Banjo Pick Review: Cling Pro Frailing Pick

[@michaeldeck8037]

Through COVID times I couldn’t go to the nail shop to get my acrylic nail done, so I started using ClingPro 🇨🇦. Shipping was free, since I live in Canada. I play outdoors when it’s nice out and a good nail or a pick is essential. The ClingPro works great. I’ve actually worn out several of them. Over time, the rubber starts to come off the twisted wire loop. It still works, but is less comfortable and less “sticky”. I’ve just (after two years) gone in to get my nail done again. It’s superior to the pick, but I’ll hang on to my ClingPro stash as a backup.

[@raywilliamson9396]

To start with I lost my nails years ago due to chemo. Off of it now( good) but still no nails. I found Cling Pro Frailing Pics while looking on the internet, am I glad. I just received my picks yesterday and are they ever wonderful. I have tried many others to no avail. I promise you this IS! the answer to no nails, broken or weak nails and any other issue you may have with nails. The design is just terrific, fit very well. Do not slip and feel like I have nails. I have two banjos one Blue Grass style and a very nice Deering Frailing. I am from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia where Frailing was the style growing up as a young man. I am 77 and doing very well learning to play and now even better with the Cling Pro Frailing Picks. I have a set of 3 and will be ordering more in the future.

[@TheBigKnell]

My finger was bruising up with all the playing and this was a game changer. I tried so many different clawhammer picks and nothing compares to the cling pro picks. My biggest issue with other picks I had used was the twang of the metal which always sounded counter intuitive to the frailing sound we all know and love. I can control volume and tone with the cling pro picks. Thanks for the awesome recommendation Tom, huge fan!

[@starman2671]

I use a brass thimble that's supposed to be like the ones old timers used. Using a pick is a good idea and has helped me.

[@teevee92]

Thank you for stating that you're not associated with the company, was the first question I was going to ask :P (and also makes it more likely I'll follow your advice)

[@scottbroemsen8010]

Definitely a helpful review. I've only seen a handful of clawhammer centric picks out there and this is the first time I've seen this one. I've gone so far as to modify standard finger picks when I've broken a nail but those and most other clawhammer picks are constructed of metal and, for clawhammer, the metal on metal tone is two bright and ringy for what I want out of my banjo. I was just about to give up and go across but I'll give these a shot first.

[@howardrendle6002]

just received my large frailing pick .fits perfectly ,very comfy ,sounds great

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

So glad to hear it, Howard! Thanks for your comment!

[@HurtMachineCyclery]

This is a great review. I've been wondering about bridges, too, lately. I also use Gary's bridges, but I am getting a bit hung up on height. I once thought that I really liked 11/16" bridges, but I am now really digging Crowe spaced 21/32" bridges. I know it all comes down to preference, but it's hard to "see" through all of the bridge hype out there in a very banjo sparse guitar town.

[@LJPV777]

I play bass mainly and having a long middle nail can be annoying, so this seems likes a good solution. Thanks!

[@amarincelt]

That's actually the exact reason I ordered a few. Playing bass with long nails is just not good. Glad to see other B instrument lovers out there lol

[@Aaron-tj9le]

I never even thought of using one. Sometimes I cut my nail, it changes the sound, but it just takes a bit of adjustment. I'd buy one of these, as the idea is nice, but then I'd never use it.

[@jethrobodine4638]

Thanks for the info! I’m definitely getting a pair to try out! What song were you playing, the blacksmith?

[@atillion79]

I do clawhammer sweep arpeggios that require me to sweep my fingernail across, and then rake back across the strings on the pad of my finger. Do you think I can file the picks enough to get a clean rake without catching it?

[@alanwann9318]

I like fred Kelly freedom picks,(the clear plastic ones)are reliable.

[@Griphos]

Great review! Thanks! What tune were you playing in the demo?

[@Prajnana]

When using the pick do you have to 'pluck' the 5th string harder In order to balance it's volume with the melody?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

really great question, Brian! I do have to think more about balance when using a pick, but I control the downstroke by making making sure it's a bit quieter than normal. No one ever asks the banjo player to play louder! Thanks for stopping by. Tom

[@Prajnana]

@@TomCollinsBanjo Play quieter - what a novel idea - I never gave that a thought! hahaha

[@morrisonsusan]

Would you recommend a 2nd one of these picks for the "clucking" sound?

[@alpounsett4752]

A hundred years ago they called this kind of pick a 'thimble.'

[@Billsingsong]

Will these pics work also for guitar players who want to Travis pick?

[@richh1576]

Excellent possibilities .... I play a Galax/Round Peak style with the nail/pick held very FLAT to the string for best arpeggio 'licks'. I practice almost every day for hours at a time .... finger nails? what are finger nails, as I play 'clawhammer', and I dont remember what fingernails look like? Anyone who plays this style & using these picks .... advice please. Thanks.

