Altering thumb picks

Ransom Beers · Posted 2 Apr 2012 2:14 pm

How many of you pickers alter your thumb pick?I cut mine down some & put a sharper nose.I play pretty close to the strings(comes from when I was playing lead guitar,no pick,just thumb & 2 fingers)I noticed in a video of Sara Jory she has an altered thumb pick like I do mine.

Just wondering if she & I are the only ones that do that? Surprised

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I like a long blade, but just a tad narrower. I buy the large size black Geo. L's or Nationals. File the blade to the width I like, about 1/4 to 5/16", then put in hot water and re-form them as in the photo.

I'm a long time student and disciple of Jeff Newman's right hand method and the longer blade lets me achieve the RH position I'm looking for striking the strings at 90° rather than an odd angle.
I'd still by using the ones he made except they wear out too quick for me. These other ones have a longer life.

Ransom Beers · Posted 2 Apr 2012 3:40 pm

I tried to find the vid where Sara was using an altered pick but didn't run across it,I'll keep looking & post it when I find it.

Ransom Beers · Posted 2 Apr 2012 3:44 pm

http://youtu.be/6b-rXnkdybg

This is the one I seen, you can see the thumb pick is shorter & filed into a point,which leads me to think it has been altered.That's pretty much the way I do mine.Sometimes I'll use a Fred Kelly speed pick too.

Jerry Meek · From: Colorado, USA

I actually prefer to have the pick up to the bend in the thumb and pretty short for better control. It doesn't work nearly as well for me as it does for Doug Jernigan but I keep trying.Jerry

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

I used Dunlop Zookies for awhile but I find the blades too short and besides that, even the large ones are too tight for me. So now I buy the Dunlop Calico ones which are more roomy, have a longer blade and I steam and bend them to appoximate the Zookies angle. Works very well for me. My thumbs don't look that big to me but I guess they must be. I've never seen extra large thumbpicks which is odd. There are lots of big handed pickers.

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I began using the Propik all-metal thumbpicks on the advice of D. Easley, to get a more consistent tone between fingers & thumb. They're a single nicely-shaped blade - not the hideous folded Dunlop idea, but they still needed shortening for that side-of-thumb muting thing - it might also be possible to get harmonics that way, though really hard.

However, I had shelved 25 years of fanatic slide when I got the PSG, then Sonny Landreth re-infected me... Rolling Eyes

and using either the Herco thumb/flatpicks he used or modded Dunlop plastic thumbs, I began playing both up and downstrokes with the thumbpick on slide again. And much as I've tried I can't keep it out of the PSG, and the Propiks had to go. So I'm back to using regular white or shell large Dunlops (Planet Waves are re-brands, so depending on price, them too). Dunlop used to make a really nice thumbpick called "Heavies" but they ruined them in short order (they were... heavy then I guess the bean counter saw them selling so they reduced the amount of plastic in them thereby making them very light and flexible... "Heavies." Razz

)

I shape the blade to resemble a shark fin to equalize the release from upstrokes, if you look at your thumb the nail is the tail of the shark and it's eating your palm. The upstrokes slide right off, though this is just preventing awful noises on steel guitar and isn't really important any other way for me on steel guitar. I dunno, I can get used to resized Herco thumb/flatpicks, Propik makes a very usable thumb/flatpick with a delrin blade & metal band, the Fred Kelly's can be nudged down the road in a pinch - what are you trying to achieve?

Paul E. Brennan · From: Dublin, Ireland

I use a blue Herco thumb pick and I file away about half of the blade/point.

Ransom Beers · Posted 3 Apr 2012 2:57 am

"what are you trying to achieve?"

I have already achieved it,I was just wondering if others might do the same thing as (apparently)Ms. Jory & I do,just a generalization.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I don't alter them, but I have about 10-15 different ones to choose from. Fred Kelly, Peavey, Johnson, National, John Pearse, Dunlop etc.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Jerry Tillman · From: Florida

I mounted a peice of tortise like material to a blue thumbpick.It played and sounded great.I gave it to Russ Hicks to give to Buddy Emmons.Russ liked it and kept it and said to make Buddy another one.

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Filed down, bended and polished this autoharp-thumbpick for PSG picking a couple of decades ago...

...and have yet to find another thumbick that - altered or not - sounds and suits me equally well. The attack-sound from pointy metal is more like that of my fingerpicks, and it is short (blade half its original length) to facilitate thumb-muting.

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

I always used a long tine on my thumb pick. They don't sell them that way anymore, or I just cant find them. So I buy Dunlops, and cut the whole tine off of one, and super glue it onto another one, so the glued one sticks down another 3/16" from the other tine. Then tweak it if I have to, to the length I want. So it costs me double for the picks, but I love it. Use the same long ones on my banjo. Just can't get a old guy to change his style.
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Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

I prefer Zookies myself, I like the shorter blade cos I dig into the strings a bit....and my lazy thumb angle tends to make me wear away the side of the blade with a conventional straight thumb pick ...the angle of the Zookies enables me to hit the strings square on with the blade of the pick. Well they work good for me Very Happy

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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
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Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases.

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

I use the blue Herco thumbpicks on both lead guitar and steel and always file it to a sharp point. I get a clearer tone which sounds better on the bass strings.....JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

I don't alter my picks, because it voids the warranty. But I am choosy when standing in front of the music store counter with an open box of picks in front of me.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Bob Kagy · From: Lafayette, CO USA

I liked the Newman thumbpicks, but they're unavailable now. So I used one as a template and filed down a Dunlop large, narrowing the blade like the Newman pick and also narrowing the keeper so it sits back more near the joint. Also thinned the blade. Works well for me. I got a lot out of the Newman RH Alpha approach.

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

Ransom Beers · Posted 7 Apr 2012 8:29 am

Ya mean all them thar Zookies that broke & I threw away could have been under warranty?Damn I hate when that happens!!! Muttering

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

You mean to tell me that y'all weren't handed warranty cards and proof-of-purchase codes when you bought your picks?!?!

Somebody somewheres dropped the ball!!

'Course it's just me, but I'd be shoppin' at a different music store, just sayin...
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Ransom Beers · Posted 7 Apr 2012 9:29 am

Hmmmmm,looks like we may have a lawsuit on our hands fellas.I'm gonna call my lawyer(liar to you lay people)
Mr.J.J. Calhoun ESQ.

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