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Fingers, Flat Picks, Finger Picks.....

What is everyone's preference for picking? I use a flat pick a lot, but like the sound of metal finger picks (thumb, first and second fingers).

I recently started playing more with just my fingers. With a single wound pickup and the amp turned up the volume is fine. I like the control I get with bare fingers, but wonder if I could achieve the same control with finger picks and more practice.

So, what is everyone using and what made you decide on that approach? What advice would you give to a relatively new player?

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on April 25, 2015 at 10:06pm

Interesting thread and I have an interesting answer!
Many years ago I had an accident on a building site and lost the use of my left hand, twenty years on I decided to try and play guitar and eventually found left handed was the way to go.

Because my fingers could only grip finger picking was out,I couldn't use a pick the conventional way but with a bit of Velcro the problem was solved, though strumming was the most I could do and with further years of practice I could pick the odd single string, it was difficult but I persevered and found I could play rhythm on 6 string fairly well but it was difficult doing fast phrases and solos and was almost about to give up then I discovered CBG's!

Tuning to open G on 3 or 4 strings opened up a whole new world and I started writing my own songs and building guitars, I built a 6 string which I tuned to open G and have had some success with recording and playing live, but distorted power chords sound great on a 4 string and I use the 6 string for clean playing, like they say, where's there a will there's a way ! :-)

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 25, 2015 at 10:14pm

awesome !

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on April 26, 2015 at 3:03am

yes, NEVER give up!

....think i'll give up those trousers, lost a lot of weight this year... ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on April 26, 2015 at 7:09am

;-)

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 27, 2015 at 6:03am

SPA DAY!!!! Hahahaha

I did actually to to a nail salon today. I had to either stop playing fingerstyle or get some help. I told the woman what I wanted for playing guitar and she put on acrylic extensions, and acrylic (or something) base which dries with heat and then a gel top coat that is UV cure. Given the condition of my nails going in, I'm pretty impressed after only playing a little while this afternoon. They have to be about 2mm thick now. Looks a little weird, but I'm fine with them. I'll have to see how they wear, but after 10 minutes of finger picking, not a scratch on the tops.

I only had the thumb, index and middle finger done. Cost $20 with a tip.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 27, 2015 at 6:51am

Yeah, I obviously have lots of sandpaper bits around. I've been playing a good half hour now or more and I have filed them down to the length I like. The skin on my fingertip is just barely past the nail. Not so likely to get snagged backward and pulled off. I'm pretty used to these 3 nails looking shiny with the hardener applied.

I am going to have to adjust my playing style just a bit. These are a lot louder than natural nails. I'm really liking them. If they last a month I'll be really happy. And I think they typically charge less for maintenance than the first application. Except maybe to guitar players who don't chit chat during the sit.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 27, 2015 at 7:52am

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 27, 2015 at 11:52am

They are about 2-2.5mm thick so much stronger than my natural nails. I like the length and shape just like this. Now to see how long they last. :)

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 28, 2015 at 4:14am

A follow up after several hours of hard fingerstyle playing. I love these. They are showing wear on the broad surface, but none across the tip. They sound great and I am getting used to the thickness both for playing and just regular activities.

I think I will get some UV curing gel just to keep the top coat fresh and not cut into the acrylic layer too much. Depending on how much they charge for a fill-in and finish at the nail salon, I might get a full kit and just do them at home, but I think I'll be playing this way until my fingers fall off.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on May 11, 2015 at 2:38am

Yesterday I had finally nearly worn through the center part of my index finger acrylic nail and had to redo. April 28th to May 10th. Not bad considering the heavy strumming I'm doing on my heavy resonator strings. I'm playing at least a couple hours every day and really abusing my fingers. I feel pretty good about the investment and I have had no issues with breaking. I have had to stay on top of filing them down to the correct length where I like them.

Yesterday I broke out the UV lamp and IBD Builder Gel I purchased. This takes a little getting used to, but I got an acceptable job done fairly quickly. The gel appears to be much harder material than the acrylic and after about an hour of playing I can't really detect any wear on them yet. I put a really thin topping on my ring finger since I don't up-pick with this one, but it gets some use on the strum.

For anyone who has weak, thin, or brittle nails and wants to finger pick, I recommend trying acrylic or gel nails. The salon I went to did not use builder gel so my first time was acrylic and I think they would last a very long time for the average player. Over a month.

For those who don't know, the gel refers to the UV curing polymer. It is painted on and is a viscous liquid. I'm not sure I would really say it is a gel, but it is a thick material that is painted on top of your natural nail. You then cure it under a UV lamp for 3 minutes to harden it. The gel is about $20, but I got a BOGOF and the 9W lamp is about $50, but I got mine on sale and you can find them at a beauty supply place. Make sure to get "builder hard gel" The gel nail polish isn't the same hardness. My acrylic nails had a top coat of gel polish and this wore off very quickly.

Last thing - and I don't want to catch any flack about this - the gel nails sound brighter than the acrylic. There. I said it. Better tone with gel fingernails.

Anyway, this has really improved my playing and my happiness while playing. Thanks Tom T for posting up the discussion.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on May 11, 2015 at 5:10am

The nail salon that did my acrylics used a plastic extension on my natural nails, then painted a thick layer of acrylic over top of both. This was a powder material. The woman dipped her brush in a solvent, then the powder, picking up a thick layer. This was then applied to my nail. Once a good layer was on she would alternate brushing on a very little solvent and wiping off the brush to make a smooth topping about 1-1.5mm thick. Then it was cured with heat. This wasn't a "press-on" type nail that was superglued on the whole nail surface.

I was going to buy some better emory boards and a file today, but then I decided I could just make my own with sandpaper I already have and my needle files.

I have really started beating on the strings hard and where I used to get a little minor bruising and tenderness under my nail bed I don't feel any sensitivity now. Same with pretty aggressive up-picking.