Alternates to blue Herco thumbpicks?

[John McClung]

The only Dunlop blue Herco thumbpicks I can find on Amazon now are a box of 50 shipping from the UK for $66. Is there a better source nowadays? Are the red Delrin ones on Amazon the same size and overall performance, just a different color?

[Dave Magram]

John,

I used the blue Herco thumbpicks for many years. Of course, one must keep a spare Herco in easy reach because about halfway through the set, the blue Herco thumbpick loosens from one's body heat and starts falling off, and you need to switch to an unwarmed spare.
I also tried the red Delrin thumbpicks, but they seemed to have the same problem.

Then I discovered Fred Kelly Speedpicks that use a better quality Delrin (or whatever plastic they use) than the Hercos that doesn't loosen from body heat.
They also have a very clever blade design that keeps the pick from slipping around your thumb no matter how hard you strike the string!

They are only about $1 each.
And they last for years with virtually no wear, so you don't need to buy more than two or three.

I prefer the slightly stiffer "heavy" white ones to the "medium" orange ones, but YMMV.

- Dave

[Bo Borland]

The red Dunlop’s are a good choice. Almost identical and seem to last a little longer.
I bought a couple dozen off Amazon. Reasonably priced

[Dale Rottacker]

I almost like the Red Dunlops a bit better than the Herco's which for me just don't want to stay snug enough.

But 66 bucks for 50 Herco's doesn't seem to far out of normal price.

[Dave Mudgett]

I can't help you on other sources for Blue Hercos. But I jettisoned them when I discovered Fred Kelly Delrin picks. I generally use the white Regulars for pedal steel and sometimes for nonpedal steel, and the yellow or orange Slick Picks for slide guitar and sometimes for nonpedal steel. Delrin, not polycarbonate, which are harder and break more easily. They stick to my thumb like glue, feel/sound good on the string to me, and I've yet to wear one out. I lose them before I wear one out. I think they come in two sizes - I get the 'normal', not larger size. The large size sticks to my finger OK, but the blade extends further than I like.

I liked everything about the blue Hercos except that they were too loose for me. I did get some red Dunlops - Bobbe Seymour carried both. The were, as far as I was concerned, equivalent to the blue Hercos - and with the same problem.

[Bill McCloskey]

https://store.banjobenclark.com/product ... -thumbpick

[Jacob Yergert]

The only Dunlop blue Herco thumbpicks I can find on Amazon now are a box of 50 shipping from the UK for $66. Is there a better source nowadays? Are the red Delrin ones on Amazon the same size and overall performance, just a different color?

The guitar store I work at sells Hercos. Im sure we can ship some out.
flipside-music.com

[Tucker Jackson]

You can get them right here on the Steel Guitar Forum store -- and support the mission here.

https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/dunl ... ividually/

[Michael Sawyer]

I just got both a blue herco and a red dunlop off the forum store...

[Tiny Olson]

Hey John:

I gotta' go with Dave Mudgett and the white, Fred Kelly Regular thumb-picks. I switched to them about 10 years ago (from the blue Hercos) and I like them far better. I always liked the sound of the Hercos but like others have said, I had to keep about three of them readily available as they became loose. I found the Red Delrins very slightly better at keeping their shape, but not much.

My big thumbs used to stretch and loosen those Hercos like crazy. Also, I found myself going through a bunch of them to pick out the ones that felt best and had the shortest blades. They just weren't all the same. I usually file the blades some anyway and still do a bit with the Fred Kelly regulars. They feel good on my thumb though and like Dave said, feel and sound good striking the string.

Another thumb-pick I like pretty well and use at times is the white, John Pearse pick. It's a little heavier but I still like it.

When it comes down to it, the white, Fred Kelly Regulars are my favorite.

Hope you're well man..!!

[John Larson]

My big thumbs used to stretch and loosen those Hercos like crazy. Also, I found myself going through a bunch of them to pick out the ones that felt best and had the shortest blades.

I had the problem where the thumb holder part constantly cut into the side of my thumb cuticles so I switched to the Black Mountain thumb picks with the spring and haven't looked back. It also helps that six string electric is my primary instrument so I fit the regular thumb picks style quickly. That with the brass national finger picks have been my go to since. I like the sound of the attack on the brass better than the stainless steel or nickel, it's a bit softer to my ear so it lets me lay off the volume pedal abuse as much.

[Thornton Lewis]

I'm with David above. Fred Kelly speed picks. They look weird, but they play great. They don't loosen up when you play, they're cheap, and they last for years. I just started using a new one after three years and I play every day an hour or more.

[Michael Lester]

Having read this thread a few days ago I ordered Fred Kelly Delrin thumb picks via Amazon.

Now one day in, I find the Delrin dramatically better than what I've been using.

I'm getting a cleaner. crisper tone than I was with my old picks. The Kelly pick is shaped a bit differently, but not different enough that I had to alter the way I play.

I haven't had sweaty, Summer hands yet - where the pick rotates on my thumb. They do fit just fine right now.

[John Hyland]

Propik thumbick with steel band and Delrin tip. Last for ever. And very comfortable and being metal adjustable for thumb size. Not cheap but worth the price in my opinion. https://pro-pik.com/products/propik-original-thumbpick