I thought I had the problem solved when I made claw-hammer picks out of plastic finger picks, so I accepted an offer for "just us" to play for a song fest at a Church in Northern Kentucky...Once we all tuned up and picked a couple I knew I would not be able to deal with the tone so I played without the pick and the nail is a mess again....It looks like I will have to try the Brass Thimbles next
6 Comments |
rgoad says:
4/28/2013 6:37:10 AM
I made a thimble pick out of ping pong ball and it sounded very natural. It was troublesome to keep in place, though, due to the curve of the ball. Maybe you can do something with one to make it fit better.
|
 | ronwalker49 says:
4/28/2013 11:49:39 AM
Hi Rick...I've already went that route and had the same problem....jbalch uses tape to secure his but I have not been able to get used to that....I have tried most of the claw-hammer picks that are available and don't like them, for one reason or another, but I have not tried the thimble yet...I like the bell-like tone of a brass pick so maybe the thimble will do it for me...Hope so anyway...
|
rgoad says:
4/28/2013 9:03:32 PM
I have seen brass thimble picks. Might work, but lok like a brass Dunlop that's been filed. What about using your work shop to work a penny into the shape you want? Then you can tweak it yourself. I got the idea from mashing a penny in a museum memento machine, once. Flattened it out with Abe still one one side and something about the Railroad on the other. I think it was Fred Cockeram that had a pattern. Make a mould of the shape and melt the penny with a torch into the mould? Might be fun and maybe get a pick out of it.
|
| ronwalker49 says:
4/28/2013 10:50:59 PM
might be fun to try...I have already ordered thimbles from Joel...I'll let you know how they work out...
|
| ronwalker49 says:
5/11/2013 5:53:00 PM
Well the thimbles came and I am a little disappointed in them...I guess I expected a little more from them at 10.00 each..Maybe if I had them in a large size I would like them better, but they are not going to solve my problem...
The plastic Dunlop finger pick that I have heated and re-formed is the most comfortable I have tried so far....I am thinking about taking them to Wal-mart and having a acrylic nail put on them....Nothing to lose so I will probably do that....
|
| ronwalker49 says:
6/3/2013 4:33:56 AM
Well Rick I have been using the brass thimble pick for a while now and I like the sound...I have cut the upper protrusion off and trimmed it quite a bit and it is more comfortable now but the bands that hold it around the finger are much too short... I have cut-filed-and polished one till it feels natural (almost), but have left the other untouched...I plan to make a pattern out of it as soon as I can find some suitable brass....
I am without a banjo right now as someone has bought it, but I should have another one finished in a few days....It has been crazy around here for the last couple of months...I've been putting a rim lathe together with all of it's associated problems, but my biggest headache was the finish on this banjo I am working on right now...I decided to try a very dark and glossy finish when the only kind I have ever done has been a lighter satin finish. "Nightmare" I sanded it down to the bare wood four times and started over, what a mess...the grain filler I used didn't do a very good job and I am so sick of sanding I could scream....You'll never believe what I finally did...I mixed up some drywall compound and colored it with tobacco brown Color tone stain by stew-mac and it done a beautiful job....I have the 2nd coat of oil on it now and will start applying the min-wax poloy wiping finish today....I will be glad to be done with this banjo because I have a Father's Day banquet gig to do this coming Saturday and no banjo...
|
Post a Comment
|
You must be logged in and a member of this group to post a comment.
|
