JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum How do YOU get your pick out of your guitar?

Let's not go any further in this direction please. (Tee Hee)

[This message has been edited by JeanB (edited 03-21-2003).]

No No Mike. Bill Just played.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Darn. I wanted to turn the page too.
Yeah I agree Jean. The subject is getting e-roaded. Let's stay on track
What were we talking about?
Oh yes. Picks. recovering lost thereof to be precise.
Ya know if everybody played nylon strings like me, there would be no problem.
hey. By the way. Did I ever tell you about the all girl skimpy clad rock ggroup I used to manage.
They were called The Strum Pets. Went over real big, but had to disband because they couldn't get their G string in to a chord no matter how much they fiddled.
Harmonica player was a real harpie I tell ya.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

[This message has been edited by Graham (edited 03-21-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Graham (edited 03-21-2003).]

I loved all this wonderful advice. This is not the kind of important information that you find in the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method Book 1, believe you me. With my guitar students, I always have them practice this by dropping a pick into the guitar at their first lesson. It's always a lot of fun to watch them. On another "note", does anyone know where to get genuine tortoise shell picks. I know that they're not manufactured anymore, but there must be some somewhere still available. I even went on Ebay looking for them, but can't find them.

Paul Strausman - Keep on singing

Wow I didn't know there were so many alternatives to the usual "shake and flip" method (until you get completely frustrated, at which time it decides to come out) - I'll have to get some of the tools Mike mentions (Lmao)

I also didn't know Bill Clinton played the harmonica I'm sure he enjoyed that...!
Thanx for the laughs - this thread was amusing!
Debbie

i think the pick in the guitar idea is better left in the guitar. I wonder if you all are selling your own CDs this year. have you seen the sumadek.com site. someone emailed me about the newsletter and said there was a message board about guitar center selling independent artist tools to help sell cds like sumadek. where's that message board?? does anyone know??

Two methods:

1. Fish it out with a gob o' gum attached to a thin coathanger wire. (That'll also remove all that pesky pet hair and dust that finds its way inside!)

2. Plug up the hole with duck tape, sticky side OUT. Fallen picks never find their way INTO the hole!



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www.mp3.com/crisisrocks
www.mp3.com/dianatyler

Personally I don't use picks. However when I did and they wound up missing, they usually ended up in the dryer. (no doubt taking the place of all those disappearing socks)

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New CD "Penny for My Thoughts now available at
www.kenfranz.com,CD Street, CD Baby and Amazon.com

Paul, haven't you been reading? All those tortoiseshell picks have fallen through the black hole of the soundboard.

To find them, visit all the shops that sell Vintage Guitars. They usually advertise free Tortoishell Pick with every guitar.

I have heard rumors that the song "Shake, Rattle and Roll" was inspired by the curious pick dilema.

But picks don't always land inside the guitar. Some of them shoot off like guided missles and someaudience members ended up with a pick monocle.

As a matter of fact, to prevent the possibility of injuring fans, I believe that was the reason Jimi Hendrix began playing with his teeth. Or so I've heard.

JeanB


LOL, Graham! E-roding. I just got it. LOL

[This message has been edited by JeanB (edited 03-22-2003).]

Good ya got it Jean.
I was going to mention the fact the lost picks most often come out inj the washer or dryer when ya was the guitar but really thought it ws so obvious and didn't bother Ken.
Thinking on real tortise shell picks. They would be real rare now. I got a set of 200 year old hair combs etc all made of real tortise shell and may cut them up into pick. Could be a market fofr them. Also have a few skrimshaws that just may also be a salable comodity trimmed into pick too.
Don't want to do that thoughn as i like the pen and ink drawings of whaling scenes on them.
Regards.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

The advice on this thread has been absolutely unbelievable!

Personally, I favor the Total Quality Management approach -- redesigning the system so the pick can't fall in in the first place. Others have alluded to this. Additional possibilities include using a guitar whose soundhole is smaller than a pick...or moving the soundhole to the side of the instrument...or switching to an instrument without a soundhole (such as a banjo or nose flute).

Or simply using fingerpicks and needlenose pliers.

I used to go with the position and quick flip method, but then I came up with an idea to not drop my pick anymore, it really works! What you'll need:

A hole puncher (like for paper)
A rubber band

1. Punch a hole in the upper-right corner of the pick with the hole puncher.
2. Thread the rubber band through the hole.
3. Thread the rubber band through itself to fasten it to the pick.
4. On the other end of the rubber band, tie a knot leaving a loop about the size of the base of your middle finger.
5. Place rubber band loop around middle finger, and never drop your pick again! If you do "drop" it, you can quickly regain control because it it attached to your middle finger!

