houndman55 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hey, How do you deal with the ever present problem of dropping the plectrum into the guitar? Some kind of technique or do you striclty play fingerstyle? I recently purchased a set of finger picks (those things banjo and dobro players use) but I haven't gotten into the technique yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I used to drop a pick into the guitar regularly. Only now reading this I'm realising it hasn't happened in years. can only assume it's a technique thing. But I honestly haven't been thinking about technique to avoid this happening . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 ...can only assume it's a technique thing. As I see it, it's really an "experience" thing that only time and technique will cure. When learning to play, I remember losing the pick in the soundhole many times. I got REAL good at shaking it out. Just keep on practicing, eventually you will stop dropping your pick. I also remember trying a thumb pick for this very same reason (and later for "fingerstyle" technique), but never took to the appendage permanently affixed in one position to my thumb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I used to drop a pick into the guitar regularly. Only now reading this I'm realising it hasn't happened in years. can only assume it's a technique thing. But I honestly haven't been thinking about technique to avoid this happening . As I see it, it's really an "experience" thing that only time and technique will cure. When learning to play, I remember losing the pick in the soundhole many times. I got REAL good at shaking it out. Just keep on practicing, eventually you will stop dropping your pick. ... Can confirm the lines I quoted from BBG and L5L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Can confirm the lines I quoted from BBG and L5L. what do you mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi, Have you thought about using some Gorilla Snot? I had this delivered into my e-mail and I couldn't believe what I was seeing! http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/accessories-c2/plectrums-c50/guitar-plectrum-grip-c600/gorilla-snot-pick-honey-premium-guitar-pick-grip-made-in-usa-p8854?mc_cid=4f05538263&mc_eid=e8424fb88c I was going to post it in the Lounge to see if anyone else had heard of it, I think I'll do that now. Seems kind of funny to me. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 what do you mean ? Sorry, confirming was meant for these things happening to me the same way, not for having witnessed them happening to you and L5L. Honestly, I wasn't there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 ... Gorilla Snot? .... I was going to post it in the Lounge to see if anyone else had heard of it .... Yes, it's been available for a loong time. They make it for other stuff - like drum sticks - http://www.gorillasnotusa.com/ There's also picks available with a variety of grips. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 It doesn't seem to happen much unless you start thinking and talking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nopicknick Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I don't use a pick but I have had bridge pins fly in there while changing strings quite often...LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenverSteve Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 How do you deal with the ever present problem of dropping the plectrum into the guitar? I don't do it ever. I guess the answer is play & practice more. Or ... get a grip ... on your pick. If you are attacking the strings at a difficult angle, change your angle of attack to reduce the resistance you're experiencing. Maybe playing for 40 years helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The more pick-experience the less drops. Wonder how big a percentage of your drops go into the hole, that would good to hear. I still drop picks in the box and out in blue air, but much more seldom than when I took up flatpicking again a few years ago. Still a farce to see me get them out. . Any tricks. . ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The last pick that I lost inside a guitar was through the F-hole on my 335, not a good situation. Wife to the rescue (I can always rely on her), she manoeuvred it so the plectrum was under the F-hole, then picked it up using a pencil with Blue-Tack on the end. I don't know what the U.S equivalent of Blue-Tack is. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The last pick that I lost inside a guitar was through the F-hole on my 335, not a good situation. Wife to the rescue (I can always rely on her), she manoeuvred it so the plectrum was under the F-hole, then picked it up using a pencil with Blue-Tack on the end. I don't know what the U.S equivalent of Blue-Tack is. Ian Ouuh, for an F-hole situation - cheers to your wife and don't ever divorce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The more pick-experience the less drops. Wonder how big a percentage of your drops go into the hole, that would good to hear. I still drop picks in the box and out in blue air, but much more seldom than when I took up flatpicking again a few years ago. Still a farce to see me get them out. . Any tricks. . ? Turn the guitar upside down, and shake. Works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 graph tech tusq I finally learned - after moving from fingerpicking to pickpicking - how to get the picks out relatively easily. Hold the guitar flat, looking into the hole. Gently shake until the pick bounces past the braces and is situated right below the soundhole. Then, in one quick, clean motion - turn the guitar upside down in an arc - this will keep the pick in place until you have the guitar exactly upside down - then centrifigal force will release the pick and it will fall straight down out of the soundhole. Once I figured this out - I stopped dropping them in. Either because it wasn't as much fun anymore getting them out - or as others have noted, I just learned through experience. On a side note - similar to my search for the perfect guitar - I've been searching for the perfect plectrum. I think I've finally found one that is about as good as possible. GraphTech Tusq. They are thinner but stonger than most picks. Less flexible, so I only need a .68. They have a slightly raised surface on both sides with their name/brand which gives a good grip. No scratchy sound. Nice and clear. Bag of 6 goes for around $5 at SamAsh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I've been having problems holding on to my picks lately. I've done a lot of experimenting and trying out different ones. My favorites are the Fender 355 Heavy. Seems like everything I try still requires s grip. I'm going to track some kind of tacky sports grip stuff on a pick and see how it works. Lately, when I loose one it goes to the floor, not in the guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 For me it's like dropping a penny in a urinal, I'm not going in for just one. Keep a pocket full of them and get them out when you change strings. As for fingerpicks the only way to get used to them is to stick with them IMO. On off on off it won't happen-commit and you'll never go back to bare tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzafrank Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 For me it's like dropping a penny in a urinal, I'm not going in for just one. Keep a pocket full of them and get them out when you change strings. As for fingerpicks the only way to get used to them is to stick with them IMO. On off on off it won't happen-commit and you'll never go back to bare tips. aliasphobias, Curious as to what type of finger picks you use? I use metal for fingers and plastic for thumb but only for banjo. Can't seem to have any luck with them on my guitar. Just me or wrong picks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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