Banjo Finger Pick Comparison

A little early for Halloween, but here is a disturbing comparison of thirteen different sets of finger picks for all you banjo players out there.
In order
1: Standard Hoffmeyer
2: Old National "USA"
3: Sammy Shelor
4: "Artcom" National copy
5: Old National "USA" modified
6: Yate's 8's
7: vintage Kyser
8: New Kyser
9: Flat blade Hoffmeyer
10: Vintage 70's Dunlop
11: Old National "Pat. Pend." picks
12: Old National "Circle 8" picks
13: Old National "Oval 8" picks

[@EliGilbertBanjo]

If you don't start posting videos regularly I will be FURIOUS.

[@Austin_Garcia]

🤣

[@johnnyace46]

Thank you Gabe. I have a set of Wylie’s I ordered based on 81 Crowe’s recommendation. I love their sound but I always seem to go back to my Shelors because they are so comfortable and always predictable. What thousands of us subscribers need is a thumb pick review. My Blue chips show wear and $40 a pop gets old. Then there is the new 81 Crowe model? Haven’t pulled the trigger on that model yet. Keep the vids coming.

[@redlinemando]

@Johnnyace46 I had one of the first run of J.D Crowe Bluechip thumb picks & was there when Matthew went to his house to design it. I kept that pick for a long time. I love the tone, but they are a tad too thick & the angle is wrong for me. When it comes right down to it, it's pretty hard to beat the old "clown puke" Golden Gate thumb picks

[@jerrymosley4362]

Finally found someone comparing picks.

[@JasonStrid]

This was amazing! My son plays the banjo and really gets into things like finger picks as well. This video was an all-time favorite for him, and he loves your playing as well. Thank you!

[@conway5901]

Good job Gabe and good to see you on here.

[@thommoore2682]

love this video...I am a pick and bridge nut...finally settled down and staying with Scorpion.656 ...picks...well...those Yates sounded nice and Warren is a super nice fellow...I shall try some..I play Nat .22s and Dunlop 18s

[@MrAlembicMan]

When you switched from the Dunlops .225 to the Old National Pat Pending picks I could really hear a difference! The other's were a bit more subtle, but agree with you on the Nationals and perhaps Yates Oval 8's or just Nationals in general seem to give that attack for traditional style banjo playing... Scruggs/Reno... If I am doing melodic tunes I might use something that fits better like Dunlops and sometimes I even switch guages on 1st finger versus 2nd finger. I also fingerpick the guitar and I actually like Dunlops, (the newer ones probably got them in the early 1990's) better for big guitar strings. The first finger pick always seems to wear loose so I use fiddle rosin and a fingernail file in my case to sand up some rosin and then wipe that on my fingers then put my picks on. They don't move after the fingers heat up a little... I like the last set you used as well... I always get bummed out if I lose one of my "nationals"... they are good picks! Even the new ones are not too bad in my opinion...

[@SwissBanjo]

Hey Gabe! Love your videos! I hope you are doing well and I hope to meet you soon again in Switzerland!

[@rwsansom76]

Love this, and share the nerdiness. I've been wanting to do/see someone a bridge comparison

[@TheVintage1935]

Sammy Shelors stainless best.

[@steveshepherd1271]

This video was great! I could definitely hear the differences.

[@collectiques1]

What I heard through my Yamaha speakers is the first pair you used were the best. Much more clarity and punch than any others you tried. I was hoping you would test the Landis Studio Classic Silver picks. I've found those to be superior to any nickle/stainless type. And love the little grips inside that hold them secure.

[@banjofy]

Pure banjo nerd goodness! Thanks!!

[@MadameM.]

Hey there. Would you ever be open to posting a video about how to lessen or avoid (HA!) pick noise? Would be greatly appreciated.