Try it, it really works.

WARNING: Do NOT make the loop too small, or you will cut off the circulation to your finger and may need to have it amputated (leaving you unable to flip anyone off ever again). That would be a terrible tragedy, please exercise extreme caution.

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Jonathan Nethery
Satellite's Landing

Two words: duct tape.

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http://www.bumpkinpie.com

It is just as is and ain't no is-er.
-folk wisdom

I think I've finally found a solution...

We all know there is some sort of black hole that very much likes to "eat" picks, in the vacinity of the inside of the guitar. I think if you listen closely it is requesting "picks" or "plectrums". I believe it's anything called by those two names and made of any material like plastic, tortois shell, steel, brass, quarters, etc...

So, I've recently stopped using "picks" or "plectrums" and started using "Thwappers". Now you might ask what's a "Thw****r"? Well, it's sort of like a pick or a plectrum, only it goes by the name Thw****r. I've found that they won't go in the soundhole in the first place. Thus it negates having to fish out a pick from the inside of your instrument.

Be carefull, asking for a Thw****r at a guitar store might bring confused looks and moments of store-clerk awe. Very few people utter the word Thw****r and those that do usually get smacked up-side the head for uttering the name. This is because the Thw****r consortium does not wish for the black-hole to find out about the Thw*****'s existence. For should this happen, they too will get sucked into that void.

Case in point, you all remember the Swiper, or the Plinker right? Exactly, we had to dump those many many years ago as they too get eaten by the black hole inside your instrument. Should you attempt to use a Swiper or a Plinker, it will get sucked in faster than you can say the name.

So, start using Thw*****s and all will be good. Just don't ask for them by name and for God's sake don't call it a pick or a plectrum.

Jody

Having dropped my picks in my acoustic so many times, I thought perhaps I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I later discovered that I was actually going through a midlife crisis.

I pawned my acoustic because I thought it was useless, and I spent way too much on a new electric guitar, but honestly from that point on I never again felt hole.

Needless to say, I am now the lead singer in the band.

Carol
#=@ MandolinAnn

Oh Carol.
Life can be so creul.
Your acoustic.
Was such a useful tool.
You blew it.
Now must face regret.
'Cos with an electic.
Shocking's what you get.

Gee Wonder how the tune to that will go.

Now ya been stipped of ya guitar and put up front, ya going to always have to worry if fly is undone. Or not worry depending on what sort of act ya got.

The comment on the punch a hole in the pick and use a lackie band as a mooring line got me intrigued.
Just wish I had rread it all before adopting it as I saw the punch a hole and thought 'Brilliant". wizzed down to the body piercing shop and got them to wack a pin i my forefinger and use that to keep my pick in place. Great when I am driving in real heavy thraffic (That's why we drive on the left over here Mike. So it don't intrupt out practise for right handed guitarists), and have to stop playing till it thins.
Has also proved a good thing to get a clear run, as I can now stick my hand out the windo and the pick starts spinning inthe slipstream and everybody thinks the whine of it whirring is the cops and they all get out of my way.
Well all bar a cop car the othr day.
Graham Hendersan.
From cell 4 Esperance Police lock up, where I am sitting picking my nose waiting for the judge to front.
And that is a whole new experience with a pick pinned to ya forefinger I tell ya.
Going places i have never been before.


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

When Nick Lucas stopped making picks, I bought all he had. Playing six nights a week, I wore them down to a nub, those I didn't lose.
There have been a few that did fall into my guitar and I use the old "shake it upside down over the bed" method.
However I have had a few just disappear into the guitar never to be seen again.
Interestingly enough, when the satalite photos came back from the recent trip around Saturn, a close look at the rings showed that they are made up of guitar picks. I even saw a few of my old, worn Nick Lucas picks there.

Don't any of you guys use "Gorilla Snot"? Really, it's a product to make 'em stick to your finger. Try a google search and you'll find it.

It's gotta be better than Super Glue. I just hate having to use a razor blade to loosen the pick at the end of the night. It's also kind of weird at first tryin' to pick up a beer with a pick stuck on your thumb - but you DO get used to it.


