The British Steelies Society

Do these look right?

http://1drv.ms/1EIJsxW

Have been trying to get to grips with using them and I'm getting there.

Interested to see what others reply to this.

I have mine so there's a bit of space between the end of the pick and my finger, to minimise the risk of string touching my finger and being muted.

(your bike trip looked nice! sorry couldn't help but have a look )

Not quite,they look short, you need them further past the nail. Your hand should be almost curled up so the backs of your fingers are towards the strings. Here's a photo - badly taken with the notebook-cam - to show how mine are. Others may wear theirs closer against the fingertip, or even sticking out further, but not stopped short of the nail.

Can't be any right or wrong way, reckon it depends on how you hold & shape your your hand. I use pro-pik resos as I like the slight angle of the blade. I use them 'out of the box' shape.

Well this subject might have been done to death in the past, but the present is where we are at, and this subject nevcer goes away. Tony helped me out quite some time ago with info on picks, when others didn't respond. I tried Tony's suggestion and struggled because of the way I hold my hand and fingers, old age and possibly too many racing accidents have taken thier toll, but it was a starting point and I have been perserveering ever since. I have recently tried Perfect Touch Finger Picks...very expensive in my book...17euros a pair, but they helped me ccome to terms with the awkardness of picks. They are flat, made out of Brass and give, to me any way, a better feel. If anyone wants a box of bent out of shape finger picks of different makes and thicknesses, then I'm your man. I have lost count of the different angles, bends, twists and turns to get the hang of finger picks so they feel right. I still haven't got there. So if all you pickers feel like it why not show us your picks and fingers? Then we can draw our own conclusions. By the way Mike Neer is still trying to find the definitive picks and is, so he says going to try Alaskapicks...Mmm. And by the way he still plays some tunes without picks...Oops!!!!

WineRider (AKA Maurice)

Thanks all. my picks get stuck on the strings which is why i kept them shortt. Maybe my strings are to close together?

I HAVE USED DUNLOP 15s FOR THE LAST 30 ODD YEARS, I GET A BETTER FEEL WITH THE LIGHTER PICKS. I CURVE MINE AROUND SLIGHTLY BUT, THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG, WHATEVER SUITS.

Bending picks was an old technique to keep the picks closer to the nail length and stop accidental string plucks. It also forced the player to use a more closed grip with his/her hand. I use to do that but I now prefer the clean and consistent unbent picks.

Dunlop all the way.