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I have a sticky thumb

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 Huge
(@huge)
Active Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 12
Topic starter  

I was looking at your avatar and wondering if you were licking it.

:lol: :lol:

He does need to change his avatar. :Cough:

I would argue that there is nothing wrong with Axl Rose. But there are so very, very many things wrong with him, I can't bring myself to do it. :D

My new blog about learning the guitar: http://hugesound.blogspot.com/


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

As for fingerpicks, after trying and using many kinds, I currently have two favorites, both metal. Ernie Ball "Picky Picks," which have very sharp tips, giving an exceptionally bright tone (really bringing out the "banjoey" tone of a reso), and Jim Dunlop .025" nickel silver picks, which have a blunter tip, don't sound quite as bright, but are very stiff and can't be beat when you want to wail on the strings hard. It's simple physics that the narrower the tip of the plectrum plucking a string, the more higher harmonics are excited and vice versa. That's why picking with "bare meat" always gives a mellower, darker sound than using a pick.

If you want to use plastic picks like Dunlop's, they do have an advantage in pick security. If you're not extra careful, when you get to enthusiastically banging on the strings with metal fingerpicks, they'll fly off. But if you use the plastic picks as shipped, they'll allow no blood flow to your fingertips. They'll hurt for a few minutes, then go numb, and if you keep playing long enough without removing the picks I expect the ends of your fingers will turn black and fall off. The fix for that is to drop the picks in a small container of boiling water (I like a coffee cup in a microwave) for a minute or so to soften them up. Do this by the sink with the cold water turned on. Fish out the picks one at a time, quickly jam the pick on your finger, and before it can sizzle your finger seriously, poke it under the cold water. Then it'll be perfectly sized for a snug, but not dangerously tight, fit. My fingertips on my picking hand are close enough in size that if I use my index fingertip for all of them, I can use them on my middle and ring fingers as well and not have to sort out three differently sized picks when I play.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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 Huge
(@huge)
Active Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 12
Topic starter  

I never realized that thumb picks could be so dangerous :).

At any rate, I figure that picks are cheap enough that I can buy a couple different ones and try them out. I'll try some finger picks too.

I think this'll be a fun day.

EDIT: BTW, thanks for the tip about sizing, Ricochet.

My new blog about learning the guitar: http://hugesound.blogspot.com/


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

I never realized that thumb picks could be so dangerous :).Not thumbpicks. Fingerpicks. Those Dunlop plastic ones really put a grip on the fingertips. I can't use 'em without the custom sizing, and that's the usual practice of most players who use them.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

Years ago I was chatting with an old bluegrass picker, and I noticed that his thumbpick was heavily customized. He said he couldn't find exactly what he wanted, so he improvised.

What he wanted was a light thumbpick that would fit his "ungodly huge" (his term) thumb.
He found a plastic thumbpick that fit his thumb, then trimmed off some of the plectrum part (which was way to stiff for his liking), and then crazy-glued a Dunlop nylon light (.38 IIRC) pick onto it.

Looked a bit odd, but it worked for him.

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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