metal, or plastic finger pick?

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 11 Feb 2005 2:50 pm

What do you guys use for finger picks on six string, plastic or metal? I use a flat pick and my middle finger to play, and I like usin just my finger with no pick at all, but my wife say's it sounds wimpy. What gives the best sound a metal or plastic finger pick?

Terry

------------------
Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 11 Feb 2005 3:21 pm

Take a look in the back of Acoustic Guitar or Finger Style Guitar magazines. Several solutions.
Personally, for six string playing, I use a flat pick and 2 metal ProPicks. These are real different in that they have a small band of metal at the fingertip. This lets me feel the string with the fleshy part of the fingertip, and pick it, without chewing up my fingernails.
Elderly Instruments has a good selection.

Ron

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 12 Feb 2005 7:21 pm

Thanks Ron. I've been usin a flat pick and one of my steel guitar finger picks. But I just don't like the sound of the metal pick.
Do any of ya'll use your bare finger/fingers to pick with, along with a flat pick?

Terry

------------------
Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 12 Feb 2005 7:31 pm

I never use fingerpicks of any kind when I play regular 6-string. I use them when I play lap steel, and that feels quite natural for me, but for some reason I've never been able to gte used to them on guitar. Perhaps it has something to do with the angle of the picking hand or something, I don't know.
Sometimes I might use a flatpick and bare fingers, but that's very rare. If you play 'barefingered' long enough you'll build up calluses and get plenty of volume so it won't sound 'wimpy', if that's the way you really prefer to play.

Steinar

------------------
www.gregertsen.com

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 12 Feb 2005 7:38 pm

Yeah, Terry, I've been doing that for over fifty years. I hear guys play six string with finger picks and it sounds great, if I try it myself I can't stand the sound. When I gigged it would have made it much easier to switch from LP to psg but I could not do it. I played a session in Sacramento years ago with Jimmy Fox on steel. He used one of those long flat picks. Can't remember if he use any finger picks too. He was a terrific player, I think he worked for Del Reeves for a while.

------------------
Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 13 Feb 2005 6:44 pm

Thanks guys. I really like the sound of pickin bare finger. I use fender bullet #9's for strings. I might could get a heavier sound if I used bigger gauge strings, but these #9's bend real good.

Terry

------------------
Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord