Thumb and finger picks

[bluefoxicy]

Anyone know something that acts like an extended fingernail for a pick? Actually I'd love some sort of ring that slides on and lets you hook up a guitar pick, like clip in a dunlop tortex.. but it'd probably be unstable

[jcwillow777]

I used to have a 5 string banjo and had some metal finger picks and a thumb pick that I used when playing it. I still have the metal finger picks, for I while I used them when I played my acoustic, it gave it a lot brighter tone and really made my Martin sing. I don't remember who makes them, but I'm sure you could get them at any music store that sells picks.

[JEPI]

Take good vitamins for strength, allow your fingernails to grow, keep them trimmed to the right length and pick away forever...Acoustic and Electric;;;You can pick bright and mellow or even attack when you choose with or without a pick. Always did it and still love it.........J

[L_Mo]

I play with a thumbpick when I do fingerstyle. There are plastic and metal versions, dunlop makes some. I usually stick to the plastic ones and file them down to taste for flexibility. They're good for fingerstyle, but yet if you just grip it like a pick, it works like a normal pick, too (especially when filed down a bit).

 

Growing out your nails works just fine, but they can be a little.. unsightly.. on some people. Depends on your hands, I guess.

[evol04gt]

i used to use a thumb pick with accoustics to use my fingers for some percussion attack... i cannot grow fingers out (in sales....and nothing that would be a benifit to looking like a vampire...) due to my career.... the finger picks are cool... its nice to change it up... like using one of those egg pick things.

[garyelcrrt1281733995]

Many years ago, an old guitar player told me that pickers used to use multiple layers of single ply tissue and clear nail polish until built up to the proer level, the clipped and filed into shape. After the show, nail polish remover and zip, short nails again!

[garyelcrrt1281733995]

BTW, check out an Australian named Tommy Emanuel - if, perchance, you'd like to see on of the truly best fingerpickers out there.

[wedgeSG]

I'm pretty sure Tommy Emanuel uses thumb picks occasionally from Fred Kelly. I got one of their "Bumblebees" just to goof around with. Their thumb picks are generally thought to be some of the best available. Google Fred Kelly Picks to get hold of them direct. I personally love their flat picks which nobody seems to stock. I think even MF carries their thumbpicks though. The Bumblebee pick part rotates on the thumb cuff/sleeve/wrap to position it where you want it to protrude, pretty neat l'il pick. Wedgie