jpiperson2002 - Posted - 06/10/2009:  04:56:35

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First off, this ISN’T a post arguing for the use of a finger pick for Clawhammer. I practice without a pick once in a while but it's hard on my finger and the notes aren't distinct. A Clawhammer pick gives me louder and more distinct note than my fingernail and it allows me to be more accurate with less effort.

Many of the other posts on the tropic recommend acrylic nails or various home made picks, they're inexpensive and obviously work very well for many people. This post is narrowly focused on the two types of commercial Clawhammer picks which have worked very well for me, the plastic Fred Kelly Freedom pick and the metal Perfect Touch finger pick. They’ve been discussed in other threads but I thought that a direct comparison of the two might be interesting.



Last year I'd settled on the plastic Fred Kelly Freedom picks after trying a few types of commercially available Clawhammer picks. I found them to be fairly comfortable once heated and stretched to fit my finger correctly and with the front edge filed down slightly. The pick covers most of the finger tip down to the knuckle.I don’t usually have a problem with pick slippage but a dab of Gorilla Snot or similar friction paste would keep the pick securely in place if needed.



Those Freedom picks worked so well for me that I got a bunch of them and stopped trying other brands for awhile until recently when I bought a couple of metal Perfect Touch finger picks. I’d hesitated buying them because of the relatively high cost, about 3x the price of a Freedom pick, for what appears at first glance to be a fairly typical metal finger pick.

The main feature which distinguishes a Perfect Touch Clawhammer pick from a standard bluegrass finger pick is a small metal finger which bends away from a cut-out near the end of the pick and which presses against the pad of the finger to hold the end of the pick in position.



When I first tried a Perfect Touch finger pick out of the box it didn’t seem like it was going to stay securely in place on my finger. However, after spending a few minutes bending the pick to closely follow the curve of my finger nail I discovered that the pick is both comfortable and quite secure.



Comparison: I’m able to hit the correct strings more easily with the Perfect Touch pick than with any of the other commercial Clawhammer picks I’ve tried. It’s a bit less bulky than the plastic Freedom pick and it gives a more sensitive tactile feedback from the strings while playing. The relatively narrow point provides a clear and predictable strike on the string.

The Perfect Touch is so light that it’s hardly noticeable. It ‘doesn’t get in the way’ when I play and I find it to be more comfortable than the Freedom pick. The open design allows better air flow around the finger tip and it doesn’t constrict the whole finger tip in order to stay in place. After a few minutes it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing the Perfect Touch pick at all and sometimes I discover that I still have it on after I’ve stopped practicing and started a different project. By comparison the Freedom pick squeezes my finger tip just enough that I always relieved to take it off as soon as I’m done playing.

A person could get a few regular Clawhammer picks or a bunch of acrylic finger nails for the price of a single Perfect Touch pick so it isn't something that everyone would want to try. I can only say that they're working unexpectedly well for me and have improved my technique and made my practice sessions more enjoyable.


John Piper

dbrooks - Posted - 06/10/2009:  10:29:43

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Nice comparison, John. Do you get any string rattle with the Perfect Touch picks? I used to get some clatter when I used the brass Acri picks, modified using John Balch's design. I get less pick noise from the Freedom pick, I think.

David

tom clunie - Posted - 06/10/2009:  13:31:30

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Thanks for the nice post JP! I'll giv'em a try. TC

Paul Roberts - Posted - 06/10/2009:  21:26:58

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Thanks for the review. You definitely convinced me to try it.

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jpiperson2002 - Posted - 06/11/2009:  04:36:31

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quote:

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Originally posted by dbrooks

Nice comparison, John. Do you get any string rattle with the Perfect Touch picks? I used to get some clatter when I used the brass Acri picks, modified using John Balch's design. I get less pick noise from the Freedom pick, I think.

David

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If by rattle you mean metallic overtones or buzzing then I haven't noticed any. I'd expected to get more of a twang out of the metal picks compared to the plastic ones. There is a definite difference in the sound but it's more subtle than that.

I just put both picks on different fingers and alternately plucked the same strings with the same force for comparison. The Perfect touch gave a noticeably louder note with a fuller sound. My guess is that the metal in the pick is flexible enough that there a slight spring action as the end of the pick flexes when it hits the string, The extra energy stored in the deflection of the pick, combined with the narrowness of the pick end where it intersects the string, pops the pick off of the string very quickly without damping any of the vibrations.

If the picks didn't cost so much I'd make a stronger recommendation for people to try them but. Everyone is looking for their own special sound and there can be a considerable investment involved in the testing phase. I needed to try at least a dozen different styles of picks and bridges and a few tailpieces and heads before I got familiar with the differences and developed a preference for a few particular combinations. I mostly prefer the Perfect Touch picks for their comfort and playability but I do also prefer the loud and distinct sound of the notes.

The only problem with them for me is that no one else in my clawhammer classes uses a pick, so when I hit a bad note it rings out clearly above the other players and everyone knows who the culprit was.


John Piper

joeblueg - Posted - 06/16/2009:  12:36:48

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I do find that, in the learning process, that I do better with a pick. I seem to be able to mentally aim better and do get a better sound from a pick. Anyway, I have been using just the freedom pick with good results but, did pick up a perfect touch pick. Right now I am undecided on the 2, I do like the sound of the plastic pick for clawhammer a bit better but, do like the fit of the PT pick.
I think the plastic gives you a truer clawhammer sound kinda like a hard ole nail but, remember this is just from a beginner. Joe

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Paul Roberts - Posted - 06/16/2009:  13:30:25

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Anybody else notice a plasticy clicking with the Freedom pick? I don't hear this with the ProPik.

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