The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hi,

    Would you have any suggestions on how to make a slippery pick a little less slippery? This should involve non-destructive methods (like drilling holes in it!) so it doesn't alter its integrity much.
    Also, are there any suggestions for picks that have a good grip and are easy to find in retail? Though I'd rather go the first method so I can apply it to any pick.

    Thanks.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    several things to try. use a peace of sand paper with an adhesive backing. or rough up the area of the pick you hold on to and apply some rubber cement.

  4. #3
    I thought of that, it's a good idea. Would you have any particular grit size or brand to recommend? Some of these sand papers tend to have bits that come off or be quite brittle (like those you can do your nails with). I'd like something that can stay on the pick for the pick's lifetime (until I lose it, that is ). There are some picks sold with sand paper on them but it's just as quick to make your own!
    I'll have to look into your rubber cement suggestion. Thanks.

  5. #4

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    Dunlop Jazz IIs (I prefer the black ones) have a nice grippy surface, great tone, and last and last.

  6. #5

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    there is sandpaper available with adhesive backing, and there are actually pick-sized packages of adhesive sandpaper available, but I don't know where. In any event, there are several brands of picks with non-slip surfaces, such as Dunlop makes. Dava and Fred Kelly make some good ones.

  7. #6
    I would recommend to try handmade picks out of wood. Finnpicks has great picks with warm and characteristic sounds with power and good grip. I use Curly Birch Model Natural all the time. It has surface that holds nicely on fingers. It feels great also. Much more natural than plastic ones.

    </title> <link rel="profile" href="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11" /> <link rel="pingback" href="https://www.finnpick.com/xmlrpc.php" /> <title>Finnpick – Handmade Picks with Character

  8. #7

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    Monster Grips: The Ultimate Grip for Guitar Picks and More!

    These are actually too grippy for me on some of my picks, but they do work really well on the ones that need it.

    Danny W.

  9. #8
    Thanks for the replies. I will check out the various suggestions (Monster Grips, wooden pick, adhesive sandpaper). I like Dunlop Jazz picks but I always end up thinking they're a bit thin and light, however I think I've only tried Jazz I and III, not II. Has anyone tried the Dunlop Stubby picks? Are they slippery?

  10. #9

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    There’s a product called Pickers Grip, apparently some wax like substance that enhances grip. I’ve never tried it, but it might be what you are after?

    It’s worth nothing that grip on the different materials in smooth plastic picks is individual. To me the Dunlop Stubby picks feels as slippery as holding an ice cube, even the thicker ones with raised lettering and grip “compartments”, but to others it might stick like glue.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by pinbridge
    Thanks for the replies. I will check out the various suggestions (Monster Grips, wooden pick, adhesive sandpaper). I like Dunlop Jazz picks but I always end up thinking they're a bit thin and light, however I think I've only tried Jazz I and III, not II. Has anyone tried the Dunlop Stubby picks? Are they slippery?
    Stubbies are in fact very grippy. The Li'l Stubbies have an embossed area on both sides and the Big Subbies have a thumb/finger dimple, as well. Same with the Ultex Jazz IIIs wrt embossing. The Jazztones are very smooth, but I find that a drop of moisture makes them more grippy. Capillary effect, I suspect. Picks are fun, and a cheap way to have a little fun experimenting.

  12. #11

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    https://www.amazon.com/BBTO-Adhesive...1953445&sr=8-3

    I pop out the center circle and just use the donut.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Danny W.
    Monster Grips: The Ultimate Grip for Guitar Picks and More!

    These are actually too grippy for me on some of my picks, but they do work really well on the ones that need it.

    Danny W.
    I just purchased a pack to try. Like everyone else, the pick can be the Achilles Heel when it comes to playing guitar.

  14. #13

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    I recently tried adhesive backed sandpaper. I got it on Amazon.

    I use a Golden Gate mandolin pick which is fairly large. So, I cut what seemed like a small enough square of sandpaper for each side of the pick.

    I found that it caught on the strings. Apparently, I was touching the strings higher up the pick than I thought. I trimmed the square of sandpaper to a tiny piece. The side of the square might be about half (or a little more) the diameter of an ordinary pencil. That worked pretty well. I also found that putting sandpaper on one side only worked too.

    3M 9209DCNA 4.5-Inch by 4.5-Inch Adhesive Backed Palm Sander Sheets, Fine Grit, 5-pack. I think this is 120 grit. $2.99.

    I couldn't find a finer grit, but I think it would be better.

    I also use those little adhesive circles I think are called "reinforcement labels". They aren't quite as grippy, but, OTOH, don't change the way the pick feels very much.

  15. #14

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    If the underlying problem is really that your fingers are kind of slippy and your recovery of grip is poor, there are a couple of things to try.

    If you have ever paste waxed a car you may have noticed that your hands were very noticeably dead bone dry for many hours afterwards. If you save the rag in a plastic bag within your guitar case and handle it for a few minutes before playing, you may ward off slipperiness of the fingers for hours.

    Grip recovery may be developed and improved by simply keeping a pick in your pocket so when you are watching TV or a movie. Just hold the pick as you would normally, then every so often, flip it over and recover your normal grip... eventually your fingers will learn how to do this effortlessly and flawlessly in half a second.

    Dunlop makes some of their picks from Delrin (DuPont's brand name for polyoxymethylene) which is basically a plastic that has some of the characteristics of rubber - the picks have a hard smooth surface but are very easy to hold, and allow maintaining a firm grip even when fingers are damp.

  16. #15

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    One of the best gripping enhancement accessories I've tried is a humble piece of a band-aid's adhesive strip stuck onto the pick on one side.

    I also have been using Mojo Grip picks, and find they work well for my fingers. They are celluloid and do produce an especially fat (or depending on other variables, one might say dull, attack):

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    Slippery pick-mojogrippick-jpg

    I think the Monster Grips are a great idea/product, but they are too grippy for me, making it hard to adjust the grip at all, once I've grabbed on.

  17. #16

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    Ask John Stowell


    (at 0:46)



    (at 0:50)


  18. #17

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    Dunlop has a line called Max Grip. I used either the 1.0mm or one of their Jazz models which come in carbon fiber and nylon. They have some called Stiffo but I haven't tried those. All of them have a Very effective grip pattern on them.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    Loving the sound he coaxes from that nutty looking guitar.