Type of pick used???

If you're strumming with a hard pick and taking wood off the soundboard, I suggest you change your style. I am a fingerpicker but also use a Dunlop .60mm(Light gray) and .68mm(dark Gray)pick. I've done more damage to a soundboard with fingernails than I've ever done with a pick.

If you want to start out using a pick go with a light .38mm (White) Dunlop. They're very flexible and are easy to learn strumming with; as you get more profiecient, you can try heavier picks. Thumb and fingerpicks are fun also.

When I use a pick, which is rarely, I like the larger triangular mandolin picks, with rounded off corners, you can get a good tremolo going with those. Examples would be Golden Gate, or some fake tort ones you can find on eBay. (no tortoises were harmed in the making of this post )