What finger and thumb pics is everyone using?

Phillip Leggett · From: Victoria, Australia

Hi, I’m relatively new to pedal steel guitar. I’m playing an e9 10 string.

I’ve heard national thumb picks are really good as Paul Franklin uses these. Would anyone have any recommendations?

Also, while I’m here, could anyone recommend a good lubricant for the strings to keep them in tune?

Thanks very much!

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

JF and BJ finger picks. John Pearse thumb picks.
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K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

I prefer Dunlop gauged finger picks. I sometimes use the smaller size for my index finger. For thumb picks I use “Cool” amber color polycarbonate. They have a nice click attack sound and last a long time before wearing down.
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Colin Boutilier · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

My fingers are naked.
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Carter Starter, Austin dobro, B/G Bender Telecaster, '75 Twin Reverb, '75 Super Reverb 1x15

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Although I have lately been trying to wean myself from picks on my electric instruments, I do find them nearly essential on acoustics -- resos in particular. In any event, I've always used the cheapest and most readily available: Jim Dunlops.

Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

BJs and a nameless blue thumb pick.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I use a National thumbpick and National Paul Franklin signature fingerpicks. The National Paul Franklin picks have now become my favorite picks to use because they fit my fingers comfortably, and also because Paul Franklin is not only a great player, but he's also an inspiration and influence and hero to me because he played on a lot of my favorite country music records, and he's also one of my major musical influences on the steel guitar.

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

I use the large white National thumb picks and Ron Landis' sterling silver finger picks.Very happy with both. Winking

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Fred Kelly speed picks for thumb and Dunlop fingerpicks

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

When I started playing steel, And over the years everyone talking about using a short thumb pick. I played with short thumb picks.
I remember when I seen Mr. Green playing, He played with a large, long white pick. Wondered how does he play with that pick.

I always go to a music store to buy thumb picks, So I can try them on before buying. Went into a store one day they had some large long Dunlop thumb picks. I bought a couple to try. Thought I could always shorten them if needed. After a little playing with a long pick. Urika I found it.
There is something about the arc of my thumb that makes for more accurate/comfortable playing with a large long pick.

The thumb pick does not have to fit tight. Fit a piece of 3-M Stair Safety Strip on the inside flat of the pick, The pick will become part of your thumb, Till you take it off.

Finger picks other than Dunlop. When selecting a set of finger picks.
If you find a set that your like, Better buy a few sets. Many picks are built by just 1 person, When they pass on the picks just disappear. I play with Classic 41 picks. (The banjo player who made and sold them died, Now Classic 41 picks is like hunting Chicken Teeth, Very hard to impossible to find.)

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Everyone is going to have an opinion because there are so many choices.

I would suggest, if you are new to picks and the pedal steel to go to the Steel Guitar Shopper via the Accessories button at the header top of the page.

Many players like the Blue Herco thumb picks, just $1.50 and a couple of the Daddario National Nickel finger picks at $2 ea. and a couple of the Dunlops same price. They also have the white plastic National thumb picks if you want to try those.

Try these out and you won't have a huge investment. As you get more experience, you may decide to try something else...just like the rest of us.😜 I don't think you can know until you have some experience....this is the same thing everybody else here has gone through over time...your likes and dislikes about just about everything steel guitar will probably change as you progress. Best of luck.

Brian Gattis · From: Georgia, USA

Blue Herco thumb pick and Hoffmeyer finger picks.

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

Paul Franklin uses a Dunlop blue Herco thumbpick, and National fingerpicks, last I checked.

