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Topic: Plastic finger pics vs. metal fingerpicks |
Terje Larson
From:
Rinkeby, Spånga, Sweden
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 7:03 am |
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I normally use metal for my index finger and middle finger and plastic for my thumb, when I use picks cause sometimes I don't. But I also try other picks out. I have two plastic picks for my index and middle finger that I use from time to time. The feel is different, and perhapås better in some ways, the tone is thinner though. I have a metal thumb pick that I use for regular fingerpicking on guitar cause it's more comfortable and I don't strum at all when I'm fingerpicking on guitar, and that's the one thing you can't do wtih this metal thumb pick, you'll tear the strings right off.
In one of his videos Bob Brozman advocates plastic picks for all fingers since they stick out further and thus give him more speed and flexibility. This may be true, but I still prefer the sound of the metal picks on teh two fingers.
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If you can't hear the others you're too loud, if you can't hear yourself you've gone deaf |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 8:00 am
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| With my fat fingertips I've not been able to use plastic finger picks since I was 11. They just pinch too hard. |
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Carlos Polidura
From:
Puerto Rico
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 8:05 am
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i think it's just a matter of choise.
metal for me....... all the way.
thanks,
carlos |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 8:19 am
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| Quote: |
| In one of his videos Bob Brozman advocates plastic picks for all fingers since they stick out further and thus give him more speed and flexibility. |
I find the exact opposite to be the case,- for me, the longer plastic picks are harder to control for accurate picking. I prefer having them as close to my fingertips as possible, gives me a lot better accuracy. Guess it's all about what you're used to......
Personally I'd prefer to get rid of the picks alltogether, I really like the feel of playing with my bare fingers (I never use fingerpicks on regular guitar, and rarely flatpick anymore), but it's something about the clarity and speed you get with fingerpicks on a steel that makes me stick with them.
Steinar
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www.gregertsen.com
[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 24 June 2005 at 09:21 AM.] |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 9:20 am
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It seems like I can get used to using Dunlops, Kysers, National NP2s or even Newmans pretty well, there are minor differences in tone and attack that I can adjust for and I'm pretty "picky" (HAHAHAHA) about how I bend them. I find the plastic ones really hard to use because of their thickness - they bump into each other too much when I'm trying to go fast, particularly my ring and middle fingers.
Regarding speed, I think it's easy to see that longer picks that stick out further would require less finger motion to pluck the strings, as would a longer thumbpick, worn higher up your thumb. However, I like the control of keeping things pretty close. I sand most thumbpicks shorter so that the side of my thumb helps block certain notes somehow. It seems like my Dunlop fingerpicks are adjusted the longest, the Newmans are the closest, and the Nationals and Kysers are in between. This is probably pretty obsessive.[This message was edited by David Mason on 24 June 2005 at 10:34 AM.] |
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Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 9:32 am
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I remember Brozman liking plastic finger picks for his acoustic instruments because they are loud. I agree. They have a lot of snap on the attack. With the very wide string spacing of a Tricone, they work well.
For me, they are too clunky for more narrow string spacing.
FWIW
Ron |
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Terje Larson
From:
Rinkeby, Spånga, Sweden
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 9:37 am
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I have a very wide string spacing on my balalajka so I guess that anything could work pretty well. Hey, I even like those Indian ones and they're "worn the other way" so you definitely need huge string spacing for them (which you do have on a sitar).
I prefer the sound of bare fingers. I like to feel the strings too. But I like the feel in my hand with the picks. My right hand relaxes more with the picks. And the sound is cool too, just different and perhaps not my favorite.
The picks really help for some trickier things where I need to be very light in my touch. With the picks I still get a tone with a very ligth touch.
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If you can't hear the others you're too loud, if you can't hear yourself you've gone deaf |
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David Yannuzzi
From:
Pomona , New York, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 11:35 am
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Stacy Phillips uses plastic finger picks .
He is the only other guy I have seen use them other than Brozman.
The tone is mellower than the metal.
Maybe with all plastic picks you have a consistent tone, volume ,attack then mixing metal and plastic.
I have tried it on dobro and weissenborns . The feel is so different from metal.
I don't think it would work so weel with the narrower spaceing on pedal steel.
I ussually just use metal so I don't have to change the way I play to much from pedal steel to Dobro. |
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David Wren
From:
Placerville, California, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 1:16 pm
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Well, I've been using all plastic picks for pedal steel guitar (3 fingers and a thumb)since 1970. It does seem there are less manufactuers of them now, and Dunlop are the only ones I use anymore.. but these ARE clunky (chunky) compared some of the really thin ones I used to get. They were actually concave on the part that went over the pad of your finger.... just can't find 'em anymore, what can you do?
Why do I use plastic? Sounds funny, but I swear they give me a little "spring" off the the strings I pick, and seem to me to be easier for faster picking. I also think they help in delivering a "smoooooth" mellow tone when backing vocals, or doing any sustain work that requires unifority of tone.
I do have nickel National picks that I use when playing Dobro, just don't like them for pedal steel... but hey, most folks use 'em, and have great results that's for sure.
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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 24 Jun 2005 5:24 pm
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I have a couple of Dobro picks, old clear ones that I found in a case. I really like them but fear getting used to them and not being able to get more.
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GFI D8 Non-Pedal, Peavey Delta Blues, Goodrich H10K VP, Modded Vox V-847, Ibanez DD1000 Digital Delay, Dunlop Lap Dawg bar
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