Ideas for Pick Grip?

[3625]

I'm playing fender medium 351's, and want to find an easy practical solution to make them grip to my fingers a bit better.

Any ideas?

[MarkRhodes]

Ever tried "Gorilla Snot"?

http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Snot-O.../dp/B0002GL5S8

[mr. beaumont]

Carve "X's" in em with something sharp, like a dart.

[vinlander]

WhenI was playing Jim Dunlop Jazz III, I was using a knife or soldering iron and made a criss cross pattern on both side...stole the idea from John McLaughlin...that was before JD came with their ultra grip version.
Now I am playing JD Nylon .73mm and they already have a good grip!

[SuperFour00]

I think a super shiny polished surface grips better, but for picks like Dunlop Tortex that come unpolished, I drill three or four small holes in each pick with a hand drill or dremel tool. Works better for me than scratching the pick.

[3625]

Ever tried "Gorilla Snot"?

Mark, didn't even know it existed! (I didn't google this before starting the thread).

Carve "X's" in em with something sharp, like a dart.

WhenI was playing Jim Dunlop Jazz III, I was using a knife or soldering iron and made a criss cross pattern on both side...stole the idea from John McLaughlin...that was before JD came with their ultra grip version.
Now I am playing JD Nylon .73mm and they already have a good grip!

Mr B & Vinlander - tried it today and it works for me. Cheers.

I think a super shiny polished surface grips better, but for picks like Dunlop Tortex that come unpolished, I drill three or four small holes in each pick with a hand drill or dremel tool. Works better for me than scratching the pick.

SuperFour00, I noticed the Blue Chip picks I have grip really well and they're really polished. I know someone with a dremel so I'll try that out as well.

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

[Philco]

In the past I have had Red Bear plectrums with holes drilled. They all ended up bending and then breaking. Red Bear are a different material than Fender's though.
I wonder if the structural integrity will be compromised? (I just wanted to use that phrase)
Not that you've got much too lose.
I've noticed that the FM's can feel slippery until your fingers warm them up and then they seem to be ok.
I wouldn't mind a couple of holes in them though.
Let us know how you go.

[SuperFour00]

In the past I have had Red Bear plectrums with holes drilled. They all ended up bending and then breaking. Red Bear are a different material than Fender's though.
I wonder if the structural integrity will be compromised? (I just wanted to use that phrase)
Not that you've got much too lose.
I've noticed that the FM's can feel slippery until your fingers warm them up and then they seem to be ok.
I wouldn't mind a couple of holes in them though.
Let us know how you go.

You're right, any holes will probably make the pick weaker. I guess I'm under the impression that posters on a Jazz guitar forum won't be banging away at the strings. I can't speak for holes in celluloid picks, since I only drill Tortex picks, and they don't seem to notice the holes as far as integrity of the pick goes. New celluloid picks seem grippy to me until they lose their polish, then I throw 'em in the random pick jar for emergency spares.

[PTChristopher2]

The various surface textures have already been covered above, so in another direction:

My grandfather used to have a pile of picks that were real tortoise with a thin layer of cork glued on. Worked remarkably well.

I have glued thin layers of both leather and EVA foam to picks. Works at least as well as the cork.

But in the end I go back to the V-Pick Saga, Pro-Pleks, or some 3D shaped "Ultem" picks I made. They all seem to stay put just as they are.

There is also the super deep ridges of a Wegen, which seems to work pretty well.

Chris

[MarkRhodes]

Hey, Chris, I remember having some picks with cork on them. Bought them on a lark just to see what difference it made. Evidently very little, as I didn't stick with them. I must have sticky fingers because I picks don't ever slip out.

[PTChristopher2]

Hi Mark,

I did not know that there were still cork-enhanced picks out there. The ones I had were probably from pre-WW2 or something.

Funny how much variation there is between players. Some have never dropped a pick in their lives, some scatter them like post bean-supper flatulence.

I have exactly zero recollection about the genuine tortoise picks being intrinsically more or less slippery than celluloid.

I would prefer to pretend that I never had a tortoise pick.

Even more, I wish I had never made an ivory nut. I caught the last months of ivory use just when I was starting out in the mid 70's in my teens. Any moron could have noted what a bad idea ivory was, but I was not just any moron,...

Chris

[Moonray]

Try licking your finger and thumb........

Not a good look, but works for me.

I tried Gorilla Snot.......wadda mess!

[3625]

Update: just bought some wet and dry sandpaper (super fine) and attached that to both sides of the pick. Win. Does exactly what I was after.

It's winter here in mountains atm and the air is cold and dry, therefore my fingertips are often smooth as if I rubbed chalk on them. I tried scratching the pick and that was a definite improvement, but sometimes if I've been outside for any length of time then immediately try to play, the pick is slipping regardless.

Also bought a pick with holes already drilled in it - looks identical to the Pickboy ones. Again good, but when my fingers are 'chalky', it still doesn't work.

The wet and dry sandpaper grips really really well - as a result I'm not squeezing the pick as hard, and the pick stroke seems a little bit more defined and accurate. I particularly recommend it for Benson picking if you're having problems gripping the pick.

[bananafist]

A quick'n easy solution for me is to carry a roll of masking tape and tear off a postage stamp sized piece and fold in half over the pick. Eventually it wears smooth, but lasts for a gig or two, and stops the pick turning in my hand.

[oldane]

A thin layer of Shoo Goo on the gripping surface.

[es34569]

Give "Cool" picks a try.

[docbop]

In my early days and holding a pick in one position I would sometimes get an emery board since they are narrow and rough up the top of the pick a bit so it had some texture to grip.

[Danny W.]

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

I have not tried these.

Danny W.

[monk]

Violin rosin

[NotDave]

I've had great success with Plasti Dip. I clamp/hold the front end of the pick with a hemostat and dip the back end into the Plasti Dip can. (If the picture shows up below, it's the short can on the right.) With a little practice, you can get a nice thin rubber coating. Can't drop picks now even when I try. Has made a huge difference.

[balthazar]

Just found this thread.

I'm not concerned but found some solutions on web.

Fender medium 351 like: Everly Star Picks & Clayton Cork Grip





For all sort of picks: Clayton Picktac




Links: Star Picks
Steve Clayton USA - Grip Guitar Picks
Steve Clayton USA - PickTac

And also celluloid picks:
- Killpick Ultragrip: Picks : White "Green Grip" (12 pz.)
- Rotosound Pro-grip (same as d'Andrea Pro-grip): Rotosound - Accessories, Guitar Picks, Pro Grip Non-Slip Celluloid

[DanielleOM]

I found if you search on line using the words pick and grip that you can come up with several. Here's a bunch from Steve Clayton.

Grip | Clayton USA Store

I have not tried any myself but plan to order as selection of different styles.

I normally use a Dunlop delrin pick.

I need to lay off the coffee. Caffeine seems to make it more difficult for me to hold on to a pick.
Cooler temperatures and dryness are a factor as well.


Danielle

[zigzag]

I highly recommend V-Picks. I just tried a couple of sets and they don't budge.

V-Picks / Guitar & Mandolin Picks From Nashville USA

[Ric Lee]

I've seen some players superglue fine to coarse sand on the non picking end.

[GNAPPI]

Violin rosin sounds good, if it's not around, motorcycle riders use a shot of hairspray on their handlebars to keep their grips from rotating.

Since I changed over to Jazz III Max Grip picks I don't have a problem any more.