• From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Topic: Alternative types of picks for uke

I'm back again with more silly questions (but at least that means I'm back to playing)

The crack situation got solved in an amazingly silly way, after 2 months of not being able to find anyone to take a look at her I finally found someone who after an examination said that sadly the crack was too tight fit to  fix it and I should just keep playing until it splits further and opens up, and it might not happen for years. She also stays in tune ok now, even though timbre is not the nicest in the world, so she's pretty much playable.

Anyway, I always used to strum with my fingertips before that  2-3 month break and it seemed aye-ok. Just does not seem to work anymore. I seem to become so much more heavy handed and less coordinated since than (happened to man up and drop all my anti depressants and tranquilizers during that gap, and, well my mind might be a lot clearer, but my body just gets horrible tension buildup) and not only I end up digging into and yanking strings instead of strumming gently, I also have caught myself of developing a habit of knuckle-strumming, that inevitably leads to ripped up knuckles.

I found a few of those generic nylon-string picks that get thrown in with any purchase and they seem to work on at least keeping me away from doing horrible things, but the sound is dissapointing. I seem to hear pick plastic snapping against strings just as much as I do strings ringing if I'm trying to keep volume down to an indoors-acceptable level. Might be a pet peeve of mine but that plasticky sharp sound annoys me a lot.

I was wondering if I might benefit from a felt pick or something of that sort.

Also, honestly, just trying to figure out how to tune down the anxiety I have around playing, I mean, I totally have enough anxiety in my life in general and this should be a thing that is enjoyable and soothing not nerve-wrecking...

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Try 'em all out.  Picks are cheap enough to have a variety lying around the house.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Maybe you happen to know some place online, where I could order a bunch of different ones as a set or in a ''mix'n'match'' sorta fashion? Physical stores around here are kinda deserted once it comes to something even a little bit unusual, and, well, I haven't spent ages googling, but most places seem to sell them as 3 or 5 of the same kind, and shipping to this middle of nowhere (atm we don't even have government... again... yey) really adds up!

  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
  • Posts: 794

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Good morning larva. You might want to visit StringsandBeyond.com. They have some nice selections to choose from, I get most of my stuff from them as I don't get off the mountain unless I have to. I like to use medium to heavy picks, thin picks seem to give that slapping sound for me.

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/ChromaCast-CC-CP- … ck+sampler

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

6 Reply by still_larva (edited by still_larva 2013-12-03 21:09:55)

  • From: Latvia
  • Registered: 2012-01-24
  • Posts: 24

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Thanks guys! Bought a pack of those guys http://www.ebay.com/itm/220762582007?ss … 1439.l2649 and it arrived today (shipping was super fast, but, well, I have a bit of a fishy feeling the seller is messing with something legal-wise, tax slip was filled funny, but I haven't investigated, and well, that's the price you pay for inexpensive ebay stuff)

Anyhow, not dissapointed. OK, I find thin felt covered floppy plastic ones useless, but the leather one is exactly what I have been looking for, sounds almost exactly like my finger strumming but a lot less traumatizing. The fat felt ones actually might work well too,  have to explore that further.

Also my new set of aquila strings arrived today, super nervous about changing them, they cost a fortune and I kinda have *assisted on* changing strings on a *classical guitar* *once*

I know how to tie the knots, but the other end and tightening them properly totally scares me, and I also have heard that if you screw up they are very likely to snap in the changing process, and I can't really afford any more strings at the moment. They also look heaps thinner than the factory ones.

Maybe any of you have some tips on changing?

EDIT Changed them, I still think the way I attached them to pegs is somewhat odd and I damaged the winding on D string a teeny bit by trying to tune octave higher than supposed (shouldn't trust my mother's ears, apparently I'm not the only pitch-challenged one in my family, ended up using a frequency measuring software to make sure I was in the right octave), but nothing has snapped so far, doing to try strings to settle tomorrow morning, tonight my family just has had enough out-of-tune horridnes

  • Registered: 2015-07-13
  • Posts: 2

Re: Alternative types of picks for uke

Grab old credit card s or loyalty cards.  Get some good scissors and cut the card s into any "pick" shape you like.  Use a fine file or nail file to smooth the edges and you are away laughing.  They cost nothing and are unique.