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Larry
www.audibleresponse.com

I have cut down on stress,,,so I just go out and buy another guitar!

John Daubert

I knew this was too wierd to not be true. Hmm, maybe I'll try some of that snot … er … Gorilla Snot.


http://www.zzounds.com/item--GRSGOSNOT

For more sources:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=Gorilla+Snot&btnG=Google+Search

[This message has been edited by JeanB (edited 03-29-2003).]

Remind me never to eat the bar snacks any place you are gigging Larry.
Hang on. I stopped eating them after doing a survey on how many men don't wash their hands after a trip to the mens room.
In the proccess now of sewing myself a set of leather thimble picks because the plastic and metal ones scratch my nail polish something awful.
Regards.
Graham




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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Graham, what you gotta do, to alleviate the nail polish scratching is use a fast hardening, clear epoxy resin mixed with the polish. The fast dry stuff is a necessity, it'll dry in about 4 hours where as the regular suff takes a day or so, depending on temperature and humidity.
The other option is to lay a clear layer over the regular polish. If you're into using appliques that's a better way to do it.
You might have to use a grinder to trim them down though. That dremel might just do the trick too. Mike aught to know about that.


By the way Larry.
Instead of using a razor blade to get the pick off your thumb, just light 'er with a match. If yer usin' the tortoise shell picks the colors are really neat. Ya just gotta make sure there's a bit of water around to cool things down some when it gets too hot.

Thanks for the tips Dak. Will try them out.
And also. I had heard about the old light them up trick.
believe Slash often employed it to get some of his licks actually.
Also heard the old keep a glass of water handy routine was the thing that prompted the song Smoke On The Water.
And people still ask us where we get our hooks from.
I got a new one in the mill now prompted by listening to one of Mike Donebeur's nice instrumental Baby Cakes.
Using the same title but a differant tune so's mike's daughter don't put a contract out on me.
The one from Hell's Angels is still valid.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Yeah Graham, that Smoke on the Water came from years ago when Deloris DuePaul, from Towner, North Dakota, accidently spilled her brandy into her finger bowl & the candles on the table started it on fire. It was pretty poor quality brandy so it smoked like the dickens. It's my understanding that Pablo de la Musica Francais al Fiero Agua saw what happened and he wrote a song about it. This was in about 1934, give or take a long time. As time went on, other folks wrote other songs with the same name.

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DakLander

I remember that well from my pre-conception days Dak.
And didn't it start a landslide of spin-off songs too?
Smoke Gets In Your Glass.
Film Over Bubbling Waters.
Steam Heat.
Light My Bowl.
And of course, the most recent by our own Bob Young, I Need A Fire Engine.
Regards.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Dropping a pick into an acoustic is nothing! Back in the 60's I dropped my pick into the sunburst of my Strat. "Oh WOW man. Looka that!" Here's the sad part,(get a life) if you drop it in your acoustic, flip the guitar and get it out on the FIRST try you're totally pleased with yourself. Sad Really sad!

Wasn't the precurser to Bob Young's "I Need A Fire Engine" a little tune called "I'm So Hot I'm Burning, Baby"? Don't remember who wrote it but I kinda remember there were lots of bells & whistles in the tune, also some tonal changes from the guitarist dropping his pick into the sunburst finish on his Strat & finishing up with a broken thumb.

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DakLander

9ne...
you are so right... how sad.. I can almost see the smile on my face when I get it out on the first flip... sad... so sad
Joanne

Not sure dak I think it got it's start from a little stage trick involving a cigarette lighter and bad digestion, Bob is sort of famous for.
Now he is 57 as of yesterday, I think that trick has maybe been put on a back burner, now he is more mature.
Soon as I saw those sunburst, I just knew there would be an accident bedcause of them one day.
They are so life like. Exactly like a bit of paint spashed about.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Hey guys, (and gals ) pop over to the recording forum and tell us what to do the left over demo disks we have. Only a few people know how to have fun over there.

JeanB

PS: Dak, did you change your e-mail address. It's being returned to me. Send me the new one for the Chapter list, OK?

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I am only Lord of the Orange County forum and not any other board.

[This message has been edited by JeanB (edited 04-15-2003).]

If I drop a pick into my soundhole, I simply put a second one in there too. This increases the odds of shaking one out. Works every time.

That's my favorite!!!

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Mike Dunbar Music

LOL Your killin' me Mark! Say... I play with my fingers sometimes; if I lose one of those in the soundhole, will I knuckle under?

