Expensive vs Cheap Finger Picks

Trevor Stellflug · From: Portland Oregon, USA

What are some of the advantages (if any) to using expensive finger picks?

Any disadvantages to cheap ones?

Can it really make that big of a difference?

I've only used Dunlops so far

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Use whatever you like, whatever is most comfortable and gives you a good sound. As far as expensive picks go (or expensive anything else, for that matter), nobody cares how much you spend - they care how good you sound!

"Money is just dirty paper with pictures of dead presidents that people hand back and forth to each other so they don't have to do each other favors."

Trevor Stellflug · From: Portland Oregon, USA

Thats what I thought! Just curious Surprised

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I've always used Dunlop finger picks and plastic thumb picks. I don't have the issues most have with the finger picks, but I would wear out the thumb picks slowly, and much faster on dobro. So I bought a Blue Chip thumb pick - and love it! I now use it for pedal steel and dobro. Doesn't wear out (I suppose it eventually will, but I've been using it for 6 months now) and is very comfortable. Still happy with Dunlop finger picks.
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Dan Kelly · From: Boston, MA

Here is a plug for a version of the "expensive" picks... And here is a link to some pics of those picks - Sterling Silver Picks by Ron Landis:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=372506&highlight=landis

The.925 sterling silver material from which these picks are made, provide a mellower sound than most other metal picks I have used. The rounded, semi globular design of the pick blade provides a forgiving attack angle resulting in a full sound and a quieter attack with no loss of grip when you need to bite in. Landis offers three different blade designs and lots of design styles, as well.

What I really like is the tiny pyramidal grips on the inside of the pick bands. Man, they really hold the picks on my finger tips... even with a small of hand moisturizer on. I just about never have to reposition the picks while playing.

Ron Landis offers full refunds for those who try the picks and don't like them... so no risk in trying them. Here is a link to his website:

https://www.landisstudios.net/product-page/single-sterling-silver-finger-picks

At $38.00 for each finger pick, they are not cheap, but I am happy with them. YMMV!

BTW, I still use Blue Herco thumb picks. I tried metal thumb picks but just never got used to them.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

As long as the metal fingerpicks are .025" steel, I can get along with most of them. I'm currently using Nationals (NP2s); it may be snake-oil, but I constantly read about how they're the 'best'.

I just take some comfort from having a matching pair (and an occasional third).

Thumbpicks:
About twenty years ago, I was gung-ho for the heavy Golden Gate T/picks; I bought a box of 20 (Billy Cooper's store - sadly, the only time I was able to visit) and I still have those twenty; I have never had one fail.

Recently, however, I was asked to try a Pro-Pik. I opted for the white ones (colour determines size, I believe) and now I don't know how I dealt with those heavy, thick GG picks.

Pro-Piks are about a dollar each, too.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

The .025 Dunlops are the right fit and feel for me, I carry a set each of nickel silver and brass. The brass picks seem to have something extra going on, a subtle mellowness that gives me more choices in voicing my notes, while the nickel silver ones have a sharper attack that is sometimes more useful. YMMV, I imagine silver picks would be superb, but I'm not going to spend $40 per just to take them out of the house and have one drop through the floorboards on some outdoor festival stage like several of my best already have.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I like Dunlop picks because you can get them in various gauges.
I like the lighter picks.
Erv

George Seymour · From: Notown, Vermont, USA

It comes down to how they fit..which takes time..and how they sound, yes they do make a difference.
I mentioned the Dean Hoffmeyer picks here several years ago, as they became prevelant in the banjo world, and after using
them for banjo, they are nearly identical to the old National that are so highly regarded, and to me offer superior tone,
was ridiculed somewhat on the introduction thread because of the cost...but a story about them several years ago: I was supplying steel
accsessories for a sound company that was working for Connie Smith, Gary Carter was playing steel, during their lunch break before the show
I went up and looked around at Gary's guitar and noticed he was using the new NP2 National...(had already tried them..junk in my book, but what
was I to judge what Gary Carter was using...) so after the show he thanked me, and had just completed his instrumental album and gave me a copy early, so I
offered him the Hoffemeyers I had in my steel seat, he put them in his shirt pocket, thanked me, and they got on the bue to leave...so two weeks later
he emailed me and wondered where in the world I had found the picks I had given him, said they were the best he'd used..so getting a pro like Gary to change picks is
like getting Tiger Woods to change putters...every one is different...but I don't feel bad about why i choose Hoffmeyer picks..at least I've got someithing in common with
a phenominal steel player Very Happy

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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Is there hype around some picks and prices? Probably so...same as there is with other items musicians use.

There are differences though. Material, design, fit and sound, availability.

Concerning the new National NP2s which are now d'addarios, they are different from previous styles. They have just recently started offering nickel silver again. Previously only brass or stainless steel were available. Neither of which I like...brass too soft and stainless too harsh... and they are also smaller bands and blades.

Personal preference as in other gear rules. Some people find a huge difference between brands, alloys and designs while others don't seem to hear any difference.

Hoffs, Bob Perry's, Dotson 8's...a few others are going to start around $20-30 a pair and go up from there. The rarity of old Nationals, Showcase, JFs and BJs along with the scarcity and desirability have boosted prices tremendously. A lot of players think they're worth it. To each his own.

Cartwright Thompson · Posted 26 Feb 2024 2:14 pm

Hoffmeyers are the best, it’s all in the shape. They fit perfectly from the get go. The shape of the blade and surround is perfect. I find it funny when people that use expensive bars complain about their cost. I’ll take a $20 Ernie Ball bar and Hoffmeyers over a $150 Zirc bar and Dunlaps any day.

