Make guitar picks out of credit cards

Yeah, I've tried the hard felt. They're also used by some mandolin players, which is how I first found out about them a long time ago. Actually, a lot of the time I just use my fingers - 100% of the time on classical guitar, of course, but probably 30% of the time during lessons. If I've set a pick down to point something out in the music or write something on a score, it's just quicker to use my fingers. But when I gig, I almost never do (unless it's a song that specifically demands fingerpicking).

Someday I'll find the perfect pick. And I'm sure the next day my amp tubes will go and my pickups will need rewinding... and I'll start over again :)

Chris, two years ago I met the guy who invented the Jellyfish pick - we were both judges for Guitar Center's King of the Blues competition. Nice guy. He's got a degree in music composition (besides an engineering background).

I've also gone through at least dozens, if not hundreds, of pick experiments. Matchbook covers give a soft tone that I like, but they don't last long. Chunks of hardcover book covers last longer, but have a bit more bite to the tone. I like coins, but not the current US ones - get rid of the ridge around the edge and they work better (but it's actually illegal to deface US money, so I've made do with mangling coins from my travels). I've tried chips of stone, cut picks out of bottles and cans, etc. But most of the time I'm still using plain old extra heavy gauge generic picks, or the Dunlop Stubbys. Mostly because I go through picks at a fair clip.

Coins really? I sometimes use it when I'm in a bind, but I always feel like I'm doing serious damage to the strings.

Coins really? I sometimes use it when I'm in a bind, but I always feel like I'm doing serious damage to the strings.

Coins probably are a bit heavy duty, but lots of people seem to have experimented with them. A couple of players spring to mind:

This is from a wiki about Brian May of Queen:
he prefers to use coins (especially a sixpence from the farewell proof set of 1970), instead of a more traditional plastic plectrum, on the basis that their rigidity gives him more control in playing. He is known to carry coins in his pockets specifically for this purpose.

and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top
He is noted for using a Mexican peso coin as a guitar pick

Chris

I was at a jam one evening. there were about fifteen players there that night. everyone was a guitar player, but there were only two guitars there; mine and anothers.
we set up a rotation so everyone had a chance. I did my stint then left the room for a bathroom break. when I returned I saw a guy grab my guitar, as it was his turn in the rotation. next thing I saw he pulled out his car keys and was about to use them as a pick. it was a key ring with all kinds of keys and metal on it. I literally jumped across the room and grabbed the keys from his hand. I told him I would break his hands if he ever tried that with my guitar again. I handed him a pick. I surprised him badly; he started to remove the guitar. I told him he should play. he did and was awesome.
I always keep a pick in that little pocket within the front pocket. they never come out in the wash.

Using other materials as picks to try and get a different tone is one thing but not all "inventions" make sense. To me this one doesn't.

I guess it's true there is a sucker born everyday, someone might buy it but why?

IF and it hasn't ever happened I wanted to play and didn't have a pick I'd either use my fingers or maybe a coin but with the price of picks I always have plenty lying around.

I guess it's true there is a sucker born everyday, someone might buy it but why?

The same reason someone might want to make his own guitar: For fun.

The value from the product isn't in that you get FREE picks. It's from the fact that you are making your own pick out of whatever you have lying around that isn't being useful for anything. From the fact that you have something new to experiment with to get that perfect sound. The process itself is enjoyable.

The machine costs 20 quid in the UK. If cheap picks cost 20p a time, you've got to make 100 picks before you have any "free" ones. I don't see that you're going to get much more than 4 out of a card, so you'll also need 25 old cards.