Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?

Subject: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Áine
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 11:58 AM

I've just restrung one of my guitars with medium weight strings (changing from light weight Elixirs), and the nail on my right forefinger is continually denting and tearing. I want to keep the medium strings, so I've been investigating piks that I could use on that finger only.

I found the website for Alaskapiks and I'm thinking about getting a set of their guitar piks. Do any of you 'Catters use them, and do you recommend them? Or is there any other pik you'd recommend?

Thanks, Áine

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:03 PM

I can't speak for the use of the A-Laska pick with guitars, but I play clawhammer banjo, and tried the A-Laska pick for that purpose. I quit it pretty quickly, because the clawhammer stroke tended to pull the pick out from under the fingernail and off the finger.

Your mileage may vary.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: GUEST,CLETUS
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:06 PM

Sum folkz like em Aine an sum folkz doant. Iffen yall fun a forum serch sinz yer cookie izza werkin then ya kin find sum old info on them whut duz lik em an them thet doant. I uze 'em on my nose sumtimes an thay werk rite well. Catspaw givem to me sinz he doan care much bout any fingerpicks. I think Ide serch on Alaska by itzzelf.

CLETUS

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: GUEST,Big Mick, lost in Cookieless land
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:08 PM

Hi Sweetie. I use them fingerstyle and like them. I can't use the standard fingerpick because I can't feel the string. The Alaska's solve the problem for me. They do take some getting used to, but once you do they work well. You should figure on some trimming and filing to get them just so.

Nice to see you around here again.

Mick

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:11 PM

Hi, Aine,

I've used Alaska picks, both metal and plastic, and like them better than most fingerpicks I've tried. I find they have less tendency to cut off circulation to my fingertips than do most metal fingerpicks and they seem to fit better than other plastic fingerpicks I've tried.

They're certainly worth a try!

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:16 PM

I've tried them both plastic as well as metal. (If I had to use them, I'd lean towards the plastic ones.) They take some getting used to, and weren't my personal cup of tea. In the end I either play bare fingered, or thumbpick and bare fingers (with or without nails - doesn't matter) or using fingerpicks on thumb middle, index, and occasionally ring.

But the thing I find most paradoxical about them, is that you have to have some existing nail already happening in order to be able to "anchor" them - and if you already have nails, then you shouldn't need them, (unless of course your nails are so fragile that they break or crack under the strain of pickin'.)

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 12:40 PM

I've tried 'em, but prefer to use my own nails wich seem to do the trick quite nicely...

I'd sy, for the few bucks they cost, it can't hurt to give 'em a whirl eh...

;-)

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: John Hardly
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 01:08 PM

My experience is exactly as JP described.......if I have enough nail to anchor 'em, I have enough nail to not need 'em.

I can see however, that if the quality of your nail is so bad that you can grow but not use it, then they might be worth a try.

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 06:01 PM

Have my own eccentric opinion as usual. No matter how hard your nail is, a pick gives a different tone. Alaskas are better because they are more like an extension of the nail rather than the counter-intuitive thing of the usual finger pick, where you have to train yourself to pick with the soft part of your finger.

To solve the prob of looseness, get one size too small to start with. Cut the center one of the three 'straps' out with nail clippers so it seats better. My main guitar guy, who never switches off on instruments, tapes his on at the beginning of the set.

Obviously they aren't going to work well on clawhammer banjo, but then screwdrivers aren't too handy to pound nails with, either.

PS. My favorite aspect of Alaska pix is the mental image I had of Eskimo/Inuit women making them from the ivory of some endangered species or other. I was disappointed when I found that isn't true. Any more.

CC, aka Abdul the Perverse

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Áine
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 10:09 AM

Thank you, one and all. I'm going to give 'em a try. I'll let y'all know how they work out.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Jingle
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 04:54 PM

I have tried Alaskapiks playing the autoharp and liked them a lot but they were the plastic ones and only lasted for three sessions before they started to disintegrate. I would like to find metal ones but here in Yorkshire I can't even get the plastic ones anymore. If any tykes (no George, not you!) know of a Yorkshire shop selling them please post it to this thread.

duplicate message deleted by mudelf ;-)

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Jingle
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 04:56 PM

Oops sorry!! Didn't think it worked the first time so I did it again.

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 03:44 PM

Aine,

Don't use them myself, but my significant other does. She swears by them (not at them). She also primarily uses a flat pick and has the alaska pick on her middle and ring fingers. She's gotten so used to them,that she's lost without them.

Subject: RE: Alaskapiks - Does Anyone Recommend Them?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 06:59 PM

Some place I recall a magazine article on making Alaska picks long before there were Alaska picks. Maybe in the AutoHarp Quarterly or a similar magazine. Mother Earth News maybe. They were made of soda bottle or bleach bottle, put on and held in place with Scotch tape. Ring any bells? I've never tried them but I have entertained the notion. I also felt if my nails were long enough to anchor them, why not just use my nails.

Don