Pick Choice ? (for when nails broken)

JedSmith

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Hi everyone - I really ripped the fingernail on my strumming index finger today. Its split in such a way that if it catches one of my uke strings it'll cause some real damage. So its best for me to let it slowly grow out. --- Here's my question please: what kind of specific pick would be best to use with my soprano and concert ukes till my nail grows back ? I have some rubber "3.1mm soft" picks, "Wedgie" brand. (Family member plays bass guitar & gave some to me awhile ago). -- You suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Ambient, using a piece of plastic card is hard for the strings.. a felt pick or a leather pick is better :)
 
It really depends on your style of play and the tension of your strings. Sometimes a stiffer pick actually works better than the floppy picks typically recommended for ukuleles.

Personally, I use a pick made of bone.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'll give them a try.
 
I play with a hard plastic pick (when i'm not just using my fingers) - I don't find that it's any harder on my strings than fingernails.

OP, if there's a guitar shop near you, the best thing is to go spend a couple bucks on a variety of picks so you can find one that works for you. Single picks generally don't cost that much.
 
Fake clear nail tip at nail salon will cost you $3. After you file it, it will look just like the others.
 
The Wedgie rubber picks work pretty well, and they don't have a lot of "pick click" to them.
 
I just recently ordered some Alaska picks to try out for when I break or rip a nail. I'm currently using a Dunlop for my thumb picking since I recently tore that nail below the flesh line. Took some getting used to but doing pretty good with it now. The trick I found is to file it down to what works best for you.
 
Another +1 for Wedgie brand. I play almost exclusively with a pick because finger picking seems to aggravate my RSI issues much worse than the pick.
 
Look at the Fred Kelly freedom finger picks . My fingernails are thin as paper so I have to use some type of pick. With these picks I can strum down or pick up. It's as close as I can get to the feel and sound of nails.
 
Look at the Fred Kelly freedom finger picks . My fingernails are thin as paper so I have to use some type of pick. With these picks I can strum down or pick up. It's as close as I can get to the feel and sound of nails.

+1 on the Fred Kelly freedom finger picks. Feels and works pretty close to a real nail.
 
I broke the nail on my index finger on Sunday, but only half of it was torn and it was just "flapping". I managed to glue it back together with crazy glue, sanded the excess off with 600 grit sandpaper, and voila! Good as new. (Takes a long time for those suckers to grow back!)
 
I also need to use a pick and found the wedgie rubber ones to be too "sticky." They grip the strings a little too much for my taste. They also make the chords sound a little bit muted. That can be good some of the time, but not all the time.

Honestly, I found the felt picks from Ukeonomics to be the best. (http://www.etsy.com/shop/UKEonomics) I liked them so much I ordered them in bulk. The man who owns it is an active member of this board so you're helping out a fellow uker instead of a corporation.
 
These can be used when you have a nail problem.

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/02-21316.htm

Actually, any fake nail can be simply taped to the fingertip for the duration of the gig. I use the clear tape shown in this kit, available at any first aid counter. You probably don't need the double back sticky tape between the actual nail and the fake one -- at least I don't. Trim the fake nail to the length you want.

It works fine, at least for me.
 
I like the Freedom picks as well.
I liked the wedgie, but disliked all the eraser dust it left behind.
I broke my nail a month ago and was able to glue it back while it grew out.
 
Fake clear nail tip at nail salon will cost you $3. After you file it, it will look just like the others.

I've only been playing uke for a few months. If anyone would have told me previously that I'd discuss nail care someday, I woulda thought they were crazy !

My sister-in-law owns a nail salon . . . but I don't know if I'm quite ready for that yet.
 
I've only been playing uke for a few months. If anyone would have told me previously that I'd discuss nail care someday, I woulda thought they were crazy !

My sister-in-law owns a nail salon . . . but I don't know if I'm quite ready for that yet.

It did take courage. Lol It was a recent experiment for me, and I am happy with the result. I was having trouble getting thumb and index long enough for tremelo picking.
Lots of good players do it for guitar and ukulele.
Lots of videos on you tube about it,and shaping them.
This is a good file I learned about from this forum.
http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Glass...=1380068066&sr=1-3&keywords=Crystal+nail+file
 
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