Things you didn't know you didn't know

nate_dennis

Well-known member
So today was quite the enlightening day for me. I went to my local music shop to pick up some finger-picks. I prefer my nails, but my wife hates it, so I figured Id give finger-picks a second go. I was trying them out and was frustrated that they kept getting caught on the string. The guy at the store was showing me some other picks and he put them on. I put a really confused look on my face (think :drunk: + :confused:)

Nate: "Dude, am I wearing these upside down?"
Dude: "Technically? . . . .Yeah."
Nate: "I feel like a total moron."

Maybe it was obvious. I don't know. No-one had ever shown me how to use them. I assumed they were made to emulate finger nails. WOW!!!




Feel free to laugh at me. It's cool I laughed at myself. But when your done . . .maybe share some of your stupid moments.


:laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings:
 
So today was quite the enlightening day for me. I went to my local music shop to pick up some finger-picks. I prefer my nails, but my wife hates it, so I figured Id give finger-picks a second go. I was trying them out and was frustrated that they kept getting caught on the string. The guy at the store was showing me some other picks and he put them on. I put a really confused look on my face (think :drunk: + :confused:)

Nate: "Dude, am I wearing these upside down?"
Dude: "Technically? . . . .Yeah."
Nate: "I feel like a total moron."

Maybe it was obvious. I don't know. No-one had ever shown me how to use them. I assumed they were made to emulate finger nails. WOW!!!




Feel free to laugh at me. It's cool I laughed at myself. But when your done . . .maybe share some of your stupid moments.


:laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings::laughings:

Not that I've ever used 'em much, but yeah, I came to that knowledge fairly late in life as well...
 
An old guitar instructor swore by the metal ones. Gawd, I hate those things. Tried them once and never again,

If you don't mind me hijacking for a minute, here's a funny story about fingernails...

When I first started learning finger picking, my instructor was always complaining that I kept my fingernails too short. I finally started to let them grow and was getting to used to having long nails on those three fingers. I worked in cleanrooms where I had to wear latex gloves and they would make my nails soft. One day coming out the cleanroom, I was taking my suit off and caught a nail and broke it. I said, "Dammit!! I broke a nail!!" And all the other guys in the change room were giving me weird looks. i was like, "let me explain....." :D

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled thread. :p
 
I play a little banjo...picks are a necessity for Scruggs style..

anyrate, paid $30 for TWO Sammy Schelor stainless finger picks. They're awesome... redicously priced, but worth it for what they did for my banjo pickin. to me MUCH better than the regular $1.50 ones.
 
I like these much better than the Nationals I have (some vintage.) Each to his own. $0.85 each.

PK7.jpg

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/names/ernie-ball-fingerpick--PK7.htm

If you want nail substitutes, try Alaska piks.

PK40B-L_sm_.jpg

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PK40B-L.htm
 
I still super glue pieces of ping pong balls to my finger when I break a nail. Gets me through the gig. To repair a chipped or split nail super glue a piece of tissue paper over the nail as a stand by until it grows out.

Seriously.:)
 
Man, I tried to use fingerpicks a few times, and even the largest size hurts the hell out of my fingers. Maybe I had 'em on backwards too.
 
An old guitar instructor swore by the metal ones. Gawd, I hate those things. Tried them once and never again,

If you don't mind me hijacking for a minute, here's a funny story about fingernails...

When I first started learning finger picking, my instructor was always complaining that I kept my fingernails too short. I finally started to let them grow and was getting to used to having long nails on those three fingers. I worked in cleanrooms where I had to wear latex gloves and they would make my nails soft. One day coming out the cleanroom, I was taking my suit off and caught a nail and broke it. I said, "Dammit!! I broke a nail!!" And all the other guys in the change room were giving me weird looks. i was like, "let me explain....." :D

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled thread. :p

well, Dave, as long as your make-up and your hair were still in place........:D:D
 
I also tried to use those finger things when I was trying to learn the mandolin. They were useless. My fingers are cumbersome enough as they are ! I don't know how women get through the day with fake nails........and an itch on the nose. :D
 
i play 5-string banjo and use fingerpicks. i like the dunlops since they have a bit of a flair around the edge. Can't play at all without them.

However, I can't use the things on guitar. I grind the shit out of my middle fingernail during a gig. friday and saturday night and it's gone. I use my ring fingernail to grab chords, but I use my middle fingernail alot.

I never heard of the ping pong ball thing. I have tried some of my wife's "hard as nails" stuff. But it doesn't work. Superglue will help a split. I remember reading about some classical guitar guy getting acrylic nails, but I am not secure enough in my manhood for that.
 
I play Dobro and it has made me crazy trying to get the right sound without metal fingerpicks, which cut into my fingers. I've flat picked (hard to do rolls with that!) and also sat with a pair of needlenose pliers and carefully shaped the flared (Dunlop?) fingerpicks to fit, only to watch them fly across the room during performance.

I finally settled on plastic fingerpicks. No pain, plenty of gain. They give the "snap" that bare fingers don't.
 
Not that I've ever used 'em much, but yeah, I came to that knowledge fairly late in life as well...

OMG - I never even knew... and I've only been playing for 33 years... I'm sure I have some lying around from when I tried them out, the wrong way, 25 years or so ago... must get them out...

...and Chilli... been there with the "Damn, I broke a nail!" comment... always look to see who's in audible range before dropping that one these days!

Recently broke up with a girl who was always onto me to cut the three nails short because...... well.... they felt "feminine" (to her...) when... hmm... "engaged" with certain parts of her anatomy... the prices we pay for lurve...

She's gone now... new girl has no such qualms :laughings:

Whoops.. put this thread in The Cave for that one... sorry!
 
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