Anyone here using fingerpicks?

[BlueBowman]

I've been mostly playing fingerstyle guitar for the last decade (after spending much of my life as a plectrum playing, electric blues cat). The majority of that time I've used either all fingers or a thumbpick and fingers. About a  year ago I decided to throw caution into the wind and grow out my fingernails. I loved the sound I was getting. More tonal colors, and dynamic playing came easier for me. The problem was, I had (and still have) a heavy right hand. I was chipping out my nails daily. So as much as I hated it, I just cut them back. Enter Alaska fingerpicks.

Alaska Piks get very good reviews. I bought three of them for my index, middle, and ring finger. Tonally, I thought they sounded fairly close to the keratin nails on my fingers. But I struggled with the discomfort and size, and so I just threw them into my string drawer and forgot about them.

That was...until a week ago. I decided to give them another go. I actually read the instructions to get the best use out of the picks. And, to my amazement, I got them working just about as good as my nails! Quite the surprise. I'd say it took about half an hour of playing to get them to feel mostly normal. Now a week in, I'm beyond stoked with how things are going.

Anyway, I thought I'd share with everyone what I did, in case someone is on the fence, or not getting the most out of their Alaska piks:

1) Getting the right size is key. Snug, but not overly tight. The middle band can be stretched and/or cut to make them more comfortable.

2) Importantly, having just the right size nail length is the key to making the fingerpicks feel natural while playing. The outside band needs to slide just under the nail. The nails don't need to be all that long, but I've found I need just a little to get the outside band to sit comfy. This is all in conjunction with getting the middle band just right.

3) Clipping the outside band to the proper length is key, and then filing/sanding the outside to a smooth and curved profile is what helped me get a natural sound (I do the same with my thumbpicks). It's time and effort, but it pays off. I have a set of sanding blocks and paper I use for this. They work.

4) Filing and sanding the sharp, factory edges all over the picks helps a lot!

5) Shaping my nails to the curvature of the fingerpicks helped a lot, too. Once on, I finally press all three gently into my pickguard, with fingers perpendicular to the pickguard. Doing so presses the outside bands just a little deeper under my nails.

I probably don't need to state this, but I have no affiliation with the company. And much of this info is provided by the company. I'm just tickled to death how well these picks came out, and I'm really happy with the sound I'm getting. Also, no more long nails; great for guitar, not so great with every other life activity! My new Larrivee 000 sounds SO sweet with these picks. I've been playing no other guitar this last week.

Anyone else here ventured into the finger pick world? I'd love to hear from you.

[Rockysdad]

BlueBowman, appreciate your post.

I've been contemplating getting and using these fingerpicks, now I may try some for my picking.

How does one determine which size to get, and where?

Thanks.

[B0WIE]

I've tried, because I like the tone, but they just don't stay in place on my long, slender fingers. Not even a thumb pick. I use natural nails but I do wish I could get that finger pick clarity so I could use thicker strings.

[John in Charm City]

Thanks for sharing.  every time I've tried to use finger picks I got frustrated and tossed them.  you've inspired me to give them another go.

John

[BlueBowman]

BlueBowman, appreciate your post.

I've been contemplating getting and using these fingerpicks, now I may try some for my picking.

How does one determine which size to get, and where?

Thanks.

I was fortunate in that I had two different sizes to choose from at home. I ordered them directly from the company. My advice is to go one size smaller than what you think you need. I went with Alaska Piks, ordered directly from them. Maybe shoot an email off the company asking about finger size?

I've tried, because I like the tone, but they just don't stay in place on my long, slender fingers. Not even a thumb pick. I use natural nails but I do wish I could get that finger pick clarity so I could use thicker strings.

I was the same way when I first started with a thumbpick. Finding the right one (a Fred Kelly SlickPick made of delrin) moved things along. And it seems like a similar thing happened with the fingerpicks, but in that case it was more about modding them to fit and feel right. Like I mentioned above, one of the keys is to have the outer blade seated underneath the fingernail. It's not a perfect fit, but it's way better than other fingerpicks I've tried.

Anyway, guess my point is, persistence in experimenting left me fairly satisfied with both TP and FPs. I plan on making slight adjustments (refinement) to the FPs going forward.

And you're right, the added clarity is very nice.

Thanks for sharing.  every time I've tried to use finger picks I got frustrated and tossed them.  you've inspired me to give them another go.

John

Very cool! That's why I wanted to make the post. I can't overstate how frustrated I got with both TP and FPs prior to figuring things out. It took a lot of sanding and polishing and adjusting, but I have a 90% satisfactory set-up for both right now. It can be done!

Oddly enough, I adapted to the fingerpicks within the first session of playing with them (following the mods). But it's not a far cry from playing with bare fingers, I guess. The TP took much longer before I felt comfortable. Two weeks of daily play to get to where I wasn't fumbling all over the place. I'm now five years in on the TP, and it feels right at home.

For those interested, it can be done.