ADVISORY: your experimentation with accessories like this will be a lifelong lab experiment!
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John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

Paul Franklin uses a Dunlop blue Herco thumbpick, and National fingerpicks, last I checked.
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Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Not everyone's fingers will be the precise size and shape of PF's, so its personal; but after trying various brands I settled on Nationals. I could tell they were right for me because I immediately stopped thinking about picks Smile

On the other hand, I've never found a comfortable plastic pick and I use a metal one. Why should the thumb be different? - the strings are all made of the same stuff...
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John Ray · From: Alpine, Texas, USA

2nd vote for the Fred Kelly speed picks. Using them on banjo for over 10 years prior to pedal steel, and don't leave home without them. And always use a pocket knife to make 3 little groove's in all my thumb picks to keep them from sliding off.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

That's why I gave up on plastic thumb picks.
With a metal one you don't need grooves or adhesive or tape - you just put it on and play.
I'm referring to the ProPik all-metal (not the one with a plastic blade).
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Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Phillip Leggett · From: Victoria, Australia

Thanks so much everyone. This has been very helpful. I really appreciate it!

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

Kelly Speed thumb and metal National fingers. Spit to hold them on.
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Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Try a bunch. There is no "best", just what works for your hands and your picking approach. Personally, I use Golden Gate thumbpicks and Acri fingerpicks, but I'm leaning back toward using artificial nails for my fingers instead - something I used to do for fingerpicking guitar.

My daughter has been doing gel nails for me (it's a hobby for her, but she's serious and uses salon-quality materials), but we're having trouble working out something that stays on well. I did salon acrylic nails for guitar for about a year, but quit using them because they wrecked my underlying nails. But they sounded and felt incredible! I'm hoping we can get gel nails to that level of reliability - I never had an acrylic nail pop off or break.
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James P Mitchell · From: Tennessee, USA

National finger picks and standard Dunlop thumb picks. I tried the blue Herco and they worked nice for pedal steel, but as soon as I played guitar, lap steel, banjo, or dobro with them, they'd get caught up in the strings. I tried to stick with them and get over the hump, until that happened to me during my a big lap steel solo at freaking Red Rocks. Had to finish the solo on one strings. Gave up on them after that. The regular Dunlap thumbs work for me.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 3 Feb 2025 5:35 pm

Paul Franklin finger picks. Herco blue thumb pick

Joseph Carlson · From: Grass Valley, California, USA

Another fan of the Fred Kelly speed picks for the thumb.

I also really like the Perfect Touch picks - comfortable, don't slip, and don't click together.

https://www.perfecttouchpicks.com/

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

For pedal steel and most lap/console steel, I use Fred Kelly white regular Delrin thumb picks, standard size. They are the closest I've found to a perfect thumb pick for pedal steel, to me. I like the shape/feel/sound of the Blue Hercos, but they're just too loose on my thumb, to my tastes. I know people will keep a few on their steel and rotate them - they seem to loosen up as they warm up on the hand. Drove me nuts. I want to feel that the thumb pick is pretty much glued to my finger without cutting off my circulation, and the Fred Kelly thumb picks all do that for me.

I tend to use the Fred Kelly Slick Picks for slide guitar, banjo, and sometimes on steel. The white regulars work fine too, but for guitar-position, I tend to like the Slick Picks.

I sometimes use the Fred Kelly Speed Picks instead of the Slick Pick when I really want a small footprint on the string. But I frequently don't feel I can dig in enough with the Speed Picks.

I personally really struggle with the big huge thumb picks like the Golden Gate and many others. But many like them. It's all personal preference.

Lately I've been using National NP2 finger picks. When I get a chance, I'll pick up some of the Paul Franklin signatures, which don't have a hole on top of the blade. I'm not sure if it will be a big deal for me, but I think it's a good idea. I never exactly understood the point of the hole.

I started out using Dunlops - one nice feature is an assortment of gauges, which I sometimes find useful. I sometimes use Pro Pick with the single bands. Sometimes the Reso version, which changes the angle at which the blade strikes the string.

There are lots of good finger picks. I have a pair of Hoffmeyers - I like them. But I'm finding these National NP2 just a bit more to my liking. I have a bunch of vintage Nationals, and they feel good but tear up my cuticles.

Try some picks and give each a reasonable period of time to see how they feel.

Dave Magram · From: San Jose, California, USA

Phillip,

Some people like to conduct “crowd-sourcing” SGF surveys for opinions on which brand of a certain accessory to buy, then sort through dozens of personal opinions, and then spend weeks and many dollars evaluating four or five different brands—a process which can take many weeks, and then still wonder—“Did I make the best choice?”

