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Making plectrums
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Subject: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 04 May 08 - 07:16 AM Whilst dealing with the utter delight of putting the point back on my mandola plectrum by the advanced technology of scrapping it on the wall of my house, it occurred to me that if I had a big piece of the right plastic or whatever, that I could make lots of them. 1. Which is the best plastic 2. From where can I get it? Cheers Les, Bringing the plectrum industry to its knees and liberating plectrum users from a thousand years of exploitation |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Jack Campin Date: 04 May 08 - 07:29 AM If you use an ud-type plectrum you can find the material for hundreds of them any day in skips and building sites. Look at my cumbus page: http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Cumbus/ |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 04 May 08 - 07:40 AM Thanks Jack. I recommend anyone to have a look at the site it is excellent "The cümbüs is played with a plectrum, "mizrap" in Turkish. The traditional one is a strip of polythene cut from the side of a jerrycan, about six inches (12 cm) long and a third of an inch (1 cm) wide. I prefer lengths of the plastic strapping used in the construction industry for delivering packets of building materials like paving slabs - it's often reinforced with tough fibres, and it's thinner, tougher and more elastic than jerrycan plastic. You can pick bits of it up at any building site. The original material for ud plectrums was the wing feather of an eagle, soaked in olive oil; this is too light for a cümbüs. Other materials that can work are the ratcheting cable ties often used to attach placards to poles and the wooden coffee stirrers you get in Wetherspoons' pubs." I checked via Google and Wickepedia has Celluloid as the stuff of picks. Celluloid is used for movie folm but that would be too thin. Does anybody know what else might be made from celluloid? |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Jon Date: 04 May 08 - 07:46 AM I think a variety of types are used ranging from flexible nylon ones to quite rigid plastic. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Big Al Whittle Date: 04 May 08 - 07:57 AM I don't really use plectrums much. But recently I got Alistair Russell's dvd on celtic guitar styles and he recommended Dunlop. I got a couple of dozen off ebay - about three quid a dozen. Its not a big expense and its time when you could be getting blisters playing. I haven't used them, I've been struggling with this bitch of a fingerpicking piece. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Jon Date: 04 May 08 - 08:02 AM Loads of Dunlop ones though. Most recently I've been using something like their big stubby (mine are stagg at the moment). |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Mooh Date: 04 May 08 - 09:36 AM Much of this has already been discussed here in the Merry Land Of Mudcat. There are literally dozens of pick materials from the now illegal tortoise shell to felt, to wood, to horn & bone, to space age plastics, metals, and nylon. Anything hard will work, but there's a fine balance between hardness, flexibility, articulation/attack (what the pick sounds like when it hits the strings), and feel/grip. I've made picks from wood, bone, aluminum, and tagua nut, but keep coming back to Dunlop Ultex (.73mm for guitar, 1.0mm for mandolin) which has the perfect balance of tone/feel/durability for me. Your milage will vary, naturally. Scrounge materials anywhere, try everything, recycle and re-use. I dress my pick points with emory boards, fine sandpapers, and sometimes a buffing wheel, even when new, for the smoothest pick to string contact. I can hear a rough pick point scrape over the strings and dislike the sound. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Phil Cooper Date: 04 May 08 - 09:54 AM Like Mooh, I prefer to use Jim Dunlop .73's, when I use a flatpick at all. I had heard of someone cutting up old credit cards for flatpicks. Though I think they would not be stiff enough. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: SINSULL Date: 04 May 08 - 11:14 AM Old costume jewelry was made from celluloid as were ladies' fans. I found an tortoise shell and balleen fan in disrepair and gave it to AllanC to be forged into picks and/or plectrums. Don't know if the pieces were big enough to work. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Seamus Kennedy Date: 04 May 08 - 11:19 AM Les, not to be pedantic or anything, but shouldn't they be called "plectra"? *G* I also re-point mine by scraping them on the mortar between the bricks on my house. Or with an emery board, sandpaper, matchbox striker, nail-file, etc. Seamus |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 May 08 - 11:29 AM Old credit cards or store cards work quite well. If anything a bit too stiff for my liking, but perfectly serviceable in a pinch. