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lee_UK
Rolling Stone No.8
Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 3114
Location: London, UK
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 Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: Thumb, Thumb pick, or nails?? |
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Just wondered if anyone uses a thumbpick? i don't have any nails or finger picks and just use the fleshy parts of my fingers to play, i did once grow my nails but couldn't get on with the feel of the strings.
I suppose most serious acoustic players use nails? |
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Tim
Low Frequency Out
Joined: 14 Aug 2005
Posts: 868
Location: At the back, behind the guitarist.
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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The guy I used to play bass for had a set of acrylics (false nails) fitted to his right hand most weeks for finger picking (always tended to rip one off mid set, we got to recognise the grimace  ). For strumming he used a .73 nylon. |
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MicroSark
Groupie
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 40
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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For me, this one should be a decision arrived at via the best combinaion of 'what sounds right' vs 'what FEELS right'.
Saying that, I've never got the hang of playing 'bare-fingered' i.e. no nails, no picks, just finger-ends, but I really like the sound for some things.
I tend to use nails-only on a classical/nylon guitar and a thumb-pick and nails on a steel strung. It just 'feels' un-natural to play a nylon acoustic with a pick, although you can get some decent tones that way.
When considering thumb-picks, I've tried 'em all, but the only one I keep going back to is the 'Ernie Ball'. It has the right combination of flexibility for the odd strum and firmness for a natural-sounding pick. They tend not to last very long these days though, I think they make them out of different plastic to what they were in the 1980's when I first started using them.
Hope this helps |
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michaelferris
Groupie
Joined: 04 Nov 2007
Posts: 12
Location: Bari, Italy
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| Depending on what type of music you play, you have to use what is right for you. The classical nylon guitar should be played with nails if you play classical, but if you don't you can use whatever you want. Most people use finger picks because they have to play for long hours on the metal strings. Their nails would never hold out! When it comes right down to it. You have to use what is right for you. |
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