With all due respect to the many well-meaning folks on the SGF, I believe that learning from master steel guitarists who are full-time professional musicians is the best starting point for choosing accessories like fingerpicks.

I figure that since those top players, who make a living playing pedal steel, have already done an extensive evaluation and have tested out their short-list on a few dozen recording sessions, are probably going to come up with an excellent choice.

You mentioned Paul Franklin (who I understand gets “triple-scale”-- making three times union pay scale at each recording session).
My shopping philosophy is: “If Paul Franklin likes them, I’m sure they are good enough for little old me!”.

1. FINGERPICKS: Paul Franklin recently announced that after 20 years of trying to get a set of fingerpicks designed to his specifications, he has finally convinced D’Addario to make “Paul Franklin National Fingerpicks”.
They are available for only $6.50 each from the SGF: https://steelguitarshopper.com/paul-franklin-signature-national-nickel-fingerpicks-sold-individually/
I’d suggest buying two pairs. $26 and you don't need to spend any more time making that decision! Smile

● Fingerpick comfort: I could never understand why some players regard comfort as a criteria when choosing metal fingerpicks. Aren’t shaping metal fingerpicks the main reason why needle-nose pliers were invented? Very Happy

I always spend 20 or 30 minutes with a needle-nose pliers to shape my new fingerpicks to fit my fingers.

No matter how they come “out of the box”, I find that slightly tapering the fingerpick bands so they match the taper of my fingers makes them extremely comfortable--and much less likely to slip off your fingers. I shape each band with a taper so they fit like “little gloves” on my fingers, and do a couple of other things to make them extremely comfortable and never slip off.

I also shape the very important fingerpick blade-angle for maximum striking effectiveness, economy of motion, and ergonomics.

2. THUMBPICKS: Years ago, I saw Franklin and other top-notch steel players using the Blue Herco short-blade thumbpicks, and based on my shopping philosophy of “What do the top players do?”, I bought some and used them for many years, because their short-blades work well for both “fingertip blocking” (aka “pick-blocking”) and palm-blocking.

However, the problem with the Blue Hercos is that the nylon material they are made from softens up from body heat, and I would have to switch to a back-up thumbpick after about 20 minutes of playing or else it would go flying off onto the dance floor, never to be seen again.

Someone on the SGF recommended the white (heavy gauge) Fred Kelly “Speed-Picks” (also a short-blade thumbpick) made of Delrin that does not soften up from body heat—and has a clever “tongue” as part of the blade, which helps keep the pick in place on your thumb, no matter how hard you hit the strings. I’ve used them “right out of the box” for years and never had a problem with them slipping off. Only $1 each at https://fredkellypicks.com/product-category/speed/

Phillip, all of the above information (and a lot more) is in my recently updated 21-page “PALM-BLOCKING GUIDE – THE ‘SECRETS’ OF PALM-BLOCKING (and some FINGERTIP-BLOCKING, too)”, which I will be happy to send to you free of charge, if you are interested.
My only request is that you provide feedback on how helpful it was to you.

If you want a copy, just send me an email or Private Message with your email address.

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You asked about lubrication.
First, keep in mind a drop or two of lubrication once a year at a few critical points is probably all you need (assuming your pedal steel is new, or is a used but well-maintained guitar).

Many players prefer a light machine oil, many players prefer “Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant”.
(WARNING: Never, ever use the “Tri-Flow Dry Superior Lubricant” sold in bicycle shops; it has paraffin wax added to it that is guaranteed to gum up the roller-nuts on your pedal steel and prevent your guitar strings from returning to proper pitch! Whoa!

)

I’d suggest doing a “Search” on the SGF regarding lubrication; use the excellent “Google Custom Search” feature that Bob Lee installed years ago.
Basic principle: A pedal steel guitar in good condition needs very little lubrication, do it sparingly.

I hope this is helpful.

- Dave

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