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 04 May 08 - 12:05 PM Let's just wallow in the obscure for a while. I too found the mortar more useful than the brick. Plectra, yes quite right. I like those little teardrop shapes best and I have been using Gibson - thin. I once had a brown mottled one, if you can excuse the expression, but cannot find small teardrops any where in Manchester. I am reluctant to buy over the net until I am sure I have found the right ones. But making my own seemed like a good way of spending time. The real break through would be to identify a source of celluloid in some kind of commercial packaging. Credit cards seem like a great idea but too thick for my purposes Cheers Les With nothing better to do on a wet miserable Sunday So far City 0 Liverpool 0 |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Jon Date: 04 May 08 - 02:23 PM Thinner than 0.76mm apparently then.. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: open mike Date: 04 May 08 - 02:46 PM A friend sent me a newspaper article about a guy (named Wood) who makes picks out of Stone. The reporter's name happens to be Stone, too. http://www.eurekareporter.com/article/080329-picks-and-stones-make-better-tones Picks and Stones web site |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 04 May 08 - 03:19 PM Thanks Jon, "ISO 7813 defines additional characteristics of ID-1 plastic banking cards, for example a thickness of 0.76 mm and corners rounded with a radius of 3.18 mm." It's hard to judge without a micrometer but I think my Gibson thin picks must be around 0.3 to 0.4mm. I guess I would have to try a stone pick but I find it hard to believe it does strings more damage than plastic. But thanks anyway |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Big Al Whittle Date: 04 May 08 - 03:30 PM Does anybody remember the Bert Weedon ones - reputedly made from real toitoises? |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 04 May 08 - 03:54 PM I remember them, drummer, but guitars were much bigger then! |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Grab Date: 04 May 08 - 05:36 PM Big Dunlop triangle ones for me, 1.14mm. The more pointy ones, rather than the rounded-out ones. And I've never found the need to re-point them. For starters you've got three picking corners on the triangle ones. And once they're worn down, trying to put a point back will give you different angles on the point. And they're dirt-cheap in the first place. Graham. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine Date: 05 May 08 - 08:08 AM I made a pick out of my old debit card last month, more to save waste than for practical purposes. It works fine, and has a nice hologram of a dove on it too! I tried a metal pick once. Broke my bottom E first strum... Dunlops are the way forward. Every other kind of pick I've bought has eventually split (if I didn't lose it first) |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Captain Swing Date: 05 May 08 - 09:03 AM Dunlop 73s for guitar - can't beat them. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Acorn4 Date: 05 May 08 - 11:18 AM The type I like are big, red, thin and like a rounded equilateral triangle,meaning if it's hoy and sweaty and they slip in your fingers, there are two more pointy bits. Bought about 30 five years ago out of the lollipop jar in the music shop, but lost the last one about a month ago and can't find any more. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Big Al Whittle Date: 05 May 08 - 11:48 AM 'I tried a metal pick once. Broke my bottom E first strum...' i sometimes wonder about that story of brian May playing with a sixpence. i can't see how the poncy little strings they have on an electric guitar would stand up that. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Stu Date: 05 May 08 - 11:52 AM Has anyone ever tried herdim picks? |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Tig Date: 05 May 08 - 04:37 PM I don't know about you lot but I got a big bag of heart shaped plectrums from ebay that had 'faded' on one side. I'm now recycling them into earrings or pendants so you can wear them and know you have one with you. Any takers? |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Acorn4 Date: 05 May 08 - 05:27 PM I was a teacher until retiring two years ago, and used to play the guitar for singing in school assemblies. Being in a rush, one day, I couldn't find me plectrum, so grabbed the nearest thing I could find which was one of those white plastic glue spreaders which teachers will be familiar with. It worked amazingly well despite the unfortunate visual aspect. