Add a grip to your pick to help with thumb pain and improve tone
I’ve had some pain in the thumb of my picking hand occasionally, probably a combination of computer use at work and flatpicking at home. Even though I do my best to stay relaxed and avoid gripping my pick tightly, I had a flare-up when I began learning mandolin a couple of months ago. I tried an experiment that has worked extremely well for me so I thought I would pass the idea along. Maybe others have done something similar – I know I’ve seen picks in the store with holes or other features to improve the grip. But if you have a favored pick that doesn’t happen to have extra gripping or anti-slip features and want to add them, here’s one way do it.
I have used Fender 351 heavy and extra heavy picks for acoustic and electric guitar for years. When I began mandolin, I just started using those same picks. The extra heavies seemed to work really well for me. I also discovered Dawg picks and picked up a few of those to try out. As others have experienced and reported elsewhere in this forum, the Dawg picks result in a very muted attack and lower volume for me, especially on the unwound courses. But I love the large size of those picks, so I may try to experiment with adding a more pronounced bevel or sanding them to a slightly sharper point. The addition of a cork grip on either of these picks greatly reduces the picking impact on my thumb, leaving me pain free. I also think that the more substantial thickness of a corked pick promotes a relaxed grip. (Think of all those thick rubber grips that have become ubiquitous on ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils in recent years.) And I think the cork grip actually results in a somewhat warmer and more open tone on the 351s, both for guitar and mandolin. I don’t think it’s possible to make the Dawg picks any warmer – I didn’t notice much change in tone when I added a cork grip to the Dawg pick.
Following below is the detailed ‘recipe’ I used. Don’t worry - it takes longer to describe than to actually carry out the process. I added a bunch of photos showing various stages of the process and the end result on both Fender and Dawg picks. I hope this helps at least a few readers who might be having similar thumb problems as I had:
1) Go to a craft supply store (I went to Michael’s) and find some thin, dense sheets of natural cork. I found 4” diameter circular shaped cork cutouts that are about 1/16” thick. They look like they’re made to use as inserts on drink coasters.
2) While you’re at the craft store, find the paper crafts aisle. You should see an assortment of individual hole punches that have interesting shapes. They’re only a few bucks each. I selected a punch shaped like the sun with rays fanning out all around it. Something else might strike your fancy, but I suggest a shape that is round-ish and that will feel good under your thumb and forefinger.
3) Cut out semicircular sections along the edge of the cork that are large enough to cover the upper 2/3 to ¾ of the pick with plenty of overhang.
4) Put the smooth edge of the cork as deep into the jaw of the hole punch as it will go (you may need to mash the cork a bit thinner using a rolling pin to fit it into the hole punch, but be careful not to crush the cork to bits doing this) and punch the shape into the cork. I had to use the side of a putty knife to give me enough leverage to get the punch to go through the cork.
5) If you prefer, instead of the hole punch you can drill a series of holes into the cork cutouts to create a gripping zone. I made a little drilling jig using scraps of plywood and Lucite and some hardware out in my garage. A drill press and band saw come in handy if you want to go this route. You can probably just leave out the punch or drilled holes, but I find that they really give the cork overlay a nice tactile and solid feel.
6) Use masking tape to protect the point of the pick up to about ¼ inch above the tip. Use a long enough piece of tape to wrap the pick several times. That’s important for protecting the tip when you begin to shape the cork grip with sandpaper.
7) Use a high quality 2-part epoxy adhesive to bond the cork cutouts to the pick on both sides, orienting the smooth pre-cut edge of the cork along the edge of the masking tape with the punched or drilled-out grip feature centered on the pick. (It helps to use translucent picks to make centering easier.) I use Scotch-Weld DP-190. It’s like nuclear gorilla snot – once you bond anything with this stuff, don’t plan on it ever coming apart. I also like this epoxy because it has a longer pot life than 5-minute epoxies which cure too fast, forcing you to rush the assembly and wind up with messy results. I use a long thin wooden shaft from a cotton swab to apply a very uniform layer of mixed epoxy, making sure to cover the entire exposed area of the pick. If the epoxy gets onto the masking tape, wipe off any big glops but otherwise don’t worry about it – that’s why the tape is there.
8) Clamp the cork-epoxy-pick sandwich, taking care that nothing slips out of alignment while you are tightening the clamp, then allow the epoxy to fully cure. I leave the parts clamped overnight for a complete cure.
9) Unclamp the cured assembly but leave the masking tape in place. (I usually add a few more layers to protect the tip of the pick).
10) Use a sharp single edge razor blade to cut away the excess cork overhanging the edge of the pick, but don’t cut into the pick itself. Shape the cork with coarse sandpaper (about 80 or 100 grit). Go slowly – cork sands really quickly and if you aren’t careful you’ll be back down to celluloid (or whatever your preferred pick is made from) before you know it. Round the edges and sand a depression into the center of the cork overlays on both sides. I create a taper from the wide upper edge of the pick toward the bottom edge of the cork near the tip. I’ve experimented with various thicknesses and tapers, but I’ve found that even a fairly thin cork overlay results in a great grip and lets me pick for hours without my thumb getting sore.
11) Once you complete the rough shaping with coarse sandpaper, switch to 220 grit sandpaper and smooth the surface of the cork. Again, take care not to sand too much cork away – even 220 grit sandpaper will remove cork much faster than it will any type of wood.
12) Finish up with a very fine grit – I use 300 or 400 grit for a nice smooth finish. When you are satisfied with the thickness, contour, taper, and smoothness of the cork, remove the masking tape, clean off any adhesive residue that might transfer from the tape to the pick, grab your favorite axe, and start pickin’!
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Originally Posted by Mandobart
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