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Grip a Pick


Dave F

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If it's possible to not make fun of my pick selection, I have a question.

 

Recently with the onset of arthritis in my knuckles, I find it harder to hold on to the guitar pick. Smaller ones are more difficult.

 

I've done some playing around and recently I have been using the one on the bottom with adhesive backed rubber applied. It helps but not that great.

 

Before that I used the Gorilla Snot that works very well but a pain to kept track of.

 

I have two new things I'm going to try. One has a PicTac glob applied. Very tacky and I have high hopes. The other one has been dipped in that rubber stuff they sell on TV. Doesn't feel bad.

 

The question - Have you been down this road and if so, what did you come up with?

 

7918D68B-76BE-47E4-BB51-F47C28B1AA69_zpsvqksi2l3.jpg

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Dave-I personally play with a thumb pick. You might try one as it wraps around the thumb, but you can also additionally make it work like a flat-pick by gripping its underside with your index finger while it sits on your thumb. Just something you might want to try if keeping a flat pick gripped in place is becoming a problem. Been playing with a thumb pick for about 55 years now instead of a flat pick. For some reason I started with a thumb pick instead of a flat pick at age 9.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

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So far I've managed to get along w/a Fender one size down from the Fenders shown a couple posts back - which is a size up from what I used before. How long that'll last if and when my arthritis decides to further assert itself crosses my mind every so often, and I've wondered about exactly the remedies you mention. I can't use a thumbpick 'cause they don't come nearly big enough. When you figure it out, please share w/the forum as I expect there are a fair number of us who need, or will be needing, ideas....

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I have exactly the same problem, and find it hard to grip a pick firmly enough that it doesn't rotate in my fingers or constantly feel like it's slipping away. I play mostly with a Red Bear with holes drilled in it, but that's a mediocre solution.

 

Thinking of trying one of those hybrid thumb/flat picks, but I'm real picky about getting the right tone.

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I haven't gotten bad fingers yet. My slowly deteriorating shoulder usually gets most of my attention. I have two suggestions. The first is V-Picks. If you haven't tried them, they stick to your fingers like glue. It's remarkable. They also make picks with varying thicknesses if a thin pick is to difficult to "pinch" with your fingers. The other is a stone pick. I bought a stone pick at the Healdsburg guitar festival one year. It was carved from stone, quite thick, and had indents for your first finger and thumb so that they could remain "captive" in the indents. In short, your fingers were locked into a correct position. I was told that they were very popular in Europe or France. Does this description make sense?

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I've been through a few picks including thumb picks, V-picks and any new thing on the market.

 

Problem seems to be as Nick mentioned with the pick slipping.

 

I'm finding that a slightly thicker, tacky or textured surface is the trick.

 

I've got three more things to try below.

 

Tacky bandage wrap, a textured tape and a bandage tape.

 

7B76B759-D949-47B4-B1DF-10BAC46EB2F2_zpsf0qhrmt1.jpg

 

Even the great ones like EC has to deal with hand issues,

 

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I was at the hardware store today, thought of this thread, and bought a foot of this stuff

 

It cost $1.23 USD and there's probably enough tape to outfit ~40 picks. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

photo_37.jpg

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I hear the that simple, small square of first aid tape* stuck on the pick works quite well.

 

(* that heavy, white Johnson & Johnson type stuff from the corner drugstore)

 

Second. I've used it quite a bit. Being white, it eventually does get a darker shade of pale. This is that tape you cana see the cross weaves on, and tear easily.

Eventually, in my Kung-Fu Panda-like never ending search for 'The Perfect Plectrum', i found one that I've stuck with for a few years that has raised lettering on both sides that works a bit better. "Tusq".

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I've done my testing. The rubber dip wins hands down. Does not add a lot of thickness, is not spongy and the surface grips very well without being sticky.

 

84F071D8-D1CE-4241-83EE-167ADA7C888A_zpself7u49m.jpg

 

Other test - Bathtub tread strip - Not bad but I like the dip better

 

69C8A4C6-DD24-4CBE-8F91-DDF9C33B8061_zpslnzcnzct.jpg

 

White bandage tape - too smooth. I know when I was a kid we would get that tape you wrap around the handle of the ball bat. I think that would work better.

 

DCE4E647-5358-4A3F-ABEE-74796D886BFF_zpsbl7bmaek.jpg

 

Other test were tacky elastic wrap (too spongy), PicTac (too sticky) and a couple other too spongy tapes.

 

I found these on the web and ordered a few to try out.

 

rock_control.jpg

 

If you would like to try out a dipped grip, PM me with what shape and thickness you like along with your address and I try to get one ( or something close) to you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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