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Topic: Your basic "new-guy's question about picks |
Craig Bartock
From:
California, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2011 4:01 pm |
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A little advice please. Here's where I'm at .... long time guitar player who has never worn finger picks before. I've been playing a Goldtone 8 string lap steel for about 3 months now without picks because it's more of what I'm used to. It feels more like what I've been comfortable with all these years playing acoustic guitar. Today I just got my shiny brand new Stage One from Doug and I'm wondering..
1. Do all pedal steel players use finger picks or do some play without?
2. Any suggestions on brands, etc? I was looking at amazon, and they have these..
http://www.amazon.com/National-Brand-Fingerpicks-Thumbpicks-Guitar/dp/B002R2IUEW/ref=lh_ni_t
Any thoughts or suggestions?? |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2011 4:51 pm
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Give em a try... it takes some getting used to.
Sounds better for the clean sound in my opinion.
Probably at least 95% use picks
I use Nationals and Fred Kelly Speed thumb pick.
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 28 Apr 2011 4:56 pm You've come to the right place....
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Hang on for bucket o' info. 
I think I can answer your questions generally:
1. Some pedal steel players don't use picks. Now those I've seen not using picks will have a thumb pick on but no finger picks.
You're doing right to try both ways & find what you like best. I'm capable of going without finger picks, but I like the sound of finger picks, so I use them.
2. You should get plenty of replies as to brands. I'll cut to the chase in that I think there are a couple of guys (1 for sure, Doug Rolfe maybe?) that rubber coat the finger area of the pick so that they're more comfortable, both Nationals & Dunlops. If you like Nationals, you should see about getting some of those. They're the deal now, IMO.
Hope that helps. |
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Craig Bartock
From:
California, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2011 5:30 pm
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| Ken and Rex, thanks for the advice. I know that without the finger picks I won't get that brightness that I hear in so many recordings. The Stage One doesn't have a tone control like the Goldtone does, so there's a bit less high end coming out into the board. I think I'll pick some up and see if I can work 'em in. After so many years of being a guitar player by trade, I'm really having a lot of fun with both of these instruments! |
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Elton Smith
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2011 6:40 pm
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I've played guitar for many years also.The trick I have found for finger picks is Take plenty of time to adjust them.It may take a week to get them just right.Get them so you can't feel them on ur fingers.Remeber you may have them on for hours at a time.After You get um just right some one will want to play your steel.The first thing they do is squeeze your picks togather,then you get to start all over again.lol
_________________
Gibson Les Paul
Reverend Avenger
Paul Reed Smith
Fender Telecaster
MSA S10 Classic
ShoBud
Old Peavy Amps |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Robert Vince
From:
Davenport, Florida
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Posted 17 May 2011 3:54 am New guy's question about picks
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I recently went through the same learning experience. After being discouraged I tried using thinner picks (Dunlop .013"; Elderly Music stocks them). While they give a bit tinnier sound, they are easier to adjust and are springier so they give a bit with finger movement. After a couple of months I progressed to .015" and then to .018". The tinniness is gone and my fingers have adapted to wearing them with no discomfort. Where they are positioned is also important because they can cut into the nail beds of your fingers. Dunlop also has different sizes (Small, Large) as well as thicknesses. Hope this helps.
_________________
GFI Ultra S-12, Nashville 112, Bullet Bars
Music makes life worthwhile. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 17 May 2011 5:10 am
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You will end up trying National NP2's, Dunlops - both the heaviest .025" and some lighter .018"; Kysers, Newmans, ProPiks... every time you hear about a different brand you will wonder if THAT'S what's going to "fix you." Ummmm... I can get used to any of them in a few minutes. The single best piece of advice is to have at least two full sets. One is the set you play with, the other is the set you fiddle with while watching TV, reading etc. (Having at least two sets of pliers helps too.)
When one set of picks feels more comfortable, that becomes your playing set and you go to work on the other set (in your SPARE time). The reason for this is that it's easy to spend all your practice time - the time that's supposed to be spent on making music - fiddling with picks. And they're NEVER actually "done." You will also eventually run through the eyeglass foam nosepiece-lined picks, the heatshrink tubing padded picks, the Plasti-Dip dipped picks (I prefer silicon tub caulk), and probably some others. And if you're like me you'll end up with regular plain picks, held on with spit. In my opinion, after a few years the nerve endings in your fingertips just GIVE UP HOPE and after that, they're all comfortable. |
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Doug Rolfe
From:
Indianapolis, IN
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Posted 17 May 2011 5:19 am
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| For what it's worth, my problem was getting used to having the picks comfortably stay on my fingers for extended periods of time. I tried not using picks and didn't like the sound as it was not as clear and crisp. I began to coat my on picks and found that it really helped me to get comfortable with the picks. I do sell National NP2's and Dunlops in both .0225 and .025 thicknesses. They are $4.00 per pick including shipping. You may pay for them through paypal even if you don't have a Paypal account. My e-mail address is dougrolfe@tds.net |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 17 May 2011 6:09 am
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Graig, I think you should give picks a chance. I never could use picks on regular guitar, I always wondered how others could. But after forcing myself to put them on for steel playing it worked. And I actually think the technique is easier for steel than for guitar, because of the different right hand postioning.
