Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:11:57

My wife asked what I wanted for my birthday so I thought I would ask for some high end finger picks. Which ones would you choose and why. I have been using pro-pics and have noticed some pick noise recently. But besides that I am wanting some with good tone.

asmcsgac - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:22:42

I like older USA Nationals curved or straight sevens ............both seem the same to me. Why? I seem to get a solid attack with the flatter blades. Just my preference.

Edited by - asmcsgac on 02/19/2011 09:24:07

Westvon - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:26:59

I absolutely love the Cobalt picks made by Bob Perry up in Ohio. They have a great flat surface which allows me to snap the string with consistency and I can seem to get more power from this pick. reminds me of the old Nationals, but even better. I have never done well with the rounded or even Dunlop picks. Can't seem to get the kind of grip on the string that I can with the BP picks.

Check Bob's site out at cobaltbp.com

Tell him Dave Russell says howdy

Edited by - Westvon on 02/19/2011 09:28:12

Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:28:59

If you know the prices when you post, please include it. Im willing to go up to 30 or so but if I can get some super good ones for 15 or 20 then Ill save the money. Well, she will.

Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:31:31

Thanks for that Link. Those power picks look really nice. How do they feel.

asmcsgac - Posted - 02/19/2011:  09:31:34

"She" can check ebay for older nationals. A few are being offered as we type.

Edited by - asmcsgac on 02/19/2011 09:31:54

Pickin furry paws - Posted - 02/19/2011:  10:42:08

Get the only two pick types I would ever recommend: Sammy Shelor Stainless Steel picks, or a set of old Nationals.

The Shelor picks are about 30$. The Nationals are much more, depending on how old they are. A set of original prewar Nationals can fetch $2000 easily. Take a look at this website to get an idea for the different kinds of Nationals made throughout the years, and go for the ones with the curved sevens in the serial number:

deanhoffmeyer.com/nationalpick...meset.htm

steve davis - Posted - 02/19/2011:  11:24:52

I like Dunlop .025s a lot.
I fine tune the bands to comfortably fit my fingers.
They aren't expensive.

Edited by - steve davis on 02/19/2011 11:25:33

Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  11:28:08

So far its between cobalt and shelor. The flatter surface of colbalt sounds like I would like that. The shelors say they are slightly rounded. Do you think there is a big difference in the two. The Shelors are stainless steel. Do you think that is a deciding factor.

asmcsgac - Posted - 02/19/2011:  11:50:22

Different metals yield a variety of tonal qualities.

Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  12:01:43

So the nationals have a flatter blade also? I saw that earlier but it didnt register.

moparcolt - Posted - 02/19/2011:  12:16:21

I'll second the cobalts.they hold up really well. I know several players that use them with great sucess. I have one of Bobs armrests as well.

Chris

JIMBO53 - Posted - 02/19/2011:  12:20:00

The Shelor "spoon" compound curve blades really fit the tips of your fingers nicely. I also like the old Dunlop .025's and have a backup set of "Roy's Own" German nickel silver picks from Lewis family patriarch "Little Roy" Lewis janetdavismusic.com/roys_picks.html . The Shelors are my faves-no noticable pick noise, great fit, and stainless steel won't wear out! While your wife is in a generous birthday mood, drop a hint or two for a JD Crowe model Blue Chip thumb pick-combined with the Shelor's, these are my last pick purchases, unless I lose them.

Old Man - Posted - 02/19/2011:  12:55:24

Pro Piks single band
Kel Kroyden long life thumb Pic
They sound good and they are just confortable for me.

Westvon - Posted - 02/19/2011:  14:10:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by Big I

Thanks for that Link. Those power picks look really nice. How do they feel.

---

pick1936 - Posted - 02/19/2011:  14:46:32

I still have two sets of 1970's Nationals, I don't play them anymore--just like new. I use only The 1970's Dunlops, My Reason the older Dunlops are made much better to the new ones, The old ones are better shaped, and have a (longer) tang.



Nechville. In Higginsville.
Lee Kelso

Big I - Posted - 02/19/2011:  16:15:42

westvon, I did check out the website. Im leaning towards the cobalts.

The Pope - Posted - 02/21/2011:  11:41:28

Shelor pix & a Blue Chip thumbpick are it for me! YMMV...

kjcole - Posted - 02/21/2011:  12:29:44

Showcase 41's are terrific.

asmcsgac - Posted - 02/21/2011:  12:45:18

Getting dizzy yet?

kjcole - Posted - 02/21/2011:  12:59:48

Everyone is different - you gotta experiment till they sound and feel right to you.

