How do you keep your picks handy?

BriGuy1968

BriGuy1968

New member
I have been on a quest looking for the perfect pick holder... and it's been only so-so in terms of results...

Let me give you a little background into what I'm looking for.

I started out playing mainly acoustic for many years, and as a result I learned to finger-pick quite well (with fingers, not picks... I'm not crazy about those things you wear over your fingers). Of course I also learned to use a pick and to strum. Everybody knows that it's nice to have a pick handy. With acoustic guitar, since you can just grab your guitar and go play pretty much anywhere, it's nice to have a pick right there on the guitar somewhere with easy access so you can put it away when you're playing with your fingers and then grab it again when you're ready to strum or whatever. I seldom played amplified when I was younger, so pick holders made for mic stands weren't really sensible. My first straps were the cheap nylon ones, and the plastic "buckle" you use for tightening it always made a nice place to slide a pick when you weren't using it... and that's the habit I got into, having my pick on my strap for quick & easy access anytime I wanted it.

But now I have nicer, more expensive, leather straps... no "buckle" available!

First of all, I don't like these things:
35031_l.jpg

They're too bulky and I have no interest in putting anything with adhesive on my guitar. Also they seem more conducive to pulling a pick out on the fly, but I want something I can also slide a pick into in a hurry. Besides, I really only feel like I need one pick at a time.

I've seen the straps that have pick holder pockets on them, but I'm not gonna go out and spend a couple hundred bucks getting new straps for at least 6 of my guitars when they have really nice (and relatively expensive) leather straps already.

I saw the Fretfunk pick holder online and liked the concept, but it's too big (remember, I really only want room for one pick). So I started experimenting around with different clips and such that I could find around and wound up using a price-tag holder for a peg hook from the store I work at (sorry it's sideways, but you get the point):
20150511_031320913_iOS.jpg

I cut them into two pieces (removing the middle section without the "clip" part) and then cut off part of the front plastic cover (where the price tag would slide into) by about 1/4" so that the pick sticks out and can't slide all the way in and get "lost." Here's the result:
20150511_020013110_iOS.jpg

The cool thing is that they do what I need them to do. The thing that sucks is that they kinda look like crap... especially since they don't really cut very easily and they get all funked up in the process (burr edges, visible stress creases, etc.).

So I have two questions for you:
  1. What do you use for pick holders and why?
  2. Has anyone seen anything like this available commercially that would look a little better than my amateurish workmanship?

Thanks guys!
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

1) In the thing that clips to a mic stand.

2) In a pile on my amp.

3) In the storage compartment of my guitar case.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

I always a variety of picks loose in my pocket. I have a set of the standard Dunlop 1.14 mm Tortex in one of those little leather pick holders on my key ring.

At a gig, I load those Tortex picks into one of the Dunlop mic stand clips.

At a jam session, if I don't have a mic clip and I'm using one of my G&L Legacys, I may slip one in between the pickguard and the body. I do this on the treble side of the guard. You'll want to loosen a pickguard screw just enough to be able to easily slide it in, yet hold it.

Many players that use a Paul or semi-hollow will use a small strip of double-sided tape in the treble curve of the body. Personally, I'd be leery about doing this on a guitar with an NCL finish.

I also have to keep finger and thumb picks on hand for my banjo and acoustic guitar. Usually I just keep them on the amp, or anywhere close where they won't vibrate away.

Bill
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

When I carry them I keep them in an Altoids "Smalls" tin in my pocket.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

3 in my pocket and a couple on top of the amp. More all over the room I have my amp in. :headbang:
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

On a related note I have two tips to share in general that I've been doing a LONG time. First off, when you're done playing get into the habit of slipping your pick under the thin strings at the first fret. This one habit has probably saved me tons of bucks over the years because I just really never lose a pick. I'm 99% more likely to wear out a standard Dunlop than to lose it.

Second, learn how cup/hide your pick with your first finger and use your thumb and remaining digits to finger pick. That way to can effortlessly go from flat pick to fingers in a tiny instant. Yes you lose your first digit but for some quick bass vs. double stops you still have plenty of fingers left.

If I have to go total fingers for a song on the job I just put the pick down on my music stand.

I've never found the need to scatter picks to the four winds just to find one when I need it...at home or on the job.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

Mine are in a little box (with Elvis on the front of it) on a table in front of where I do most of my playing.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

JOLLY said:
Mine are in a little box (with Elvis on the front of it) on a table in front of where I do most of my playing.
Click to expand...

This, except (1) my little box doesn't have Elvis on the cover, and (2) I keep one pick sitting on top of the box, which is the one I use.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

This is all GREAT STUFF guys, but I guess I was actually asking for where you keep them handy WHILE YOU'RE PERFORMING... I should've been more concise! [emoji6]

It's cool to hear about everybody's little pick stashes though! [emoji41][emoji2][emoji106]


[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

I surgically replaced my right thumb with a stainless steel jazz III.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

harmonix1234 said:
Most of mine live in the bottom of the washing machine.
Click to expand...

I use those for clean picking only. I almost always wear jeans that have a small pocket just above the regular front pocket on the right-hand side. I suppose they were originally intended to be watch pockets, but I call them pic pockets.

For some odd reason I almost never drop a pic while I'm playing, so those in my pocket are close enough.

A girl asked me last week why I had so many pics in my pocket. I told her I never know when I might run into a guitar ... or a guitar player who needs a pic. I have five with me right now and they are all different gauges/materials.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

I allow my "picks" to grow from the ends of the digits on my right hand.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

I keep one stuffed in strings of every guitar.

I keep a pile on amps and every table/counter top in the house.

I keep 2 in my pocket everywhere I go.
 
Re: How do you keep your picks handy?

For gigs I use one of those Dunlop pick holders that clips to the mic stand. Then after the gig I like to take out the picks and forget to remove it from the club's mic stand so the next guy to use it gets a free Dunlop pick holder. I've done that at least twice. Around the house I usually keep them on top of my amp, and I usually have one in my wallet.
 
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