George Seymour · From: Notown, Vermont, USA

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Greg Allen picks make a huge difference in tone - very bright and snappy. Expensive, but they work. Very sharp point. To use a guitar pick comparison, traditional fingerpicks are a Fender medium and Greg Allens are a Jazz III. If I liked the fit better, I'd use them.

Personally, I use Acri fingerpicks, because I LOVE the fit. The tone is nothing special, but they're very comfortable and stay in place. Nothing else like them that I know of. No nasty sharp bands digging into my cuticles! On pedal steel, I use Acri thumbpicks as well, for the tone match. On dobro, I have to use Golden Gate plastic thumbpicks and tape on the Acris, because I play much harder and picks tend to go flying.
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Andrew Frost · From: Toronto, Ontario

I use NP 1's, SS, 3 of them. They're about .23 gauge I think.
Not expensive picks per se.
Switched from Dunlops a few years ago as I was getting into the Right Hand Alpha drills and figured Jeff Newman's advice would be worth checking out.
The leaner band stays out of the way of things nicely.
Not sure if it makes a huge difference at this point but I love the NP's and prob wouldn't go back to Dunlops although they are decent picks.

I'm curious about the Bluechip Thumb picks..not cheap though.. Been using Golden Gates for years and prefer them over other brands like National, Dunlop.
Fred Kelly's are nice too. - good fit in my experience but the GG's are my go to.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I've played expensive picks that I hated (and some I liked). I've played cheap picks that I loved (and some I didn't like). It ain't the amount of money they cost. It's whether or not they work for you. You might as well accept that you're gonna have to try some different types to see what works for you.

I am OK with Dunlops. .020, .0225, or .025 are all OK for me, depending on the situation. I've recently started to use the D'Addario/National NP2's. I have some in nickel-silver, brass, and even a few stainless. I got them at a guitar show for, I believe, $2/pair. I bought around 15 oe 20 pair - every one he had, literally. Very nice, and that's what I'm using right now. To me, they have the general sound and feel of old Nationals, but I find them significantly more comfortable. I always liked the sound of the old Nationals, but it literally hurt to play them. They always sliced up my cuticles.

I like the Guptill Pro Piks single band, old-school. Tried the double bands, but never could keep them on my fingers. They just flopped around too much. But they are a bit heavy/thick.

Same thing with thumb picks. I used old Nationals (the good ones made 80s and earlier before they turned to garbage) for banjo and early pedal steel. I still have a few, but they are essentially unobtainium, and I want something I can get more of. Even the old ones tend to break at the bend after a while - we're talking about old white celluloid. I tried the Herco Blues - just too loose on my thumb. Other various smaller white thumb picks - Dunlop, John Pearse especially - they were OK but not perfect. I've tried Blue Chip, Golden Gates, and other really big (and sometimes really expensive) thumb picks. Just too big and thick for me, very awkward.

Then I discovered the Fred Kelly Slick Picks in Delrin. Short, stubby, but fabulous especially for guitar/slide guitar. Then Mike Sweeney turned me on to the Fred Kelly Regulars. Absolutely perfect for steel to me. They just lock onto my thumb, nice stiff but slender blade. Never looked back.

Try some picks.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

I like the Fred Kelly thumb picks and Dunlop finger picks. I have a set of the Ron Landis expensive picks, Nationals and many others. The Dunlops work fine and are my go to finger picks and Kelly thumb pick.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

If you find a set of specialty picks you like, Better buy a few sets and put them in your personal stash. Most specialty metal finger picks are made by Steel and banjo pickers up in years. You get a set of picks, You like them, And when you go to buy some more.
The maker has passed on to their rewards, And the picks are no longer available.
JB's, JF's and Showcase "41"s are like trying to find chicken teeth today.

I like for a thumb pick to fit a little loose, Cut and fit a small section of 3M stair safety strip, (Rub grip surface on stone or metal, To break long sharpies off), To the flat front area of the pick. Clean the front flat surface with alcohol, Remove cover tape, Position and press firmly.

Ace Hardware sells 3M stair safety strip by the foot off of a roll.
The pick is not real tight on your thumb, But will not move, Even when your hand gets sweaty.

Alan Davidson · From: California, USA

Like Dave Stagner, I use Acri because of their fit and comfort. They're only about $15 for a pair.

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Another thumbs-up (sorry!) for Ron Landis' sterling silver fingerpicks. Pricey but if you like what Dan says about them, they're worth it.

I've been using large National thumb picks for longer than I can remember. Winking

Mike Vallandigham · From: Martinez, CA

I use Jeffran picks and blue Herco thumb pics.

Got a bag of Hercos and a few sets of Jeffran pick - should last my life. Smile

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I've actually sprung for a pair of Hoffmeyers!

I'm not really uncomfortable with what I have (Nationals) but there's so little going on in my musical life that, after reading the Gary Carter tale, I thought: 'What else do I have to spend my money on?'

They're not here yet; I presume they'll be delivered by armored truck, at the very least. Smile

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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

Another vote for Acri..after using all available picks for 60+ Years, I tried and really like Acri, solid comfortable fit, don’t want to fly off, also using them now on Dobro, Chet-pickin duitars.. Shocked

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Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

I love the BP Cobalt finger picks. I get them from Rob Ickes. $22/pair
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Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

Mahalo Lee for the story…..good memories!
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