Having trouble getting used to fingerpicks? Not anymore!!!

Don Hinkle · From: Springfield Illinois, USA

Granted, I have only been playing pedal steel for a few months but I have been a working musician for over 25 years. I play telecaster in a few different country bands and have been around the block at least once (or more than half way).

I play my tele with a flat pick and use middle & ring fingers for hybrid finger picking which is such a necessity in country guitar playing.

For me , the biggest problem with playing steel was not being able to feel the strings with my fingers. I felt like edward scissorhands with finger picks on. This forced me to play with a thumb pick and bare fingers on pointer and middle fingers... I could pick and block great but I just couldn't get a good tone.. not bright enough. I also glued on fake nails and that improved my tone a great deal as well - BUT, my Tele playing suffered. And I couldnt hardly zip my pants with my right hand (I know, Too much info)

Ok, enough of this story (I have read many posts on this forum that start this way) I saw where someone on this forum suggested using ProPik Finger-tone picks. I didnt see where anyone tried them and liked/disliked them so I bought a set of the meduims and a set of the Larges.

WOW! I can not believe that I can play with finger picks!!! The sound is wonderful.. I am so extremely happy. They just arrived on 3 days ago and within 15 minutes I could play 80% as well as bare fingered. I had gigs Friday & Saturday and by 2nd set Friday, I am 100% up to speed. Did I mention that I am happy about this?

Here is a website for the pics;

http://www.guptillmusic.com/propik/fingertone.html
_________________
Emmons Legrande III SD10
Emmons Legrande III D10
Session 400
Fender guitars
Fender amps

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

http://www.guptillmusic.com/propik/product.html

They make several types of Pro-Piks. Which ones did you buy ? The single or split ? What type of thumbpick are you using ?

When playing folk in the 60s I wore plastic fingerpicks all the time on guitar, dobro and banjo, but they always hurt my fingers. When I tried to adjust their size they usually broke. I then went for several decades playing mostly without fingerpicks. I have some metal ones, but I don't like the way they tend to move around on my fingers, or work loose while I'm playing, and I sometimes end up hitting adjacent strings. Those Pro-Piks with the double clamps look like they would be more stable, so I ordered a set, plus one of their plastic/nickel silver thumbpics. Let's see how they work out. Cool

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

Yup, split wrap fingertone propiks are the only finger picks I can use (besides my nails.) I also prefer the propik thumbpick for its smaller blade.
_________________
Primitive Utility Steel

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

Well , being the lazy type I have gone from 2 fingerpicks and thumb pick to just the thumb . I don't notice a change in tone or maybe because it was a slow process . I started out taking the finger picks off at home while I was using the computer and just got too lazy to put them back on ! Now i play gigs with just a thumb pick and enjoy the extra freedom it gives me . I believe Bobbe Seymore had a similar path to dissing his finger picks .

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

I will play some things sans picks, but i can't do it all the time cause the steel strings chew up my nails.
_________________
Primitive Utility Steel

Jerry Eilander · From: Hadspen, Tasmania, Australia

been saying this some time ago,
they are a good thing , helps finger blocking.
have a look here http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=162625&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=25.
cheers
_________________
Linkon d-10 4x8. Fessenden sd-10.5x3. NV 112.G&L telie

Don Hinkle · From: Springfield Illinois, USA

I bought the split wrap. I was going to buy a set of each but ended up buying 6 - all split wrap in error.. no biggie . I actually bought 3 medium (for index) and 3 large (for middle finger) and my theory worked out just wright.
No more wondering which pick fits which finger as its obvious which is larger.
_________________
Emmons Legrande III SD10
Emmons Legrande III D10
Session 400
Fender guitars
Fender amps

Tamara James

Jason Longoria · From: Texas, USA

edit
_________________
73 Emmons P/P, country records & Jukeboxes

Stan Schober · From: Cahokia, Illinois, USA

I'll take them Jason.
PM me a PP address.

Forum Index > Steel Players		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: