kebob Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Just seeking some insight on using a thumb pick vs. flesh when fingerpicking. I've always just used my bare flesh when finger picking. I've tried thumb picks before, but never stuck with it long enough to get over the hump. I like the sound of a thumb pick (more pronounced rhythmic "thump") but like the versatility of just being able to grab a guitar and go to town with skin to string. What's been your experience -- anyone ever switch to one, then switch back again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 The in between : The nail. Not too long/short cut then sanded in the right curve (nothing scientific) and sometimes stabilized with a transparent lacquer. Gives a good sound much clearer than the flesh and keeps the close contact with the instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I could never get the thumb picks to work either, so I just use with the good lord gave me, flesh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 The in between : The nail. Not too long/short cut then sanded in the right curve (nothing scientific) and sometimes stabilized with a transparent lacquer. Gives a good sound much clearer than the flesh and keeps the close contact with the instrument. Agree on that one, in my limited experience. In the deep dark past, I used both a thumb pick and metal finger picks. Not exactly sure what sound I was after back then, but those puppies are still lurking in my parts boxes, like the fingers of some Harry Potter villain. Lord Voldemort nail extensions. Of course, McGuinn has been known to use them playing 12-string electric, but he was really a banjo player who saw the light and repented of his evil ways. Haven't gotten to the nail lacquer stage yet. The super-macho guys I work with already look at me strangely, and I do break a lot of nails at work. Left hand with no nails and these weird creases in the ends of my fingers, claws on my right hand. Clearly some kind of pervert, into god knows what. Maybe I should just go with four bright red nails on my right hand, and let it all hang out...... James Taylor is to blame for this whole problem...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kebob Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 The in between : The nail. Not too long/short cut then sanded in the right curve (nothing scientific) and sometimes stabilized with a transparent lacquer. Gives a good sound much clearer than the flesh and keeps the close contact with the instrument. Do you use a thumb pick? I assume you don't use your thumb nail, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Im not the best person to answer as Im just a relative fingerpicking beginner (but with established instinct) and for me flesh and nail feels right. Im still learning to pick with strength and authority but having the thumb next to the string, and literally touching feels natural to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Do you use a thumb pick? I assume you don't use your thumb nail, right? It's hard for me to see how my words could be diffuse or misunderstood, but for H's sake don't let that be an issue. Yes, I use my personal ever growing right hand horn-pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Agree on that one, in my limited experience. In the deep dark past, I used both a thumb pick and metal finger picks. Not exactly sure what sound I was after back then, but those puppies are still lurking in my parts boxes, like the fingers of some Harry Potter villain. Lord Voldemort nail extensions. Of course, McGuinn has been known to use them playing 12-string electric, but he was really a banjo player who saw the light and repented of his evil ways. My original steel claws from the late 70's very soon got out of shape, some even totally flat. Impressed you still got yours. Haven't gotten to the nail lacquer stage yet. The super-macho guys I work with already look at me strangely, and I do break a lot of nails at work. Left hand with no nails and these weird creases in the ends of my fingers, claws on my right hand. Clearly some kind of pervert, into god knows what. Maybe I should just go with four bright red nails on my right hand, and let it all hang out...... James Taylor is to blame for this whole problem...... Hehe he, yeah, it takes some kind of man-material to wear his nails long. Admit I'm not that macho, , , but never gave a sh.. Take it or leave it girls, , , I play the guitar. Almost - for countless are the times when I found myself lifting cups and glasses in the most peculiar finger-positions while dating as a youngster. I even cut them to half size before certain highly important meetings. The important thing is to keep them clean. My good friend Ed was a car-mechanic. Those black traces of oil on his young ambitious hands created huge probs. He later became a sound engineer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 For me, a thumbpick provides more volumn. On theotherhand, my bare thumb gives me what I hear as a deeper, more somber tone. Depends on what I need for the song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I use my bare thumb most of the time. I've tried thumb picks many times, and the only way I was ever able to make it work was to sand the edge down almost level with flesh(basically making the pick useless). I do use regular thumb picks with lap steel though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Flesh, but not because I think it sounds better -- rather, I just never could get comfortable contorting my hand in a way that I could hit the right string with the thumb while keeping my fingers in position as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenumber2 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I use both flesh and thumb pick but prefer the pick. Out of the box they are all too long so I sand it down so it's basically just a small extension of my thumbnail. Feels natural to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Fingers . My first guitar was a classical ... so I translated that skin-string contact to the steel strings . JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I can pick with the flesh of my thumb, but I much prefer to use Fred Kelly Slick Picks. They're shorter than most other thumbpicks and just plain work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6stringTom Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I've been playing with plastic thumb pick and metal finger picks for 50 years. I started using them because I saw a picture of Big Bill Broonzy wearing them. Seemed like a reason at the time. It's all personal preference, of course, but the picks do provide consistency of volume, tone, attack. I have pretty strong nails, but I'm glad I started out with picks and I don't remember being bothered by them. Maybe that's because I started using them when my fretting fingers hurt so bad I just didn't notice much else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 For me, a thumbpick provides more volumn. On theotherhand, my bare thumb gives me what I hear as a deeper, more somber tone. Depends on what I need for the song. This works for me, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Leo Kottke. watch and learn. if you want volume, them grow your nail out just enough to nick the string on your down stroke after a flesh strike. That's usually how Leo does it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Leo playing my 1951 J45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteGalaxie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 When playing electric guitar I use a plectrum, but when I started playing finger style acoustic it seemed natural for me to use my bare thumb. I played like this for a number of years. I decided to try thumbpicks. At first, they really felt odd and I didn't like them. I continued to experiment using them and now use them 99% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I have no choice as I have never been able to get the hang of a thumbpick. But one of the great advantages of not using one is the freedom to use different parts of your thumb to attack the low end. I love, as example, slapping the low E with the side of my slightly bent thumb by the nuckle joint. A very different kind of sound than say using the tip or outside corner or edge of the nail. Just a great thump. Also it is alot easier for me to pinch strings between my thumb and first finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 But one of the great advantages of not using one is the freedom to use different parts of your thumb to attack the low end. I love, as example, slapping the low E with the side of my slightly bent thumb by the nuckle joint. A very different kind of sound than say using the tip or outside corner or edge of the nail. Just a great thump. Also it is alot easier for me to pinch strings between my thumb and first finger. ZW, are you talkin' playin' the guitar here, or foreplay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Leo playing my 1951 J45. Ha!! Cool!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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