Black Mountain Thumb Picks?

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 22 Dec 2021 12:04 pm

Anyone try these yet? They are available with different spring tensions and tips. I might try them as I switch between banjo, steel and guitar a lot. So far I like the J. D. Crowe thumb picks best for banjo and the blue Herco's best for steel.

Lot's of reviews here:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-U ... KFWR1?th=1

Main web page here:

https://blackmountainpicks.com/

Colin Swinney · Post by **Colin Swinney** » 22 Dec 2021 6:28 pm

I have. I found them very comfortable and I think you should definitely give them a shot. I’m so in love with the swivel on the Fred Kelly Bumblebees though, I find any other pick doesn’t have the right angle of attack for me.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 22 Dec 2021 6:51 pm

I got some and not crazy about them for fingerstyle guitar. They do stay on and are comfortable, but not the right feel for me.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 23 Dec 2021 6:06 am

The Bumblebee pick:

https://fredkellypicks.com/product-category/bumble-bee/

https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Kelly-Picks ... C54&sr=8-2

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 23 Dec 2021 6:22 am

I have a Black Mountain a buddy gave me a year or so ago, he really likes them. I like it myself - but I guess not all that much because it sits in my “pick drawer” and I tend to forget about it being there.

JD Crowe thumbpick? Greg, are you referring to the BlueChip? My favorite thumbpick for all things steel is the BlueChip JD (for Crowe - not Jerry Douglas as some people mistakenly think) Reso pick with the shorter blade. I’ve been using these for about nine years.

And I have a couple BlueChip flat picks I really like as well for guitar.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 23 Dec 2021 6:56 am

Discussion about these from last year - viewtopic.php?t=355900

Discussion about the Bumblebee there too. As I stated there, I like and occasionally use them, but don't love them. I guess I should try one of these Black Mountains, but I expect that the flatpick blade will be too large for me. But I guess I'll never know if I don't try one.

The other candidate in this area is the Herco Flat Thumbpick - https://www.amazon.com/Herco-HE113P-Thu ... B0009QTQ32. I resolved 30 years ago that they fit way too loose for me and the blade is way too large for me. I still have a few in my (very large and overflowing) pick drawer, and occasionally try one, which only confirms my view.

If I'm not using finger picks, mostly for guitar or slide guitar, I will sometimes choke up on a Fred Kelly Regular Delrin with my index finger and use it as a flat pick. Pretty tough to do that with finger picks on.

I guess that's where I sometimes find the Bumblebee useful, and this Black Mountain might also be useful. As a hard core guitar flatpicker, I really miss being able to do really strong upstrokes that really require either shoring up with the index finger or a flat thumbpick of the right shape and size that would stick to my thumb like glue.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 23 Dec 2021 7:23 am

I have some and really don't like them. They feel too "bulky" for me. Not comfortable.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 23 Dec 2021 7:36 am

Mark, yes the Bluechip one:

https://store.banjobenclark.com/product ... thumb-pick

I like the way it stays secure on my thumb even during the most aggressive picking attack. One thing I don't like about it, the tone is not as bright and clear as the blue Herco thumb pick.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 24 Dec 2021 6:59 am

I got some for my girlfriend. Because of some nerve damage that occurred during shoulder replacement surgery, she lost some feeling in her right hand thumb and index finger and had a difficult time holding on to a flatpick. The Black Mountain Pick solves that problem until her nerve damage recedes and she can hold a standard pick again.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 24 Dec 2021 8:37 am

I just ordered 3 of the jazz-tipped Black Mountain picks, which I only found on the website - https://blackmountainpicks.com/products ... 5438633063. There are two spring variants - regular vs. extra-tight. This link is for the extra-tight selection, which is what I ordered. Also saved $7.95 shipping ordering directly from the website - basic two week letter shipping was free.

They may still feel a bit bulky, but I think there is some hope that the jazz-style flatpick might not feel too huge. I also tend to prefer a fairly sharp tip point for flat picking. I also hope the extra-tight spring helps stabilize it on my thumb. I want that sucker to stick to my thumb like glue. I like the sound of the blue Herco thumbpicks, but they're way too loose for me. My thumb is not small at all, I guess I just have to have 'em tight. The only traditional thumb pick with a fairly long but reasonably slender blade I've ever tried that has really felt right to me is the Fred Kelly Regular in the standard size. Thanks to Mike Sweeney for turning me on to those.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 25 Dec 2021 11:05 am

I had 3, I think i gave them away. As thumbpicks or easier to hold flatpicks, I couldn't get the right blade angle on the strings (tried on steel, banjo, mandolin, fretted guitar) tho now I think i should have tried thinning out the fingerband (I chopped the sides off the blade but I could've reshaped the blades more too, maybe I'll give another try)

Allan Revich · Post by **Allan Revich** » 26 Dec 2021 10:01 am

They make more sense for lap steel players who like to alternate between flat picking and finger picking. Even with a finger pick on the index finger it’s possible to pinch like a flat pick for the back-and-forth picking. As a replacement to a regular thumb pick it just comes down to personal preference.

Foster Haney · Post by **Foster Haney** » 29 Dec 2021 10:35 pm

Feels great on my thumb. But not crazy about the tone coming off the pluck of the string on my steel. I still use it tho.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 15 Jan 2022 10:58 pm

I got my Black Mountains the other day. I think I made the right choice getting the more pointed jazz pick with the extra-tight spring. It's not quite as tight as I like, but it isn't floppy either.

The whole assembly does feel a bit bulky on my thumb. But it does hold pretty well and the blade seems to stay put pretty well. The flat pick doesn't swivel like the Fred Kelly Bumblebee, which has good and bad points. It's good that it seems pretty rock solid in-place - the swivel on the Bumblebee is kind of loose and it can change orientation in the heat of battle. But on the other hand, being able to swivel it can give some flexibility in positioning. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs.

Only time will tell if I find this adaptable to some of the various styles I play. I suspect I'm gonna like it for jazz guitar and maybe slide guitar. Not sure about steel yet - I really like the idea of sometimes being able to alternate and/or tremelo flat-pick things sometimes on steel, but we'll see.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 27 Jan 2022 11:13 pm

Haven't retried the Black Mountain Tpick but I got one of their little 2 string slide rings and it's great fun, instant on and off like this Phil McKnight vid shows

https://youtu.be/JXekAfvWPxk?t=150

I tried using it like a cam bar on my thumb but... intonation pretty bad

viewtopic.php?t=375952

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