How to Pick the Right Thumbpick for Acoustic Guitar ★ Acoustic Tuesday 262

Blade angles. Metal or plastic. Weight. Thumbpicks come in a variety of specifications, which makes choosing the right one important. See which thumbpick is fit for you in my top 10 countdown of the best thumbpicks to use!
Using a thumbpick is an easy way to change up the tone on your guitar. If you enjoy fingerpicking, this will give you a brighter attack. However, you can also use a thumbpick like a flatpick-it's just attached to your thumb!
Because the thumbpick has a sharper attack, you can use it to bring out the treble and lower the dull attack of your thumb. However, if you like that percussive effect of the thumb, a thumbpick might not be for you.
But when it comes to choosing thumbpicks, there are many considerations to make. From the blade angles to the materials the thumbpick is made out of, you want to make sure the thumbpick is built for the kind of music you want to play.
Featured in this episode...
-‪@gritlaskin‬
- Charlie Parr
- Spider John Koerner
- ‪@GregKochMusic‬
- ‪@SongbirdsFoundation‬
#thumbpick #acousticguitar
00:00 - Intro
01:28 - Top 10 Best Thumbpicks
11:30 - Acoustic Guitar News pt. 1
12:23 - Consistency and Practice
19:32 - TAC Guitar Lick Challenge
23:32 - Acoustic Guitar News. pt. 2

[@GuitarGnome1]

Fred Kelly Bumblebee extra heavy. It allows me to move from alternate picking to sweeps to banjo rolls.

[@richsommer3337]

I like the bumblebee also but in a medium. Like that little more flex.

[@cnoel190]

Can't believe y'all missed our ol friend Mr. Velcro. Justin Johnson puts out his own, I prefer Strum-N-Comfort. The latter (found on Amazon) puts out various thickness. $10 for two and an extra band for adhering your own favorite pick via a small dab of the super glues. Boom, most comfortable and adjustable thumb pick.....EVER....your welcome!!!

[@gatoryak7332]

My current favorite thumbpick is the Slick Pick Heavy. I also like the Golden Gate Pearloid and the Pearloid XTRA Heavy. After watching this episode, I want to try a Zookies. I love the thumping bass sounds that I get from using a thick thumbpick on palm-muted strings.

[@johnmitchelljr]

Very good video. Thank you.

[@gtsipejr]

I've been playing with a std. plastic Dunlop white plastic thumbpick and love it. My first one broke after about three years of constant use. I'm a heavy picker. I also use the Black Mountain on occasion, but the blade is larger. My accuracy on single strings went up exponentially when I switched to thumbpicks, as I've been a piano player for decades, and figured getting my thumb more involved in my playing would be beneficial. I now want to try the Dunlop pick made out of the tougher material, and also the Zookies L20.

[@Dakota.Covers]

I love the original Black Mountain pick. It’s my favorite for comfort and the tone is nice. I haven’t tried all of them on the list.

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

I have used my bare thumb since I started playing a few decades back. I recently decided to try using a thumbpick and got a Dunlop. It just wasn't working for me, but when I heard about the Black Mountain pick, I figured I would give it a try. I bought sampler and found myself really liking the jazz tip. I hadn't heard of Zookies. I will give them a try as well, but for now, when I use a thumbpick, it will be the Black Mountain pick.

[@heymrguitarman7637]

I literally have every pick on this list and many more. Recently I have the slick pick a go after refusing for years because it looks crap. It immediately became my preferred option. So for now that's where I sit but I'll keep trying any new ones I find regardless of cost

[@markharwood7573]

Thanks for this. I recently bought the Black Mountain, 1mm, and it's the first thumb pick I've ever wished to use again. Others generate sheer volume but this one feels right and of course it's versatile too.

[@abates226]

I’ve got everything on the list except for the extra heavy Golden Gate (love the heavy ivoroid,) the BlueChip (just got laid off-have to wait a bit to try that!) and the Zookies. I think I’ll try a selection of zookies and see if I can find one that fits. It seems like a cool ‘hack’ to have the angled blade. Thanks for the video, Tony!

[@jackiet4575]

I use the Herco thumb picks because I can pick and strum with this pick! It’s like having the best of both worlds! 😊

[@bridgetpollock6760]

I like the Black Mountain thin picks. They are a game changer.

