Back To My Old National Fingerpicks

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

This afternoon I ran across my stash of fingerpicks and saw my old Nationals. I've had them since the 1970s. Two pairs. I remember spending so much time adjusting the bands to fit my skinny fingers and even more time adjusting the blades to get them just right. I used them for years, until I started trying other picks.

I struggled with various sizes and gauges of Dunlops and never was satisfied with any of them.

Then I ran across Pro Picks, with the angled blades and loved them. I had two issues with Pro Picks. The band seems to be just wide enough to touch the next string up if I'm not careful. I'm mostly a pick blocker and depend on the back of my nail to touch the next string up when necessary, not the band on the pick. I worked around that, but have to be careful. The other issue is keeping them snug on my skinny fingers. They are very smooth and slick. (Yeah, spit works fine for that!)

Well, I pulled out the old Nationals and put them on my fingers. Ah. Like a pair of old comfortable shoes. They fit perfectly. They don't slide off. The angles are just right. The band is slimmer, so no clanking on the next string up.

They feel so good and comfortable, and sound great.
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Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
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Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Nice, Lee.

I took a similar journey through those other brands and arrived at the same place you did. Well, almost the same -- I don't have vintage Nationals, but a verrry good copy in Hoffmeyers. The larger band on other styles of picks is a problem for my skinny fingers how I hold my hand; they occasionally snag the next higher string.

I keep auditioning other picks, even ones I've rejected in the past, but always come back to the National style. For a new, inexpensive pick, NP-2's rock. But I would love to have some vintage Nationals like you're using.

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

I also like the Nationals best after trying just about every other kind.
At first I didn't like the way they pinched until I got them adjusted right.
They still hurt a littler until your fingers get used to them.
The best thing is they stay on your fingers. Very Happy

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Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Lee, this is a revelation!

When I started playing I tried various picks until I fixed on Nationals - about four years ago, I guess.

I've just realised that I haven't given picks a second thought since Smile

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Gene Tani · From: Pac NW

Some of those vintage Nationals (that have Patent Number but don't say "USA" on them) are getting pretty expensive but I see them for sale on banjo forum. There's also sellers on reverb, claiming they're selling Oval 8's but they're trying to sell $20 picks for $150

http://www.deanhoffmeyer.com/nationalpicks/frameset.htm
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Bruce Bjork · From: Southern Coast of Maine

I bought a used banjo back in the 60â€™s that had five Nationalâ€™s in the case USAâ€™s and non USAâ€™s, fortunately I had them out of the case when the banjo was stolen in 1970 so I still have them and use them for PSG and banjo. I use .025 brass Dunlops for dobro. The non USAâ€™ s, USAâ€™s and NP-2â€™s are all interchangeable and great. My non USAâ€™s are post WWII.
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Jim Goins · From: Michigan, USA

I still have some old national picks I bought about 1974, still use them, also use Dunlop .018 and .022 for psg and Dobro. I use a compound called Sticku Picks for the lighter guage picks it holds them on really good also helps hold the bar. I think it was invented by PSG player Wayne Hobbs, I order it from Bob Hempker at steel guitars of Nashville.
Jim.

John Goux · From: California, USA

If anyone wants to part with a pair of old Nationals Iâ€™d pay you fairly for them. Even just one, if you have an extra.
I have a set that I bought for playing dobro in the 80â€™s. Nothing I try works as well. The JF and NP2 are closest.
John

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I was of course talking about modern NP2s, not any vintage stuff, but they still have something about them that feels right.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

joe long · From: San Antonio, Texas

Thank goodness I purchased several sets of Nationals I purchased many years ago and most have never been worn. That's the only pick have ever used. Can't compare to other brands since I never tried them.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Something I have noticed about my National fingerpicks are the flat blades. When I say flat, I mean left to right, from one side of the finger to the other. The blades curve out and up, following the curve of my fingertips; but, they are fairly flat, left to right, where they strike the string.

I really like the tone of the string with the flat blade striking the string squarely. The hand needs to be positioned properly for that to happen. If my right elbow starts moving out, my hand rotates and then only the edge of the blade strikes the string.

I have no idea if these Nationals came this way or if I flattened them out years ago.

On my ProPik Reso picks, the blades are curved a bit, left to right, and are a bit more forgiving, if my elbow decides to move in or out.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I have new National picks in the Forum Catalog now. www.steelguitarshopper.com/national-steel-fingerpicks

Nationals hold their shape and seem to last forever. I used one set for well over a decade. They still feel really comfortable.
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Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Apparently, in the b@njo world, the curved blades are referred to as being spoon shaped, such as this statement I found:

"They are not flat. The blade is curved around the long axis (side to side), as well as the short axis (base to tip). Spoon shaped, as they say."

I found other references to spoon shaped blades.

Dennis Rehrig · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I JUST RECEIVED MINE YESTERDAY FROM STEEL GUITAR FORUM
THEY FEEL AND SOUND GREAT.

Mark Fasbender · Posted 9 Nov 2021 11:18 pm

My experience with Nationals and pro picks is virtually identical to yours. The pro pics tend to snag on adjacent strings. I started using pro pics when I was playing a really heavy schedule with a couple of live bands and a theater show and my fingers were just sore a few months ago I went back to the Nationals. They have a denser sweeter tone as well

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