

One from a thicker Clear Plexiglass

And three from Black Walnut

EDIT:

I checked all the materials with a Digital Caliper and the thinkness are as follows:

.03" Brass

.04" Regular pick

.05" Aluminum

.06" White Plexi Glass

.11" Black Walnut

.11" Clear Plexi Glass

[hrcnsfan]

Casey,
Those black walnut picks look very sweet. How do they sound? It also looks like you started with wood that was a bit thicker than what you finished with. How much work was that?

[Casey4s]

Casey, Those black walnut picks look very sweet. How do they sound? It also looks like you started with wood that was a bit thicker than what you finished with. How much work was that?

 

 

 

Actually the Walnut picks sound pretty good and are not as rough on acoustic guitar strings like the metal ones which are OK for electric.

 

It took a few minutes on a big belt sander to get the wood down to a usable thickness. I had to make a "Jig" to hold the thin wood on the sander so I didn't take my finger tips off.

 

The Aluminum pick worked well too, actually the only one that was cumbersome was the thick Clear Plexi pick.

[ToneSlinger]

Actually the Walnut picks sound pretty good and are not as rough on acoustic guitar strings like the metal ones which are OK for electric. It took a few minutes on a big belt sander to get the wood down to a usable thickness. I had to make a "Jig" to hold the thin wood on the sander so I didn't take my finger tips off. The Aluminum pick worked well too, actually the only one that was cumbersome was the thick Clear Plexi pick.

 

 

Casey's posts have now been incorporated into a new article that builds on my simple idea. He took it to the next level.

 

check out the article here.

 

Taking Custom Picks to The Next Level Article

[skuller]

i've used the corner of a credit card once.

it was a bummer.

[justinulpherdt]

When I was starting out on guitar (49 years ago!) the nearest music store was 50 miles away. So I would cut up an old Hi-Lex bleach bottle for picks. Had to make a lot of them, because they shredded out in a short time.

[daklander]

do they soften up over time?

 

 

Not really. They actually will stiffen up, what with sweat and all and can be made very stiff.

[daklander]

Oh that's cool... What shape are you making them? How thick is the pick compared to a regular Fender type pick? Got any photos?

 

 

I make the using the standard Fender pick shape. The thickness will depend on the leather but they'll end up about 1/8" thick, give or take. The tip is shaped to taste and you can have it quite flexible or pretty stiff. To get them very stiff you can soak the pick in water and throw it in a fry pan for a short while. Ya gotta pay attention!!!!!

Old, stiff belts or harness leather work well. I use an old, well used leather belt that was used to hang a tool pouch from so it's sweat soaked and quite stiff in some areas.

Use a good pair of leather or metal shears to cut them to rough shape and finish off with rasps to get the size, thickness and tip taper where you want it. Normally if you want to really stiffen it up you'll make it somewhat larger because it will shrink when soaked and cooked.

They work great for bass guitar and give a heavier tone to picking, almost like fingers with short nails but a bit edgier.

 

No photos, I gave the last ones I made away so the next time I make some I'll grab a couple of photos and post them.

[mrbrown49]

I make the using the standard Fender pick shape. The thickness will depend on the leather but they'll end up about 1/8" thick, give or take. The tip is shaped to taste and you can have it quite flexible or pretty stiff. To get them very stiff you can soak the pick in water and throw it in a fry pan for a short while. Ya gotta pay attention!!!!! Old, stiff belts or harness leather work well. I use an old, well used leather belt that was used to hang a tool pouch from so it's sweat soaked and quite stiff in some areas. Use a good pair of leather or metal shears to cut them to rough shape and finish off with rasps to get the size, thickness and tip taper where you want it. Normally if you want to really stiffen it up you'll make it somewhat larger because it will shrink when soaked and cooked. They work great for bass guitar and give a heavier tone to picking, almost like fingers with short nails but a bit edgier. No photos, I gave the last ones I made away so the next time I make some I'll grab a couple of photos and post them.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I just need to find a scrap of leather.

[ToneSlinger]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I just need to find a scrap of leather.

yea, i'm getting kinda interested in the leather idea.

[Cogwulf]

I sometimes make picks from old CDs, but its hard to cut them without it cracking, but once its been sanded to shape it sounds great

[ToneSlinger]

I make the using the standard Fender pick shape. The thickness will depend on the leather but they'll end up about 1/8" thick, give or take. The tip is shaped to taste and you can have it quite flexible or pretty stiff. To get them very stiff you can soak the pick in water and throw it in a fry pan for a short while. Ya gotta pay attention!!!!! Old, stiff belts or harness leather work well. I use an old, well used leather belt that was used to hang a tool pouch from so it's sweat soaked and quite stiff in some areas. Use a good pair of leather or metal shears to cut them to rough shape and finish off with rasps to get the size, thickness and tip taper where you want it. Normally if you want to really stiffen it up you'll make it somewhat larger because it will shrink when soaked and cooked. They work great for bass guitar and give a heavier tone to picking, almost like fingers with short nails but a bit edgier. No photos, I gave the last ones I made away so the next time I make some I'll grab a couple of photos and post them.

 

 

dak,

if you take pics of how to make these kinda picks step by step, i'd like to post them on my website with the article that started this whole thread.

[Magnus616]

Hello together,
I have not made picks by myself, because I spend the most time on building guitar-fx...

...but my father has made some of them and I thought that I just have to post it here:






Greetings
Magnus

[ToneSlinger]

Hello together, I have not made picks by myself, because I spend the most time on building guitar-fx... ...but my father has made some of them and I thought that I just have to post it here: Greetings Magnus

Those are cool!

[jwu]

Show them to the other chicks in class. They should be pretty impressed.

 

 

That was totally my pickup line for years: "Hey baby, wanna see my pick?"

[jwu]

BTW:

 

http://www.woodenpicks.com/

[Casey4s]

Wood picks are pretty cool, after the first three I made a dozen more out of walnut and I'm looking around for some more woods to try out.

[isaac42]

i've used the corner of a credit card once. it was a bummer.

 

 

When I was in high school, we'd use the clips that hold bread bags closed. Called 'em bread picks. Better than nothing.

[phaboo]

After posting in this thread a few minutes ago I stared looking around for something more "Stiff" to make picks out of. I used to play with a quarter (25 cent coin) but it was hard to hold on to. So I decided to make a brass one just for grins . . .

 

 

Very kuwl! I've been using Dunlop steel picks for ages (do they even make them any more?) I bought 50 about 20 years ago and haven't had to buy any sense--they never wear. I just lose them now and then.

[Casey4s]

I found some "Sugar maple" lying around so I made some more picks...













Thickness jig to bring the pick blank down to .11" or .07"


The .11" side ....


... and the .07" side....


... a .07" blank and a 1/4" thick blank...




... the only thing left is final shaping with sandpaper or nai file...

[ToneSlinger]

Casey,
If you aren't careful you're going to go into business making these guitar picks selling them online!

I'm sure some guitar stores would love to sell these custom picks at the counter. For a couple of bucks, customers will see em and go, "hey, thats kinda cool... yea i'll take one."

[Casey4s]

Casey, If you aren't careful you're going to go into business making these guitar picks selling them online! I'm sure some guitar stores would love to sell these custom picks at the counter. For a couple of bucks, customers will see em and go, "hey, thats kinda cool... yea i'll take one."

 

 

Hahahaha.... no I'm not really interested in a business, but several of my friends really like the wood ones and I've given a bunch of them away already. It's a good way to get rid of some scrap lumber pieces and it keeps me amused.