Besides the Showcase 41's, the National NP2 's, and the Kayser 'old style' are nickel-silver (I stick to nickel-silver, by-the-way, stainless-steel just sounds too bright to my ears) and also are patterned after the old nationals. I have all three types but find myself using the Showcase 41's (by a narrow margin) because they have the broad flat blades and I've got them bent just right. (I can't seem to make narrow-bladed or spoon-shaped picks sound good, by-the-way.) Whatever pick you use, make sure you are striking the strings in the middle of the blade (look at the blade after awhile). Most scratchiness and pick noise comes from not using the middle of the blade (so I don't notice a big difference with cobalt plating - but you might). Helps to polish the nickel-silver blades on your strap once-in-awhile, too. And don't be afraid to bend the blades to suit you. I like mine so they follow the curvature of my fingers, rather than sticking out, and twisted just a bit (so they strike flat) for my particular hand placement, etc.

Here's descriptions of a bunch of different picks, with prices
janetdavismusic.com/finpiks.html

Edited by - kjcole on 02/21/2011 13:13:25

Brian T - Posted - 02/21/2011:  13:37:34

Part of the puzzle is that you're not infected yet with P.A.S (pick acquisition syndrome).
Wait until you have 2 cups of them in a bag or three.
Do believe that I have some Nationals from the 1960's in there.

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 02/21/2011:  18:12:35

I just picked up (DOH!) a pair of ProPik split band finger picks at Joe Val ( Mockingbird Music). They became in less than one minute of use, my all-time favorite picks. I've got a couple of hours on them now and they remain the most instantly comfortable picks I've used. I like the AMB thumb picks

five-string fever - Posted - 02/21/2011:  18:36:08

Bob Perry (BP) Power Picks for the fingers and Bart Veerman's German Zither thumb-picks got me to set down my Blue Chip and are very affordable.

dobroman - Posted - 02/21/2011:  18:56:48

I'm surprised no body has mentioned "Roys Own" I played old Nationals for years, and these are as close as I have found. You should look at the reviews, they arent that expensive and sound great. Made from the same alloy as the old ones I think.

Majorbanjo - Posted - 02/21/2011:  19:35:06

I've been using the same set of shelors since they first came out......they don't wear out.....however they do become easier to bend with age..........I've also taken a liking to the new bluechip thumb pics....was using the national white ones.....but after a while I'd either break them or they would become scratchy......the blueships are consistently good..require no maintenance and don't break......I decided to give them a chance since I love their guitar picks with my acoustic guitar and mandolin as well......however I do have a collins mandolin that I prefer the wegen picks on; the blue chip tends to brighten the tone and the collins is already too brite......my gibson style mandolins prefer the bluechip...my martin guitars sound good on a blue chip...

Big I - Posted - 02/21/2011:  19:46:57

Is the blue chip thumb pick that much better than the pro-pics version. I did not like the way the pro-pics felt. I felt clumsey when playing. I currently use a plastic speed pick that I love. Not the best tone though. I would prefer a bassier tone so Im guessing the Shelors are out since some have said they are bright. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I will probably order some this week.

The Pope - Posted - 02/22/2011:  12:02:16

I like a bassy sound as well but the Shelor's don't sound bright to me. If they sound bright to you, you may have to change your playing position slightly. I heard about Blue Chip and called Matt and we talked for quite awhile. I had a prejudice against metal thumbpicks but the BC has a space age material that strikes the string. Matt offered to send me one to try. It fit perfectly and even tho it was "loose" on my thumb, it never rotated or fell off and the sound was great. It, along with Shelor's, is what I play with now. YMMV...

double E - Posted - 02/22/2011:  14:36:29

If all that I have tried I like the Sammy Shelors & Showcase 41's. I tend to switch back and forth. Playing the Sammy's right now. They are the smoothest playing finger pick I ever used. I think mine are a little brighter sounding than the 41's, which I guess makes sense, because they are Stainless Steel, but I love em'. I also have a Blue Chip that I use a lot. Those BC have unreal tone. Espec. for guitar or mando. The closest thing I have found to them is the Wedgen picks. The thumb picks are comfortable by the way.