Who plays with a thumbpick?

Play a lot with my thumb any way so I was thinking of trying a thumb pick. Any thoughts? Advise?

I switched to using thumbpicks about 7 years ago or so. I like to play fingerstyle and flatpick as well, and this type of pick allows me to switch effortlessly between the two approaches. Personally I prefer it to hybrid picking, because with hybrid picking your first finger is occupied holding the flatpick, so is essentially useless for fingerpicking. No such problem with the combination flatpick/thumbpick. These are what I use:

http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=225784843&sellerid=24779475

This guy. It's like half a dollar at your local music store, no damage will be done to go buy one and try it out.

No harm in trying. I'd advise against those clunky Dunlops, but they seem to work for Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, and Steve Wariner, so who am I to say? Remember you can always plant your thumb and use it like a regular pick, especially those Fred Kelley Bumblebee-type picks. Jerry Donahue says he switched to thumb picks when these came out for that reason. Are you a hybrid picker already?

I use them and I flatpick most of the time, but they're really great for ergonomics and adding little fingerpicked licks, I've used Herco thumbpicks, I'd reccommend them.

I use Herco's - either heavy or medium - and cut them down so there's not so much plastic protruding, as I like to get close to the strings. Couldn't get on with BumbleBees as the plastic tag that allows the pick to swivel kept catching under the strings (I like to get close to the strings...).

I still find that gripping the thumb-pick (to turn it into a normal flatpick) doesn't work because the angle is all wrong...but after many months, maybe a year of practice, I've now got proficient enough that I have an additional tool in my armoury. Sometimes I'll use a flatpick, sometimes a thumb pick, sometimes a bare thumb, depending on the song and sound requirements.

Derek

Play a lot with my thumb any way so I was thinking of trying a thumb pick. Any thoughts? Advise?

Ive started using them because my thumb gets sore, I also trim the ends to get closer to the strings. I usually just finger pick, and only started doing that because I was always dropping or losing picks. I've come full circle!

I switched to a thumb pick (Chicken Picker) After 13 years of a flat pick going hybrid.

I use Fred Kelly's because the Fender, Dunlop, National, and Herco's all suck IMO. Although like mentioned above its all personal preference, Mason uses the blue Herco's or whatever.

I tell everyone to buy a couple fred kellys (You can get them from elderly) And don't be afraid to take a file to it because that's the way I get them perfect to fit me and I'm pretty sure everyone else does too.

+1 on the Herco only I use it for playing bass. Rounding off the tip definitely helps.

Can be awkward at first. You'll probably end up trimming or filing it down to how you like it.

+1 on the Fred Kelly 'slick picks'...mediums...

I like the Fred Kelly Speed Picks... the center prong needs to be filed down a little to suit me, but it just takes a minute or two. :smile:

I don't use one all the time, but when I do, I like the Fred Kelly Slick Picks. The blades on most of the others are too long for me. The Slick Pick is more compact and is more like using a flat pick.

I like the Fred Kelly Speed Picks... the center prong needs to be filed down a little to suit me, but it just takes a minute or two. :smile:

Thank you for posting this - these are what I'd mentioned before I play with, but couldn't remember the name. When I first started with the thumb pick I really took alot of material off to get it to feel right. But it seems now that I've been at it close to ten years that way, I no longer need to filed them down - even the big Dunlops, which are what I'm using now because I ran out of FK's and Nationals (which seem like Dunlops anyway).

I think the FK's are the best for making the transition from the ergular flat pick to the thumbpick, no question.

Golden Gate thumbpicks are my favourite. Try a few different brands and make sure you get them to fit properly by softening in hot water and letting them set into your size by placing under cold water.

I like the Fred Kelly Speed Picks... the center prong needs to be filed down a little to suit me, but it just takes a minute or two. :smile:


Hmmm. These look interesting. I may have to try them. Plus I like how it looks like the pick is giving you the finger.

Johnny Winter (and not me).