Unique picks

oniman7 · #1 02-13-2011, 12:11 AM

Anybody have any unique objects they use as picks? I have this little round sea shell I found at the beach that comes to a rounded point. There's an indent in the middle where my thumb fits perfectly.

My friends and I also found this metal triangle that was about an inch and a half on each side, with spikes jutting out of it. It was going to be our "metal" whole hand pick (as opposed to two fingers) but we quickly realized it would destroy the strings.

Anyways, as odd as it sounds, the sea shell gives me a nice thumpy kinda tone. Anybody got any other weird ones they use? Even anything custom made.

P.S. Not sure it counts, but my guitarist has a Joe Satriani metal pick that he uses to make weird sounds with the pickups and such.

Swicked · #2 02-13-2011, 12:19 AM

i've used a tuning fork, and still do on some songs. sounds weird. i've magnetised a few picks to give me crzy sounds wheb near the pickups. not sure if that counts though.

oniman7 · #3 02-13-2011, 12:21 AM

I'd say that counts. How do you magnetize a pick?

GrapeApe · #4 02-13-2011, 12:23 AM

My dad has a quarter that his friend cut into the shape of a pick.

oniman7 · #5 02-13-2011, 12:24 AM

I've been known to use quarters and other coins when I can't find a pick. Not good for the high strings on a treble guitar, but it works for bass.

pklima · #6 02-13-2011, 04:12 AM

I've made picks (mostly for mandolin) from slices of antler and pieces of cow horn. I tried laminating some snapping turtle shell, but I messed that up by scrubbing the inside and not just the outside beforehand. Only ended up with a few thin picks made from the thickest unlaminated bits. I've also reshaped some picks somebody else bought that were made from mammoth ivory.

oniman7 · #7 02-13-2011, 07:20 PM

Where do you get mammoth ivory? I've always thought that would be awesome. Or dinosaur bones.

MagicMan_841 · #8 02-13-2011, 07:25 PM

I once saw a guy that played guitar (the six-string variety) with a toothbrush.

pklima · #9 02-13-2011, 11:33 PM

A mandolinist I knew bought some mammoth ivory picks but wasn't too happy about the shape, so she gave me one in exchange for reshaping the others. Mammoth ivory isn't all that hard to buy.

MadDogM · #10 02-13-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swicked

i've used a tuning fork

How were you holding it?