Great Recommended Thumb Picks!

A thumb pick is used by placing it on the thumb. Using a thumb pick produces a louder volume than plucking the strings with the fingers and allows for a clearer sound quality when resonating. Blues musicians often use this type of pick, but it is also useful outside of blues. So, let me introduce you to thumb picks.

■ When do you use a thumb pick?

The thumb pick is worn on the thumb and is used to pluck the bass strings of the guitar. It is useful for arpeggios on acoustic guitar when you want to produce a clear bass sound. It also increases the volume and gives an edgy sound quality.

The thumb pick can also be used for playing strokes. It is harder to stroke than a flat pick, but once you get used to it, it can be used for normal strokes. Also, since it is always attached to the thumb, it is easy to play a combination of arpeggios and strokes.

However, when you first start using it, it is difficult to know which string you are playing. It takes some getting used to when learning to play with it because it sticks out to the left side of the thumb, which is less sensitive than the other fingers.

■ Material of Thumb Picks Changes the Sound

Thumb picks, like flat picks, vary in sound depending on the material they are made of. The following is a list of the main materials.

○ Plastic

The standard plastic pick is resilient, so it easily plucks the strings and produces a clearer, stronger sound than a finger pick.

FRED KELLY / Slick Pick Medium

This is a popular standard model of plastic thumb picks. It has a simple shape, but there was a lot of careful thought put into the flexibility, pick angle, and other details. Guitarist Jukio Uchida also uses this pick.

○ Metal

Metal thumbpicks produce a harder sound with a stronger attack than plastic thumbpicks. However, since they are not flexible, it may be difficult to control the volume and tone.

○ Ultem

Ultem material feels like a fingernail. If you feel plastic picks are a little cheap, I recommend you use Ultem picks.

Ibanez / UL22M

Ibanez Ultem picks are easy to play with their orthodox shape and Ultem material, which is similar to fingernails.

○ Plastic and rubber

These picks are made of a mixture of materials: the pick part is made of plastic and the thumb pick part is made of rubber. The TAB thumb pick that was developed by guitarist Tokio Uchida is well known.

■ Many shapes available

Thumb picks come in a variety of shapes for ease of use. Since they are used by putting them on the thumb, they are made with consideration of how well they fit and the angle of contact with the strings when they are put on.

○ Standard type

This type has a pointed tip and is made of hard material like plastic. To prevent them from coming off while playing, there are often several sizes available, such as medium and large, according to the size of the thumb.

JIM DUNLOP / White Plastic Thumbpick Large

The Jim Dunlop thumb pick is a classic in flat picks. Because of its standard shape and low price, I recommend buying this as your first thumb pick. If you try other thumb picks based on this one, you can feel the difference.

○ Flat pick + thumb pick mixed shape

This shape is a combination of a flat pick and a thumb pick. The part of the pick that touches the strings is made wider than the flat pick, taking into consideration that the part that touches the strings is small and difficult to play when you play a stroke with a thumb pick.

K.YAIRI / POP pick Heavy Shell

Shaped like a flat pick, it is useful for playing a combination of arpeggios and strokes.

Black Mountain Thumb Picks / BM-TPK01 Heavy Gauge

A spring is used to connect the pick to the part that fits the thumb, making it a good-fitting thumb pick. The pointy tip makes it suitable for delicate playing.

○ Speed Pick

Thumb picks with a thin part that touches the strings for speedy picking.

FRED KELLY / Speed Pick Medium

Thumb pick with a thin tip that makes it easy to hit the target string. The sound quality is clear and crisp.

■ Thickness and hole size are also important

The thickness of the thumbpick will affect the strength and quality of the sound. If the sound quality is not to your liking, you can modify it yourself. You can file the surface of the part that touches the strings or shave the tip to alter the angle.

The size of the hole should fit the first joint of the thumb. If it does not fit, shave the inside or use the method of soaking the string in hot water to soften it and then pulling it to enlarge the hole. If it slips, you can put rubber on the inside to make it fit better. Another method is to put a thin rubber finger sack on the thumb and fit the thumb pick over it.

■ Recommended musicians who use thumb picks

Here are some musicians I recommend using thumb picks.

● Johnny Winter

Johnny is an American blues guitarist and vocalist. He plays fast with a thumb pick and his index, middle, and ring fingers.

● Rei

Guita Rei is a musician who started playing classical guitar at an early age, was influenced by blues and later created her own unique music incorporating various genres of music. She is a thumb pick specialist who can play electric guitar fast with her thumb pick.

■ Thumb picks are useful once you get used to them!

Thumb picks are minor compared to flat picks, but they come in a variety of designs, and once you get used to playing with them, they are convenient for both fingerpicking and stroking. I encourage everyone to try them out.

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.