What an odd thing to point out.

Wait until I thumb through some old joke books to get some ideas before answering that one. Right now I'm stumped.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

I hope those books are... handy, make it... quick Graham or we'll have to give YOU the finger!

here it is 4.35 am and I should be wristing, but have beaten the alARM up this morning, and come in here to find I am supposed to think quick. heck This time of the day. Just thinking is enough to aim for.
Gimme a break. No not that finger. Tat's my picking finger. No not my guitar picking finger.
I like to use seperate ones because I sometimes play guitar with my teeth.
You think that's all been done before I suppose.
Well maybe but I make the chord with mine not just do that boring old tooth picking thing.
Eb aug is a killer I tell ya.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Since I put my acoustic in the closet and just play my strat,I have had the same pick for 3 years. ..Some one said I could change strings and get my picks back out.....pretty silly huh? like you can take your strings off...LOL

I don't know about changing strings, but know it is possible to replace one when it breaks because I used to break a lot of strings before i started using leather picks.seems the melting plastic had some effect on the strings and made them brittle so when I bent a note any more than an octave they would snap like carots carrotts carrits. You know them long orunge things you grate and put in coleslaw to make it almost edable, eatable, good enough to call food.
Now the smoke from the leather when i get going seems to mellow me out some and I get all layed back and sure does save on strings.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Yeah, and what are those funny peg like things with little gears for at the top of the guitar. You know the ones that you can turn but don't seem to make some guitars sound better?

Oh. I know that one Jean. read it in a book Sigmund Fraud put out once cwalled "Guitars need understanding too"
Thems are called machine heads and what they do they allow you to get the end of the string sitting just right so ya can spike ya cigarette on it when playing to music and the smoke gets in ya eyes and blinds ya.
Christmas time ya can also put a lot of candles on them. looks real impressive on a 12 string I tell ya. Particularly if ya use sparkler sticks instead of candles. And soak the neck in lighter fluid first.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Is that really true, Graham, or are you just stringing me along?

So when the neck is in flames, is that when you call guitar bits, Hot Licks?

Would I lie to ya Baby?
As true as I'm standing here Jean.
Quite possible it did give rise to that saying as well as the one we use down here. "Flaming bonzer guitar Cobber."

I wouldn't fret about it too much Jean or yo will go nuts in the end.
and we don't want to be saddled with that.
Gotta make sure ya contain the fire to the neck too Jean or ya find ya burning ya bridges too.
And you'll also get soot marks on ya hands next time ya have to fissh a pick outa the hole.
Graham


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

And the winner of the first Annual Guitar Pun Award goes to … Graham Henderson.

JeanB

Thank you. Thank you.
Oh My God. I can't believe it.
Thank you. Thank you.
I think I'm going to cry.
Oh My Gog.
Thank you.
(Discreet pause)
Thank you everybody for your nominations and support.
I had a speech writiten out just in case i got lucky but now my eyes are so misty I can't read it, so I just want to say thank you to My Mom, who always encouraged me to follow my dream of being a successful smart ass. My dad who made sure my ass did smart as often as he could.
And a special thank you to, clumsy guitar pickers out there every where. Without you guys and ya butter fingers, this magic moment in my life would never have happened.
Thank you Thank you.
(discreet half hours pause while the applause machine and electric shockers in the house seats make it look like ya got a standing ovation)
Thank you. Sob Sob.


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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

Hey! Who you calling an SOB????

Singer Of Ballads?

Jean -

Its really true - saw Ozone and Shandy do it on the East Coast roadtrip.

Pics here: http://www.jpfolks.com/Roadtrips/ECRoadTrip02/Campfire/page/campfire046.html

[This message has been edited by Marty Helly (edited 04-29-2003).]

Enough already. A bloke is all choked up with emotion (well I think it's emotion) and crying (Sob) here and you guys are making funnies. Have a heart Fellas.
What's true Jean? What did Pete and Shandy do on the road trip? Maybe I better go look at the pics and find out. Do I need to loosen the security on my browser Jean? I got it set on the "Nothing too over the top" setting 'cos i blush easy.
Graham

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http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/grahamhendersonmusic.htm

The pics show the trick with the candles and lighterfluid soaked guitar neck.

If the link doesn't work, go to the roadtrips page, pick the hartford campfire, and scroll down to the last picture #46.