Now, I can even play my guitar with picks.
I have a .020 for the index and a .018 for the middle finger. Maybe they are too thin, but I like it.
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Jeremy Craft
From:
Portland, Oregon
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Posted 17 May 2011 10:04 pm
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| I went from playing lap steel and Dobro to pedal steel, and I found that the thumbpick that works better for pedal steel is the blue Herco pick. I had a couple of the biggest Dunlop thumbpicks I could find, and while they work great at cranking out low notes on a Dobro, they're too much for pedal steel. I like the length of the Herco, too, because you can even trim it if you need to. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 18 May 2011 9:19 pm Your basic new guy's question about picks.
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I personally use Showcase 1941 picks. But it is up to you. The biggest project is getting the curve of the pick fit your finger. My suggestion is, place a smooth steel rod smaller than your finger in a vice. Then with a small light hammer smoothly hammer and roll the pick around and around till you get it worked down to a tight fit on your finger. Look at the end of your finger and try to match the shape of each finger. If you have small fingers you may have to actually cut some off the ends of the wrappers and smoothe well with a file and emery cloth. Once you get them to fit then roll the corners out so they don,t dig into your skin. If you just try to just bend the pick it will have sharp bends in each hole. Many times these sharp bends in the holes will cause them to catch on each other as they pass each other while picking. Let them lay over night then try them again and see how they fit. Your fingers will swell while fitting. Check the fit the next day.
May need a little more adjustment on normal fingers. For the thumb pick, go to Ace hardware and get a piece of the safety edge for stairs sold by the foot. Lay this abrasive on a hard surface and lightly rub with a piece of steel. It has very sharp points that will hurt if not rubbed to break them off. Cut a small piece about 1/4" wide by 3/4" clean the pick with alcohol or starting fluid, Peel the backing off the abrasive and install in the front of the pick. The pick don't have to fit real tight and will still stay in place till you take it off. Good luck and Happy Steelin |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 19 May 2011 12:06 am
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when i started out on psg, i only used a thumbpick & by laziness, did'nt take the time to get accustomed to finger picks
once i discovered this forum, got a real psg, & decided to seriously pick properly, i put them fingerpicks ON
thanks to them, attack/execution is precise, speed is enhanced, & the sound is better & clearer
since all things in life come in twos, i find myslef playin' with & without fingerpicks
thumbpick tho' is always on
i like the sound for certain chord stuff on C6 mostly without them
all i can suggest Craig, is that you put them on, get used to them & you'll see that your pickin' & sound will improve
btw: you did good gettin' a stage 1 
moral of my rant :
better to know how to play with picks than without
rather than know how to play without them than with |
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Craig Bartock
From:
California, USA
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Posted 19 May 2011 7:24 am
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Good point, CrowBear. The whole finger picking thing is something I've wanted to explore for a while now with my electric guitar and live work, so I think getting used to them with the Stage 1 would be a good way to transition them in.
One "newbie" non-pick related question I do have for anyone that's following this thread. With the Stage 1, I'm having a little difficulty in getting the pedals adjusted to feel right. If I set them so that they are all at the same height (which makes the most sense to me "feel-wise"), some go a little farther down to make the bend all of the way which causes my foot to be uneven when say the B and C pedals are down. Are most pedal steels like this and is this just a "get used to it" or do I just compromise with the height of them? |
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Elton Smith
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 22 May 2011 8:28 am
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The bottom of the travel is how I set mine .My b pedal is a little high than a and c.But getting the correct note is what Im after without getting in the carpet.
_________________
Gibson Les Paul
Reverend Avenger
Paul Reed Smith
Fender Telecaster
MSA S10 Classic
ShoBud
Old Peavy Amps |
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Doug Earnest
From:
Branson, MO USA
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Posted 23 May 2011 12:39 pm
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| Craig, I like the Jeffran picks, especially the thumbpicks. I also have a set of the Perfect Touch picks by Rusty Thornhill, and I think I could get to really like them. They are extremely comfortable and have a completely different feel than any other fingerpicks I've tried. If I were starting out again I would sure give them a good test. Just google them for contact info. |
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