[@dereknolin5986]

Has anyone used this an occasional upstroke, like with the "California Roll" triplet technique?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Derek....I don't know personally of anyone who has used these picks for upstroke techniques. I don't incorporate those techniques in my own playing. I think they could work though. I guess the issue would be how well they would hold onto the finger when force is applied in the opposite direction. Gus, the maker of the picks, might now more and he's real easy to get in touch with via his website. Good luck, and whatever you find report back here so others can learn from you. Best, Tom

[@dereknolin5986]

@@TomCollinsBanjo Thanks for the reply. I've just recently discovered your channel and I'm enjoying learning about some of the Round Peak style techniques you use.

[@Letstidytogether]

Tom love the song you played on this video. Do you have a tutorial for it? What style were you playing?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Christine, Thanks! Are you talking about the song I play to demo the picks, or the song playing in the background of the video? I play clawhammer-style banjo for both.

[@Letstidytogether]

I am referring to the song you played during the demo 🤗

[@Letstidytogether]

Do you have a tutorial for the song you played when you demoed the picks? I am trying to figure the style\technique you use for playing this song. I love this style.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

@@Letstidytogether The song is called "Little Pink". It's in sawmill tuning. I do teach privately if you're interested, and teach people all over the world via Skype.

[@xblackcatx1312]

I need these so bad.

[@RyanHarlin]

By the way is your song choice some kind of pun? Little Pink... with a little pick?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

If I were smart, I would answer in the affirmative...but I'm a banjo player. These are mutually exclusive categories....

[@marcnerenberg1]

Man! On my earphones, the difference in tone between the Cling Pro and your fingernail was so minute that I never would have noticed it at all if I wasn't specifically listening for it! For me, because I do up and down in the context of clawhammering, I don't know if it would work, but it might. What do you think?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Hey Marc...the difference in sound is palpable when you're in the room. I suspect KZbin's little limiter-elves as the culprit. The volume gets normalized a bit when I upload. You'll have to take my word for it: the difference is pretty big! As for your style in particular...I don't think these will work for you. They're really designed for downpicking only.

[@marcnerenberg1]

I've ordered a couple anyway. I'll see how they work. If nothing else, they could force me to play pure downpicking on some tunes, which might be a nice change of pace.

[@scottbroemsen8010]

I just recently saw a pick called the clawjam that is supposed to work for up and down picking. I haven't tried it but was contemplating it.

[@erstwhilerambler]

Yeah, the Clawjam pick works both directions; however, it’s metal, so you may not be thrilled with the sound. Clifton Hicks did a CJ review if you want to look and listen.

[@scottbroemsen8010]

@@erstwhilerambler thanks. I'll take a look at his review, though I suspect you got it on the head with the metal comment. I've finagled a failing pick out of a standard finger pick before and was not happy with the sound. I think that it was largely due to the fact that it was metal. Id I were playing bluegrass, I would not mind but it sounds out of place for old time.

[@margaretblack8491]

Thanks! This is going to be a wonderful solution!

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Margaret, so glad this product might work for you! I saw your comment in the 2018 buyers guide...Gus at Cling Pro picks does now offer a small size (at least he did for one of my students who also has smaller hands). I'm not sure if the small size is listed on his website, so contact him directly if you need some sizing help! Happy holidays!

[@margaretblack8491]

@@TomCollinsBanjo The smaller size is not listed on the website. Thanks. I will give them a call. I have been gluing pieces cut out of ping pong balls onto my nail when I break it. Amazingly enough, this gives pretty good tone (better than fake nails), but, wow, what a pain! LOL.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Ha! Interesting solution. Let me know how the Cling Pro pick works for you!

[@1900maniac]

Do you still use these? Is the tone difference from nails really noticeable when you're listening in the same room? (not just the volume difference)

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

I do use these picks. They’re real nice. There is a noticeable tone difference in the room.

[@woodswalker88]

I wouldn't pay $10 for this cause I'd probly lose it (like I lose my other picks.) Since you don't work for the company I can tell you my thought: Get a pack of press-on nails & see if I can design my own version of it.

[@mondocain]

Laura Woodswalker I bought some press on nails at Rite Aid. Worked great. Huge difference in tone and accuracy.

[@Billsingsong]

You’re more slapping and picking I would like to see someone actually Travis picking using those pics perhaps playing dust in the wind or landslide. Is there a video showing that?

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Bill, these picks are for clawhammer, which is what I'm doing in the video. They will not work for Travis picking.

[@JimDory]

You going to get rich!

[@johnnybx3254]

Their shipping is to high!

[@dogfeathers5646]

No kidding! $11 to ship a banjo pick….that can take up to 30 days to the US from Canada. They must be including an anvil in the package!