Plectrum

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willsie01

Established Member
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St Albans
I can’t find a thumb pick of a thickness and shape that suits me so would like to make one. Any sheet plastics gurus on here?
 
I guess those cutters you can buy that chomp them out of old credit cards doesn't cut the mustard?
 
Thanks chaps. I don't actually have an expired credit card to hand at the mo! Don't know why I didn't think of them tbh because I sure I have in the past. I've just examined my current ones and they are too soft. I need something stiffer and thinner.
I'l check out that YouTube link from Fester. Hope it's not a video on making them from credit cards!
 
hopefully im not getting the wrong end of the stick but a thumb pick isn't a normal plectrum, it's a more like a finger nail extension.
I'd suggest something like a themoset plastic sheet, perhaps styrene which can be dumped in boiling water to soften enough for you to wrap round a form and can be cut with a knife.

as to the credit card punch for normal picks, it's reason I have a jar that is slowly filling with picks, it's great and no plastic card goes to waste now (including those rainbow lottery cards), heck I've even got a few very personalised picks with my face on thanks to I.D. cards from various sites.
 
Thumbpicks have a curl or loop to fit on the thumb, the curl then straightens out and projects down to form the plectrum part.

I went through a ton of thumb picks, cheap ones posh ones, some metal loops with hard plastic pick etc. In the end it came down to the cheap ones I started out with, with the pick part reshaped how I wanted. And heat & bend the loop so it fits (trial & error), one size definitely doesn't fit all.

After some gigs I got some skateboard grip tape, cut off a little piece and stuck it inside the loop. It's almost like sticky-back sandpaper, keeps the pick in place on a sweaty gig. I've still got a couple from about 9 years ago with the tape still on 'em. (Also amazing the pick monkeys haven't made the picks disappear like so many...)

edit - they're Planet Waves, a few squid for a 5-pack, but there's lots very similar poss the same but rebranded
 
After some gigs I got some skateboard grip tape, cut off a little piece and stuck it inside the loop. It's almost like sticky-back sandpaper, keeps the pick in place on a sweaty gig. I've still got a couple from about 9 years ago with the tape still on 'em. (Also amazing the pick monkeys haven't made the picks disappear like so many...)

if you set a trap you can catch one in a very special jar. once you have one, you can train it and it will do your bidding, collecting picks from all and sundry and delivering them to you. I had one once, but it turned in to an amp because I didn't feed it enough. :)

https://www.thejamjaramps.com/
:)
 
Thermo plastic is the way to go acrylic or vacuum forming plastics will make a good plectrum.
1 or 2 mms whichever you think suits you,1 should be good.Model or art shops should have the material.With 30cm x30cm piece yyou’ll have material to make plectrums for life.
 
Agree with willsie on that one. The only wooden pick ive had that worked was resin impregnated and ot didnt play well.

I might have a sheet of styrene thata suitable. If i get time ill look to try it and let you know.
 
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