Martin
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Post by Martin on Dec 12, 2017 21:54:12 GMT
Fingerstyle players!
Do you use a thumbpick or just your naked, unadorned opposable digit?
I started out using one since my teacher used one, but I weaned myself off it after a few years as I reasoned I might not always have a TP available and would like to be able to play without one.
Now I find I have to practise to get used to using one again, and I'm not sure which sound or feel I prefer.
What do you use and why?
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Dec 12, 2017 22:06:02 GMT
Thumbpick every time. If it's good enough for Ralph...
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Post by lavaman on Dec 12, 2017 22:23:14 GMT
I prefer the intimacy of flesh stroking the strings.
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Dec 12, 2017 22:51:21 GMT
I prefer the intimacy of flesh stroking the strings. You dirty beast...but I do agree. A thumbpick (Fred Kelly speedpick in my case) is useful if I'm looking for a specific sound, but generally I prefer flesh. It took me a while to realise that, unlike the fingers, the thumbnail wasn't even making contact with the strings.
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Post by vikingblues on Dec 12, 2017 22:59:18 GMT
I used a thumbpick for a period of time when my thumb had "issues" which meant it was painful to hit a guitar string with it. Once I discovered the Delrin Fred Kelly Slick Thumbpick I got on fine. Others that I tried felt uncomfortable and none came near to the more "natural" sound of Delrin.
I guess which I prefer is answered by the fact that once my thumb healed I discarded using a thumbpick and haven't gone back to it. I do prefer the sound using just the thumb and I feel more connected to the guitar. It was the same with electric guitar where I rarely used a pick as it helped to kill expression.
But it can depend on the sort of music you play. If you play in styles where a strong clear bass string pattern of notes is important the a thumbpick will help.
It also depends on the strength of your thumbnail and how much time you're prepared to give to regular trimming / filing / shaping. I prefer to have the thumbnail hitting the strings rather than just skin as it gives some projection and impact to the notes.
Also depends on the balance of sound across the strings of your guitar and whether the bass sound produced by the guitar is clear or thick. With thick warm sounding bass notes a pick can be good in adding a sharper edge.
Mark
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Dec 12, 2017 23:12:06 GMT
Thumbpick for me.
I have never been able to get the right balance of volume/tone with my thumb flesh when playing with fingernails, and I don't find thumbnail to be v useful unless so long that it interferes with other activities. (!)
Also I could never pluck convincing upstrokes with my bare thumb whereas a thumbpick makes this easy.
Fred Kelly Speed Pick works just fine for me as supplied. All other sorts need radical surgery before use to shorten, thin and reprofile them before I am comfortable with them.
Keith
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Post by scripsit on Dec 13, 2017 0:17:15 GMT
I'm another Fred Kelly user, and have bought them in bulk so that they are distributed across various cases, coats and bags: you never know when you're out if someone will ask you to play some guitar (except they don't, in my experience).
I started using a thumb pick because Martin Simpson used one, and he seemed to be a reasonable role model. After my electric years of using a flat pick exclusively, everything about fingerstyle playing was difficult at the beginning anyway.
I've tried bare thumb playing every once in a while, but can't get a crisp thump. I'm envious of people like Al Petteway who seem to be able to develop a decent bass sound either way. And Tony McManus with his thumb triplets.
Kym
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delb0y
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Post by delb0y on Dec 13, 2017 5:40:24 GMT
Thumb-pick for me. It was a strange journey - took me a very long time to get used to using one, and when I finally did it had to be a specific type of thumb pick (Herco) and I had to cut them down to a certain size. Having got to that stage I couldn't play without one. Then, all of a sudden, I discovered that I could play without one, and indeed could play with a non-cut down Herco. So these days I'm a bit more flexible and if the song demands a softer touch then I'm able to discard the pick.
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Post by robmc on Dec 13, 2017 7:57:46 GMT
I've never used one Martin, even to try out, so I'm not able to compare. I didn't like using a plectrum either, I guess that's why I never gave it a thought. Go bare or go home.
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Post by RodB on Dec 13, 2017 8:57:48 GMT
I don’t use one now, but when I played only ragtime and blues I did ( but with finger picks as well). It was for volume and attack.
I now play other music as well, and like the tone from flesh /short fingernails and like a restrained bass to leave the melody out on top whatever I am playing - so to get this balance - no thumbpick.
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on Dec 13, 2017 9:00:49 GMT
I think they work better for players who use nails or fingerpicks rather than flesh. I only ever used one with picks myself, and then only on electric.
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Post by earthbalm on Dec 13, 2017 10:41:54 GMT
Depends on how the mood takes me and/or the song.
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Dec 13, 2017 10:52:11 GMT
I can't use them. I have tried, granted not for long, but didn't get the hang of it. I had to change the angle of my thumb and it just didn't feel right so I keep with flesh now and the sound is uniform between thumb and fingers. So I am definitely a flesh man Phil
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Dec 13, 2017 13:35:29 GMT
................... I had to change the angle of my thumb............ Phil ...this put me off too, until I realised that by shortening the blade of the thumbpick it was possible to get almost the same angle of thumb whether using thumbpick or not. This helped a lot, being able to use or not to use, as at that time I kept using and not using fingernails. Eventually I settled on thumbpick plus nails. It's such a personal thing innit? Keith
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Dec 13, 2017 14:36:15 GMT
................... I had to change the angle of my thumb............ Phil ...this put me off too, until I realised that by shortening the blade of the thumbpick it was possible to get almost the same angle of thumb whether using thumbpick or not. This helped a lot, being able to use or not to use, as at that time I kept using and not using fingernails. Eventually I settled on thumbpick plus nails. It's such a personal thing innit? Keith I tried all that Keith. Filing them down etc. I was hoping to be able to do fast runs like with a plectrum. Also I can't stand it when my nails get too long that they catch the strings. The feel of them against the string and the brittle sound it produces Anyway I gave up on it for good when I learned that Laurence Juber is also a flesh man Phil
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