Make Your Own Guitar Picks?

[Mick-7]

A good idea or just silly putty, what do you think? I kind of like it but I'm not very picky -- Pick-a-Palooza - Amazon.com

[Greywolf]

Somebody gave me one, I've yet to use it .. I do make wooden picks in the shop ..it's a PITA but they feel and sound good.

[Sigmund451]

Im all for home projects but regular picks are cheap enough.
I changed to nylon and I dont know that it would do a good job on them and then you would still have to taper them since they are thick.
I imagine that would do no better than buying bulk ali express picks

26 bucks buys a lot of picks
It depends on how much you misplace them
The nylon dunlops are not as inexpensive but Ive been playing the same two for several weeks.
I guess if I gigged they would get lost in the shuffle.

I might have to try wooden picks.

For years I used the standard Fender medium and heavy.
I tried the Dunlop nylon and there is no turning back.
Material matters a lot.
Im guessing you would spend more time and money making a good pick yourself.

[Mick-7]

I changed to nylon and I don't know that it would do a good job on them and then you would still have to taper them since they are thick.

Good point: from what materials can it make picks? That would tell us how cost effective it would be. I do like celluloid picks and if it could produce a wide range of thicknesses of them, it could be a good investment for me (if the celluloid strips are relatively inexpensive). I imagine it could cut out nylon picks, but I don't know where you'd get the nylon material, and what it would cost. And I bet you'd have to sand the point of the pick, as you said, but that should be quick and easy.

Comparing Guitar Pick Materials - Strings and Beyond

[garybaldy]

I had some bakelite picks made for me for JG. The were about 5mm thick but a bit small. Great sound though.

[Mick-7]

I had some bakelite picks made for me for JG. The were about 5mm thick but a bit small. Great sound though.

I wouldn't make my own picks from that material (if it was possible) because it contains asbestos - avoid chewing on them.

[Stringswinger]

One of my daughters gave me one of those. I made a few picks with it from an old credit card and they work OK after a little finish sanding, but I can buy better picks for not very much money. I suppose one could source proper materials and put in the time with this gizmo and make as many picks as you need. But why?

Save your money and just buy the picks you like as you need them.

[rolijen]

I have one of these and my young students get to make a new pick each month as a reward. They love choosing the material and having a parent help them press the lever (it takes a fair amount of pressure). Lots of fun as a novelty. That said, the resulting picks aren’t that good for actual use, but it’s fun to make then.

[sgosnell]

I used to make picks. I never had a tool like that, though. I've made picks from CDs, wood, and other things. It's just more work than it's worth for me, and I haven't made a pick in years. I have lots of picks, but I only use a few, mostly Blue Chip picks that I've acquired over the years, plus a few more.

[Spook410]

I can purchase casein material in the right thickness and color to suit my preferences on Etsy. Not like it makes economic sense given the time involved but cutting, sanding, and polishing is a pleasant enough DIY project. For materials other than casein which is on the warm side, kirinite might be a reasonable choice as well. It's brighter but not as bright as acrylic or ultem and comes in great colors. Unfortunately the material used for Blue Chip picks (one of my favorites) is very expensive and not that easy to find in the right size. So given how often I screw up (measure once, cuss twice), purchasing them is the way to go.