Anyone else not using a Pick?

[strangedogs]

Been playing since the 60's (started on acoustic with Folk)... in the 70's I went to a Les Paul and Marshall Stack and to this day never liked picks. I use them SOMETIMES for Metal - but even then 90% of everything I do is with my fingertips, nails, etc. I can play death metal very well with my fingertips and thumb nail (pinch harmonics, etc)... I fingerpick most of the time - Picks just feel "foreign" to me?

[matiac]

If I wanna sound like Jeff Beck, the pick gets tossed, otherwise, I use 'em.

[joshyguitar93]

well i suppose tht picks are more common nower days, well i play acoustic with my fingers because the string width is wider but when i play electric i play with a pick 90% of the time. to be honest i never use my nails but then i hardly got any lol

[Parabar]

I use a pick most of the time, but besides Jeff Beck, two other notable guitarists who are known for not using 'em are Wes Montgomery and Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf's guitarist, and a major contributor to blues guitar styling).

 

Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna also frequently plays fingerstyle. All the variables are part of what make guitar such a fascinating instrument --- and make the same instrument sound so different in the hands of different players.

[joshyguitar93]

yer...the lead guitarist from Dire Straights uses his thum and fingers when he solos

[Belzeebub]

I use picks unless, Im doing some rhythm strumming (funk & some type of jazz stuff). I like to use my fingers in those cases.

[strangedogs]

never knew that about Hubert Sumlin.... I'm a Howlin' Wolf nut - I play a lot of his stuff - Lil' Red Rooster is one of my favorite jammin' songs. I'm a Bluesaholic :-

 

And i knew about Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) - another fantastic guitarist that never gets much mention.

[Ricochet]

I use a hybrid technique picked up from SRV and Zak Wylde. At least I think I did.... Regular plectrum-picking, but using free fingers to finger-pick extra notes. I call it extra notes, cause I can't fingerpick for sh**.

[PS91]

This past year I started playing with my thumb thanks to the influence of the late, great, Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker Band.

PS: I'm loving my new worn-brown satin finish G-400 like the one on my Avatar.

[bluefoxicy]

I use a hybrid technique picked up from SRV and Zak Wylde. At least I think I did.... Regular plectrum-picking' date=' but using free fingers to finger-pick extra notes. I call it extra notes, cause I can't fingerpick for sh**.[/quote']

 

I've been getting into using this a little. It makes Cliffs of Dover work.

[L_Mo]

I do fingerstyle mostly. Sometime with a thumbpick. 1% of the time I use a pick.

[davidg3333]

After many years of playing my classical guitar using finger style I bought my Dot and have been learning to use a pick. Notes seem to sound cleaner with a pick but I feel I am more versatile finger picking. I am trying to use a combination of both. It's been a bit of a challenge adapting to a much thinner neck. Once upon a time I had a Gibson Howard Roberts (pickup above the round hole) and I never could get into it, probably because, in hindsight, it was strung with very heavy strings. I couldn't play it too well either with a pick or with my fingers. It also had major feedback issues. I am really enjoying my Dot!

[Belzeebub]

 

I've been getting into using this a little. It makes Cliffs of Dover work.

 

Yup. Eric Johnson is a master at that technique. Not sure if he also uses a variation of this technique to do the harp harmonics..

[TWANG]

I do all three.

why not?

TWANG

[layboomo]

I use a hybrid style as well...pick and third and fourth finger mostly. You'll find that most slide guitarist use their fingers because if you have a slide on and use a pick you are completely isolated from the guitar.....Derek Trucks,Duane etc....all play with their fingers.

[alfsboy]

I use my fingers ,mainly because I lost my pick years ago and just could not be bothered to buy another .I had been doing some folk music as well as bluegrass ,all on acoustics,using my fingers so I just carried on from there..I use the fleshy part of my finger s and find it very quick now .If I try using a pick now ,it seems too heavy and clunky .I do play blues and jazz mainly now .if I reverted to bluegrass i would have to use a pick again I think .

[strangedogs]

yeah for me it's basically just the tips of my fingers (I have small callouses on my picking fingers too) and the flat part of my nail - I really keep mine short too but the flat part of index (top) is used as a pick sometimes and the thumbnail "top" is used for harmonics, etc. I developed a super-light touch and I let the electronics do all the "work"... may have sprung from a combination of Folk in the 60's and also slide "bottleneck" blues...