[BlueBowman]

While playing with the fingerpicks this evening, I was reminded of what Mark Knopfler said about picks: they are an amplifier. He's, of course, right. And never has that fact hit harder than with fingerpicks. I feel like I'm playing with way more dynamics, like a 50% jump in dynamic play. No matter how softly I go, the clarity, sweetness, all there. And I also don't have to hammer the strings as hard to get a nice ceiling. I;m also not as tired after a long jam session.

I don't get stoked for too many things anymore in the guitar world, but I have really high hopes right now   

[Silence Dogood]

I don't get stoked for too many things anymore in the guitar world... 

I'm the same and I hate that all that faded.  That's why I still nerd-out over strings, fancy picks, etc.  It's a way to keep it all alive. 

[teh]

Thanks for the detailed information. After reading this thread, I will give it another go.

I have two sets of National fingerpicks for my index and middle finger but have always found them to be uncomfortable. I use a thumb pick and prefer the Fred Kelly speed picks followed by their slick picks and Dunlop thumb picks and you're right: sizing is the secret. The thumb pick covers the bottom three strings well and is very comfortable. I prefer bare fingers and keep the nails on my picking hand fairly short.

I prefer light gauge strings and my guitars are all set up to maximize them. In the past five years, I have added two amps and factory installed Anthem pickups plus a Fishman Humbucking soundhole pickup for my other guitars to take my playing to a different level. We'll see if the fingerpicks help.

The impact of the use of open tunings, flat picks and capos on tone and playability are three more topics worth discussing on another day. For the record, I keep my $40 flat pick and $200 capo with my pet rock inside my earth shoes next to my Creepy Crawlers hot plate, lawn darts and my box of vintage Nashville Straights guitar strings.

[William2]

I suppose it depends on what music you play. For me, the strength of the guitar is the ability to get different tonal colors. Wigh finger picks you would be losing the flesh to string sound. I tried a thumb pick once, but I didn't like the imbalance of sound when played with the fingers. Maybe finger picks are necessary on a steel strung instrument. I could see your nails getting torn up fingerstyle. I used nails when I played classical guitar. It gives you a lot of color options that type of guitar has. It always bothered me having nails on one hand and not the other. Maybe that's why I quit. When I took up the steel string instrument, I had no plans of using nails because of the instruments power and sustain. And I do prefer the round full sound I can achieve not to mention the sustain it has. 

[BlueBowman]

Thanks for the detailed information. After reading this thread, I will give it another go.

You should! I think you'll get out what effort you put in to experimenting.

For the record, I keep my $40 flat pick and $200 capo with my pet rock inside my earth shoes next to my Creepy Crawlers hot plate, lawn darts and my box of vintage Nashville Straights guitar strings.

  Thanks for the image. I have not thought of lawn darts since I was a kid, when we would throw them high and see who moved first. Different times!

For me, the strength of the guitar is the ability to get different tonal colors. Wigh finger picks you would be losing the flesh to string sound.

I agree. A guitar that produces more tonal colors is a better guitar, IMO. And playing with fingerpicks loses the "all-flesh" sound.  Two things: 1) I don't buy guitars that only sound good with fingers; I try to only buy those that also sound great with a pick or thumbpick 2) with the fingerpicks I'm currently using, if I cut the blade short (I think leaving them long is one of the reasons many players find them frustrating), I can still add in some of the finger warmth from below my nail; still experimenting, myself, but I'm getting some "flesh" sound. Not an all-flesh sound, but I can get some warmth back when I want it.

I tried a thumb pick once, but I didn't like the imbalance of sound when played with the fingers. Maybe finger picks are necessary on a steel strung instrument.

You got it. There is definitely an imbalance between TP and bare fingers. It can be overcome with technique, but I was wearing myself out trying to overcome that imbalance previously (again, I have a heavy right hand). I can play for much, much longer with the fingerpicks and TP. It's working well so far, anyway (and, again, once I dialed in the fingerpicks, I adapted MUCH faster than I would've guessed). But it's also not a zero sum game; I still plan on playing with bare fingers. The fingerpicks are just another tool in the kit.

I could see your nails getting torn up fingerstyle. I used nails when I played classical guitar. It gives you a lot of color options that type of guitar has. It always bothered me having nails on one hand and not the other. Maybe that's why I quit. When I took up the steel string instrument, I had no plans of using nails because of the instruments power and sustain. And I do prefer the round full sound I can achieve not to mention the sustain it has. 

Similar experience here, William. If I was to go all in on classical, I'd go back to bare fingers with a little nail. It's a no-brainer with a classical. The added clarity, volume, and dynamics works great with fingers and a bit of nail. And no shredding, at least with the nails!

I'm still experimenting with getting that "rounder" sound with the fingerpicks. I think it's possible with the proper attack angle (that combined with adding a little flesh from my finger pads). But, my guitars are mostly round sounding even with a pick (proper angle of attack is still important). That's why I...picked them