Anyone ever use a coin as a pick?

[telleutelleme]

I bought this Peso pick and tried it. Turns out to be a nice decorative item.

 

[Monoprice99]

I tried using coins, then realized the coin was beating up the strings. First the edge on most coins that are not a penny or nickel are rougher. That was taking the coating off the strings prematurely. Metal on metal is frictional wear too. So I will gladly buy a few guitar picks made of plastics to get more life out of a set of strings. As strings have priced up, the longer life of the strings ended up paying for the 100 Alice guitar picks in a plastic container of various thicknesses that I can't seem to lose or wear out. There is always the thin metal guitar picks, those cost more than the plastic picks. Same issue though metal edges took the coating off the strings for premature end of life for a set of strings. The metal one's are novelty items that can be attached to a a neck chain and like a charm bracelet be worn ornamentally. Would having one save you in the event you lost the last of the plastic guitar picks ? Sure, but would I want to use one exclusively ?

 

[Dukex]

 

[BurtGummer]

I know it’s been done. Probably most notably Brian May used a Sixpence coin, and I believe Billy Gibbons has used a Peso coin in the past.

I like both of them. A lot. I’ve tried with a U.S. Quarter. And didn’t get the results I thought. Maybe it’s my technique? Maybe it’s the coin?

I’d love to try a sixpence. But being in the U.S., they just aren’t around everywhere

Have you used a coin? What coin? What were your results?

Yes, probably a dime. If it works for you, cool. It's better than nothing, but for me it would be a last resort.

 

[BurtGummer]

I've tried coins: US, UK and Canada. Alloy makes a difference as well as thickness and size. I find UK 2p and 50p coins work well for my style. UK 50p is a pentagon so has some nice shallow points. The 2p copper alloy gives it a warmer attack than a nickel alloy as seen in US Quarters.

Largest I've tried is a 1880 UK Shilling, about 2.5" diameter, not sure the alloy in that one but it has some shrill attack on it.

Did you downsize back to dinner plates after that?

 

[jdl57]

I tried it with a quarter, I even ground off the lip on one side figuring it would only cost me 25 cents. It sucked. If you want a round pick I can recommend the V-picks Gypsy.

 

[Midgetje94]

I tried it with a quarter, I even ground off the lip on one side figuring it would only cost me 25 cents. It sucked. If you want a round pick I can recommend the V-picks Gypsy.View attachment 1222586

I’ll have to try that one just to see.

I wasn’t contemplating using a coin full time. More just curious and the occasional oddities. Maybe for a set song or something. Sure some big names do it. And get great results. They also don’t pay for strings. Or IF they do. It’s Pennie’s on the dollar for what we do.
So for them a pack of strings a show (even across 3-5 guitars) isn’t much.

Same concept with picks. There was a post a while back squawking about the price of Blue Chip and they are only so big because John Mayer uses them. Well him and a lot of bigger bluegrass players. And that’s fine. They aren’t us and we aren’t them. I personally won’t pay $35 for a pick (I don’t typically loose picks. I have some Gravity Picks I had custom done for a small touring month I did years ago.) but names that big. Blue Chip are probably tickled to have such names in their “family” and probably provide them free for those artists. Or like I said. They pay a fraction of what retail is.

 

[Mr Ridesglide]

Naw - just those things on the end of bread bags

 

[ZackyDog]

I tried it with my old Strat, but it was short lived. It was too awkward and I believe, hard on my strings. But when I strummed chords through my old VOX AC30TBX, I sounded a bit like Brian May.

I can see where Brian May gets some of his tone/sound, apart from the normal channel of a VOX AC30 with a Deacon treble booster.

 

[Midgetje94]

I tried it with my old Strat, but it was short lived. It was too awkward and I believe, hard on my strings. But when I strummed chords through my old VOX AC30TBX, I sounded a bit like Brian May.

I can see where Brian May gets some of his tone/sound, apart from the normal channel of a VOX AC30 with a Deacon treble booster.

View attachment 1222657

I could be wrong. But I believe all of those were actual amps. Most time they are either completely fake or just the empty shells they had bought.

 

[ZackyDog]

I could be wrong. But I believe all of those were actual amps. Most time they are either completely fake or just the empty shells they had bought.

I don't follow you. There is a disagreement between these two statements.

But I believe all of those were actual amps.

Most time they are either completely fake or just the empty shells they had bought.

 

[Midgetje94]

I don't follow you. There is a disagreement between these two statements.

It was common for “walls of amps” to be fake. With only 1 or 2 actually being real. A lot of artists have used them. I do believe Brian May was known to have all real amps. Not sure how many were in use at once. But all real useable amps.

I guess I didn’t word that the best.

 

[ZackyDog]

It was common for “walls of amps” to be fake. With only 1 or 2 actually being real. A lot of artists have used them. I do believe Brian May was known to have all real amps. Not sure how many were in use at once. But all real useable amps.

I guess I didn’t word that the best.

OK.

I recall reading that in the "old days", he used all 12 (or maybe 4 of the 12 were backups), but now he apparently uses just 3.

 

[Dik Ellis]

I have several, including a half-dollar, a quarter, a Peso and another Mexican coin. Bought them more as a novelty, but I think I'll give them a whirl, and report back.

 

[thesamhill]

I tried it once about 10 years ago. I couldn't make it work. I think at this point I've been using orange turtles for so long that anything other than yellow or red turtles is a bit too crazy for me

 

[thankyouguitar]

I know it’s been done. Probably most notably Brian May used a Sixpence coin, and I believe Billy Gibbons has used a Peso coin in the past.

I like both of them. A lot. I’ve tried with a U.S. Quarter. And didn’t get the results I thought. Maybe it’s my technique? Maybe it’s the coin?

I’d love to try a sixpence. But being in the U.S., they just aren’t around everywhere

Have you used a coin? What coin? What were your results?

I used a usa penny that had been run over by a train for many years. It was the best pick for me and worked really well with the hybrid picking style I was doing at the time...

 

[Weazel]

I used to make my own picks out of sheets of copper. 0,8 mm as I recall.
As copper is a softer material than the strings, I got some real fine copper dust after a while, and needed to re-shape the picks from time to time.

I still use them, but I alternate with XL Jazz III 1.0 mm

 

[ce24]

I once tried it but didn't like it at all.
Alternatively , has someone of you ever tried to play guitar with your teeth like Hendrix did ?

I can play behind my head... Did that frequently in a band long ago... People dug it...ez show type thing with JB GOOD type stuff.

 

[Flyboy]

Not I, but a guitarist I played with waaay back in the day used a UK Decimal half-pence. They were around 20mm in diameter.

 

[Flyboy]

Also, for me, nothing beats these for electric six-string.