new--best way to keep your fingerpicks on

Mickey Lawson · Post by **Mickey Lawson** » 11 Sep 2007 12:19 am

Sat down at the guitar this morning, thought I'd eat half a banana before putting picks on. Oh well,.. then saw the banana peel felt somewhat sticky. The banana was not green, but not too ripe either. Rubbed my fingers across the inside of the peel, and then, I couldn't force the picks off my fingers while playing. Amazing...

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 11 Sep 2007 12:27 am

Hi Mickey,

I guess banana residue is very inexpensive. There is a product on the market that works just as well called (GORRILA SNOT)

Really!

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 11 Sep 2007 3:51 am

It's the thumb pick that I am having most trouble with. I can bend the metal picks with my PLIERS. The plastic pic is another story. I was wondering if heating it a bit in very warm water and letting it cool on my thumb would shape it better, like sports people do with mouth pieces. (I did that when I was taking karate.) Anyone try this and have some success with it?

Gorrilla Snot?? ewwwwwwu....

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 11 Sep 2007 4:12 am

I have my reg type thumb pick and then have a tighter one that I switch around as needed.
By By Kenny

Doug Rolfe · Post by **Doug Rolfe** » 11 Sep 2007 4:30 am

We have sold literally hundreds of padded picks at our gospel steel table in St. Louis and other places. Those who use them are pleased and have even come back for more. We offer both Kaisers and Nationals at $3.00 each. They really work and you don't need to use gorilla snot or banana peels. They stay on and are comfortable as the padding softens the edges of the picks so as to not cut into your fingers.

Phil Halton · Post by **Phil Halton** » 11 Sep 2007 4:56 am

[quote="Tamara James"]It's the thumb pick that I am The plastic pic is another story. I was wondering if heating it a bit in very warm water and letting it cool on my thumb would shape it better,

Tamara, I think if you try heating the thumbpick and allowing it to cool while on your thumb, you'll find that you "cooked the pinch" out of it. In other words, it'll form fit to your thumb, but the necessary tightness will be gone and the pick will just flop around on your thumb when you try to pick. In 30 years of wearing thumbpicks I finally settled on a brand that works and fits well. GoldenGate thumbpicks are what I use and they have a uniform fit and are always comfortable.

A little trick to keep the picks from twisting on the thumb (in sweaty conditions), is to use a pair of needle nose pliers to make a 90 degree bend at the very end of the wrap of the pick. Just the last sixteenth of an inch or so of the picks outside wrap. That'll dig into the flesh of the thumb like a little barb and will prevent twisting. It'll also prevent hooking the wrap on adjacent strings which can be a problem if the wrap is long. Heat the pliers in hot water (not the pick itself)

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 11 Sep 2007 5:42 am

Yes, you can heat a plastic thumb pick in very hot water and carefully shape it with a pair of pliers.

I wouldn't put it on my thumb while it is that hot though.

Once you have the shape you want put it in cold water. Done right it will have the right amount of spring.

It just takes a little practice and thumb picks are inexpensive.

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 11 Sep 2007 7:44 am

Phil Halton wrote:
Tamara James wrote:
Heat the pliers in hot water (not the pick itself)
Heat the pliers? good idea. Much better than the blow torch I was using.

Mike Archer · Post by **Mike Archer** » 11 Sep 2007 11:11 am

on plastic thumb picks sand the inside of the
pick where it slides on your thumb
it makes it just rough enough to not turn on
your thumb
use lite grade sand paper 400 grit or so
and as the others said the snott works well too

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Sep 2007 12:59 pm

Tamara James wrote:
Gorrilla Snot?? ewwwwwwu....

There are people who make a living harvesting the stuff. Please don't rob them of their dignity.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 11 Sep 2007 2:13 pm

I used to cut or scratch a few lines on the inside of the thumb pick with my pen knife.. an Earl Scruggs trick, that would grab the flesh just enuf.. but now I just use picks that fit and a lick my fingers before I put them on ..and after I have an adult beverage... I like the taste of lime..

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 11 Sep 2007 3:57 pm

Lick your fingertips first - works well for the metal picks, anyway.

RR

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 11 Sep 2007 4:39 pm

You got it Roger. Just lick your finger tips. Works like a charm.

Alan Kirk · Post by **Alan Kirk** » 11 Sep 2007 5:53 pm

Lick fingertips.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 11 Sep 2007 6:17 pm

What Roger, Kevin and Alan said. Works pretty good.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 12 Sep 2007 4:45 am

I just lick my fingers AND thumb. Your saliva(or should I say MY saliva) works like a mild glue.

Tamara, If that does not work for you, then go to Walmart and buy the little nose pads for eye glasses. Stick a couple where needed and you should be good to go. My daughter's fingers and thumb are small, and the eye pads did the trick for her. YMMV

Jim Eller · Post by **Jim Eller** » 12 Sep 2007 4:50 am

Could someone please tab out that finger pick lick?

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 12 Sep 2007 7:16 am

James Morehead wrote: Tamara, If that does not work for you, then go to Walmart and buy the little nose pads for eye glasses. Stick a couple where needed and you should be good to go. My daughter's fingers and thumb are small, and the eye pads did the trick for her. YMMV

The sand paper worked well. Found some in my toolbox. Little cuts with my leatherman worked too I don't have a penkife, I carry a leatherman. Tried licking my fingers, but they don't taste like lime so I passed right by that. May still have to bend it a tiny bit as the thumb pic still gets hung in the string sometimes. The adult beverage sounds nice.
thanks all.

Hey, Micky,
was your question answered? Thanks for asking the question it helped me too. Sorry if I hijacked, that was not my intent.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 12 Sep 2007 7:36 am

James Morehead wrote:
Tamara, If that does not work for you, then go to Walmart and buy the little nose pads for eye glasses. Stick a couple where needed

James,,,

Are you suggesting she try her picks on her nose??? That don't sound right!!

Tamara, I use the "lick your fingers" method myself, but sometimes I get to thinking about that and really don't want to lick them!

Honestly though, the best I've found is to try to keep my fingers as clean as possible, and pass on eating fries, and burgers, or any kind of finger foods before playing. [cheese burger grease and finger picks just don't mix well] $:\$

Larry

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 12 Sep 2007 10:05 am

If you smoke enough of the banana peels, maybe you won't even worry about your picks anymore....

Bordley Palk · Post by **Bordley Palk** » 12 Sep 2007 3:42 pm

Try a little adhesive backed sandpaper. I think you can get just about any grit you want. Cut a small piece and stick it on he inside of your thumb pick. I think I use 100 grit. Works great.

Mickey Lawson · Post by **Mickey Lawson** » 12 Sep 2007 9:23 pm

Has nobody tried this yet.....Lots of responses but no one admits to trying banana peel yet.....It was also good for thumbpick slippage...Guess I'll have to be the only one buying extra bananas....

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 12 Sep 2007 9:43 pm

I have used Gorilla Snot for years,can buy at most music stores or musician's friend,etc.but WARNING,don't let ANY of it get on your strings,will turn them into haywire.A five dollar lid of it will last a year.

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 12 Sep 2007 10:14 pm

For the thumb pick, I use a little steam from a water cooker, when in the right shape use some cold water. Finger picks I squeeze real tight. In the beginning your finger will hurt and turn sort of blue, but after a short time you don't feel it anymore. No need for banana's etc.

Bruce Etter · Post by **Bruce Etter** » 13 Sep 2007 3:50 am

Great......Now I have to figured out how to fit a banana in my pac-seat!!