Playing PSG without finger picks--Am I the only one?

Brian McGibney · From: British Columbia, Canada

I've been trying for the life of me to get comfortable with the little beasts but apart from the fact that you can get a sharper attack, I find I navigate the guitar better with just my fingers. I mentioned this to a local player and he thought I was nuts and that my fingers would be in shreds in short order. Well I've been playing a least an hour a day since I got the guitar (D -10 Sho-bud) and my fingers are fine. To be fair I've got thirty years of 6 string finger picking behind me and I'm a shop teacher by day so my fingers are pretty thick skinned

Any thoughts?

BTW I've been on many internet forums for my many different interests and I have to say the civility and tone with this group is the tops!

TIA

Brian
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Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Maybe there's something in the water in BC, but I also play with my fingers. While I experiment with picks, I always come back to the flesh. For one, I like sounding a little different, as I play a lot of music that isn't very 'country.' I've recently been working on a technique of hitting the strings with various implements, and muting the strings with foam etc.

Also! Daniel Lanois, who is one of my faves, plays with his fingers. Through an overdriven AC30 to boot!

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

Bobbe Seymour plays with a thumbpick and no finger picks and his tone is to die for.

David Doggett · Posted 16 Mar 2007 4:39 pm

Dr. Hugh Jeffries plays big band jazz on pedal steel with no finger picks.

Stephen Dorocke · From: Tres Piedras, New Mexico

.....none here either. just a thumb pick.

David Weaver · From: Aurora, CO USA

Brian said

Michael Strauss · From: Delray Beach,Florida

As I am trying to learn, I try to use finger picks, but being an old bass player I somtimes don't use any. Without any I can easily use three fingers and my thumb, just like playing bass. But like I said, I do try to use the picks.
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Carter S-12U, Sho-Bud LGD (80's), Fender Jazz King, Korg Pandora Toneworks PX4D, Modulus Q6, Ampeg B5R, Lapstick Travel Guitar mod to lapsteel

Fred Bova · From: Connecticut, USA

No pics here.No Thumb pics or finger pics, just the flesh of my thumb and fingers. Bareback players Unite ! Wink

Tom Jordan · From: Wichita, KS

I started playing pedal steel in 1984, adapted to the picks and was sloppy at best with palm damping. I did dutifully torture myself via Jeff Neumans guidance though but resorted to pick blocking with inconsitant results.

I got burned out for various reasons after about 15 years or so and fell back to playing tele and 8 string lap...it works real well with the band, BTW.
I use the same HERCO thumb pick on the lap that I use on the tele because it allowed me to switch back and forth with ease...I remeber fumbling with picks in the past when I would switch instrments in a song.

I've gotten the bug for pedals again after 5 years without and just punched the go-button for a Dekley S10 on the forum. I've considered the picks and think I will go without initially. That lap steel stuff sounds great and i'm able to roll and alternate pick with plenty of crispness. There is really no "right way" although many will argue it...it just has to sound good.

Tom Jordan

Geoff Barnes · From: Sydney, Australia

Just a flatpick and three fingers... am finding muting very easy with this method. And am still getting plenty of sustain. Plus "pinch" harmonics are easy because I keep the flatpick's tip close to the flesh of the thumb.
I tried the finger picks at first but felt out of "touch' with the bite of the strings.
Too tight and they felt uncomfortable to the point of being a distraction... too loose and they would slip off.
I will say though, that my nails are getting a pretty good filing on the PSG strings... Smile

I have heard that acrylic nails are working well for some players... Just don't know if I'd feel OK with going into a beauty parlor to ask 'em to fit them. Embarassed

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John Cox · From: Texas, USA

There's a guy here in Bryan who plays with no picks by the name of Tommy Howard. He's got a nice Zum though. J.C.

Papa Joe Pollick · From: Swanton, Ohio

Flat pick and nakid fingers.
I do wear a full set of picks some times when I'm practicing.Figure sooner or later that I'll be going that way. PJ
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Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

It took me twenty-plus years to get comfortable with finger picks. Countless sessions with the needle-nose pliers, seeking the right angle for string attack, the right tightness/curvature for secure adherence to the finger without cuticle discomfort, experiments with different brands of picks...As of today, I have a pair of finger picks that meet all the criteria. Having said that, tomorrow night I'll probably lose or step on one of them. And the beat goes on...

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

As you can see, lots of folks play without them. If you can execute well and you're happy with your tone, that's all that matters.

My buddy Boogie Sherrard plays with just a flat pick and fingers and honks with the best of them.

