Using Finger Picks on Tele?

Kenny Radas · Post by **Kenny Radas** » 11 Feb 2006 12:06 pm

I give up trying to play with a pick and 2 fingers. Just when I get my nails shaped and sounding like I want I usually break one, usually at the worst possible time. I double on pedal steel so I am already used to using a thumb pick and 2 metal finger picks. How many of you out there play with this technique? Can you give me any advice on adapting it from pedal steel to tele? Let me know your pros and cons of using the thumb pick and 2 finger picks for guitar. Any pro players use this technique? Feel free to throw at me anything else you feel that might help me make the transition easier. Thanks in advance.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 11 Feb 2006 12:47 pm

Al Perkins played with thumb and finger picks on guitar when I met him back in the 70's.

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 11 Feb 2006 12:54 pm

I've been playing that way for thirty years. I pick block.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 11 Feb 2006 1:25 pm

I've been using fingerpicks like this for the last 17 years. I'm semi-pro these days, but have done it for a living. My nails are just too weak to rely on. I was primarily a flatpicker for 20 years before that, and just up and did it one day.

My advice is to just put the things on nice and tight, and leave them there - eventually, they'll probably get comfortable. I found the .025" thickness picks that most people use for dobro or steel are too heavy for typical light-gauge (.010-.046 or .009-.042) Tele strings. I prefer .020 Dunlops, and when starting out used .015 or .018 to keep the "pain quotient" down. But YMMV.

PS - James Burton uses flatpick plus a single fingerpick on his middle finger. [This message was edited by Dave Mudgett on 11 February 2006 at 01:26 PM.]

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 11 Feb 2006 2:13 pm

When I double on tele I just leave the picks on. I just got used to it, and now I really like it. I pick block as well, with some palm blocking every now and then. My only problem is that I hit the pickguard every now and then, causing a ticking noise that sometimes comes through the pickups. But in the heat of the moment, that stuff is buried in the mix anyway.

The main reason for using the picks on the tele, however, is definitely because it takes too long to take them off and put them back on during a set.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 12 Feb 2006 12:49 pm

I've done this for so long I can't remember not using finger picks. I played pro in the Los Angeles area for almost 25 years before moving to Virginia 20 years ago and always have used the thumb and fingerpick thing. My main guitar is an '83 Tele with a P/W B-bender and fingerpicks are the thing for me. I think I can play single note lines as fast this way as most flatpickers can. There are some techniques which you can incorporate which sound great. James Burton plays with a flatpick and one finger pick. He sometimes will grab a string from both sides with the pick and fingerpick and snap it for a special sound. Some players of note who use thumb and fingerpicks are:

Duncan Cameron.....played with the Amazing Rhythm Aces until doing a long stint with Sawyer Brown. Duncan plays as well as anyone around this way.

John Cipollina.....great guitarist in the 60's rock band QuickSilver Messenger Service.

Eddie Adcock.....Great banjo/guitar player who uses the same picks on both instruments. He played lead with David Allen Coe on electric for a while.

Amos Garrett....remember Maria Muldair's "Midnight at the Oasis"? That was Amos. In an interview in guitar player magazine he said that he used only a thumbpick on recording sessions, but on live shows he used both a thumbpick and two fingerpicks.

Bob Warford....Great Tele B-Bender player who worked and recorded with Linda Ronstadt among others uses a flatpick along with two metal finger picks.

Cliff Gallup....Great guitarist with Gene Vincent and the Bluecaps. Remember that great solo on "Race with the Devil"? Cliff also used a flatpick and two metal fingerpicks.

Have a good 'un........JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 12 February 2006 at 12:52 PM.]

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 12 Feb 2006 6:09 pm

*[This message was edited by Barbara Hennerman on 21 August 2006 at 01:50 AM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 12 Feb 2006 7:41 pm

Jerry, you forgot Robbie Robertson---I THINK I read somewhere that he used a flatpick and two fingerpicks.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 13 Feb 2006 12:23 am

My favorite way of playing standard lately is with bare fingers and a thumbpick modified to work well with upstrokes too. BUT: I do play with the fingerpicks too, mostly to practice "three-pick" patterns I find hard to think about clearly when I'm sitting at the steel. The main thing I notice is that the picks hit the strings at a different angle on guitar than on steel, so I bent up a pair specifically for use on guitar - the tips are angled over sideways towards the thumb. If I was trying to double using the same picks for fast changes, I think I'd be able to play steel with the "guitar" picks easier than guitar with the "steel" picks. I have to change the EQ around to use picks on standard guitar too, the picks are more trebly and it requires some tweaking.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 13 Feb 2006 2:51 am

well for me, for the past 30 years it has been NO picks. Pick off the finger tips , not the nails.

I don't have to ever remember if I brought a pick or not..I haven't even bought one in probably 15 years !

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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 13 Feb 2006 1:15 pm

I use a thumb pick and two old national finger picks when I play PSG.

Tele: I play with a thumb pick (herco blue)

Jazz Archtop: I use the Dunlop Jazz mini picks thick ones. They look like little triangles... red ones

Chris Spencer · Post by **Chris Spencer** » 15 Feb 2006 8:44 pm

There's a guy from Springdale, Ar named Earl Cate that plays an Old Tele with a flat pick and 2 metal finger pick. He get a real sharp bitting sound. The released some albums in the 70s on Electra-Asylum. You can check out Earl and the Cate Brothers at www.catebrothers.com

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 16 Feb 2006 8:44 am

For some odd reason I use fingerpicks on steel, lap steel, dobro and banjo - but can't use them on electric or acoustic guitar. I've tried thmb/fingerpick combos, flatpick and fingerpicks - it always feels "wrong". FWIW I never could fingerpick AT ALL on guitar - picks or no picks. And that alternating-bass thumb thing always has eluded me.

