pick use

georgeriley

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I know im not suppose to but i prefer to use a pick on my ukes but want i need to know is can i buy a scratch plate for a uke i cant find any
 
I don't know if they make any precut pickguards for the ukulele, but you can easily buy a 1ply sheet from All Parts or Stewart Macdonald no problem, and then cut to size.
 
I have also used the screen guards for a cell phone.
They come in a three pack, so I used the extras from the phone and the ones left over from previous phones.
 
Yeah felt picks work well for ukes but I just can't get used to using a pick although I haven't tried very hard. I don't think it's incorrect to use a pick however. Whatever you like is correct imo.
 
The Epiphone Les Paul ukulele has a pick guard. Perhaps you can contact the the company for the part.
 
I know im not suppose to but i prefer to use a pick on my ukes but want i need to know is can i buy a scratch plate for a uke i cant find any

Who said that you aren't supposed to use a pick?
 
I could be wrong. but I don't think ukes pick up the kind of heavy scratching you'd get on a guitar. I do use a pick, but I'm not too aggressive either.

Personally, I would not worry about a little pick wear. I think that kind of "patina" just shows off how much you play. So unless you are Willie Nelson or Pete Townshend, I'd just play it proudly and not care.
 
I started out with a felt pick and think it helped me get strumming down, but eventually moved away from them.
 
For melody work I'll usually use a thin nylon pick, specifically a "Jim Dunlop" 0.46mm. A felt pick can be used, but due to it's thickness one needs to be very accurate to prevent playing adjacent strings by mistake. Personally I find anything stiffer sounds too harsh, certainly on a soprano or concert ukulele. A felt pick can be really great for thrashing out chords, no risk of damaging the ukulele and a very consistent sound :)

I've had no success with thumb/finger picks on a ukulele. I think, to my ear, they are simply too stiff. I clawhammer and finger-pick just with my nails ... if I break one I don't finger-pick for a while!

Having said all that, I'm also quite happy to strum along with my thumb, but I do admit I rarely play anything that I feel would benefit from the "traditional" index-finger strumming style, but I don't discount it, it works very well in context ... just not for me :)
 
Here is a thin one you could trim down. .025 is about the thickness of 3 pieces of cardstock.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Acoustic_Guitar/Pickguards/Acoustic_Pickguard_Blanks.html


Here is one that is removable, does not say how thick.

http://www.lmii.com/products/mostly-not-wood/pickguard-material/removable-pickguards

More selection of thin pick guard material.

http://www.lmii.com/products/mostly-not-wood/pickguard-material/pickguard-sheets

Just remember to pay attention to which side is up when cutting it out, else you will end up with a left handed pick guard (Anyone need a left handed pickguard for 1939 Orpheum Archtop Guitar? PM me :)).
 
For melody work I'll usually use a thin nylon pick, specifically a "Jim Dunlop" 0.46mm. A felt pick can be used, but due to it's thickness one needs to be very accurate to prevent playing adjacent strings by mistake. Personally I find anything stiffer sounds too harsh, certainly on a soprano or concert ukulele. A felt pick can be really great for thrashing out chords, no risk of damaging the ukulele and a very consistent sound :)

I've had no success with thumb/finger picks on a ukulele. I think, to my ear, they are simply too stiff. I clawhammer and finger-pick just with my nails ... if I break one I don't finger-pick for a while!

Having said all that, I'm also quite happy to strum along with my thumb, but I do admit I rarely play anything that I feel would benefit from the "traditional" index-finger strumming style, but I don't discount it, it works very well in context ... just not for me :)

Agree on the thumb-strumming and the use of thin picks on ukuleles. What works on steel-stringed mandolins, guitars and banjos designed for pick use can be overkill on nylon-stringed ukuleles if not done with care. I like the sound that a pick creates (depending on the song), but have to be careful not to over-drive it (a tendency coming from steel-stringed stuff) as that's when damage can occur.
 
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