[@user-uu1wc6yz5z]

Very very good episode ....but I think a lot more background presentation on who and where and what Laskin is ALL about ...including , But not limited to his achievements and accolades is in order .

[@Nickporter17]

I really like this guy

[@RandyHall324]

I've got the Zookies and the Black Mountain. I like the tone a little better with the Zookies, but the Black Mountain's are (for me) a lot more comfortable - I know the Zookies come in different sizes, so it's possible I'm not using the optimal one. Appreciate the reviews - I like to experiment.

[@rbfour5]

My favorite thumb pick is the old white National. These are no longer made, I have a large stash. The Dunlop Calico is the closest to the band, blade shape, feel and tone of the old white Nationals. I’ve tried 9 of your top 10 and should I run out of my stash- the Dunlop calico will be next. Thanks- great topic!

[@pickersgrip]

I'll try the zookies, sounds like a great design upgrade.

[@danbgt]

I started playing guitar late in life, real late, and started learning fingerstyle from the very start. Never learned and still can’t use a pick. Flat or otherwise. The only thing that I have had any success with at all has been the Strum n Comfort Sharktooth thumb pick. It has a fabric band that wraps around your thumb and closes with hook and loop. Feels completely natural. But for me, using the thumb pick seems to always make my bass line overpowering the melody.

[@thepennydrops.]

I like the Fred Kelly Slick Pick. The lighter gauge and I like them best a little worn down/shorter. I find the thinner gauge helps even out the sound between bass and treble strings. I play mostly nylon string with thumb picks and pretty short fingernails…..

[@raybrzezniak738]

Tony, the only thumb pick that I have is the Golden Gate thumb pick then I bought two Dunlop brass finger picks that I got years ago from Elderly Instruments. I used these on your Five Day Banjo Daily challenge, comfortable thumb pick but the finger picks hurt. I have a glass jar finger slide. When are you going to talk finger picks and your top ten beginner banjos? And how about a slide guitar challenge?

[@dukeofearl4117]

I have the light gauge Black Mountain pick. I’ve tried at least 20 different picks and it’s the best for me.

[@cph630]

I’m still experimenting with thumb picks. I actually have 3 weights of the Black Mountain Picks, & they are very comfortable.

[@nixternal]

I have tried out thumb picking. I have the Black Mountain picks that I bought when they first came out & we could only get them on Reverb or Canada. I have tried the regular white Dunlop's and the Ultex. The blades always feel to big for me. I am going to try a Slick Pick and the Zoomies, so thanks for the list. I'm guessing the best way to size them to your thumb is hot/boiling water? FYI, don't try and use an open flame, especially with the white Dunlops, they go up in flames crazy fast!

[@BanglaAve]

I love the Fred Kelly slick picks, shorter blade usually

[@jonmichael6478]

Looking to try a thumb pick Tony thanks. Any tips on growing strong nails, as mine seem to get thin and brittle as they grow. Many thanks Jon.

[@freesk8]

I love the Black Mountain thumb pick. But I am going to try a Zookies! Thanks! :)

[@Mlee1877]

#smallwins Hi tony, I just finished my 12 weeks on the aeolian. I can now chalk this up along with the pentatonic minor and pentatonic major scale completion. Up next? The 12 week dive on the major scale. Thank you for the continued inspiration.

[@kevinfay4062]

I really like the Black Mountain spring loaded pick - I use it for my guitar as well as my RK 35 resonator banjo. Have you tried using the Zookies for three finger banjo?

[@jeffreyfortney9180]

I have used a dunlop thumbpick. Not sure of the model. I now use Black Mountain and like the grip it provides. I have been working on fingerpicking for several months.

[@RichardShaw-tl9er]

I’m encouraged to try thumb pick

[@cruelycruel1032]

pro picks are great, Red bear original.. iv got one thats 15 years old its morphed into a perfect fit for me, I loose it every now and then and go into a panic 😅 great episode, if you run out of topics for shows, id love to hear your opinion on 12 string guitars, iv been searching for the perfect 12 string guitar tuned down for blues, something similar in style to one that a blues player might have used in the 20s/30s, blind willie mctell style, you don't see many and the old ones are getting very expensive, cheers man

[@guitarbluz62]

Great thumb pick review! I am surprised, though, that the Fred Kelly "Bumble Bee" did not make the list. If you haven't tried them, I recommend. They are the most adjustable pick I've found for both depth and angle. That said, I've never known about the Zookies and will give them a try. Thanks!