But I hybrid pick (or did when I was able to play guitar) and used a flatpick and the middle & ring fingers - short nails, so finger "meat" mostly, nails when I wanted to dig in hard.

Dave Zielinski · Post by **Dave Zielinski** » 16 Feb 2006 9:15 am

i switch between tele and nonpedal all night long, and eventually, you'll get used to it. If i JUST play steel on a gig, i use a thumbpick, and 0.018 dunlops on my index and middle finger. If I pickup the tele or switch alot, I drop the middle fingerpick and stick with the thumb and index finger. I came form guitar to steel and learned alot of the Merle travis picking with thumbpick and single fingerpick. After a while it becomes a second nature thing when playing either a tele or a steel. Jsut stick with it, don;t be afraid to do what works for you, not what someone tells you to do..
Have FUN!

Chuck Cusimano · Post by **Chuck Cusimano** » 16 Feb 2006 9:51 am

For over thirty five years, I have used a flat pick, and two metal finger picks on Tele. I like the way this enables me to "pull" some big fat chords, (simular to a steel) and also play a tic-tac type of bass notes, and an up stroke on chords at the same time. It is complementive to a 4/4 shuffle rythem (IMHO).

I also like the crisp notes I can get from Metal finger picks. I have been using Brass Jim Dunlop finger picks for nearly thirty years, and don't want to go back to the steel ones. (edited cuz I don't TIPE so purty good)[This message was edited by Chuck Cusimano on 16 February 2006 at 09:52 AM.]

John Ummel · Post by **John Ummel** » 16 Feb 2006 10:06 am

I remember seeing a guy play at the Riverside Inn a few years back and his fingerpicking sounded really good. I went and talked to him on break and he showed me he had a kit of false fingernails women use for fashion purposes. He'd glue em on and use em to pick with. Sounded great.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 16 Feb 2006 10:35 am

off topic for "Steel Players" - moved to the "Music" section.

Kenny Radas · Post by **Kenny Radas** » 16 Feb 2006 12:11 pm

Thanks for all the info on this. Good to hear how other players approach different right hand situations. I think one problem I have with just using the meat on my fingers is getting the snap that I am use to with the metal picks while playing steel. Maybe I need to adjust mentally to each instrument and not try to make each one feel the same, if that makes any sense.

Jim West · Post by **Jim West** » 16 Feb 2006 4:57 pm

On my Tele (or acoustic) I use a flatpick and two bare fingers, thumb and two bare fingers, thumbpick and two bare fingers. Fingerpicks never worked for me on guitar just like bare fingers don't work for me on steel. Go fig?

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 17 Feb 2006 6:41 am

http://www.youtube.com/w/Jerry-Donahue?v=aTQk6khJLY4&search=jerry%20donahue

Here's a guy with no finger picks. He seems to do allright.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 17 Feb 2006 6:56 pm

Can't imagine the sound of finger picks on a Telecaster- it doesn't bring good things to mind. Still, I was wrong once before!

I like the tonal variations that are possible from playing with the flesh of my fingertips, and digging in the nails whenever needed. I wouldn't want long classical-player nails, because it would eliminate that tonal flexibility. It's a style that has evolved gradually over 40 years. I never pick up a plectrum anymore.

If I'm playing a lot, it does become difficult to keep from wearing the nails completely off... in which case there are a lot of products on the market that will help you strengthen, reinforce or build up the nails of the right hand.

I don't use a thumbpick on guitar, either- unless I'm playing Atkins style and need that "pop"- I just play with the flesh of the thumb.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Feb 2006 1:45 am

Bass players don't use picks either..

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 18 Feb 2006 6:41 am

James Burton uses one finger pick, one thumbpick.

I double on Tele, and never could adapt to finger picks.
I've gotten good at quickly switching my picks.

Chuck Cusimano · Post by **Chuck Cusimano** » 21 Feb 2006 10:06 am

For Rick, A string, is a string, is a string. I block with the palm of my right hand as I pick (just like steel players do) so there's really not a harsh sound. I know i'm in a minority of guitar players who use a flat pick, and two finger picks, because I've only actually seen one other in over thirty five years of playing. I have heard of a couple of others who use this method, but I know it's a rare method. I use my pinky on my right hand to play a stroking rythem while singing, and playing (unless it's a 4/4 shuffle) I came up with the idea, while I was in the Navy, and trying to learn (by myself) to play Steel guitar, and switching to my Telecaster. The thumb pick never stayed put, so I improvised. At first, the only finger picks I could find were plastic, and I didn't like them. A Steel player in Long Beach Ca. (Zed Dixon) gave me a couple of Nationals. They were clumsy at first, and I struggled for a while, but finally got used to having them on my fingers. I know I feel lost without them, if I sit in on someone elses guitar, and don't have them with me. You Steel players know that it's hard to carry your fingerpicks around with you in your pocket without smashing them...Right? All that said, They work well for me.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 21 Feb 2006 11:38 am

Hey Chuck, "Zed Dixon"?? That's a blast from the past. I haven't seen or heard of him since the sixties when he was playing for Jack Tucker at the old Pioneer Room in Norwalk.........

As far as the fingerpicks on guitar thing goes, Terry Kristofferson (not sure of spelling) who played (plays) for Buck Owens plays steel and lead together and uses the thumb and fingerpicks on both instruments.

Stephen G. thanks for mentioning Robbie Robertson. I read that interview in GP magazine where he stated that he used fingerpicks. He also said that was the reason why the middle pickup on his strat was put back by the rear pickup as his fingerpicks used to hit it and make those "clicking noises".... JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!