Thunderbird Club

[Stealth57]

Picks are your friends.

I'm trying that but it appears holding a pick is more uncoordinated than moving two fingers.

 

[MCF]

Interesting if you have a spare hour.

 

[MCF]

I'm trying that but it appears holding a pick is more uncoordinated than moving two fingers.

Yep.

 

[dagrev]

I'm trying that but it appears holding a pick is more uncoordinated than moving two fingers.

Pretty simple.
Down/up
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Down/up
Down/up
Down/up
Down/up


As mentioned I hold a pick sideways and play with one of the top "corners." Keeps the pick from turning if your fingers sweat a little--or even if they don't. I also drill about 3-4 holes in them. I call it the "Miles pick" since he gave me the idea.

Keep at it and will be your new best friend once you get the hang of it. I even change up songs from time to time that I don't play with a pick and use one just...well just because. Hardly ever do that the other way.
For the songs I need to know I use a pick about 30-40% of the time.

 

[TBird1958]

Personally, I think the Hipshot looks awful on an old EB.

I'm exercising restraint here - I agree completely and don't limit it to old EBs.

 

[JIO]

'68....3.2k...hmmmm...
View attachment 7385106

I had a '68 EB3, bought it NOS in '69 w/HSC. Because of Jack Bruce. Mine had the bridge w/mute. It was cherry but I stripped it and had a local shop make it fretless in '72. Next bass was my 1st ('63 II)T-bird bought from a pawn-shop in Omaha Nebraska in '74.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Interesting if you have a spare hour.

looks like Plaid......

 

[Thumper]

I'm probably in the minority of Thunderbird players who plays fingerstyle only. I tried using a felt pick in '68 when I first started (Vox Delta IV/Vox Kensington amp). It didn't stick. Tried again in mid '80s ( '76 Thunderbird/Lab Series amp) it worked for a few songs, but again, didn't stick. I mess with them now and again, but just don't care for the tic tac sound. Now I just use the Steel Leather for my 2014 Thunderbird to tighten up the tone. Everything is fingers only. The only song I think it would benefit is Train Train by Blackfoot, but while we mess with it once in a while, it never makes it on to a set list.

 

[Engle]

I'm trying that but it appears holding a pick is more uncoordinated than moving two fingers.

I have significant thumb pain from arthritis, so sometimes playing with a pick is painful on bass. Guitar is a little better because it requires less energy.
Roundwounds, Tbird pickups and a pick are a great combination in a rock context!

 

[Gaolee]

this novel sparked interest for the area....we were a little apprehensive thinking they may have been poisonous but got told they were manta, not sting rays...
View attachment 7385093

Stingrays are fairly distinctive looking. They are more like a disk than a bat, and they don't have those protrusions in front. I'm sure those things have a name, but I don't know what it is. Those things are also enormous when you see them in person.

Stingrays won't bother you if you don't bother them. They like to bury themselves in the sand, which means being pretty careful not to drag on them somehow. They are nowhere near as big as mantas or even eagle rays. So, there's that. It's amazing how much under the ocean is poisonous in one way or another. It's sure not a completely benign, friendly place. But really, nowhere is.

 

[Gaolee]

I use a pick on Runnin down a Dream. Last time we played Proud Mary (the fast Tina Turner version), I started with fingers, but had to grab a pick.

Funny thing - I can go a whole lot faster with fingers than with a pick. Beats me how that works, but it has always been true.

 

[Ringhammer]

I'm probably in the minority of Thunderbird players who plays fingerstyle only.

I’m a finger style only player, but I try to play my short scales with a pick when I’m kicking it in the living room, just to try to improve that skill.

MY trouble with pick playing is 2 main items:
1. I tend to play too close to the bridge, which is thin sounding, and esp with a pick, and it takes intention for me to move away, but then the strings aren’t stiff enough (to my liking for faster playing) as I move away from the bridge.
2. Keeping unplayed strings from ringing out if when not playing them, and palm muting is a challenge. My fingers on my right hand just mute unplayed strings automatically.

 

[BklynKen]

Stingrays are fairly distinctive looking. They are more like a disk than a bat, and they don't have those protrusions in front. I'm sure those things have a name, but I don't know what it is. Those things are also enormous when you see them in person.

Stingrays won't bother you if you don't bother them. They like to bury themselves in the sand, which means being pretty careful not to drag on them somehow. They are nowhere near as big as mantas or even eagle rays. So, there's that. It's amazing how much under the ocean is poisonous in one way or another. It's sure not a completely benign, friendly place. But really, nowhere is.

Mobula

 

[Thumper]

I have significant thumb pain from arthritis, so sometimes playing with a pick is painful on bass. Guitar is a little better because it requires less energy.
Roundwounds, Tbird pickups and a pick are a great combination in a rock context!

Likely true, but I play in a Classic Rock/Hard Rock Band. When I tried to play a few songs with a pick (which were played by the original bassist with a pick,) my guitarist looked at me and said "Don't Do That!" When I asked him what, he said "Don't play with a pick." He said it didn't sound like me. I guess after playing fingerstyle for 57 years, the calluses suffice for a semi pick sound.

 

[JIO]

Pretty simple.
Down/up
Down/up
Down/up
Down/up
Down/up
Down/up


As mentioned I hold a pick sideways and play with one of the top "corners." Keeps the pick from turning if your fingers sweat a little--or even if they don't. I also drill about 3-4 holes in them. I call it the "Miles pick" since he gave me the idea.

Keep at it and will be your new best friend once you get the hang of it. I even change up songs from time to time that I don't play with a pick and use one just...well just because. Hardly ever do that the other way.
For the songs I need to know I use a pick about 30-40% of the time.

I agree - adding pick technique will expand one's playing parameters. I use Dunlop Max-Grip (textured) 1.14 - these days I primarily play with a pick but we do a few songs with both bands where I use finger-style.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I agree - adding pick technique will expand one's playing parameters. I use Dunlop Max-Grip (textured) 1.14 - these days I primarily play with a pick but we do a few songs with both bands where I use finger-style.

also about knowing where the pic will favor the tune....although this can be played fingerstyle, it swings better with a pick imho....

 

[Engle]

Likely true, but I play in a Classic Rock/Hard Rock Band. When I tried to play a few songs with a pick (which were played by the original bassist with a pick,) my guitarist looked at me and said "Don't Do That!" When I asked him what, he said "Don't play with a pick." He said it didn't sound like me. I guess after playing fingerstyle for 57 years, the calluses suffice for a semi pick sound.

Yes I do the same on a lot of classic rock tunes. My fingertips are quite hardened.

 

[JIO]

also about knowing where the pic will favor the tune....although this can be played fingerstyle, it swings better with a pick imho....

Absolutely. Sometimes I'll play the same song at our rehearsals using finger-style & pick to hear which fits best. As always - serve the song.

 

[MCF]

I'm probably in the minority of Thunderbird players who plays fingerstyle only. I tried using a felt pick in '68 when I first started (Vox Phantom IV/Vox Kensington amp). It didn't stick. Tried again in mid '80s ( '76 Thunderbird/Lab Series amp) it worked for a few songs, but again, didn't stick. I mess with them now and again, but just don't care for the tic tac sound. Now I just use the Steel Leather for my 2014 Thunderbird to tighten up the tone. Everything is fingers only. The only song I think it would benefit is Train Train by Blackfoot, but while we mess with it once in a while, it never makes it on to a set list.

Sort of with you on that Thump.

 

[bylar13]

Only play with a pick.

I can mess around playing finger style or
Slapping but was never that interested in learning.