Thumbpick?

[taterbugman]

Yesterday I went into a music shop to buy a few picks. I was talking to the guy (who seemed like he knew what he was talking about), and he said his preference for picking was to use one really thick Golden Gate thumbpicks just like a flatpick because his fingers got sweaty. I decided to try it out for the heck of it, and got one of the monster-thick ones. It seems comfortable to me, and plays just like a flatpick (much warmer than my Ultex ones however), but is this one of those mandolin "no-no"s? I'll keep using them for personal use because they're comfortable, but is this considered "cheating"?

[roscoestring]

No such thing as cheating as long as it sounds good and works well for you. I started out with three finger picks just like banjo players do. I eventually decided I didn't like that. Now I'm back to one flat pick.

[mandroid]

Herco thumb-flatpicks strike a good balance , shape is flatpick like.. + a loop over your thumb

their heavy is like a Fender Medium, haven't tried their extra heavy..

[Zako]

Isn't anybody thinking that upstroke quality would suffer? I have experimented with thumb picks and found that, as the mandolin is much more length-of-fretboard-oriented than width-of-fretboard oriented as is guitar, flatpick style uses much more single-string picking, necessitating more up-and-down motion, which causes the thumbpick to lose its position on the thumb, slip, and chafe. The whole hand also offers much more stroke power that one digit does.

I think any thumbpick will not produce even close to the volume that a flatpick does and is not practical for any playing that involves stylistic room and changes in dynamics. Fingerpicks are worse, as they will wreak havoc with double strings. All of this is IMHO, if it seems too assertive.

[mandroid]

Herco's thumb-flatpicks work fine, you have to grab it in the same pinching hold, but it won't fall if your grip loosens.

http://elderly.com/accessories/names/herco-extra-heavy-flatpick/thumbpick--HE114.htm

[i-vibe]

as my mom loves to say...."whatever floats yer boat".

hey, if it works for YOU and no small animals or chillens get hurt.....i'm not gonna call the mando po-po.

[EdSherry]

I can't get a decent upstroke or tremolo with a heavy thumbpick (like the Golden Gate), nor with the Herco. The only thumbpick that works well for me as a "flatpick substitute" is the Fred Kelly "Speedpick" (NFI):

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/PK24-H.htm

I can grab this between my thumb and index finger and get a very useable flatpick sound, but more on guitar than on mandolin (where I like a heavier pick). What I like about it (especially on guitar) is that I can switch back and forth between fingerpicking lines and flatpicked lines.

But for day-to-day use on a mando? Not for me. If you're having problems with your pick slipping in your grasp, try a pick with holes in it (my Wegen "bluegrass" pick) or with some raised surface to give you a better grip (Dunlop Nylon), or punch your own holes in the pick.

[taterbugman]

About the upstroke thing, it dosen't slip off if you just hold it as a regular pick. Thanks for the input!

[EdSherry]

I agree that it "doesn't slip off" on upstrokes if you hold it. The real issue I have is that I want to be able to have a bit of "back-angle" when I pick upstrokes. I find that's easy to do by slightly adjusting the way I hold a flatpick for up- vs. down-strokes, but in my experience it's much harder to do with a thumbpick. YMMV.

[John Soper]

You can always custom convert a thumbpick to use your favorite flatpick: Cut the protruding "pick" part of the thumbpick off and custom fit the loop of the thumbpick (if needed) by softening for a few seconds in near boiling water & fitting to your thumb. You want a snug loop that doesn't cut off circulation. Figure out how much pick protrusion and at what angle you want your flatpick. Always test with double-sided tape & mark the flatpick with a Sharpie so you can line the flat pick up correctly. Superglue it in place.

I think this is how Herco started, but I prefer a thicker flatpick for the guitar than what they offer, so I use these (until I loose them) for tunes where I want to be able to fingerpick as well as flatpick on a guitar. Never tried it for mandolin- as EdSherry noted, you loose the ability to adjust the angle of attack or the opportunity to switch points on your flatpick- and I'm reluctant to sacrifice a Wegen to experiment for mando... but have fun if it floats your boat.

[Tim2723]

I've tried thumb picks a few times with limited success. Not because it's a bad idea, but because I lack talent. The principle is sound though. You can't reall drop the pick if it's attached to your hand.

[jim_n_virginia]

hey yall looky at this! http://shop.bluechippick.net/categories/Thumb-Pick/

They even make a Bluechip thumbpick ... ONLY $40.00! :))

[Mandoviol]

Do they make thumbpicks for guys with really big thumbs? My hands are huge, and the quote-unquote "large" picks fight tightly enough that they make my thumb feel like it's going to turn gangrenous and fall off.

[Tim2723]

Do they make thumbpicks for guys with really big thumbs? My hands are huge, and the quote-unquote "large" picks fight tightly enough that they make my thumb feel like it's going to turn gangrenous and fall off.

Do you fit your thumbpicks with the hot water trick or just use them as is?

[pops1]

I have tried thumb picks and have no problem what so ever changing the angle. Helps when playing a square dance when the caller dances and the dance goes 15 - 18 minutes

[Mandoviol]

Do you fit your thumbpicks with the hot water trick or just use them as is?

Well, I didn't heat them up with water to bend them, if that's what you mean. I was able to enlarge one of the ones I have by hand heat alone (rubbing between thumb and forefinger), but the fit still isn't that great because it now is sort of slidey. The other is as-is.

What kind of a fit can you get with heating in water?

[Phil Goodson]

Nope! Even if this thumbpick is comfortable and gives you the tone and function you want, you absolutely cannot use it. Nor can you use a capo, coated strings, flatwound strings, nor an armrest.

Oh, and your strap can only go over your right shoulder!:grin:;):whistling:

[montana]

I've always used Herco thumbpicks since I started playing mando and they work for me. I didn't know they made an extra heavy, I'll have to try one. Also Paige capo company makes these sticky pieces of sand paper and I place one inside the thumbpick. You then position the pick right for you and you will never drop it.