That Thumb....Is there a pick that can match its warmth?

**christianm77** · 08-15-2016, 08:32 PM

**AlsoRan** · 08-15-2016, 08:40 PM

I am not reading good things about either the felt pick or the rubber pick, folks.

It seems they are targeted more towards nylon and/or ukuleles.

I still may give them each a try at some point.

**lammie200** · 08-15-2016, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Flat

Does anyone make a thumbpick with a felt tip?

I don't know but you can always shape the tip of a thumb pick with a file.

**grahambop** · 08-16-2016, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by AlsoRan

I am not reading good things about either the felt pick or the rubber pick, folks.

It seems they are targeted more towards nylon and/or ukuleles.

I still my give them each a try.

I read somewhere that Jim Hall or Herb Ellis or one of those guys tried using a felt pick after they heard Wes Montgomery, they were so taken with his sound and wanted to emulate it without changing their technique. But they soon gave it up.

**paulkogut** · 08-16-2016, 07:49 AM

It was Herb that tried the felt pick for a while. I don't want to discourage anyone from checking out a felt pick or other material to improve their tone, but in my opinion, what makes Wes and some other thumb players so attractive to listeners is as much about 'feel' than 'sound'. There's a rhythmic drive to playing with all downstrokes, a 'connection' to the the guitar that comes with having both hands make direct contact with the string, and an elimination of tension throughout the arm/shoulder from not having to squeeze the thumb and index finger together to keep a pick in place. All of these 'show up' in the music in subtle but important ways and factor in to why listeners connect with players like Wes, Jim Mullen, Kevin Eubanks and John Abercrombie. As always, I encourage folks interested in checking out a Wes-inspired thumb technique to give careful consideration to his left-hand fingerings, and how both hands work together to articulate the music.

PK

**voxss** · 08-16-2016, 08:57 AM

only question i have is `how well would Wes have adapted to a pick if he had to`

**Cunamara** · 08-24-2016, 07:21 PM

Wes originally played with a pick. The story goes that he went to playing with his thumb so that he could practice without keeping his family and neighbors awake. Despite his apparent ease and radiant joy on the bandstand, from interviews it appears that playing did not come easily to Wes and he practiced a lot. Also, he started out on a 4 string tenor guitar which might explain how he developed some of his top four string block chord voicings.

**NSJ** · 08-24-2016, 09:06 PM

Well, There is playing with the thumb and then there is playing with the thumb.

The classical technique of developing the nails and having the thumb work in conjunction with the fingers is different then what was Wes did, he developed a special corn on the side of his thumb and use the whole thing like a pick.

**sgosnell** · 08-24-2016, 09:14 PM

I just bought a Guzz S3 pick. It sounds exactly like my thumb. I was amazed at that. It wasn't what I was looking for, and I ended up tossing it into the pick box, but it's the closest I've ever heard to a thumb. For rhythm it has a much more percussive sound, but for playing single notes it's very soft, and gives both the tone and volume of my thumb.

**jdaguitar2** · 08-24-2016, 09:17 PM

The Dunlop Jazztone model 205 is my closest choice. The best thing a pick can be for this tone is be thick and have rounded edges.

**Irwin1993** · 08-31-2016, 11:47 AM

D' Andrea pro plec picks are the only that I will use. I was introduced to them when I took my guitar to my repair guy. I was complaining about a thin high end. He gave me one of the picks, and boom it was gone. I will not use any other pick. It's essential for my sound now. Obviously it is not a thumb, but in my opinion the warmest pick out there. Jonathan Kreisberg and Adam Rogers both use these as well.

**pingu** · 08-31-2016, 12:02 PM

I do all downstrokes with a fat pick
Big stubby 3mm
Doing a bit of wes style thumb as well
Now for ballads etc

I think I'm going that way ...

I'd love to be able to alt pick too
But it seems I'm genetically incapable !

Oh well , we're all different
One door closes another door opens

Innit

**christianm77** · 08-31-2016, 01:47 PM

The downstroke is good. The upstroke is evil.

**ESCC** · 08-31-2016, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by jdaguitar2

The Dunlop Jazztone model 205 is my closest choice. The best thing a pick can be for this tone is be thick and have rounded edges.

The 204 has less of a point than the 205 and to my ears, sounds closer to a thumb. I'll use the 204 when hybrid picking, more consistent with the sound/volume from my fingers.