[@acousticsong-guitarco964]

Blue Chip, best ever. Best tone and precision

[@thomastonyboudreau4373]

I’ve tried the heavy and medium Black Mountain thumb picks. A great concept but I hated how thick and stiff both were. They just recently issued their light version, and I’m tempted to try one, but at the roughly $20 minimum a pop to buy and ship three of them I’m reluctant to spend any more trying them.

[@user-uf4ev4pk4y]

Most comfortable thumb pick I've used in 62 years, wish it were 1/16" longer.

[@thebossman60]

Which thumb pic do you recommend for strumming on steel or nylon string guitars?

[@cking1340]

I haven't been able to find much info on those Dante's Divine comedy guitars. Does anyone have a link?

[@jimdiehl1027]

Songbirds museum is in Chattanooga, TN near the Choo-choo

[@buddhamus]

I've been interested in using a thumbpick and have tried a few, but I have difficulty finding one that fits my thumb comfortably. What is (or is there?) a proper (or best) way to "fit" a thumbpick band to your thumb without cutting off the circulation to your thumb?

[@chrishammonds72]

So far from what I’ve tried I like the white Dunlop L ones the best cause they don’t have as much of a point and round off easily. I got a few recording king ivoroid ones that are really comfortable but too much of a big point on them

[@monoswinger]

I try to use t.pick because I want to switch to fingerpick during the songs, on the fly. I use dunlop 1mm nylon only, sometimes thicker ones, but mostly that one. The basic dunlop t.pick sounds and feels pretty awkward for me. I just don't like it. I bought some medium hercos - only these are available here, but the loop is too weak - as the video said, and the pick part a little bit too light too - maybe the red is close to OK. So at the end I glued the herco into a basic dunlop XL, cut the pick part of the thick one, no its way better than anything I've tried before. I hope find something similar, what I can use out of the box. Next I will try to glue a nylon 1mm into a basic dunlop. that would be the closest to my flatpick experience.

[@crazyade9556]

I've been trying to use a Fender one, it's hard to get used to never used one before

[@peteboyle7845]

Songbirds Museum is in Chattanooga Tennessee

[@longtalljay]

Thumbpicking is indeed the term of choice for Muhlenberg Country Thumbpickers.

[@risingsara]

What was that tune you played on the guitar?

[@derekgladden5200]

I have the blue chip and while it’s nice, I tend to fall back on my GG Ivoroid. I almost always play with with a thumb pick these days.

[@hw9366]

Norman Blake is a God for me....

[@kimonmiltiadou383]

I think you recorded this episode at a slower tape speed than it’s being played back😂

[@BobPerrone]

I'm a fingerstyle guitarist, both acoustic and electric. I'm am still trying to find a thumbpick that's comfortable and doesn't get in the way.

[@thomasgaida7174]

I am missing the odd looking Fred Kelly speed pick in this list. I am used to picking with my thumbnail, and I generally find it very difficult to use a thumbpick. It seems the Fred Kelly speed pick is the one that comes closest to the feeling of picking with my bare thumb. Compared to other thumbpicks, I can play almost as fluently as with my thumb.

[@thomasmoffitt3511]

Once I switches to the speed pick, I like it the best. Doyle Dykes uses both the speed and slick picks. I use a National if I use fingepicks.

[@jasper_north]

Afraid of the bass being too loud compared to the treble when it comes to thumbpicks!

[@cking1340]

Maybe someone could just like more volume in bass? But yeah you do have a point

[@mvp019]

Every thumb pick I have ever tried felt uncomfortable, including the Black Mountain - feels like someone is pinching my thumb.

[@abrahamtomahawk]

I considered thumbpicks a few years ago. Then discovered that, lo and behold, I'd need a left handed one. Turns out the guitar shops near me stock even fewer left handed thumbpicks than they do left handed guitars.

[@Gravy_Master]

How much do these f’n gum balls cost?!

[@DarrenForbes]

Is it just me or does this sound like a pitch shift. The video sounds slightly sped up.

[@stevewhite3753]

Dunlop L

[@ryevick]

Hey Tony, I looked for a video for this on your channel but I must have missed it. I'm looking for recommendations for microphones for micing an acoustic guitar for live performances and micing for recording scenarios. Ideas?