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 Post subject: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:05 am 
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Mahogany
Mahogany
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Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 1:32 pm
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First name: Carl
City: Portland
State: OR
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Status: Amateur
I'm nearing completion of my first build and I decided I wanted a wider nut and string spacing for finger picking. The problem is I cut off my right thumb just below the knuckle on a table saw several years ago and a standard thumb pick won't fit over the stub. I can hold a flat pick just fine but finger picking eludes me. I was thinking if I could get some of the material used for finger picks I could maybe make one. Anybody have any suggestions?


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:56 am 
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Koa
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Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:34 pm
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City: winnipeg
State: manitoba
Country: canada
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Any finger-picks that I have seen are just plastic sheet wrapped around a mold. Make a mold of your thumb that will withstand heat to 250 degrees F and try it out.
Pickguard material might work. The time and temperature will vary with the plastic used and its thickness.
The mold may have to be made smaller to give you "spring" in the pick.

Post your results.

Bob


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:32 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:37 am
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Maybe you can check out the shark tooth and Kodiak picks.
http://www.strum-n-comfort.com

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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:40 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:58 pm
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Location: Winfield, KS, USA
First name: Hans
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I once saw an old timer play with a thimble on his thumb for this very reason.
:D


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:42 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:50 am
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First name: Phil
Last Name: Hartline
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My grandfather experimented once and made one out of a plastic toothbrush handle.

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http://www.oleninstruments.com

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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:38 pm 
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Mahogany
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First name: Carl
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FishtownMike wrote:
Maybe you can check out the shark tooth and Kodiak picks.
http://www.strum-n-comfort.com

I just checked out the website. I think one of these just might work. Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:37 am 
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Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:49 pm
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Location: Norway
Blue Chip thumb picks have a metal part that goes over the finger, which can be bent and reshaped a bit to fit your finger. Perhaps they could be made to work for you. http://bluechippicks.net/

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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:17 am 
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Arnt Rian wrote:
Blue Chip thumb picks have a metal part that goes over the finger, which can be bent and reshaped a bit to fit your finger. Perhaps they could be made to work for you. http://bluechippicks.net/


Their picks are nice, too. I use the thumbpicks and flat picks. They last forever.

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"Music is what feelings sound like"


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:56 pm 
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...or until you lose them :cry:
I really like them too, both for guitars and mandothings

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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:10 pm 
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Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
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Zip/Postal Code: 37772
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Arnt Rian wrote:
...or until you lose them :cry:


Too true - they are expensive to replace.

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"Music is what feelings sound like"


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 Post subject: Re: Making a thumb pick
PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:56 pm 
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Mahogany
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Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 46
First name: Carl
City: Portland
State: OR
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thanks guys for all your help. I decided to give the strum-n-comfort a try. They look like they will attach to my short thumb the best. The Blue Chip look nice but they are shaped like a conventional thumb pick so they wouldn't fit well and $40.00 is a little steep for a thumb pick.


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