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Sorcha Date: 05 May 08 - 05:32 PM For my dulcimer, I like big triangle Fender Thins. For mando (on the very very rare occasions that I try to play it) I like coffe can lid plastic or milk jug plastic. I like them very flexible for mando. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Bert Date: 05 May 08 - 08:08 PM Great website Jack. I'm glad someone is using traditional picks. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Hand-Pulled Boy Date: 06 May 08 - 06:48 AM I agree. Is this typical of the folk community who can't afford a few pence to buy essential equipment? You'll be making your own strings next.............................! |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 06 May 08 - 07:53 AM On recent trip to Cuba we saw a strange collection of strings on stand Basses looked a bit like agricultural twine - the music was amazing. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Mr Happy Date: 06 May 08 - 08:21 AM I used to use a toy polythene sword from a Christmas cracker! |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Bryn Pugh Date: 06 May 08 - 09:03 AM Dunlop .88s, for me and my Gretsch. Dunlop .73s for the Tanglewood. Dunlopos are, as some antwack dealer is wont to say, cheap as chips. Plectrums ? Plectra ? What is wrong with 'flat pick' ? |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: GUEST,Jon Date: 06 May 08 - 09:24 AM Dunlopos are, as some antwack dealer is wont to say, cheap as chips. Depends on the pick. Just looking at one dealer, I can find Dunlop picks which work out as (they sell in packs) about 30p each to £2.13 each for Nylon Jazz III. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Zen Date: 06 May 08 - 09:45 AM I used to make them but can't be bothered now. I have a large accumulated store of different types (as many again have slipped through the time-space continuum into a parallel universe comprising only plectra and odd socks) but my favourites now are hard Kasho celluloid ones (have moved away from the softer nylon ones). Zen |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Mooh Date: 06 May 08 - 12:57 PM Guest...Who has time to make their own picks? The same folks who make their own meals, furniture, clothing, repairs, poetry, songs, tunes, and minds. A decidedly "folk" thing to do. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 06 May 08 - 01:09 PM Yes, more peace Mooh. I think it's a bit worrying when someone called Zen can't be bothered to make a pick, plectrum or whatever. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Les in Chorlton Date: 06 May 08 - 01:12 PM Still seeking Celluloid I found this: "Celluloid became the generic name for cellulose nitrate plastics and its use for knife handles, washable collars and cuffs, toys, table tennis balls, etc became widespread. However, the highly inflammable nature of celluloid was always a hazard to its manufacture and use, and as newer plastics materials became available its use gradually declined. In the USA, celluloid companies became merged into and engulfed by firms making newer plastics and in 1949 manufacture of celluloid at Newark ceased - 77 years after it began there. It is used now only to make table tennis balls, the properties of which have not yet been successfully imitated by any other material." |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Big Al Whittle Date: 06 May 08 - 02:07 PM I made a plectrum one night out of my MBNA card. then I realised I needed it to get some petrol to get home. Luckily they paid for the gig in cash. Otherwise I'd still be in Worksop. |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Mr Happy Date: 07 May 08 - 07:09 AM I'm still using one lent to me by a new age traveller at Wenlock Story Fest in 1992. It started off triangular, but its been used so long, its now nearly circular!! |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Girl Friday Date: 07 May 08 - 09:08 AM some very interesting ideas here. i have found that store loyalty cards, phone top up cards,etc are generally of varying thicknesses, but much the same material as credit cards, so can make a range of pick thicknesses/stiffnesses - also, they dont always have embossed numbers, so you can get four or five from one card. (Cheapskate) Has anyone else tried making Django -style picks out of cheap nylon chopping boards? If you get one about 5mm thick and taper the striking edge down to about 2mm (a few minutes work on a flat sheet of sandpaper) the sound is amazing, especially with the 'Silk and Steel' strings. Mumblin Len (GF's other half) |
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Subject: RE: Making plectrums From: Girl Friday Date: 07 May 08 - 09:16 AM Len has just said something he should have mentioned..... "On the subject of making strings, dead cats can be quite useful." Girl Friday as Herself |
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