[@GailBreaknews]

Hahaha I just went on a world win banjo pick search through Sc to Pooler and Sav Georgia Bills Pickin Parlour Guitar center Columbia GC Savannah Down beat music in Pooler Randy woods Pooler Portmans Sav ga My favorite is the medium jd crow Blue chip thumb Pro pick double band fingers

[@InstruMentalCase]

1 - 1:14 2 - 1:50 3 - 2:26 4 - 3:04 5 - 3:45 6 - 4:38 7 - 5:24 8 - 6:23 9 - 7:08 10 - 8:02 11 - 9:14 12 - 10:10 13 - 11:14

[@LittleCabin]

I hate the picks that make me have mistakes and pull my banjo out of tune -- good you could show that, too! Ha ha -- great video, Gabe!

[@DeadTom949]

Fantastic sound!

[@ProfessorDan]

Those oval 8's!

[@foxaral3963]

im starting to learn soon! thank you for the comparison video! What song are you playing in the video? I'd like to learn it

[@pickngrimace2726]

I thought the Sammy Shelor stainless steel picks sounded pretty close to the Oval 8 Nationals. They have a decent high end but some richness in the lower frequencies (very similar to the oval 8s). I like the new National SS (stainless) because they never wear out, have low friction, and sound pretty good. The long pick life, low cost, and low friction are why I might overlook if the tone isn't exactly the same as some older Nationals that I still have (many are pretty worn). The Hoffmeyers with the flat blade sound pretty good too. Actually, you make all the picks sound good - it is just a matter of small differences in brightness, fullness, etc.

[@InstruMentalCase]

I recently compared my Sammy Shelors (traditional narrow band model) to Hoffmeyer Customs (wider band, smaller holes). The Shelors are incredibly comfortable, and I'd imagine his wide band model is perhaps even better in that respect. However, the Hoffmeyers feel a little more stable and sound a lot more pleasing to my ear. They're not as buttery smooth as the stainless Shelors, but they're still far more comfortable than the 70s Dunlops I had been using. The KZbin audio quality doesn't really capture just how much fuller the Hoffmeyers sound compared to the Shelors, which are really bright by comparison. In fact, I think the first Hoffmeyer demoed here has lower audio levels than the rest of the picks, as the camera was probably auto-adjusting the mic gain levels.

[@stevehanes1268]

That was a delicious repast. If I had to 'pick' a favourite I'd say #13, then #12, then #11. Hmmm...where's my box of #11's now... ;-)

[@lavy9740]

you plays the banjo good fire

[@rwsansom76]

Could you add time links or references in the description next to each pick's name? I'm interested in jumping back and forth.

[@gabehirshfeld8688]

I’m not super good with technology so not sure how to do that, but I think there’s a comment left by somebody more tech savy than I that does that.

[@granada911522]

That was super informative. What would be really helpful is if you could test one set with 13 banjos. Or maybe have 13 different banjo players play each set of picks. #banjonerdsrule

[@Pete-z6e]

I’m IN!

[@ewawisniewski]

In the video - Banjo Finger Pick Comparison - I like the sound of this banjo. I'm learning to play the banjo and next year I want to buy a new banjo with a sound like the one in this video. I will visit my sister in San Diego and finally be able to buy a good banjo. I live in Austria, there are only 2 or 3 banjos in shops here, so I can't find and buy a banjo with a sound that I like. Can you write me which banjo is being played in this video. Many thanks.

[@gabehirshfeld8688]

This banjo is a 1928 Gibson style -6 with a mahogany Arthur Hatfield neck. You could get a similar sound out of most mahogany Mastertone style banjos if you tune the head to around an F#. The bridge is also a fairly heavy snuffy smith and the tailpiece is set pretty high up.

[@ewawisniewski]

I always tuned head to G #, I didn't know that a banjo sound is so nice with F #. Thank you a thousand times for this great information. Nice greetings from Vienna.

[@Foxrock321]

How does one purchase a set of National Oval 8’s?

[@fivestringhoss]

Food $200 Rent $800 Old National Picks $3,600 Utility $150 someone who is good at the economy please help me budget this. my family is dying

[@clawhammer704]

Dunlops sounded best.