You're probably in the minority, but the norm may not be for everyone.

Best of luck and Happy Steelin'!

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i play w: & without them Brian
i do prefer without but, i find it's better to know how to play w: finger picks than not IMO

Per Berner · From: Skovde, Sweden

No picks at all. They hurt my fingers, they get hooked on the strings, they fall off, they make unwanted noises, they give me far less control, they slow me down (which I REALLY don't need) and they make finger blocking difficult.

Too bad, since I really prefer the tone of picks.... Crying or Very sad

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Bass player also, and I end up playing steel the same, no picks. I like the feel of the strings on my fingers.
But I tried to Cotton-pick the other day, and I'm going to have to get me a thumb pick.
Rats.
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Ron Brennan · From: Orlando, Florida, USA; Formerly, Edison, NJ

Brian,

Thumbpick only for many years on a Fender Stringmaster D8. No problem.

Recently acquired a D10 PSG from Bobbe Seymour. It makes no difference to me.

Still, I am thinking about a recent post from Terry VunCannon in re: http://perfecttouchpicks.com/.....

May try these out for a change up if they are more comfortable. TX

Rgds,

Ron

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

Majority of players that where picks vers. those who don't is to the pick side. I would strongly encourage you to where them, if you don't I don't think you will shred your fingers, but I find that I get a better and brighter tone with them. The only thing I think that naked fingers have over picks is it is easier to block upon learning the intrument, that is a poor excuse, I would go for the picks myself. Yes they are tough to get use to but it is something that you won't learn overnight, go see other players you may be bending them wrong and not know it. I like jeff newman myself, Those perfect touch picks are pricy.

Henry Nagle · From: Santa Rosa, California

I don't use picks either. I'd love o be able to play both ways but I just don't have the time to practice.

richard burton · From: Britain

My opinion only, but playing with picks = better tone.
My tone improved dramatically when I went from several years 'bareback' playing to using picks.

A. Roncetti · From: Toronto,Ontario, Canada

It took me forever to get use to picks. I have so many brands but a friend gave me a set of his old worked in dunlops. They're the only ones I can use and play with control and clarity.But often when tinkering around the picks don't even go on. I find the tone is different but I don't find one better than the other .Kim Deschamps plays with out picks and has incredible tone and style. As for dobro I refuse to use picks. That's just my 2¢

Marc Friedland · From: Fort Collins, CO

When I started playing the pedal steel almost 13 years ago, I didn't think about having a choice. I just started with using picks, even though I didn't even know how to put them on and they felt quite uncomfortable, simply because I was told that's the way it's done. I had already played 6-string guitar for about 30 years before that, but never used anything but a flat pick and or my fingers. Based on my own experience, my suggestion to a newbie would be to go through the pains of learning to play with finger picks. I believe it's not that difficult to experiment with playing with your fingers after learning with picks, but not so easy the other way around. I think if you learn with your fingers first, the transistion to picks will be almost as difficult as even if you had never played with your fingers first. And although many players can accomplish what they want with either technique, I believe certain styles, sounds and attacks are more condusive using one way as compared to the other.
-- Marc

Dennis Schell · From: Shingletown, Shasta county, Kalifornia

I feel uncomfortable wearing picks too, always have. But I make myself keep trying to get used to them as I think they are needed both for my PSG and 5 string banjo endeavors. "Some" banjo stuff sounds better without picks but I think PSG is best with them always...
I've been a bass player for decades and don't follow that analogy BTW, totally different deal as far as "angle of attack" and the part of your fingers that are used and I never used my thumb at all with bass...(maybe very rarely for a little riff now and then...) Guitar wise, I've always used a flatpick and a flatpick/fingers combo....

One thing for sure, the more proficient you become "without" them, the stranger it feels "with" them. I prefer to only have to learn a "method/feel" once! Wearing finger picks over the same ground as playing "bareback" is having to learn twice!

If you savvy my drift...

Dennis

BTW, there IS a kind of "flatpick with a thumbwrap on it" out there. Maybe that would work for some guys....
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Jerry H. Moore · From: Newnan, GA, USA

I started with bare fingers but went to picks and constantly changing them to try and find the magic ones. I play telecaster twang and use my fingers and a pick according to what tone I want. I'll stay with picks on the steel because after a night on the tele my fingertips are tender with 10's. I think the larger ga. steel strings would be painful. I think the rule is...Don't copy, be a leader, do what feels good. This is my opinion. Thanks to the Forum we can find all angles of technique and try them all.
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BOB WILLS........Let it swing boys

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